the origins of contemporary france-2-第80章

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to　sign　it；　pay；　and　keep　silent。　　Woe　to　any　one　that　refused　！〃　On

the　20th　of　May　the　municipal　body　presumes　to　write　to　the

Assembly；　that　〃this　threatening　citadel；　this　odious　monument　of　a

stupendous　despotism；　is　about　to　disappear。〃　To　justify　its

disobedience；　it　takes　occasion　to　remark；　〃that　the　love　of　country

is　the　most　powerful　and　most　enduring　of　an　empire's　ramparts。〃　On

the　28th　of　May　it　secures　the　performance　in　two　theaters　of　a

piece　representing　the　capture　of　the　forts　of　Marseilles；　for　the

benefit　of　the　men　engaged　in　their　demolition。　　Meanwhile；　it　has

summoned　the　Paris　Jacobins　to　its　support；　it　has　proposed　to

invite　the　Lyons　federation　and　all　the　municipalities　of　the

kingdom　to　denounce　the　minister。　　It　has　forced　M。　　de　Miran；

threatened　with　death　and　watched　by　a　party　in　ambush　on　the　road；

to　quit　Aix；　and　then　demands　his　recall。＇35＇　　Only　on　the　6th　of

June　does　it　decide；　at　the　express　command　of　the　National

Assembly；　to　suspend　the　almost　completed　demolition。　…　？Authorities

to　which　obedience　is　due　could　not　be　treated　more　insolently。　　The

end；　however；　is　attained；　there　is　no　longer　a　citadel；　and　the

troops　have　departed；　the　regiment　commanded　by　Ernest　alone

remains；　to　be　tampered　with；　insulted；　and　then　sent　off。　　It　is

ordered　to　Aix；　and　the　National　Guard　of　Marseilles　will　go　there

to　disarm　and　disband　it。　　Henceforth　the　municipal　body　has　full

sway。　　It　〃observes　only　those　laws　which　suit　it；　makes　others　to

its　own　liking；　and；　in　short；　governs　in　the　most　despotic　and

arbitrary　manner。〃＇36＇　　And　not　only　at　Marseilles；　but　throughout

the　department　where；　under　no　authority　but　its　own；　it　undertakes

armed　expeditions　and　makes　raids　and　sudden　attacks。







III。



Independent　Assemblies。　…　Why　they　took　the　initiative。　…　The　people

in　council。　…　Powerlessness　of　the　municipalities。　…　the　violence　to

which　they　are　subject。　…　Aix　in　1790。　…　Government　disobeyed　and

perverted　everywhere。



Were　it　but　possible　for　the　dissolution　to　stop　here！　But　each

commune　is　far　from　being　a　tranquil　little　state　under　the　rule　of

a　body　of　respected　magistrates。　　The　same　causes　which　render

municipalities　rebellious　against　the　central　authority　render

individuals　rebellious　against　local　authority。　　They　also　feel　that

they　are　in　danger　and　want　to　provide　for　their　own　safety。　　They

also；　in　virtue　of　the　Constitution　and　of　circumstances；　believe

themselves　appointed　to　save　the　country。　　They　also　consider

themselves　qualified　to　judge　for　themselves　on　all　points　and

entitled　to　carry　out　their　judgments　with　their　own　hands。　　The

shopkeeper；　workman　or　peasant；　at　once　elector　and　National　Guard；

furnished　with　his　vote　and　a　musket；　suddenly　becomes　the　equal　and

master　of　his　superiors；　instead　of　obeying；　he　commands；　while　all

who　see　him　again　after　some　years'　absence；　find　that　〃in　his

demeanor　and　manner　all　is　changed。〃　〃There　was　great　agitation

everywhere；〃＇37＇　says　M。　de　Ségur；　〃I　noticed　groups　of　men　talking

earnestly　in　the　streets　and　on　the　squares。　　The　sound　of　the　drum

struck　my　ear　in　the　villages；　while　I　was　astonished　at　the　great

number　of　armed　men　I　encountered　in　the　little　towns。　　On

interrogating　various　persons　among　the　lower　classes　they　would

reply　with　a　proud　look　and　in　a　bold　and　confident　tone。　　I

observed　everywhere　the　effect　of　those　sentiments　of　equality　and

liberty　which　had　then　become　such　violent　passions。〃　　…　Thus

exalted　in　their　own　eyes　they　believed　themselves　qualified　to　take

the　lead　in　everything；　not　only　in　local　affairs；　but　also　in

general　matters。　　France　is　to　be　governed　by　them；　by　virtue　of　the

Constitution　they　arrogate　to　themselves　the　right；　and；　by　dint　of

ignorance；　attribute　to　themselves　the　capacity；　to　govern　it。　　A

torrent　of　new；　shapeless；　and　disproportionate　ideas　have　taken

