the origins of contemporary france-2-第76章

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prepared　for　it。　…　Certainly　embraces　have　been　interchanged　and

oaths　have　been　taken；　but　after；　as　before　the　ceremony；　men　are

just　what　many　centuries　of　administrative　thralldom　and　one　century

of　political　literature　have　made　them。　　Their　ignorance　and

presumption；　their　prejudices；　hatreds；　and　distrusts；　their

inveterate　intellectual　and　emotional　habits　are　still　preserved。

They　are　human；　and　their　stomachs　need　to　be　filled　daily。　　They

have　imagination；　and；　if　bread　be　scarce；　they　fear　that　they　may

not　get　enough　of　it。　　They　prefer　to　keep　their　money　rather　than

to　give　it　away。　　For　this　reason　they　spurn　the　claims　which　the

State　and　individuals　have　upon　them　as　much　as　possible。　　They

avoid　paying　their　debts。　　They　willingly　lay　their　hands　on　public

property　which　is　badly　protected；　finally　they　are　disposed　to

regard　gendarmes　and　proprietors　as　detrimental；　and　all　the　more　so

because　this　has　been　repeated　to　them　over　and　over　again；　day

after　day；　for　a　whole　year。　…　On　the　other　hand　there　is　no　change

in　the　situation　of　things。　　They　are　ever　living　in　a　disorganized

community；　under　an　impracticable　constitution；　the　passions　which

sap　public　order　being　only　the　more　stimulated　by　the　semblance　of

fraternity　under　which　they　seemed　to　be　allayed。　　Men　cannot　be

persuaded　with　impunity　that　the　millennium　has　come；　for　they　will

want　to　enjoy　it　immediately；　and　will　tolerate　no　deception

practiced　on　their　expectations。　　In　this　violent　state；　fired　by

boundless　expectations；　all　their　whims　appear　reasonable　and　all

their　opinions　rational。　　They　are　no　longer　able　to　find　faults

with　or　control　themselves。　　In　their　brain；　overflowing　with

emotions　and　enthusiasm；　there　is　no　room　but　for　one　intense；

absorbing；　fixed　idea。　　Each　is　confident　and　over…confident　in　his

own　opinion；　all　become　impassioned；　imperious；　and　intractable。

Having　assumed　that　all　obstacles　are　taken　out　of　the　way；　they

grow　indignant　at　each　obstacle　they　actually　encounter。　　Whatever

it　may　be；　they　shatter　it　on　the　instant；　and　their　over…excited

imagination　covers　with　the　fine　name　of　patriotism　their　natural

appetite　for　despotism　and　domination。



France；　accordingly；　in　the　three　years　which　follow　the　taking　of

the　Bastille；　presents　a　strange　spectacle。　　In　the　words　we　find

charity　and　in　the　laws　symmetry；　while　the　actual　events　present　a

spectacle　of　disorder　and　violence。　　Afar；　is　the　reign　of

philosophy；　close　up　is　the　chaos　of　the　Carlovingian　era。



〃Foreigners；〃　remarks　an　observer；＇13＇　〃are　not　aware　that；　with　a

great　extension　of　political　rights；　the　liberty　of　the　individual

is　in　law　reduced　to　nothing；　while　in　practice　it　is　subject　to　the

caprice　of　sixty　thousand　constitutional　assemblies；　that　no　citizen

enjoys　any　protection　against　the　annoyances　of　these　popular

assemblies；　that；　according　to　the　opinions　which　they　entertain　of

persons　and　things；　they　act　in　one　place　in　one　way　and　in　another

place　in　another　way。　　Here；　a　department；　acting　for　itself　and

without　referring　elsewhere；　puts　an　embargo　on　vessels；　while

another　orders　the　expulsion　of　a　military　detachment　essential　for

the　security　of　places　devastated　by　ruffians；　and　the　minister；　who

responds　to　the　demands　of　those　interested；　replies：　'Such　are　the

orders　of　the　department。'　Elsewhere　are　administrative　bodies

which；　the　moment　the　Assembly　decrees　relief　of　consciences　and　the

freedom　of　nonjuring　priests；　order　the　latter　out　of　their　homes

within　24　hours。　　Always　in　advance　of　or　lagging　behind　the　laws；

alternately　bold　and　cowardly；　daring　all　things　when　seconded　by

public　license；　and　daring　nothing　to　repress　it；　eager　to　abuse

their　momentary　authority　against　the　weak　in　order　to　acquire

titles　to　popularity　in　the　future；　incapable　of　maintaining　order

except　at　the　expense　of　public　safety　and　tranquility；　entangled

