GENSONNE, ARMAND, a member of the National Convention, and one of the leaders of the Girondist party, was born at Bordeaux, August 10, 1758, and was practising as a lawyer in his native town when the revolution broke out. Although more endowed with decision and firmness of character than with eloquence, he was chosen deputy to the legislative assembly in September 1791, and was one of the first to attach himself to the new party of the Gironde, which included Gaudet, Vergniaud, Isnard, and Brissot among its leaders.
Ile had better habits of business than any of these distinguished men, and was consequently more frequently employed than they were on the parliamentary committees, iu which he obtained much influence.
Ho was the first to enunciate the atrocious maxim, "That in times of revolution, suspicion alone is sufficient to warrant a conviction." It was likewise Gensonn6 who carried the measure which sequestrated the property of the emigrants; and In conjunction with his colleague Brissot he induced the chamber to declare war against Austria, in spite of the strenuous efforts of Robespierre to prevent them. In
September 1792 ho was elected a member of the Convention, and proposed that the king's trial should bo referred to the Aseembl6os Primairea. His views about this time appear to have changed con siderahly. lie advocated a more moderate course ; denounced the system of domiciliary visits ; and loudly called for the punishment of th6 September assassins. It was only In compliance with his party that he voted for the king'. death. In the struggle which immediately followed for power between the Jacobin and Girondist parties the Jacobins were triumphant, and Gensonn6 having been arrested ou the 2nd of June 1793, with twenty-one of his colleagues, was guillotined on the 31st of October in the same year.