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mountains； the rude Cévenols； arrive in crowds。 The red rosettes
are besieged； a Capuchin convent； from which it is pretended that
they have fired； is sacked； and five of the monks are killed。
Froment's tower is demolished with cannon and taken by assault。 His
brother is massacred and thrown from the walls； while a Jacobin
convent next to the ramparts is sacked。 Towards night； all the red
rosettes who have fought are slain or have fled； and there is no
longer any resistance。 But the fury still lasts； the fifteen
thousand rustics who have flooded the town think that they have not
yet done enough。 In vain are they told that the other fifteen
companies of red rosettes have not moved； that the pretended
aggressors 〃did not even put themselves in a state of defense；〃 that
during the battle they remained at home； and that afterwards；
through extra precaution； the municipal authorities had made them
give up their arms。 In vain does the Electoral Assembly； preceded
by a white flag； march to the public square and exhort the people to
keep the peace。 〃Under the pretext of searching suspicious houses；
they pillage or destroy； and what…ever cannot be carried away is
broken。〃 One hundred and twenty houses are sacked in N？mes alone；
while the same ravages are committed in the environs； the damage； at
the end of three days； amounting to seven or eight hundred thousand
livres。 A number of poor creatures； workmen； merchants； old and
infirm men； are massacred in their houses； some； 〃who have been
bedridden for many years； are dragged to the sills of their doors to
be shot。〃 Others are hung on the esplanade and at the Cours Neuf；
while others have their noses； ears； feet； and hands cut off； and
are hacked to pieces with sabers and scythes。 Horrible stories； as
is commonly the case； provoke the most atrocious acts。
A publican； who refuses to distribute anti…Catholic lists； is
supposed to have a mine in his cellar filled with kegs of gunpowder
and with sulfur matches all ready； he is hacked to pieces with a
saber； and twenty guns are discharged into his corpse： they expose
the body before his house with a long loaf of bread on his breast；
and they again stab him with bayonets； saying to him： 〃Eat； you
bastard； eat〃 … More than five hundred Catholics were
assassinated； and many others； covered with blood； 〃are crowded
together in the prisons； while the search for the proscribed is
continued； whenever they are seen； they are fired upon like so many
wolves。〃 Thousands of the inhabitants； accordingly； demand their
passports and leave the town。 The rural Catholics； meanwhile； on
their side； massacre six Protestants in the environs … an old man
of eighty…two years； a youth of fifteen； and a husband and his wife
in their farm…house。 In order to put a stop to the murderous acts；
the National Guard of Montpellier have to be summoned。 But the
restoration of order is for the benefit of the victorious party。
Three…fifths of the electors have fled； one…third of the district
and departmental administrators have been appointed in their
absence； and the majority of the new directories is taken from the
club of patriots。 It is for this reason that the prisoners are
prejudged as guilty。 〃No bailiff of the court dares give them the
benefit of his services； they are not allowed to bring forward
justifying facts in evidence； while everybody knows that the judges
are not impartial。〃＇9＇
Thus do the violent measures of political and religious discord come
to an end。 The victor stops the mouth of the law when it is about
to speak in his adversary's behalf； and； under the legal iniquity of
an administration which he has himself established； he crushes those
whom the illegal force of his own strong hand has stricken down。
II。
Passion Supreme。 … Dread of hunger its most acute form。 … The
non…circulation of grain。 … Intervention and usurpations of the
electoral assemblies。 … The rural code in Nivernais。 … The four
central provinces in 1790。 … Why high prices are kept up。 …
Anxiety and insecurity。 … Stagnation of the grain market。 …
The departments near Paris in 1791。 … The supply and price of
grain regulated by force。 … The mobs in 1792。 … Village armies
of Eure and of the lower Seine and of Aisne。 … Aggravation of the
disorder after August 10th。 … The dictatorship of unbridled
instinct。 … Its practical and political expedients。
