6 octobre 1747
24 novembre 1807
Reubell, Jean-François (1747-1807)
Jean-François Reubell ou Rewbell (1747-1807) naît à Colmar le 6 octobre 1747 dans une famille de la bourgeoisie alsacienne. Il est le fils de Jean Reubell, avocat, secrétaire interprète au Conseil souverain d’Alsace, puis notaire à Colmar. Sa mère, Marie, est la fille d’un des procureurs fiscaux près le Conseil souverain, Claude Simottel.
Reubell suit les traces de son père et entame des études de droit à l’université de Strasbourg. En 1775, il devient avocat au Conseil souverain d’Alsace.
Il épouse Anne Marie Mouhat, fille et petite-fille de procureur, dont il a deux enfants.
Président du Conseil local de l’ordre des avocats, Jean-François Reubell est élu le 2 avril 1789 député du Tiers état du baillage de Colmar et de Sélestat aux États généraux qui s’ouvrent à Versailles le 5 mai. Il rejoint les rangs du Parti des Patriotes qui a appelé de ses vœux la convocation des États généraux.
Six semaines avant le Serment du Jeu de paume, le 8 mai 1789, Reubell est le premier à appeler le Tiers état à se réunir avec les deux autres ordres et à se constituer en Nation. Le 1er juin 1789, il est nommé président adjoint du Tiers état aux côtés de Michel-François Dailly, puis de Jean Sylvain Bailly. Le 9 juillet 1789, Reubell adhère au Club breton qui rassemble au sein de la nouvelle Assemblée constituante les plus ardents partisans d’une monarchie constitutionnelle. Il intervient pour soutenir l’abolition des privilèges et prend une part active au travail de rédaction de la Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen. Le 12 octobre 1789, lors du transfert de l’Assemblée constituante à Paris, Reubell rallie le Club des Jacobins, nouvellement créé. Il le préside du 4 février au 7 mars 1791. Le 23 avril 1791, Jean-François Reubell est porté à la présidence de l’Assemblée constituante. Conformément à la règlementation, il quitte ce poste le 8 mai suivant et cède la place à Antoine d’André.
Le 30 septembre 1791, après la dissolution de l’Assemblée constituante, Reubell est nommé procureur général syndic du Haut-Rhin, avant de devenir secrétaire général du directoire dans ce département. Il est ensuite élu membre de la Convention, le 3 septembre 1792, par le département du Haut-Rhin avec 305 voix sur 416 votants. Envoyé en mission auprès de l’armée de Mayence, Jean-François Reubell ne peut déposer son vote lors du procès de Louis XVI. Il manifeste cependant son soutien à la condamnation du roi par une lettre datée du 6 janvier 1793 dans laquelle il s’étonne que « Louis Capet » soit encore en vie. Rappelé à Paris, Reubell est envoyé en mission en Vendée à la fin de l’année 1793.
Durant le reste de la Terreur, Reubell se réfugie en province. Il participe toutefois, en février et mars 1794, au débat de la Convention sur la question coloniale et se montre favorable à l’abolition de l’esclavage des Noirs. Suite à la chute de Robespierre, le 9 thermidor an II (27 juillet 1794), il rallie les thermidoriens et, s’efforçant d’écarter les Jacobins du pouvoir, contribue à l’interdiction de leur club. Le 6 octobre 1794, il intègre pour trois mois, conformément à la règle, le Comité de sûreté générale où il initie l’épuration des Jacobins. Du 6 au 21 décembre 1794, Reubell assume la présidence de la Convention nationale.
En mars 1795, Reubell entre au Comité de salut public. Au sein de cette instance gouvernementale, il intervient dans la négociation des accords de défense qui aboutissent à la naissance de la République ligurienne. Il continue son activité diplomatique en avril 1795 en étant envoyé avec Sieyès à La Haye afin de conduire les négociations pour la création de la République batave [1]. Ces négociations aboutissent le 16 mai 1795 à la signature du traité de La Haye qui prévoit une alliance offensive et défensive, la cession de la Flandre zélandaise, Maastricht et Venlo, ainsi que l’entretien d’une armée française de 25 000 hommes et une contribution de 100 millions de florins. Reubell est le principal rédacteur de ce traité. S’orientant de plus en plus vers la partie modérée de la Convention nationale, il fait voter, le 17 avril 1795, la vente des biens des émigrés par la voie de la loterie, avant d’entrer, le 13 octobre 1795 au Conseil des Cinq-Cents, comme député du Haut-Rhin par 135 voix sur 243 votants.
