Jean-Thomas-Élisabeth Richer de Sérizy (1759–1803) was a French counter-revolutionary. He founded the newspaper '' l'Accusateur public''.Alain Moreau Les Métamorphoses du scribe: histoire du notariat français 1989 p195 "Les ennemis de la Révolution comptèrent dans leurs rangs un autre clerc de notaire, Richer-Sérizy (1759-1803). Arrêté en 1793, en raison de son amitié avec Desmoulins et libéré en 1794, il fonda un journal «l'Accusateur public»," Richer de Sérizy was born in Paris to a noble family, and died in London. He had contracted a marriage of convenience with Mlle Calame de La Prairie, daughter of an actress and the

Prince de Conti Prince of Conti (French: ''prince de Conti'') was a French noble title, assumed by a cadet branch of the princely house of Bourbon-Condé. History The title derives its name from Conty, a small town in northern France, c. 35 km southwest of ...

. She accused him of being violent. Their divorce lasted about ten years, during which she had to pay him a pension. During the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

, an anonymous denunciation described him as a "man without morality, known throughout Paris for the depravity of his private life, for his passive antiphysical tastes, and marked by the most revolting incivility (...)." Arrested on 14 Frimaire Year II (December 4, 1793), he was locked up in

Carmes Prison Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes (''Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes'') is a Catholic church located at 70 rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. It was originally built as the chapel of a convent of the mendicant order of Discalced Carmelites. It is ...

, then in that of Luxembourg. After

9 Thermidor Maximilien Robespierre addressed the National Convention on 26 July 1794, was arrested the next day, and executed on 28 July. In his speech on 26 July, Robespierre spoke of the existence of internal enemies, conspirators, and calumniators, with ...

, he was sent to finish his seclusion in the Montprin sanatorium, then at the Belhomme boarding house. He was released on 6 Vendémiaire Year III (September 27, 1794) and began writing his newspaper L'Accusateur public. He played an important role in the Le Peletier section and coordinated the action of the counter-revolutionary sections on 12 Vendémiaire within a central committee which prepared the Restoration of Louis XVIII of France. The failure of the Royalist Uprising of

13 Vendémiaire 13 Vendémiaire, Year 4 in the French Republican Calendar (5 October 1795 in the Gregorian calendar), was a battle between the French Revolutionary troops and Royalist forces in the streets of Paris. This battle was part of the establishing ...

Year IV (October 5, 1795) is not attributable to him. Defeated, he was prosecuted but acquitted by the jury of the Seine. He was proscribed again after the

Coup of 18 Fructidor The Coup of 18 Fructidor, Year V (4 September 1797 in the French Republican Calendar), was a seizure of power in France by members of the French Directory, Directory, then forming the government of the First French Republic, with support from th ...

Year V (September 4, 1797). With former associates of

Philippe Égalité Philippe is a masculine given name, cognate to Philip, and sometimes also a surname. The name may refer to: * Philippe of Belgium (born 1960), King of the Belgians (2013–present) * Philippe (footballer) (born 2000), Brazilian footballer * Prince ...

, he frequented the house of

Grace Elliott Grace Dalrymple Elliott (c. 1754 – 16 May 1823) was a Scottish courtesan, writer and spy resident in Paris during the French Revolution. She was an eyewitness to events detailed in her memoirs, ''Journal of my life during the French Rev ...

, closely watched by the police of the Directory. He narrowly escaped deportation to Cayenne and eventually took refuge in London, where he died at the age of forty-four.

References

1759 births 1803 deaths French counter-revolutionaries Writers from Paris {{France-bio-stub