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1789）。 〃Ravages du Maconnais。〃 Arthur Young； July 27th。 …
Buchez and Roux； IV。 215； 214。 Mercure de France； September 12；
1789。 （Letter by a volunteer of Orleans。） 〃On the 15th of August；
eighty…eight ruffians； calling themselves reapers； present
themselves at Bascon； in Beauce； and； the next day； at a chateau in
the neighborhood； where they demand within an hour the head of the
son of the lord of the manor； M。 Tassin； who can only redeem himself
by a contribution of 1；600 livres and the pillaging of his cellars。
＇44＇ Letter of the Count de Courtivron。 … Arthur Young； July 31st。
… Buchez and Roux； II。 243。 … Mercure de France； August 15； 1789
（sitting of the 8th； discourse of a deputy from Dauphiné。）
Mermet； 〃Histoire de la Ville de Vienne；〃 445 〃 Archives
Nationales；〃 ibid。 （Letter of the commission of the States of
Dauphiny； July 31st。） 〃The list of burnt or devastated chateaux
is immense。〃 The committee already cites sixteen of them。
Puthod de la Maison…Rouge； ibid。 ： 〃Were all devastated places to
be mentioned； it would be necessary to cite the whole province 〃
（Letter from Macon）。 〃They have not the less destroyed most of the
chateaux and bourgeois dwellings； either burning them and or else
tearing them down。〃
＇45＇ Lally…Tollendal； 〃Second Letter to my Constituents；〃 104。
＇46＇ Doniol； 〃La Révolution et la Féodalité；〃 p。60 （a few days after
the 4th of August）。 … 〃Archives Nationales；〃 H。 784。 Letters of
M。 de Langeron； military commander at Besan？on； October 16th and
18th 。 Ibid。 ； D。 XXIX。 I。 Letter of the same； September
3rd。 Arthur Young （in Provence； at the house of Baron de la Tour…
d'Aignes）。 〃The baron is an enormous sufferer by the Revolution； a
great extent of country which belonged in absolute right to his
ancestors； has been granted for quit…rents； ceus； and other feudal
payments； so that there is no comparison between the lands retained
and those thus granted by his family。 。 。 。 The solid payments
which the Assembly have declared to be redeemable are every hour
falling to nothing； without a shadow of recompense 。 。 。 The
situation of the nobility in this country is pitiable； they are
under apprehensions that nothing will be left them； but simply such
houses as the mob allows to stand unburned； that the small farmers
will retain their farms without paying the landlord his half of the
produce； and that； in case of such a refusal； there is actually
neither law nor authority in the country to prevent it。 This
chateau； splendid even in ruins； with the fortune and lives of the
owners； is at the mercy of an armed rabble。〃
CHAPTER IV。 PARIS。
I。
Paris。 Powerlessness and discords of the authorities。 The
people； king。
THE powerlessness； indeed； of the heads of the Government； and the
lack of discipline among all its subordinates； are much greater in
the capital than in the provinces。 Paris possesses a mayor；
Bailly； but 〃from the first day； and in the easiest manner
possible；〃＇1＇ his municipal council； that is to say； 〃the assembly
of the representatives of the commune； has accustomed itself to
carry on the government alone； overlooking him entirely。〃 There is a
central administration； the municipal council； presided over by the
mayor； but； 〃at this time； authority is everywhere except where the
preponderating authority should be； the districts have delegated it
and at the same time retained it；〃 each of them acts as if it were
alone and supreme。 There are secondary powers； the district…
committees； each with its president； its clerk； its offices； and
commissioners； but the mobs of the street march on without awaiting
their orders； while the people； shouting under their〃 windows；
impose their will on them； in short； says Bailly again；
〃everybody knew how to command； but nobody knew how to obey。〃
〃Imagine；〃 writes Loustalot＇2＇ himself； 〃a man whose feet； hands；
and limbs possessed each its own intelligence and will； whose one
leg would wish to walk when the other one wanted to rest； whose
throat would close when the stomach demanded food； whose mouth would
sing when the eyelids were weighed down with sleep； and you will
have a striking picture of the condition of things in the capital〃
There are 〃sixty Republics〃＇3＇ in Paris； each district is an
independent； isolated power； which receives no order without
criticizing it； always in disagreement and often in conflict with