Passions of this stamp are the product of human cultivation； and
break loose only within narrow bounds。 Another passion exists which
is neither historic nor local； but natural and universal； the most
indomitable； most imperious； and most formidable of all； namely； the
fear of hunger。 There is no such thing with this passion as delay；
or reflection； or looking beyond itself。 Each commune or canton
wants its bread； and a sure and unlimited supply of it。 Our
neighbor may provide for himself as best he can； but let us look out
for ourselves first and then for other people。 Each group of
people； accordingly； through its own decrees； or by main force；
keeps for itself whatever subsistence it possesses； or takes from
others the subsistence which it does not possess。 ii
At the end of 1789；＇10＇ 〃Roussillon refuses aid to Languedoc； Upper
Languedoc to the rest of the province； and Burgundy to Lyonnais；
Dauphiny shuts herself up； and Normandy retains the wheat purchased
for the relief of Paris。〃 At Paris； sentinels are posted at the
doors of all the bakers； on the 21st of October one of the latter is
hung； and his head is borne about on a pike。 On the 27th of
October； at Vernon； a corn…merchant named Planter； who the preceding
winter had supported the poor for six leagues around； has to take
his turn。 At the present moment the people do not forgive him for
having sent flour to Paris； and he is hung twice； but is saved
through the breaking of the rope each time。 It is only by force
and under an escort that it is possible to insure the arrival of
grain in a town； the excited people or the National Guards
constantly seize it on its passage。 In Normandy the militia of Caen
stops wheat on the highways which is destined for Harcourt and
elsewhere。＇11＇ In Brittany； Auray and Vannes retain the convoys for
Nantes； and Lannion those for Brest。 Brest having attempted to
negotiate； its commissioners are seized； and； with knives at their
throats； are forced to sign a renunciation； pure and simple； of the
grain which they have paid for； and they are led out of Lannion and
stoned on the way。 Eighteen hundred men； consequently； leave Brest
with four cannon； and go to recover their property with their guns
loaded。 These are the customs prevalent during the great famines of
feudal times； and； from one end of France to the other； to say
nothing of the out…breaks of the famished in the large towns；
similar outrages or attempts at recovery are constantly occurring。
… 〃 The armed population of Nantua； Saint…Claude； and Septmoncel；〃
says a dispatch；＇12＇ 〃have again cut off provisions from the Gex
region； there is no wheat coming there from any direction； all the
roads being guarded。 Without the aid of the government of Geneva；
which is willing to lend to this region eight hundred Cuttings of
wheat； we should either die of starvation or be compelled to take
grain by force from the municipalities which keep it to themselves。〃
Narbonne starves Toulon； the navigation of the Languedoc canal is
intercepted； the people on its banks repulse two companies of
soldiers； burn a large building； and want to destroy the canal
itself。〃 Boats are stopped； wagons are pillaged； bread is forcibly
lowered in price； stones are thrown and guns discharged； the
populace contend with the National Guard； peasants with townsmen；
purchasers with dealers； artisans and laborers with farmers and
land…owners； at Castelnaudary； Niort； Saint…Etienne； in Aisne； in
Pas…de…Calais； and especially along the line stretching from
Montbrison to Angers … that is to say； for almost the whole of the
extent of the vast basin of the Loire； … such is the spectacle
presented by the year 1790。 … And yet the crop has not been a bad
one。 But there is no circulation of grain。 Each petty center has
formed a league for the monopoly of food； and hence the fasting of
others and the convulsions of the entire body are the first effects
of the unbridled freedom which the Constitution and circumstances
have conferred on each local group。
〃We are told to assemble； vote； and elect men that will attend to
our business； let us attend to it ourselves。 We have had enough of
talk and hypocrisy。 Bread at two sous； and let us go after wheat
where it can be found！〃 Such is the reasoning of the peasantry； and；
in Nivernais； Bourbonnais； Berri； and Touraine； electoral gatherings
are the firebrands of the insurrections。＇13＇ At Saint…Sauge； 〃the