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the origins of contemporary france-2-第90章

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snowball  …  for they threaten 〃to burn the effects and set fire to

the houses of all who are not as courageous as themselves。〃



In this state of social disintegration; insurrection is a gangrene

in which the healthy are infected by the morbid parts。  Mobs are

everywhere produced and re…produced; incessantly; large and small;

like abscesses which break out side by side; and painfully irritate

each other and finally combine。  There are the towns against the

rural districts and rural districts against the towns。  On the one

hand 〃every farmer who transports anything to the market passes (at

home) for an aristocrat;'32' and becomes the horror of his fellow…

citizens in the village。〃 On the other hand the National Guards of

the towns spread themselves through the rural districts and make

raids to save themselves from death by hunger。'33'  It is admitted

in the rural districts that each municipality has the right to

isolate itself from the rest。  It is admitted in the towns that each

town has the right to derive its provisions from the country。  It is

admitted by the indigent of each commune that the commune must

provide bread gratis or at a cheap rate。  On the strength of this

there is a shower of stones and a fusillade; department against

department; district against district; canton against canton; all

fight for food; and the strongest get it and keep it for themselves。

…  I have simply described the North; where; for the past three

years; the crops are good。  I have omitted the South; where trade is

interrupted on the canal of the Deux Mers; where the procureur…

syndic of Aude has lately been massacred for trying to secure the

passage of a convoy; where the harvest has been poor; where; in many

places; bread costs eight sous the pound; where; in almost every

department; a bushel of wheat is sold twice as dear as in the North!



Strange phenomenon! and the most instructive of all; for in it we

see down into the depths of humanity; for; as on a raft of

shipwrecked beings without food; there is a reversion to a state of

nature。  The light tissue of habit and of rational ideas in which

civilization has enveloped man; is torn asunder and is floating in

rags around him; the bare arms of the savage show themselves; and

they are striking out。  The only guide he has for his conduct is

that of primitive days; the startled instinct of a craving stomach。

Henceforth that which rules in him and through him is animal

necessity with its train of violent and narrow suggestions;

sometimes sanguinary and sometimes grotesque。  Incompetent or

savage; in all respects like a Negro monarch; his sole political

expedients are either the methods of a slaughter house or the dreams

of a carnival。  Two commissioners whom Roland; Minister of the

Interior; sends to Lyons; are able to see within a few days the

carnival and the slaughter…house。'34'  …  On the one hand the

peasants; all along the road; arrest everybody; the people regard

every traveler as an aristocrat who is running away  …  which is so

much the worse for those who fall into their hands。  Near Autun;

four priests who; to obey the law; are betaking themselves to the

frontier; are put in prison 〃for their own protection;〃 they are

taken out a quarter of an hour later; and; in spite of thirty…two of

the mounted police; are massacred。  〃Their carriage was still

burning as I passed; and the corpses were stretched out not far off。

Their driver was still in durance; and it was it vain that I

solicited his release。〃  …  On the other hand; at Lyons; the power

has fallen into the hands of the degraded women of the streets。

〃They seized the central club; constituted themselves commissaries

of police; signed notices as such; and paid visits of inspection to

store…houses;〃 they drew up a tariff of provisions; 〃from bread and

meat up to common peaches; and peaches of fine quality。〃 They

announced that 〃whoever dared to dispute it would be considered a

traitor to the country; an adherent of the civil list; and

prosecuted as such。〃 All this is published; proclaimed and applied

by 〃female commissaries of police;〃 themselves the dregs of the

lowest sinks of corruption。  Respectable housewives and workwomen

had nothing to do with it; nor 〃working…people of any class。〃 The

sole actors of this administrative parody are 〃 scamps; a few

bullies of houses of ill…fame; and a portion of the dregs of the

female sex。〃  …  To this end comes the dictatorship of instinct;

yonder let loose on the highway in a massacre of priests; and here;

in the second city of France; in the government of strumpets。





III。



Egotism of the tax…payer。 … Issoudun in 1790。  …  Rebellion against

taxation。  …  Indirect taxes in 1789 and 1790。  …  Abolition of the

salt tax; excise; and octrois。  …  Direct taxation in 1789 and 1790。

…  Delay and insufficiency of the returns。  …  New levies in 1791

and 1792。  …  Delays; partiality; and concealment in preparing the

rolls。  …  Insufficiency of; and the delay in; the returns。  …

Payment in assignats。… The tax…payer relieves himself of one…half。

…  Devastation of the forests。  …  Division of the communal

property。



The fear of starvation is only the sharper form of a more general

passion; which is the desire of possession and the determination not

to give anything up。  No popular instinct; had been longer; more

rudely; more universally offended under the ancient régime; and

there is none which gushes out more readily under constraint; none

which requires a higher or broader public barrier; or one more

entirely constructed of solid blocks; to keep it in check。  Hence it

is that this passion from the commencement breaks down or engulfs

the slight and low boundaries; the tottering embankments of

crumbling earth between which the Constitution pretends to confine

it。  …  The first flood sweeps away the pecuniary claims of the

State; of the clergy; and of the noblesse。  The people regard them

as abolished; or; at least; they consider their debts discharged。

Their idea; in relation to this; is formed and fixed; for them it is

that which constitutes the Revolution。  The people have no longer a

creditor; they are determined to have none; they will pay nobody;

and first of all; they will make no further payment to the State。



On the 14th of July; 1790; the day of the Federation; the population

of Issoudun; in Touraine; solemnly convoked for the purpose; had

just taken the solemn oath which was to ensure public peace; social

harmony; and respect for the law for evermore。'35' Here; probably;

as elsewhere; arrangements had been made for an stirring ceremonial;

there were young girls dressed in white; and learned and

impressionable magistrates were to pronounce philosophical

harangues。  All at once they discover that the people gathered on

the public square are provided with clubs; scythes; and axes; and

that the National Guard will not prevent their use; on the contrary;

the Guard itself is composed almost wholly of wine growers and

others interested in the suppression of the duties on wine; of

coopers; innkeepers; workmen; carters of casks; and others of the

same stamp; all rough fellows who have their own way of interpreting

the Social Contract。  The whole mass of decrees; acts; and

rhetorical flourishes which are dispatched to them from Paris; or

which emanate from the new authorities; are not worth a halfpenny

tax maintained on each bottle of wine。  There are to be no more

excise duties; they will only take the civic oath on this express

condition; and that very evening they hang; in effigy; their two

deputies; who 〃had not supported their interests〃 in the National

Assembly。  A few months later; of all the National Guard called upon

to protect the clerks; only the commandant and two officers respond

to the summons。  If a docile taxpayer happens to be found; he is not

allowed to pay the dues; this seems a defection and almost

treachery。  A

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