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friend； be as gentle with them as you would be with your equals； and
rest assured that they are capable of responding to it。〃
Thus does Huez act； and he even does more； paying no attention to
their menaces； refusing to provide for his own safety and almost
offering himself as a sacrifice。
〃I have wronged no one；〃 he exclaimed； 〃why should any one bear me
ill…will？〃
His sole precaution is to provide something for the unfortunate poor
when he is gone： he bequeaths in his will 18；000 livres to the poor；
and； on the eve of his death； sends 100 crowns to the bureau of
charity。 But what avail self…abnegation and beneficence against
blind； insane rage！ On the 9th of September； three loads of flour
proving to be unsound； the people collect and shout out；
〃Down with the flour…dealers！ Down with machinery！ Down with the
mayor！ Death to the mayor； and let Truelle be put in his place！ 〃
Huez； on leaving his court…room； is knocked down； murdered by kicks
and blows； throttled； dragged to the reception hall； struck on his
head with a wooden…shoe and pitched down the grand staircase。 The
municipal officers strive in vain to protect him； a rope is put
around his neck and they begin to drag him along。 A priest； who
begs to be allowed at least to save his soul； is repulsed and
beaten。 A woman jumps on the prostrate old man； stamps on his face
and repeatedly thrusts her scissors in his eyes。 He is dragged
along with the rope around his neck up to the Pont de la Selle； and
thrown into the neighboring ford； and then drawn out； again dragged
through the streets and in the gutters； with a bunch of hay crammed
in his mouth。＇23＇
In the meantime； his house as well as that of the lieutenant of
police； that of the notary Guyot； and that of M。 de Saint…Georges；
are sacked； the pillaging and destruction lasts four hours； at the
notary's house； six hundred bottles of wine are consumed or carried
off； objects of value are divided； and the rest； even down to the
iron balcony； is demolished or broken； the rioters cry out； on
leaving； that they have still to burn twenty…seven houses； and to
take twenty…seven heads。 〃No one at Troyes went to bed that fatal
night。〃… During the succeeding days； for nearly two weeks； society
seems to be dissolved。 Placards posted about the streets proscribe
municipal officers； canons； divines； privileged persons； prominent
merchants； and even ladies of charity； the latter are so frightened
that they throw up their office； while a number of persons move off
into the country； others barricade themselves in their dwellings and
only open their doors with saber in hand。 Not until the 26th does
the orderly class rally sufficiently to resume the ascendancy and
arrest the miscreants。 Such is public life in France after the
14th of July： the magistrates in each town feel that they are at the
mercy of a band of savages and sometimes of cannibals。 Those of
Troyes had just tortured Huez after the fashion of Hurons； while
those of Caen did worse； Major de Belzance； not less innocent； and
under sworn protection；＇24＇ was cut to pieces like Laperouse in the
Fiji Islands； and a woman ate his heart。
VI。
Taxes are no longer paid。 … Devastation of the Forests。 … The new
game laws。
It is； under such circumstances； possible to foretell whether taxes
come in； and whether municipalities that sway about in every popular
breeze will have the authority to collect the odious revenues。
Towards the end of September；＇25＇ I find a list of thirty…six
committees or municipal bodies which； within a radius of fifty
leagues around Paris； refuse to ensure the collection of taxes。 One
of them tolerates the sale of contraband salt； in order not to
excite a riot。 Another takes the precaution to disarm the employees
in the excise department。 In a third the municipal officers were
the first to provide themselves with contraband salt and contraband
tobacco。
At Peronne and at Ham； the order having come to restore the toll…
houses； the people destroy the soldiers' quarters； conduct all the
employees to their homes； and order them to leave within twenty…four
hours； under penalty of death。 After twenty months' resistance
Paris will end the matter by forcing the National Assembly to give
in and by obtaining the final suppression of its octroi。＇26＇ Of
all the creditors whose hand each one felt on his shoulders； that of
the exchequer was the heaviest； and now it is the weakest； hence
