2 octobre 1792
4 novembre 1795
Décret du 2 octobre 1792 portant création d'un comité de Sûreté générale et de surveillance.
Décret du 13 septembre 1793 par lequel la Convention nationale charge son comité de Salut public de présenter des candidats pour tous les comités de l'Assemblée.
Règlements des 17 septembre 1793 et 20 germinal an II portant organisation intérieure des bureaux du comité de Sûreté générale de la Convention nationale.
Décret du 14 frimaire an II, qui confie au comité de Sûreté générale l'inspection des corps constitués et des fonctionnaires publics pour tout ce qui est relatif aux personnes et à la police générale et intérieure.
Décret du 7 fructidor an II relatif à la nouvelle organisation des comités de la Convention nationale.
Le décret du 2 octobre 1792 fixe le nombre de membres du comité à 30, plus 15 suppléants. Après quelques remaniements, la composition du comité est la suivante : Hérault, Basire, Delaunay aîné, Musset, Faucher, Goupilleau (de Montaigu), Lecointe-Puyraveau, Maribon-Montaut, Rovère, Ruamps, Kervélégan, Couppé, Ingrand, Bordas, Brival, Duquesnoy, Leyris, Audouin, Laurens (de Marseille), Chabot, Lavicomterie, Manuel, Vardon, Grangeneuve, Cavaignac, Duprat, Bernard (de Saintes), Tallien, Bonnier et Drouet.
Le décret du 7 janvier 1793 portant doublement du nombre de membres du comité de Sûreté générale, n’a pas reçu d’application. Le nombre de membres est même réduit à 12 le 21 janvier 1793, puis subit des variations fréquentes au cours de cette année, notamment en raison de l’envoi en mission de certains membres du comité.
Le 13 septembre 1793, la Convention nationale charge son comité de Salut public de présenter des candidats pour tous les comités. Cette mesure vise particulièrement le comité de Sûreté générale, où elle est mise à exécution dès le lendemain. La liste des 12 membres, présentée par le comité de Salut public et adoptée par la Convention, comprend Vadier, Panis, Le Bas, Boucher Saint-Sauveur, David, Guffroy, Lavicomterie, Amar, Rühl, Le Bon, Voulland et Bayle (Moyse).
Le 17 septembre 1793, le nouveau comité procède à l’épuration du personnel employé dans ses bureaux et s’organise en 3 sections :
1° Interrogatoires, mandats d’amener et d’arrêt, et passeports (Amar, Panis, Boucher Saint-Sauveur, David et Lavicomterie),
2° Correspondance et renvois (Guffroy, Bayle et Rühl),
3° Rapports (Voulland, Le Bon, Le Bas et Vadier).
À chaque section est attaché un bureau. Les places de secrétaires commis sont confiées, autant que possible, à des patriotes reconnus et à des pères de famille. Le comité décide que les commis seront attachés aux divers travaux de chaque section suivant l’avis des membres de chaque section, sans qu’aucun d’eux puisse s’immiscer dans les fonctions des autres. Les garçons de bureau étant dépositaires de tous les papiers qui assurent la tranquillité publique, ils sont choisis pour leurs qualités de prudence, de sévérité et de patriotisme.
Le 28 vendémiaire an II, le comité rédige un nouveau règlement intérieur, qui implique notamment la division de la France en 4 « régions » de surveillance :
- Nord (Vadier, Voulland, Bayle),
- Sud (Amar, Laloy, Jagot),
- Centre (Dubarran, Louis, Le Bas),
- département de Paris (Lavicomterie, Panis, David, Rühl).
D’après le même règlement, « chaque région est chargée de l’examen et de la poursuite des affaires appartenant à son arrondissement, des correspondances, interrogatoires et rapports à faire, soit au comité, soit à la Convention ».
Deux membres sont nommés chaque jour pour « recevoir les demandes, mémoires ou instructions apportés au comité ». Ils en prennent des notes ou extraits, qui sont enregistrés au bureau de Distribution, ce dernier étant chargé d’en faire un rapport au comité dans la séance du jour.
Un bureau de trois membres est chargé d’ouvrir tous les paquets et lettres adressés au comité, de faire la distribution des renvois de la Convention nationale et de ses comités, et de surveiller les expéditions et les enregistrements. Ce bureau a également la « police sur les commis et autres employés », dont ils constatent l’assiduité.
Chaque lettre reçue est numérotée et enregistrée, en précisant l’objet et la région à laquelle elle est renvoyée. Les pièces concernant des affaires purement individuelles sont renvoyées aux personnes concernées une fois les affaires terminées.
Le règlement porte également la nomination d’un « caissier comptable, chargé de payer sur les fonds à la disposition du comité tous les frais occasionnés ensuite de ses ordres et sur un bon signé par un de ses membres.
De frimaire au 9 thermidor an II, le comité se compose des 14 membres suivants : Vadier, Panis, Le Bas, David, Guffroy, Lavicomterie, Amar, Rühl, Voulland, Bayle (Moyse), Barbeau-Dubarran, Jagot, Louis (du Bas-Rhin) et Lacoste (Élie).
