Chapter 115: Joseph's Reappearance
On the nineteenth of December, which should have been a frosty day in Frimaire, Napoleon encountered an old acquaintance in MarseilleJoseph Fouch, a commissioner dispatched by the Convention. Fouch had been sent to Marseille to replace Couthon, tasked with investigating the counter-revolutionary activities in the south and overseeing requisitioning of various supplies.
When Couthon had arrived in the south, he was full of ambition, believing he could achieve the same glory as Saint-Just. Little did he know that the people of the south proved to be more challenging to suppress. His actions were slightly delayed, and he missed out on the victorious battles.
As for his efforts in suppressing the counter-revolution, he believed he had done a decent job. However, even in Paris, his achievements in suppressing the counter-revolution were not appreciated. It was said that Robespierre privately complained:
"Couthon only knows how to kill, yes, he has eliminated quite a few counter-revolutionaries. But, if we're only looking to get rid of that bunch, anyone could do it. Why send him? He must organize production, accumulate wealth. Look at him, though, he has beheaded two thousand, but he hasn't collected much. The number of heads he has cut off, compared to the amount of wealth he has confiscated, doesn't even meet the average for commissioners. This is... he's just wasting heads..."
Due to this, the Committee of Public Safety convened a special meeting to discuss Couthon's performance. Everyone, except Carnot, believed Couthon had not been effective. As for Carnot, he maintained his habit of not directly evaluating Couthon's performance during this time. But as soon as he spoke, it was, "I need money, a lot of money, a whole lot of money!" This statement, more vehement than others' accusations of Couthon's ineffectiveness, caught everyone's attention.
So, it was decided that Couthon had to return immediately, and a more resourceful person should be sent to the south. Among the Jacobins, there were two people recognized for their financial skills, Danthon and Fouch.
In terms of personal preference, Robespierre had more reservations about Fouchafter all, Fouch had betrayed him. But when it came to choosing between these two individuals, Robespierre did not hesitate to select Fouch. There were two main reasons for this choice: one could be spoken aloud, the other could only be thought but not expressed.
The reason that could be stated aloud was as follows: Danthon was indeed skilled at accumulating money, but at the same time, he was adept at keeping a portion of it for himself. If Danthon were tasked with this mission, he could probably contribute more to the treasury in terms of wealth and resources than Couthon. However, he would likely embezzle a considerable amount for himself, which would tarnish the reputation of the revolutionary government.
The reason that could only be thought but not spoken was this: Danthon held a much higher position and influence than Fouch. Even though he had recently been pushed out of the inner circle, if given the responsibility for this task and it went awry, he might make a powerful comeback.
As for Fouch, despite his talent and danger, he had a lower starting point and limited influence. Even if he achieved remarkable success, Robespierre believed he could still control him.
Most others shared similar thoughts on this matter, and given Fouch's recent performance in Le Mans, Vende, and Lyon, where he had not claimed the highest number of headsalthough there were still manytheir deaths were calculated and not excessive. This was an important quality in a commissioner.
In terms of acquiring funds, Fouch excelled above all. Among all the commissioners, he was the most effective at raising money for the government. Moreover, his success was not like those sent to Belgium, who offended all the locals and destabilized society. Fouch managed to gather resources while maintaining social stability, which was a considerable achievement.
Couthon probably believed he could search the aristocrats' estates in the countryside and find all the gold louis and silver cus they had hidden. However, in those times, even the provincial nobles knew to invest their wealth in interest-bearing accounts. Hiding bank documents was not an easy task.
Fouch's trip to Toulon was likely an attempt to recover some of this money. Napoleon, however, had reservations about the success of this endeavor.
Fouch spent a little over two days in Toulon before returning to Marseille. Upon his return, he sought out Napoleon.
"General Bonaparte, I've obtained some leads in Toulon. These leads indicate that there were individuals in Marseille who either participated in or at least observed the rebellion in Toulon."
"Observed?" Napoleon inquired.
"Meaning they knew about it but didn't report it," Fouch replied with a cold smile. "Knowing without informing is collusion, it's joining the traitors. In this struggle, no one has the luxury of staying neutral."
Napoleon understood Fouch's intentions. His trip to Toulon wasn't merely about uncovering the aristocrats' missing funds; it was about connecting the Toulon rebellion to the aristocracy and the wealthy in Marseille. If he succeeded, there was no need to worry about the money.
Napoleon decided it was best not to intervene in these matters and smiled, saying, "These individuals have hidden their secrets well, and I can't do much about it. I hope you achieve success, and if you need any assistance, don't hesitate to ask."
"If there's ever anything I need your help with, I will definitely come to you," Fouch replied courteously.
The day after Fouch returned from Toulon, he initiated a massive search operation. Over a thousand people were arrested in one fell swoop, and the prisons in Marseille were almost bursting at the seams.
However, Fouch didn't immediately hand these people over to the "Revolutionary Tribunal," nor did he accuse them of any crimes. Even during the arrests, he referred to them as "assisting with the investigation."
Fouch presented enough evidence to potentially send some of these people to the guillotine, then stated he was tracing the money hidden by the rebels in Toulon. He knew some of that money had been concealed by wealthy individuals in Marseille. Fouch also made it clear that if these individuals helped the Republic in this matter, he was a generous man, and his memory wasn't the besthe might forget some of their actions.