this is the first whose grasp is to be shaken off； there is none
which is more heartily detested or which receives harsher treatment。
Especially against collectors of the salt…tax； custom…house
officers； and excisemen the fury is universal。 These；
everywhere；＇27＇ are in danger of their lives and are obliged to fly。
At Falaise； in Normandy； the people threaten to 〃cut to pieces the
director of the excise。〃 At Baignes； in Saintonge； his house is
devastated and his papers and effects are burned； they put a knife
to the throat of his son； a child six years of age； saying； 〃Thou
must perish that there may be no more of thy race。〃
For four hours the clerks are on the point of being torn to pieces；
through the entreaties of the lord of the manor； who sees scythes
and sabers aimed at his own head； they are released only on the
condition that they 〃abjure their employment。〃 Again； for two
months following the taking of the Bastille； insurrections break out
by hundreds； like a volley of musketry； against indirect taxation。
》From the 23rd of July the Intendant of Champagne reports that 〃the
uprising is general in almost all the towns under his command。〃 On
the following day the Intendant of Alen？on writes that； in his
province； 〃the royal dues will no longer be paid anywhere。〃 On the
7th of August； M。 Necker states to the National Assembly that in the
two intendants' districts of Caen and Alen？on it has been necessary
to reduce the price of salt one…half； that 〃in an infinity of places
〃 the collection of the excise is stopped or suspended； that the
smuggling of salt and tobacco is done by 〃convoys and by open force
〃 in Picardy； in Lorraine； and in the Trois…évêchés； that the
indirect tax does not come in； that the receivers…general and the
receivers of the taille are 〃at bay〃 and can no longer keep their
engagements。 The public income diminishes from month to month； in
the social body； the heart； already so feeble； faints； deprived of
the blood which no longer reaches it； it ceases to propel to the
muscles the vivifying current which restores their waste and adds to
their energy。
〃All controlling power is slackened；〃 says Necker； 〃everything is a
prey to the passions of individuals。〃 Where is the power to
constrain them and to secure to the State its dues？ The clergy；
the nobles； wealthy townsmen； and certain brave artisans and
farmers； undoubtedly pay； and even sometimes give spontaneously。
But in society those who possess intelligence； who are in easy
circumstances and conscientious； form a small select class； the
great mass is egotistic； ignorant； and needy； and lets its money go
only under constraint； there is but one way to collect the taxes；
and that is to extort them。 From time immemorial； direct taxes in
France have been collected only by bailiffs and seizures； which is
not surprising； as they take away a full half of the net income。
Now that the peasants of each village are armed and form a band； let
the collector come and make seizures if he dare ！ 〃 Immediately
after the decree on the equality of the taxes；〃 writes the
provincial commission of Alsace；＇28＇ 〃the people generally refused
to make any payments； until those who were exempt and privileged
should have been inscribed on the local lists。〃 In many places the
peasants threaten to obtain the reimbursement of their installments；
while in others they insist that the decree should be retrospective
and that the new rate…payers should pay for the past year。 〃No
collector dare send an official to distrain； none that are sent dare
fulfill their mission。〃 〃 It is not the good bourgeois〃 of whom
there is any fear； 〃but the rabble who make the latter and every one
else afraid of them；〃 resistance and disorder everywhere come from
〃people that have nothing to lose。〃 Not only do they shake off
taxation； but they usurp property； and declare that； being the
Nation； whatever belongs to the Nation belongs to them。 The forests
of Alsace are laid waste； the seignorial as well as communal； and
wantonly destroyed with the wastefulness of children or of maniacs。
〃In many places； to avoid the trouble of removing the woods； they
are burnt； and the people content themselves with carrying off the
ashes。〃 After the decrees of August 4th； and in spite of the law
which licenses the proprietor only to hunt on his own grounds； the
impulse to break the law becomes irresistible。 Every man who ca