possession　of　their　brains　in　the　space　of　a　few　months。　　Vast

interests　about　which　they　have　never　thought；　have　to　be

considered。　　Government；　royalty；　the　church；　creeds；　foreign

powers；　internal　and　external　dangers；　what　is　occurring　at　Paris

and　at　Coblentz；　the　insurrection　in　the　Low　Countries；　the　acts　of

the　cabinets　of　London；　Vienna；　Madrid；　Berlin；　and；　of　all　this；

they　inform　themselves　as　they　best　can。　　An　officer；＇38＇　who

traverses　France　at　this　time；　narrates　that　at　the　post…stations

they　made　him　wait　for　horses　until　he　had　〃given　them　details。　　The

peasants　stopped　my　carriage　in　the　middle　of　the　road　and

overwhelmed　me　with　questions。　　At　Autun；　I　was　obliged；　in　spite　of

the　cold；　to　talk　out　of　a　window　opening　upon　the　square　and　tell

what　I　knew　about　the　Assembly。〃　　…　These　on…dits　are　all　changed

and　amplified　in　passing　from　mouth　to　mouth。　　They　finally　become

circumstantial　stories　adapted　to　the　caliber　of　the　minds　they　pass

into　and　to　the　dominant　passion　that　propagates　them。　　Trace　the

effect　of　these　fables　in　the　house　of　a　peasant　or　fish…woman　in　an

outlying　village　or　a　populous　suburb；　on　brutish　or　almost　brutal

minds；　especially　when　they　are　lively；　heated；　and　over…excited　　…

the　effect　is　tremendous。　　For；　in　minds　of　this　stamp；　belief　is　at


once　converted　into　action；　and　into　rude　and　destructive　action。

It　is　an　acquired　self…control；　reflection；　and　culture　which

interposes　between　belief　and　action　the　solicitude　for　social

interests；　the　observance　of　forms　and　respect　for　the　law。　　These

restraints　are　all　wanting　in　the　new　sovereign。　　He　does　not　know

how　to　stop　and　will　not　suffer　himself　to　be　stopped。　　Why　so　many

delays　when　the　peril　is　urgent？　What　is　the　use　of　observing

formalities　when　the　safety　of　the　people　is　at　stake？　What　is　there

sacred　in　the　law　when　it　protects　public　enemies？　What　is　more

pernicious　than　passive　deference　and　patient　waiting　under　timid　or

blind　officials？　What　can　be　more　just　than　to　do　one's　self　justice

at　once　and　on　the　spot？　　…　Precipitation　and　passion；　in　their

eyes；　are　both　duties　and　merits。　　One　day　〃the　militia　of　Lorient

decide　upon　marching　to　Versailles　and　to　Paris　without　considering

how　they　are　to　get　over　the　ground　or　what　they　will　do　on　their

arrival。〃＇39＇　　Were　the　central　government　within　reach　they　would

lay　their　hands　on　it。　　In　default　of　this　they　substitute

themselves　for　it　on　their　own　territory；　and　exercise　its　functions

with　a　full　conviction　of　right；　principally　those　of　gendarme；

judge；　and　executioner。



During　the　month　of　October；　1789；　at　Paris；　after　the　assassination

of　the　baker　Fran？ois；　the　leading　murderer；　who　is　a　porter　at　the

grain　depot；　declares　〃that　he　wanted　to　avenge　the　nation。〃　It　is

quite　probable　that　this　declaration　is　sincere。　　In　his　mind；

assassination　is　one　of　the　forms　of　patriotism；　and　it　does　not

take　long　for　his　way　of　thinking　to　become　prevalent。　　In　ordinary

times；　social　and　political　ideas　slumber　in　uncultured　minds　in　the

shape　of　vague　antipathies；　restrained　aspirations；　and　fleeting

desires。　　Behold　them　aroused　　…　energetic；　imperious；　stubborn；　and

unbridled。　　Objection　or　opposition　is　not　to　be　tolerated；　dissent；

with　them；　is　a　sure　sign　of　treachery。　…　Apropos　of　the　nonjuring

priests；＇40＇　five　hundred　and　twenty…seven　of　the　National　Guards　of

Arras　write；　〃that　no　one　could　doubt　their　iniquity　without　being

suspected　of　being　their　accomplices。　　。　　。　　。　　Should　the　whole

town　combine　and　express　a　contrary　opinion；　it　would　simply　show

that　it　is　filled　with　enemies　of　the　Constitution；〃　and　forthwith；

in　spite　of　the　law　and　the　remonstrances　of　the　authorities；　they

insist　on　the　closing　of　the　churches。　　At　Boulogne…sur…Mer；　an

English　vessel　having　shipped　a　quantity　of　poultry；　game；　and　eggs；

〃the　National　Guards；　of　their　own　authority；〃　go　on　board　and

remove　the　cargo。　　On　the　strength　of　this；　the　accommodating

municipal　body　appro