HomeNationsFranceNational ConventionBréard, Jean-Jacques

Jean-Jacques Bréard, dit Bréard-Duplessis

b. 11 Oct 1751, Québec, Nouvelle-France (now Canada)
d. 2 Jan 1840, Paris, France

Title: Président de la Convention nationale (President of the National Convention)
Term: 7 Feb 1793 - 21 Feb 1793
Chronology: 7 Feb 1793, elected, session of the Convention, Salle du Manège, Paris [1]
8 Feb 1793, assumed the chair, session of the Convention, Salle du Manège, Paris [1]
21 Feb 1793, ceased to exercise the functions of office upon the election of a successor [2]
Names/titles: Surname also spelled: Bréard-Duplessys (see Dictionnaire des Conventionnels, 86)
Biography:
Born in the family of a navy inspector; was returned to France by his parents (1758); involved in organizing elections to the États-Généraux (Estates-General) at Marennes, Charente-Infériuere; served as mayor of Marennes (31 Jan 1790 - 7 Jul 1790) and administrator of the département of Charente-Infériuere for the district of Marennes (from 25 Jun 1790); was elected vice resident of the administration of this département (22 Nov 1790); elected to the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly) (1791-1792), where represented Charente-Infériuere; elected (5 Sep 1792) a deputy from Charente-Infériuere to the Convention nationale (National Convention) (1792-1795); voted for the death sentence in the trial of King Louis XVI; elected President of the National Convention (7 Feb 1793 - 21 Feb 1793) [3]; served as a member of the Comité de sûreté générale (Committee of General Security) (17 Oct 1792 - 9 Jan 1793) and the Comité de salut public (Committee of Public Safety) (7 Apr 1793 - 5 Jun 1793, 31 Jul 1794 - 5 Dec 1794, 4 Jan 1795 - 4 May 1795); was sent on a mission to Brest to organize the coast defense (1793-1794); originally a Montagnard, supported the Thermidorian coup (27 Jul 1794) and ensuing reaction; was elected (13 Oct 1795) to the Corps législatif and took a seat in the Conseil des Anciens (Council of Ancients) as a deputy of Charente-Infériuere (1795-1798); supported the coup of 18 Brumaire, Year VIII (9 Nov 1799 - 10 Nov 1799) and was nominated to the Corps législatif (1799-1802); served as President of the Corps législatif (6 Jan 1801 - 21 Jan 1801); worked as administrator of the post offices in Paris; was banished as regicide (1816) and did not return to France until 1830.
Biographical sources: Dictionnaire de biographie française, 7; Dictionnaire des Conventionnels, 86-87; Dictionnaire des parlementaires français 1789-1889, 1:476; "Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes depuis la fondation de la colonie jusqu'à nos jours", by Cyprien Tanguay (Montréal: E. Senécal, 1886), 2:458 (web site).
Elections:

Candidate
Vote (7 Feb 1793)
1st ballot 2nd ballot
Jean-Jacques Bréard, dit Bréard-Duplessis n/a 203
François Lamarque n/a 162
absolute majority n/a 183
voters n/a 365
Source of electoral results: Archives parlementaires - Série 1, 58:371.

[1] Archives parlementaires - Série 1, 58:371.
[2] Archives parlementaires - Série 1, 59:69.
[3] On a number of occasions, Bréard also chaired the Convention as ancien président in absence of the incumbent: 2 Apr 1793, 3 Apr 1793 and 4 Apr 1793 (evening session) for Jean Debry; 5 Aug 1793, 6 Aug 1793, 7 Aug 1793 for Georges Danton.