Le 18 germinal an II, de nouveaux bureaux sont créés pour faire face à l’augmentation considérable de la charge de travail. Le comité est ainsi organisé :
- un bureau central : il est composé de 2 secrétaires principaux, 5 enregistreurs, 5 analyseurs, 2 interprètes (1 pour l’allemand, 1 pour l’anglais) et 2 expéditionnaires. Il est chargé de l’enregistrement et de la distribution des pièces.
- 4 régions : chacune est surveillée par deux membres nommés par le comité.
Chacune des trois premières régions se compose d’un secrétaire principal, 2 secrétaires, 3 analyseurs, 2 enregistreurs et 2 expéditionnaires. Les pièces passent successivement entre les mains des secrétaires (donnent décharge et distribuent), des analyseurs (rédigent une analyse sommaire des pièces), des enregistreurs, des secrétaires (préparent les rapports), puis du secrétaire principal (rédige les projets d’arrêtés). Les pièces sont conservées dans des cartons, suivant l’ordre des numéros d’enregistrement, et sont communiquées aux membres du comité qui en font la demande. La correspondance est assurée par les secrétaires.
La 4e région se compose d’un secrétaire principal, 3 secrétaires, 4 analyseurs, 3 enregistreurs et 3 expéditionnaires. L’ordre du travail est similaire à celui adopté pour les autres régions.
- un bureau d’Agence général : il est composé « d’un secrétaire principal, 1 secrétaire, 2 analyseurs, 1 enregistreur et 1 expéditionnaire. L’ordre du travail est le même que celui des régions. Il comprend tout ce qui est relatif aux généraux, aux membres des commissions remplaçant le ministère, aux députés inculpés ou accusés, aux ambassadeurs, aux envoyés et commissaires du Gouvernement, aux étrangers, aux colonies, au Tribunal révolutionnaire, aux postes et messageries. »
- un bureau de l’Arriéré : il est chargé de traiter la « quantité immense de papiers » accumulés dans les bureaux faute de pouvoir être traités. Ce bureau se compose de 2 secrétaires principaux, 2 secrétaires, 6 analyseurs et 6 enregistreurs, dont les fonctions sont identiques à celles des agents des autres bureaux. Ils préparent le travail et classent les affaires terminées.
- un secrétariat général : un commis de chaque bureau ou région se rend chaque jour au secrétariat à 8 heures du soir pour l’expédition des affaires.
- un bureau d’Exécution : il est composé de 2 secrétaires généraux, 1 enregistreur, 2 expéditionnaires et 2 huissiers. 20 personnes sont attachées à ce bureau, où sont déposés le timbre et le sceau. On y scelle tous les arrêtés et on y cachète toutes les lettres et paquets du comité. Ce bureau est chargé de l’enregistrement des mandats d’arrêt, d’amener et de mise en liberté, ainsi que de l’enregistrement des circulaires, arrêtés, proclamations et ordres secrets du comité. L’huissier tient le registre d’enregistrement des personnes qui se présentent directement au comité.
- une caisse : elle se compose d’un caissier et d’un secrétaire adjoint. Les fonctions du caissier consistent à tenir un registre en parties doubles des sommes entrantes ou sortantes et un autre registre dédié à l’enregistrement des effets précieux, métaux, caisses et malles adressées au comité. Tout paiement à la caisse nécessite un ordre signé du comité ; le caissier en justifie l’emploi par la représentation des quittances. Le secrétaire adjoint au caissier fait les paiements de détail, vérifie les comptes, tient les registres et fait les états de paiement et autres écritures.
- un bureau d’Archives : il se compose d’un archiviste et d’un secrétaire adjoint. L’archiviste est tenu d’enregistrer toutes les pièces remises aux membres du comité sur leur récépissé.
- un directeur général est chargé de la surveillance de tous les bureaux. Il rend compte chaque décade au comité de l’activité des employés et surveille la fourniture des objets nécessaires aux bureaux.
Après le 9-Thermidor, les bureaux de police du comité de Salut public sont réunis au comité de Sûreté générale ; ce dernier crée une section de la police de Paris, tout en conservant les 4 régions de surveillance, qui seront supprimées lors du dernier remaniement de pluviôse et ventôse an III.
Le comité de Sûreté générale et de surveillance est établi par un décret de la Convention nationale du 2 octobre 1792, en remplacement du comité de Surveillance de l’Assemblée nationale législative, créé le 25 novembre 1791 et lui-même successeur du comité des Recherches de l’Assemblée nationale constituante.
Le comité de Sûreté générale est un rouage essentiel du gouvernement révolutionnaire. Il est chargé de la police générale et intérieure de la République, en particulier celle de Paris. Ses attributions relèvent à la fois du législatif (préparer les textes de loi en matière de surveillance des individus et de police générale) et de l’exécutif (arrestation et mise en liberté d’individus). Il correspond tant avec des personnes privées qu’avec les comités de surveillance, les départements, les districts et les municipalités pour assurer le maintien de l’ordre public et punir les ennemis de l’État. Il est notamment chargé de l’application de la « loi des suspects », votée le 17 septembre 1793.
Le comité de Sûreté générale est supprimé le 13 brumaire an IV.
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