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replace them： at Bordeaux only four hundred and fifty came to the
poll out of nine hundred； while elsewhere the summons brings
together only 〃a third or a quarter〃 In many places there are no
candidates； or those elected decline to accept。 They are obliged；
in order to supply their places； to hunt up unfrocked monks of a
questionable character。 There are two parties； after this； in each
parish； two faiths； two systems of worship； and permanent discord。
Even when the new and the old curés are accommodating； their
situations bring them into conflict。 To the former the latter are
〃intruders。〃 To the latter the former are 〃 refractories。〃 By virtue
of his being a guardian of souls； the former cannot dispense with
telling his parishioners that the intruder is excommunicated； that
his sacraments are null or sacrilegious； and that it is a sin to
attend his mass。 By virtue of his being a public functionary； the
latter does not fail to write to the authorities that the 〃
refractory 〃 entraps the faithful； excites their consciences； saps
the Constitution； and that he ought to be put down by force。 In
other words； the former draws everybody away from the latter； while
the latter sends the gendarmes against the former； and persecution
begins。 … In a strange reversal； it is the majority which undergoes
persecution； and the minority which carries it out。 The mass of the
constitutional curé is； everywhere； deserted。＇79＇ In La Vendée there
are ten or twelve present in the church out of five or six hundred
parishioners； on Sundays and holidays whole villages and market…
towns travel from one to two leagues off to attend the orthodox
mass； the villagers declaring that 〃if the old curé can only be
restored to them； they will gladly pay a double tax。〃 In Alsace；
〃nine tenths； at least； of the Catholics refuse to recognize the
legally sworn priests。〃 The same spectacle presents itself in
Franche…Comté； Artois； and in ten of the other provinces。
Finally； as in a chemical composition； the analysis is complete。
Those who believe； or who recover their belief； are ranged around
the old curé； all who； through conviction or tradition； hold to the
sacraments； all who； through faith or habit； wish or feel a need to
attend the mass。 The auditors of the new curé consist of
unbelievers； deists； the indifferent members of the clubs and of the
administration； who resort to the church as to the H？tel…de…ville or
to a popular meeting； not through religious but through political
zeal； and who support the 〃intruder〃 in order to sustain the
Constitution。 All this does not secure to him very fervent
followers； but it provides him with very zealous defenders； and； in
default of the faith which they do not possess； they give the force
which is at their disposal。 All means are proper against an
intractable bishop or curé； not only the law which they aggravate
through their forced interpretation of it and through their
arbitrary verdicts； but also the riots which they stir up by their
instigation and which they sanction by their toleration。＇80＇ He is
driven out of his parish； consigned to the county town； and kept in
a safe place。 The Directory of Aisne denounces him as a disturber
of the public peace； and forbids him； under severe penalties； from
administering the sacraments。 The municipality of Cahors shuts up
particular churches and orders the nonjuring ecclesiastics to leave
the town in twenty…four hours。 The electoral corps of Lot denounces
them publicly as 〃ferocious brutes；〃 incendiaries； and provokers of
civil war。 The Directory of the Bas…Rhin banishes them to
Strasbourg or to fifteen leagues from the frontier。 At Saint…Leon
the bishop is forced to fly。 At Auch the archbishop is imprisoned；
at Lyons M。 de Boisboissel； grand vicar； is confined in Pierre…
Encize； for having preserved an archiepiscopal mandate in his house；
brutality is everywhere the minister of intolerance。 A certain cure
of Aisne who； in 1789； had fed two thousand poor； having presumed to
read from his pulpit a pastoral charge concerning the observance of
Lent； the mayor seizes him by the collar and prevents him from going
to the altar； 〃two of the National Yeomanry〃 draw their sabers on
him； and forthwith lead him away bareheaded； not allowing him to
return to his house； and drive him to a distance of two leagues by
beat of drum and under escort。 At Paris； in the church of Saint…
Eustache； the curé is greeted with outcries； a pistol is pointed at
his head； he is seized by the hair； struck with fists； and only
reaches the sacristy through the intervention of the National Guard。
In the church of the Théatins； rented by the orthodox with all legal
formality； a furious band disperses the priests and their
assistants； upsets the altar and profanes the sacred vessels。 A
placard； posted up by the department； calls upon the people to
respect the law； 〃I saw it；〃 says an eye…witness； 〃torn down amidst
imprecations against the department； the priests； and the devout。
One of the chief haranguers； standing on the steps terminated his
speech by stating that schism ought to be stopped at any cost； that
no worship but his should be allowed； that women should be whipped
and priests knocked on the head。〃 And； in fact； 〃a young lady
accompanied by her mother is whipped on the steps of the church。〃
Elsewhere nuns are the sufferers； even the sisters of Saint…Vincent
de Paul； and； from April； 1793； onward； the same outrages on modesty
and against life are propagated from town to town。 At Dijon； rods
are nailed fast to the gates of all the convents； at Montpellier；
two or three hundred ruffians； armed with large ironbound sticks；
murder the men and outrage the women。 Nothing remains but to
put the gangsters under the shelter of an amnesty； which is done by
the Constituent Assembly； and to legally sanction the animosity of
local administrations； which is done by the Legislative
Assembly。＇81＇ Henceforth the nonjuring ecclesiastics are deprived
of their sustenance； they are declared 〃 suspected of revolt against
the law and of evil intentions against the country。〃 … Thus； says a
contemporary Protestant； 〃on the strength of these suspicions and
these intentions； a Directory； to which the law interdicts judicial
functions； may arbitrarily drive out of his house the minister of a
God of peace and charity； grown gray in the shadow of the altar〃
Thus； 〃everywhere； where disturbances occur on account of religious
opinions； and whether these troubles are due to the frantic
scourgers of the virtuous sisters of charity or to the ruffians
armed with cow…hides who； at N？mes and Montpellier； outrage all the
laws of decorum and of liberty for six whole months； the non…juring
priests are to be punished with banishment。 Torn from their
families whose means of living they share； they are sent away to
wander on the highways； abandoned to public pity or ferocity the
moment any scoundrel chooses to excite a disturbance that he can
impute to them。〃 … Thus we see approaching the revolt of the
peasantry； the insurrections of N？mes； Franche…Comté； la Vendée and
Brittany； emigration； transportation； imprisonment； the guillotine
or drowning for two thirds of the clergy of France； and likewise for
myriads of the loyal； for husbandmen； artisans； day…laborers；
seamstresses； and servants； and the humblest among the lower class
of the people。 This is what the laws of the Constituent Assembly
are leading to。 In the institution of the clergy； as in that of
the nobles and the King； it demolished a solid wall in order to dig
through it an open door； and it is nothing strange if the whole
structure tumbles down on the heads of its inmates。 The true course
was to respect； to reform； to utilize rank and corporations： all
that the Assembly thought of was the abolition of these in the name
of abstract equality and of national sovereignty。 In order to
abolish these it executed； tolerated； or initiated all the attacks
on persons and on property。 Those it is about to commit are the
inevitable result of those which it has already committed； for；
through its Constitution； bad is changed to worse； and the social
edifice； already half in ruins through the clumsy havoc that is
effected in it； will fall in completely under the weight of the
incongruous or extravagant constructions which it proceeds to
extemporize。
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Notes：
＇1＇ Cf。 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 books I。 and V。
＇2＇ Perhaps we are here at the core of why all regimes end up
becoming corrupt； inefficient and sick； their leaders take their
privileges for granted and become more and more inattentive to the
work which must be done if the people are to be kept at work and
possible adversaries kept under control。 （SR。）
＇3＇ A special tax paid the king by a plebeian owning a fief。 （TR）
＇