[Ads-l] Slight Antedating of "Terrorism"

[Shapiro, Fred]

terrorism (OED 1795 [Thomas Paine speech delivered 7 July])

1795 James Monroe _Sketch of the State of Affairs in France_ 23 June (Founders Online)  And upon the latter occasion, when the party got possession of the Convention and began for a while to rule, and were about to reestablish terrorism and not royalty, the royalists shifted their ground in a moment and became very vociferous against popular commotions, and equally pathetic in suport of the Convention and of the law, which a few hours before they disdained and endeavoured to subvert.

Fred Shapiro

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