the central authority or with the other districts。 It receives
denunciations； orders domiciliary visits； sends deputations to the
National Assembly； passes resolutions； posts its bills； not only in
its own quarter but throughout the city； and sometimes even extends
its jurisdiction outside of Paris。 Everything comes within its
province； and particularly that which ought not to do so。 On the
18th of July； the district of Petits…Augustins＇4＇ 〃decrees in its
own name the establishment of justices of the peace；〃 under the
title of tribunes； and proceeds at once to elect its own； nominating
the actor Molé。 On the 30th； that of the Oratoire annuls the
amnesty which the representatives of the commune in the H？tel…de…
Ville had granted； and orders two of its members to go to a distance
of thirty leagues to arrest M。 de Bezenval。 On the 19th of August；
that of Nazareth issues commissions to seize and bring to Paris the
arms deposited in strong places。 From the beginning each assembly
sent to the Arsenal in its own name； and 〃obtained as many
cartridges and as much powder as it desired。〃 Others claim the right
of keeping a watchful eye over the H？tel…de…Ville and of
reprimanding the National Assembly。 The Oratoire decides that the
representatives of the commune shall be invited to deliberate in
public。 Saint…Nicholas des Champs deliberates on the veto and begs
the Assembly to suspend its vote。 It is a strange spectacle；
that of these various authorities each contradicting and destroying
the other。 To…day the H？tel…de…Ville appropriates five loads of
cloth which have been dispatched by the Government； and the district
of Saint…Gervais opposes the decision of the H？tel…de…Ville。 To…
morrow Versailles intercepts grain destined for Paris； while Paris
threatens； if it is not restored； to march on Versailles。 I omit
the incidents that are ridiculous：＇5＇ anarchy in its essence is both
tragic and grotesque； and； in this universal breaking up of things；
the capital； like the kingdom； resembles a bear…garden when it does
not resemble a Babel。
But behind all these discordant authorities the real sovereign； who
is the mob； is very soon apparent。 On the 15th of July it
undertakes the demolition of the Bastille of its own accord； and
this popular act is sanctioned ； for it is necessary that
appearances should be kept up； even to give orders after the blow is
dealt； and to follow when it is impossible to lead。＇6＇ A short time
after this the collection of the octroi at the barriers is ordered
to be resumed； forty armed individuals； however； present themselves
in their district and say； that if guards are placed at the octroi
stations； 〃they will resist force with force； and even make use of
their cannon。〃 On the false rumor that arms are concealed in the
Abbey of Montmartre； the abbess； Madame de Montmorency； is accused
of treachery； and twenty thousand persons invade the monastery。
The commander of the National Guard and the mayor are constantly
expecting a riot； they hardly dare absent themselves a day to attend
the King fête at Versailles。 As soon as the multitude can assemble
in the streets； an explosion is imminent。 〃On rainy days；〃 says
Bailly； 〃I was quite at my ease。〃 It is under this constant
pressure that the Government is carried on； and the elect of the
people； the most esteemed magistrates； those who are in best repute；
are at the mercy of the throng who clamor at their doors。 In the
district of St。 Roch；＇7＇ after many useless refusals； the General
Assembly； notwithstanding all the reproaches of its conscience and
the resistance of its reason； is obliged to open letters addressed
to Monsieur； to the Duke of Orleans； and to the Ministers of War； of
Foreign Affairs； and of the Marine。 In the committee on
subsistence； M。 Serreau； who is indispensable and who is confirmed
by a public proclamation； is denounced； threatened； and constrained
to leave Paris。 M。 de la Salle； one of the strongest patriots among
the nobles； is on the point of being murdered for having signed an
order for the transport of gunpowder；＇8＇ the multitude； in pursuit
of him； attach a rope to the nearest street…lamp； ransack the H？tel…
de…Ville； force every door； mount into the belfry； and seek for the
traitor even under the carpet of the bureau and between the legs of
the electors； and are only stayed in their course by the arrival of
the National Guard。
The people not only