Page 50 - DIVA_4_2007_No.31

THREE-HUNDRED YEARS AGO

PIERRE FATIO (1662-1707)

During the eighteenth beginning of January, a shop-
keeper named Francois
century in Geneva there was
Delachanaz presented a
a continuing power struggle
petition for reform. He
between the old Protestant
asked, among other things,
ruling classes and those who
that:
wanted the people to have a
greater say in the running of • The Conseil Général (i.e.
the electorate) should vote by
the city. There were
confrontations followed by ry and an extraordinary secret ballot;
periods of calm as reformers memory. • The Council of Two-
hundred (i.e. the govern-
tried to introduce their ideas.
In 1694 he married Elisabeth
relatively
stable
This ment) should elect its own
situation would come to a Chouet, but it was not to be a members;
dramatic end in 1792 and happy union. Between 1691 • There should be a limit on
was followed by a long and 1700 he gradually rose the number of people from
period of political instability within the Genevan justice the same family holding
ending in the 1840s. The first system. As soon a he was of office.
crisis took place in 1707 the required age-that is to say
when the middle classes, 25 years in 1688-he began a These modest demands in
under the leadership of Pierre political career as a member favour of simple democratic
Fatio, sought to introduce of Geneva's governing coun- procedures were viewed as
reforms. This was to end in cil. Fatio and a group of an intolerable outrage to their
tears. young lawyers became privileges of the oligarchy.
known as reformers. Delachanaz was summoned
Like many other "true" to the City Hall and ordered
Genevans, Pierre Fatio was Most Genevans had by the Syndics not to
petition.
the
descended from Protestant absolutely no say in the way circulate
refugees who had come to they were governed. The Cunningly, he made it avail-
the city in the sixteenth "Conseil générale" was the able in his shop on Place
century. name given to the electoral Longemalle. On 14 January
body and in theory it should he was once more ordered to
He was born in the family have elected the governing attend the City Hall, but
house between Longemalle body, known as the "Council refused to withdraw the
and Molard on 30 October of Two-hundred". But the petition. The matter was
1662. Even though he was members of the Council of brought before the Council
the fifteenth child of his par- Two-hundred were not of Two-hundred, where
ents, of his brothers and sis- elected at all, but appointed Delachanaz was defended by
ters only two girls and three by the "Petit Conseil". The Pierre Fatio and Pierre
boys survived. He went to Petit Conseil itself was made Gallatin. Inevitably, the
school at the College Calvin, up of five members, known Council of Two-hundred
where he was among the best as the "Syndics", and found in favour of the
Delachanaz's
pupils. In 1679, his father, although they were elected Syndics.
Francois, who was a banker, by the people by a show of petition, containing 500
sent Pierre to study law in hands, they were always signatures (half of the elec-
Basel. He continued his stud- selected from wealthy local toral body), was burnt by the
ies in Valence and families. The work of the first Syndic.
Montpellier before finally Council of Two-hundred and
graduating from Basel with a the Petit Conseil was carried News of this scornful gesture
doctorate in law. He quickly out by secret ballot, but the spread rapidly and an angry
gained an excellent reputa- vote by the people to elect mob gathered in front of the
tion as a lawyer in Geneva the Syndics was not. first Syndic's house ready to
burn it to the ground. The
and was widely recognized
In 1707 began the year of the next day (18 January) a
as a defender of the people.
He had both the gift of orato- "Grands Troubles". At the crowd invaded the City Hall

48 4 2007 Diva

www.divainternational.c h