Vergniaud
PIERRE VICTUR- NIEN, a French orator; born in Limoges, France, May 31, 1753. Turgot, then intendant of the Limousin, nominated him to a bursarship at the Collége du Plessis at Paris. He studied divinity aimlessly at the Sorbonne, but soon grew tired of it, next took a post in the civil service at Paris, but ere long threw it up and retired to his bankrupt father's house at Limoges. But a brother-in-law helped him to settle as an advocate at Bordeaux in 1781, and he quickly gained a great practice, and was elected a deputy to the National Assembly in 1791. His splendid eloquence, the charm of his personality, made him the leader of the Girondists, but he was too indolent and unambitious to care for political intrigue, and indeed he was far more of the orator than the statesman. Sent to the Convention by the department of the Gironde, he supported, in the question of the king's trial, the proposal of Salle to make an appeal to the people. When the decisive moment came he voted for death, and as president it was his duty to announce the result. In the struggle with the Mountain he made a splendid effort, but too late. He was guillotined Oct. 31, 1793, the last of the 21 who died together.