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obtaining bread。  You can imagine the fury and the force with which

they will storm any obstacle to which their attention may be

directed。





II。  The Press。



Excitement of the press and of opinion。  … The people make their

choice。



Such an obstacle has been pointed out to them during the last two

years; it is the Ministry; the Court; the Government; in short the

entire ancient régime。  Whoever protests against it in favor of the

people is sure to be followed as far; and perhaps even farther; than

he chooses to lead。   The moment the Parliament of a large city

refuses to register fiscal edicts it finds a riot at its service。

On the 7th of June 1788; at Grenoble; tiles rain down on the heads

of the soldiery; and the military force is powerless。  At Rennes; to

put down the rebellious city; an army and after this a permanent

camp of four regiments of infantry and two of cavalry; under the

command of a Marshal of France; is required。'6'  …  The following

year; when the Parliaments now side with the privileged class; the

disturbances again begin; but this time against the Parliaments。  In

February 1789; at Besan?on and at Aix; the magistrates are hooted

at; chased in the streets; besieged in the town hall; and obliged to

conceal themselves or take to flight。   If such is the disposition

in the provincial capitals; what must it be in the capital of the

kingdom? For a start; in the month of August; 1788; after the

dismissal of Brienne and Lamoignon; the mob; collected on the Place

Dauphine; constitutes itself judge; burns both ministers in effigy;

disperses the watch; and resists the troops: no sedition; as bloody

as this; had been seen for a century。  Two days later; the riot

bursts out a second time; the people are seized with a resolve to go

and burn the residences of the two ministers and that of Dubois; the

lieutenant of police。   Clearly a new ferment has been infused

among the ignorant and brutal masses; and the new ideas are

producing their effect。  They have for a long time imperceptibly

been filtering downwards from layer to layer After having gained

over the aristocracy; the whole of the lettered portion of the

Third…Estate; the lawyers; the schools; all the young; they have

insinuated themselves drop by drop and by a thousand fissures into

the class which supports itself by the labor of its own hands。

Noblemen; at their toilettes; have scoffed at Christianity; and

affirmed the rights of man before their valets; hairdressers;

purveyors; and all those that are in attendance upon them。  Men of

letters; lawyers; and attorneys have repeated; in the bitterest

tone; the same diatribes and the same theories in the coffee…houses

and in the restaurants; on the promenades and in all public places。

They have spoken out before the lower class as if it were not

present; and; from all this eloquence poured out without precaution;

some bubbles besprinkle the brain of the artisan; the publican; the

messenger; the shopkeeper; and the soldier。



Hence it is that a year suffices to convert mute discontent into

political passion。  From the 5th of July 1787; on the invitation of

the King; who convokes the States…General and demands advice from

everybody; both speech and the press alter in tone。'7'  Instead of

general conversation of a speculative turn there is preaching; with

a view to practical effect; sudden; radical; and close at hand;

preaching as shrill and thrilling as the blast of a trumpet。

Revolutionary pamphlets appear in quick succession: 〃Qu'est…ce que

le Tiers?〃 by Sieyès; 〃Mémoire pour le Peuple Fran?ais;〃 by Cerutti;

〃Considerations sur les Intérêts des Tiers…Etat;〃 by Rabtau Saint…

Etienne; 〃Ma Pétition;〃 by Target; 〃Les Droits des Etats…généraux;〃

by M。 d'Entraigues; and; a little later; 〃La France libre;〃 par

Camille Desmoulins; and others by hundreds and thousands。'8'  All of

which are repeated and amplified in the electoral assemblies; where

new…made citizens come to declaim and increase their own

excitement。'9'  The unanimous; universal and daily shout rolls along

from echo to echo; into barracks and into faubourgs; into markets;

workshops; and garrets。  In the month of February; 1789; Necker

avows 〃that obedience is not to be found anywhere; and that even the

troops are not to be relied on。〃 In the month of May; the

fisherwomen; and next the greengrocers; of the town market halls

come to recommend the interests of the people to the bodies of

electors; and to sing rhymes in honor of the Third…Estate。  In the

month of June pamphlets are in all hands; 〃even lackeys are poring

over them at the gates of hotels。〃 In the month of July; as the King

is signing an order; a patriotic valet becomes alarmed and reads it

over his shoulder。   There is no illusion here; it is not merely

the bourgeoisie which ranges itself against the legal authorities

and against the established regime。  It is the entire people as

well。  The craftsmen; the shopkeepers and the domestics; workmen of

every kind and degree; the mob underneath the people; the vagabonds;

street rovers; and beggars; the whole multitude; which; bound down

by anxiety for its daily bread; had never lifted its eyes to look at

the great social order of which it is the lowest stratum; and the

whole weight of which it bears。



 III。



The Réveillon affair。



Suddenly the people stirs; and the superposed scaffolding totters。

It is the movement of a brute nature exasperated by want and

maddened by suspicion。   Have paid hands; which are invisible

goaded it on from beneath? Contemporaries are convinced of this; and

it is probably the case。'10'  But the uproar made around the

suffering brute would alone suffice to make it shy; and explain its

arousal。  …  On the 21st of April the Electoral Assemblies have

begun in Paris; there is one in each quarter; one for the clergy;

one for the nobles; and one for the Third…Estate。  Every day; for

almost a month; files of electors are seen passing along the

streets。  Those of the first degree continue to meet after having

nominated those of the second: the nation must needs watch its

mandatories and maintain its imprescriptible rights。  If this

exercise of their rights has been delegated to them; they still

belong to the nation; and it reserves to itself the privilege of

interposing when it pleases。  A pretension of this kind travels

fast; immediately after the Third…Estate of the Assemblies it

reaches the Third…Estate of the streets。  Nothing is more natural

than the desire to lead one's leaders: the first time any

dissatisfaction occurs; they lay hands on those who halt and make

them march on as directed。  On a Saturday; April 25th;'11' a rumor

is current that Réveillon; an elector and manufacturer of wall…

paper; Rue Saint…Antoine; and Lerat; a commissioner; have 〃spoken

badly〃 at the Electoral Assembly of Sainte…Marguerite。  To speak

badly means to speak badly of the people。  What has Réveillon said?

Nobody knows; but popular imagination with its terrible powers of

invention and precision; readily fabricates or welcomes a murderous

phrase。  He said that 〃a working…man with a wife and children could

live on fifteen sous a day。〃 Such a man is a traitor; and must be

disposed of at once; 〃all his belongings must be put to fire and

sword。〃 The rumor; it must be noted; is false。'12'  Réveillon pays

his poorest workman twenty…five sous a day; he provides work for

three hundred and fifty; and; in spite of a dull season the previous

winter; he kept all on at the same rate of wages。  He himself was

once a workman; and obtained a medal for his inventions; and is

benevolent and respected by all respectable persons。   All this

avails nothing; bands of vagabonds and foreigners; who have just

passed through the barriers; do not look so closely into matters;

while the Journeymen; the carters; the cobblers; the masons; the

braziers; and the stone…cutters whom they go to soli

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