in　the　reins　of　their　new　and　complex　administration；　adding　the

fury　of　passion　to　incapacity　and　inexperience；　such　are；　for　the

most　part；　the　men　sprung　from　nothing；　void　of　ideas　and　drunk　with

pretension；　on　whom　now　rests　responsibility　for　public　powers　and

resources；　the　interest　of　security；　and　the　foundations　of　the

power　of　government。　　In　all　sections　of　the　nation；　in　every　branch

of　the　administration；　in　every　report；　we　detect　the　confusion　of

authorities；　the　uncertainty　of　obedience；　the　dissolution　of　all

restraints；　the　absence　of　all　resources；　the　deplorable

complication　of　enervated　springs；　without　any　of　the　means　of　real

power；　and；　for　their　sole　support；　laws　which；　in　supposing　France

to　be　peopled　with　men　without　vices　or　passions；　abandon　humanity

to　its　primitive　state　of　independence。〃



A　few　months　after　this；　in　the　beginning　of　1792；　Malouet　sums　up

all　in　one　phrase：



〃It　is　the　Government　of　Algiers　without　the　Dey。〃





II。



Independence　of　the　municipalities。　…　The　causes　of　their

initiative。　…　Sentiment　of　danger。…　Issy…l'Evêque　in　1789。　…　Exalted

pride。　…　Brittany　in　1790。…　Usurpations　of　the　municipalities。　…

Capture　of　the　citadels。　…　Violence　increased　against　their

commanders。　…　Stoppage　of　convoys。…　Powerlessness　of　the　Directories

and　the　ministers。　…　Marseilles　in　1790。



Things　could　not　work　otherwise。　　For；　before　the　6th　of　October；

and　the　King's　captivity　in　Paris；　the　Government　had　already　been

destroyed。　　Now；　through　the　successive　decrees　of　the　Assembly；　it

is　legally　done　away　with；　and　each　local　group　is　left　to　itself。　…

The　intendants　have　fled；　military　commanders　are　not　obeyed；　the

bailiwicks　dare　hold　no　courts；　the　parliaments　are　suspended；　and

seven　months　elapse　before　the　district　and　department

administrations　are　elected；　a　year　before　the　new　judgeships　are

instituted；　while　afterwards；　as　well　as　before；　the　real　power　is

in　the　hands　of　the　communes。　…　The　commune　must　arm　itself；　appoint

its　own　chiefs；　provide　its　own　supplies；　protect　itself　against

brigands；　and　feed　its　own　poor。　　It　has　to　sell　its　national

property；　install　the　constitutional　priest；　and；　amidst　so　many

eager　passions　and　injured　interest；　accomplish　the　transformation

by　which　a　new　society　replaces　the　ancient　one。　　It　alone　has　to

ward　off　the　perpetual　and　constantly　reviving　dangers　which　assail

it　or　which　it　imagines。　　These　are　great；　and　it　exaggerates　them。

It　is　inexperienced　and　alarmed。　　It　is　not　surprising　that；　in　the

exercise　of　its　extemporized　power；　it　should　pass　beyond　its

natural　or　legal　limit；　and　without　being　aware　of　it；　overstep　the

metaphysical　line　which　the　Constitution　defines　between　its　rights

and　the　rights　of　the　State。　　Neither　hunger；　fear；　rage；　nor　any　of

the　popular　passions　can　wait；　there　is　no　time　to　refer　to　Paris。

Action　is　necessary；　immediate　action；　and；　with　the　means　at　hand；

they　must　save　themselves　as　well　as　they　can。　　This　or　that　mayor

of　a　village　is　soon　to　find　himself　a　general　and　a　legislator。

This　or　that　petty　town　is　to　give　itself　a　charter　like　Laon　or

Vezelay　in　the　twelfth　century。　　〃On　the　6th　of　October；　1789；＇14＇

near　Autun；　the　market…town　of　Issy…l'Evêque　declares　itself　an

independent　State。　　The　parish　assembly　is　convoked　by　the　priest；

M。　　Carion；　who　is　appointed　member　of　the　administrative　committee

and　of　the　new　military　staff。　　In　full　session　he　secures　the

adoption　of　a　complete　code；　political；　judiciary；　penal　and

military；　consisting　of　sixty　articles。　　Nothing　is　overlooked；　we

find　ordinances　concerning



〃the　town　police；　the　laying　out　of　streets　and　public　squares；　the

repairs　of　prisons；　the　road　taxes　and　price　of　grain；　the

administration　of　justice；　fines；　confiscations；　and　the　diet　of　the

National　Guards。〃



He　is　a　provincial　Solon；＇15＇　zealous　for　the　public　welfare；　and　a

man　of　executive　power；　he　expounds　his　ordinances　from　the　pulpit；