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Terreur〃 (Proceedings against the assassins of Simoneau); I。  381。



'45' 〃Archives Nationales;〃 F7; 3226。  Letter and memorandum of

Chenantin; cultivator; November 7; 1792。  Extract from the

deliberations of the directory of Langeais; November 5; 1792

(sedition at Chapelle…Blanche; near Langeais; October 5; 1792)。



'46' 〃Archives Nationales;〃 F7; 3105。  Report of the commissioners

sent by the National Assembly and the King; February 23; 1791。  (On

the events of December 12 and 14; 1790)  Mercure de France;

February 29; 5791。  (Letters from Aix; and notably a letter from

seven officers shut up in prison at Aix; January 30; 1791。) The

oldest Jacobin Club formed in February; 1790; was entitled 〃(Club

des vrais amis de la Constitution。〃 The second Jacobin club; formed

in October; 1790; was 〃composed from the beginning of artisans and

laborers from the faubourgs and suburbs。〃 Its title was〃 Société des

frères anti…politiques;〃 or 〃frères vrais; justes et utiles à la

patrie。〃 The opposition club; formed in December; 1790; bore the

title; according to some; of 〃Les Amis du Roi; de la paix et de la

religion;〃 according to others; 〃Les amis de la paix;〃 and finally;

according to another report; 〃Les Défenseurs de la religion; des

personnes et des proprietés。〃



'47' A special series of religious services。  (TR)



'48' 〃Archives Nationales;〃 F7; 3195。  Letters of the commissioners;

March 20; February 11; May 10; 1791。











CHAPTER II。  SOVEREIGNTY OF UNRESTRAINED PASSIONS。



Under these conditions when passions are freed; any determined and

competent man who can gather a couple of hundred men may form a band

and slip through the enlarged or weakened meshes of the net held by

the passive or ineffective government。  An experiment on a grand

scale is about to be made on human society; owing to the slackening

of the regular restraints which have maintained it; it is now

possible to measure the force of the permanent instincts which

attack it。  They are always there even in ordinary times; we do not

notice them because they are kept in check; but they are not the

less energetic and effective; and; moreover; indestructible。  The

moment their repression ceases; their power of mischief becomes

evident; just as that of the water which floats a ship; but which;

at the first leak enters into it and sinks it。





I。



Old Religious Grudges   …   Montauban and N?mes in 1790。



Religious passions; to begin with; are not to be kept down by

federations; embraces; and effusions of fraternity。  In the south;

where the Protestants have been persecuted for more than a century;

hatreds exist more than a century old。'1' In vain have the odious

edicts which oppressed them fallen into desuetude for the past

twenty years; in vain have civil rights been restored to them since

1787: The past still lives in transmitted recollections; and two

groups are confronting each other; one Protestant and the other

Catholic; each defiant; hostile; ready to act on the defensive; and

interpreting the preparations of its adversary as a plan of attack。

Under such circumstances the guns go off of their own accord。  …  On

a sudden alarm at Uzès'2' the Catholics; two thousand in number;

take possession of the bishop's palace and the H?tel…de…Ville; while

the Protestants; numbering four hundred; assemble outside the walls

on the esplanade; and pass the night under arms; each troop

persuaded that the other is going to massacre it; one party

summoning the Catholics of Jalès to its aid; and the other the

Protestants of Gardonnenque。  …  There is but one way of avoiding

civil war between parties in such an attitude; and that is the

ascendancy of an energetic third party; impartial and on the spot。

A plan to this effect; which promises well; is proposed by the

military commandant of Languedoc。'3'  According to him the two

firebrands are; on the one hand; the bishops of Lower Languedoc; and

on the other; MM。 Rabaut…Saint…Etienne; father and two sons; all

three being pastors。  Let them be responsible 〃with their heads〃 for

any mob; insurrection; or attempt to debauch the army; let a

tribunal of twelve judges be selected from the municipal bodies of

twelve towns; and all delinquents be brought before it; let this be

the court of final appeal; and its sentence immediately executed。

The system in vogue; however; is just the reverse。  Both parties

being organized into a body of militia; each takes care of itself;

and is sure to fire on the other; and the more readily; inasmuch as

the new ecclesiastical regulations; which are issued from month to

month; strike like so many hammers on Catholic sensibility; and

scatter showers of sparks on the primings of the already loaded

guns。



At Montauban; on the 10th of May; 1790; the day of the inventory and

expropriation of the religious communities;'4' the commissioners are

not allowed to enter。  Women in a state of frenzy lie across the

thresholds of the doors; and it would be necessary to pass over

their bodies; a large mob gathers around the 〃Cordeliers;〃 and a

petition is signed to have the convents maintained。 …  The

Protestants who witness this commotion become alarmed; and eighty of

their National Guards march to the H?tel…de…Ville; and take forcible

possession of the guard…house which protects it。  The municipal

authorities order them to withdraw; which they refuse to do。

Thereupon the Catholics assembled at the 〃Cordeliers〃 begin a riot;

throw stones; and drive in the doors with pieces of timber; while a

cry is heard that the Protestants; who have taken refuge in the

guard…house; are firing from the windows。  The enraged multitude

immediately invade the arsenal; seize all the guns they can lay

their hands on; and fire volleys on the guard…house; the effect of

which is to kill five of the Protestants and wound twenty…four

others。  The rest are saved by a municipal officer and the police;

but they are obliged to appear; two and two; before the cathedral in

their shirts; and do public penance; after which they are put in

prison。  During the tumult political shouts have been heard: 〃Hurrah

for the nobles! Hurrah for the aristocracy! Down with the nation!

Down with the tricolor flag!〃 Bordeaux; regarding Montauban as in

rebellion against France; dispatches fifteen hundred of its National

Guard to set the prisoners free。  Toulouse gives its aid to

Bordeaux。  The fermentation is frightful。  Four thousand of the

Protestants of Montauban take flight; armed cities are about to

contend with each other; as formerly in Italy。  It is necessary that

a commissioner of the National Assembly and of the King; Mathieu

Dumas; should be dispatched to harangue the people of Montauban;

obtain the release of the prisoners; and re…establish order。



One month after this a more bloody affray takes place at N?mes'5'

against the Catholics。  The Protestants; in fact; are but twelve

thousand out of fifty…four thousand inhabitants; but the principal

trade of the place is in their hands; they hold the manufactories

and support thirty thousand workmen; in the elections of 1789 they

furnished five out of the eight deputies。  The sympathies of that

time were in their favor; nobody then imagined that the dominant

Church was exposed to any risk。  It is to be attacked in its turn;

and the two parties are seen confronting each other。 …  The

Catholics sign a petition;'6' hunt up recruits among the market…

gardeners of the suburbs; retain the white cockade; and; when this

is prohibited; replace it with a red rosette; another sign of

recognition。  At their head is an energetic man named Froment; who

has vast projects in view; but as the soil on which he treads is

undermined; he cannot prevent the explosion。  It takes place

naturally; by chance; through the simple collision of two equally

distrustful bodies; and before the final day it has commenced and

recommenced twenty times; throu

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