Jean-Nicolas Pache (
1746 –
November 18, 1823) was a
French politician.
Pache was born in
Paris, of Swiss parentage, the son of the concièrge of the hotel of Marshal de Castries. He became tutor to the marshal's children, and subsequently first secretary at the ministry of marine, head of supplies (
munitionnaire général des vivres), and comptroller of the king's household. After spending several years in
Switzerland with his family, he returned to France at the beginning of the
Revolution.
He was employed successively at the ministries of the interior and of war, and was appointed on
September 20, 1793 third deputy suppliant of Paris by the
Luxembourg section. Thus brought into notice, he was made minister of war on
October 3, 1792
Pache was a
Girondist himself, but aroused their hostility by his incompetence. He was supported, however, by
Marat, and when he was superseded in the ministry of war by
Beurnonville (
February 4, 1794) he was chosen mayor by the Parisians. In that capacity he contributed to the fall of the Girondists, but his relations with
Hébert and
Chaumette, and with the enemies of
Robespierre led to his arrest on
May 10 1794. He owed his safety only to the amnesty of
October 25, 1795. After acting as commissary to the civil hospitals of Paris in 1799, he retired from public life, and died at
Thin-le-Moutier on
November 18, 1823.
See L Pierquin,
Memoires sur Pache (Charleville, 1900).
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