The Girondists were a legislative party in the French Assembly of 1791. The name was derived from a circle of active young deputies from the department of the Gironde. The leaders were lawyers of Bordeaux. They were ardent young reformers with high ideals. The Girondist party desired the abolition of the monarchy, but was unwilling to resort to drastic measures. They came into conflict with the Jacobin clubs of Paris, who preferred the guillotine and the torch to fine speeches and correct sentiments. Finally bitterness between the Girondists and the Republican leaders became so pronounced that a decree was passed against the former, under which they were not only expelled from the Assembly, but were hunted down and imprisoned. Twenty-nine Girondist deputies were brought to the guillotine. The remainder were scattered and cowed, and did not make their reappearance in politics until the days of the revolution were over.