Directeur du Conseil des Cinq-Cents, Jean-François Reubell devient président du Directoire le 1er novembre 1795. Il assure cette fonction jusqu’au 4 septembre 1797. Au sein du Directoire, Reubell est chargé des finances, de la justice et de la politique étrangère. Le 26 décembre 1795, il présente à la tribune le programme de gouvernement du Directoire. La lutte contre la thésaurisation et l’agiotage sont les deux grandes priorités. Confronté à l’inflation des assignats, Reubell met en place la politique monétaire des bons d’emprunt forcé dès le 10 décembre, puis des mandats territoriaux gagés sur les biens nationaux hypothéqués avant de déclarer la banqueroute en 1797. Reubell met en œuvre la répression contre le jacobinisme. Sur le plan de la politique extérieure, Reubell négocie en mars 1796 le soutien de la France à la nouvelle République batave. Favorable à la politique de conquête et au développement des républiques sœurs, Reubell annexe à la France les départements réunis de la Belgique [2] ainsi que ceux de la République cisrhénane [3]. Il est également l’artisan de la création de la République helvétique en avril 1798.
Lors des élections législatives du 11 avril 1797, qui renouvellent un tiers du Corps législatif du Directoire, les républicains perdent la majorité au profit des partisans de la restauration de la monarchie. Les royalistes détiennent au total 330 sièges parlementaires et dominent la vie politique. Le Directoire est alors divisé en deux camps : Barthélemy et Carnot sont favorables à la majorité royaliste, tandis que Reubell et Lareveillère sont fermement républicains ; Barras hésitant entre les deux tendances. Reubell répond à ce changement de majorité en formant avec Barras et Lareveillère une alliance qui assure une majorité républicaine au sein du Directoire. Le coup d’État du 4 septembre 1797 (18 fructidor an V) mené par les trois directeurs soutenus par l’armée contre les royalistes et les Jacobins abouti au renforcement de l’exécutif au détriment du pouvoir législatif.
Les élections d’avril 1798 sont favorables au parti directorial, mais marquent l’apparition d’une forte opposition de gauche incarnée par les montagnards.
Au début de l’année 1799, l’opposition du Conseil des Cinq-Cents accuse Reubell d’être responsable des défaites de la République qui ont marquées l’invasion de la région de Hollande (République batave) par la coalition anglo-russe. Suite aux élections législatives d’avril 1799, le parti directorial devient minoritaire. Le Conseil des Cinq-Cents est désormais dominé par le député de la Corse, Lucien Bonaparte, qui en prend la présidence à la fin du mois d’octobre. Le 9 mai 1799, suite au tirage au sort annuel, Reubell quitte le Directoire. Ayant été élu, le 12 avril 1799, membre du Conseil des Anciens par les départements du Haut-Rhin, du Bas-Rhin et de la Moselle, il continue de prendre part à la vie politique. À la suite du coup d’état du 18 juin 1799 (30 prairial an VII), Sieyès est élu à sa place au Directoire. Désormais isolé, Reubell devient la proie d’une grande impopularité. Plusieurs faits lui sont reprochés. Il est notamment sommé de s’expliquer au sujet de la violation du droit des nations constitué par les invasions de la Suisse et de l’Égypte sans déclaration de guerre. Le 12 juillet 1799, les Conseils votent la loi dite « des otages » par laquelle des commissions d’enquêtes chargées d’examiner la conduite des anciens Directeurs sont créées. Le coup d’État du 9 novembre 1799 (18 brumaire an VIII) permet à Reubell d’échapper à ces difficultés.
Jean-François Reubell se retire alors de la vie politique. En 1801, il refuse le poste de conseiller d’État qui lui est offert par le Premier Consul.
En 1806, ruiné par le train de vie de ses fils, Jean-François Reubell vend son domaine d’Arcueil. Malade, il meurt d’une apoplexie à Colmar, le 24 novembre 1807.
[1] Crée en 1795, la République batave englobait la majeure partie du territoire actuel des Pays-Bas. Elle est la première des républiques sœurs de la France révolutionnaire. La République batave disparaît en 1806 au profit du royaume de Hollande.
[2] Il s’agit des départements français issus des Pays-Bas autrichiens et de la principauté de Liège annexés par la République française en 1795.
[3] République sœur de la République française sur la rive gauche du Rhin créée en 1797 par le Directoire, elle est annexée par la France en 1801 par le traité de Lunéville.
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