PART 2: VOLTAIRE, THE CALAS MYSTERY FACTS, TRIAL: IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD? By Kimberly Thorn

 

Although we did learn some about Voltaire in the introduction, I do not feel that I paid the proper homage to this man.  We know he wrote many letters and plays during his career but more importantly was his involvement in the Calas Case.

Ian Davidson wrote that, “what became famous as the Calas affair, which was one of the most dramatic turning points in Voltaire’s life; it was also a key moment in the history of penal reform in Europe.”  As Davidson continued, “he set out to challenge the verdict in the Calas case and in the process found himself launched, at the age of sixty-eight, on a new vocation, as a campaigner for justice” (Davidson 317).  

Jean Calas was a 65-year-old cloth merchant who lived with his family above his shop in Toulouse.  His religious belief was not the same as was the national religion in France.  (Remember, in Voltaire’s time there was an absolute monarchy, so the king ruled supreme because it was believed that the king was king because he was appointed by God).  However according to gossip at the time, one of Jean’s sons, Marc-Antoine was thinking of converting to the national religion.  On the night of October 13, 1761, Jean, his wife, their two sons, Marc-Antonine, Pierre, their servant, Jeanne and a friend of Pierre’s Gaubert Lavaysse were at dinner at the Calas home, again above the shop.  After dinner, Marc-Antonine got up from the table and went downstairs to the shop.  It was thought that he was going for a walk, so when he didn’t return, no one thought it was odd.  No one else left the upstairs until Jean went with a light to show their visitor downstairs to the shop for him to leave.  It was when Jean and Lavaysse got to the shop that they found Marc-Antonine dead.  Realizing that he had been murdered, the Calas family called the authorities.  (Who remember, work solely for the King).  Magistrate David de Beadrigue arrested the entire Calas family that was there.  He listened to the gossip and thought that the Calas family killed Marc-Antonine to keep him from converting religions.  To complicate the matter further, the Calas family changed their story.  At first, they said that they found his body on the floor.  Then they said they found him lying by a rope that had been hanging between two double doors.  Finally, they came clean with the authorities to say that they were trying to hide the fact that it may have been a suicide, as Marc-Antonine would have a dishonorable burial.  Unfortunately for them, the change in story, along with the fact of the gossip or Marc-Antonine changing religions and the fact that in 1761 France, there was no presumed innocent until you are found guilty.  Instead, you were presumed guilty and the trial’s purpose was to find guilt.  The one accused had no way of knowing what their charge was, were not allowed to be present during questioning, or to even know what questions were to be asked to prepare any kind of defense.  While Calas had an attorney, the attorney was only allowed to make inquiries outside of the courtroom.

Even though, during the trial, there was no proof of the gossip of Marc-Antonine’s changing religions and there was no evidence that Calas had anything to do with his son’s death, he was executed, and his family lost everything.  “On 9 March 1762 the court decided, by a narrow majority, that Jean Calas should be broken on the wheel, exposed for two hours, then strangled and thrown on a burning pyre,” (Davidson 319).

Voltaire sprang into action just three weeks after Calas was executed.  Voltaire’s response to fight back was a three pronged one.  He planned to respond by: “delving into the facts of the trial, pulling strings with influential people at court and finally, mobilizing public opinion.” (Davidson 322).  

Next time we will delve more into what exactly Voltaire did with just his pen and words, to change the life of the Calas family and penal system.  But for now, I leave you with Voltaire’s feelings on the Calas injustice. 

Nothing more than that justice should not be as dumb as it is blind, that it should speak, and say why it condemned Calas.  What horror is this, a secret judgement, a condemnation with explanations!  Is there a more execrable tyranny that that of spilling blood on a whim, without giving the least reason?  It is not the customer, say the judges.  Hey, monsters!  It must become the custom!  You owe an accounting to men for the blood of men. As for me, I do not ask anything more than the publication of the trial procedure.  People say that this poor woman [Mme Calas] must first get the documents sent from Toulouse’ but where will she get them?  Who will open the clerk’s den? In any case, it is not just she who interest me, it is the public, it is humanity.  It is important or everybody that such decisions should be publicly justified. (Davidson 323). 

Reference:

Davidson, Ian.  Voltaire: A Life: Pegasus Books, LLC.  New York, NY.  2010.