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class； and as heads of the army； it is against them that public
distrust excites the most frequent explosions； and so much the more
as the instrument they handle is singularly explosive。 Recruited by
volunteer enlistment 〃amongst a passionate； turbulent； and somewhat
debauched people；〃 the army is composed of 〃all that are most fiery；
most turbulent； and most debauched in the nation。〃＇36＇ Add to these
the sweepings of the alms…houses； and you find a good many
blackguards in uniform！ When we consider that the pay is small； the
food bad； discipline severe； no promotion； and desertion endemic； we
are no longer surprised at the general disorder： license； to such
men； is too powerful a temptation。 With wine； women； and money they
have from the first been made turncoats； and from Paris the
contagion has spread to the provinces。 In Brittany；＇37＇ the
grenadiers and chasseurs of Ile…de…France 〃sell their coats； their
guns； and their shoes； exacting advances in order to consume it in
the tavern；〃 fifty…six soldiers of Penthièvre 〃wanted to murder
their officers；〃 and it is foreseen that； left to themselves； they
will soon； for lack of pay； 〃betake themselves to the highways； to
rob and assassinate。〃 In Euree…et…Loir； the dragoons；＇38＇ with saber
and pistols in hand； visit the farmers' houses and take bread and
money； while the foot soldiers of the 〃Royal…Comtois〃 and the
dragoons of the 〃Colonel…Général〃 desert in bands in order to go to
Paris； where amusement is to be had。 The main thing with them is
〃to have a jolly time。〃 In fact； the extensive military
insurrections of the earliest date； those of Paris； Versailles；
Besan？on； and Strasbourg； began or ended with a revel。 … Out of
these depths of gross desires there has sprung up natural or
legitimate ambitions。 A number of soldiers； for twenty years past；
have learned how to read； and think themselves qualified to be
officers。 One quarter of those enlisted； moreover； are young men
born in good circumstances； and whom a caprice has thrown into the
army。 They choke in this narrow； low； dark； confined passage where
the privileged by birth close up the issue； and they will march over
their chiefs to secure advancement。 These are the discontented； the
disputants； the orators of the mess…room； and between these barrack
politicians and the politicians of the street an alliance is at once
formed。 … Starting from the same point they march on to the same
end； and the imagination which has labored to blacken the Government
in the minds of the people； blackens the officers in the minds of
the soldiers。
The Treasury is empty and there are arrears of pay。 The towns；
burdened with debt； no longer furnish their quotas of supplies； and
at Orleans； with the distress of the municipality before them； the
Swiss of Chateauvieux were obliged to impose on themselves a
stoppage of one sou per day and per man to have wood in winter。＇39＇
Grain is scarce； the flour is spoilt； and the army bread； which was
bad； has become worse。 The administration； worm…eaten by old
abuses； is deranged through the new disorder； the soldiers suffering
as well through its dissolution as through their extravagance。 …
They think themselves robbed and they complain； at first with
moderation； and justice is done to their well…founded claims。 Soon
they exact accounts； and these are made out for them。 At Strasbourg；
on these being verified before Kellermann and a commissioner of the
National Assembly； it is proved that they have not been wronged out
of a sou； nevertheless a gratification of six francs a head is given
to them； and they cry out that they are content and have nothing
more to ask for。 A few months after this fresh complaints arise；
and there is a new verification： an ensign； accused of embezzlement
and whom they wished to hang； is tried in their presence； his
accounting is tidy； none of them can cite against him a proven
charge； and； once more； they remain silent。 On other occasions；
after hearing the reading of registers for several hours； they yawn；
cease to listen； and go outside to get something to drink。 … But
the figures of their demands； as these have been summed up by their
mess…room calculators； remain implanted in their brains； they have
taken root there； and are constantly springing up without any
account or refutation being able to extirpate them。 No more writings
nor speeches … what they want is money： 11；000 livres for the
Beaune regiment； 39；500 livres for that of Forez； 44；000 livres for
that of Salm； 200；000 livres for that of Chateauvieux； and similarly
for the rest。 So much the worse for the officers if the money…chest
does not suffice for them； let them assess each other； or borrow on
their note of hand from the municipality； or from the rich men of
the town。 … For greater security； in divers places； the soldiers
take possession of the military chest and mount guard around it： it
belongs to them； since they form the regiment； and； in any case； it
is better that it should be in their hands than in suspected hands。
… Already； on the 4th of June； 1790； the Minister of War announces
to the Assembly that 〃the military body threatens to fall into a
perfect state of anarchy。〃 His report shows 〃the most incredible
pretensions put forth in the most plain…spoken way … orders
without force； chiefs without authority； the military chest and
flags carried away； the orders of the King himself openly defied；
the officers condemned； insulted； threatened； driven off； some of
them even captive amidst their own troops； leading a precarious life
in the midst of disgust and humiliations； and； as the climax of
horror； commanders having their throat cut under the eyes and almost
in the arms of their own soldiers。〃
It is much worse after the July Federation。 Entertained； flattered；
and indoctrinated at the clubs； their delegates； inferior officers
and privates； return to the regiment Jacobins； and henceforth
correspond with the Jacobins of Paris； 〃receiving their instructions
and reporting to them；〃＇40＇ … Three weeks later； the Minister of
War gives notice to the National Assembly that there is no limit to
the license in the army。 〃Couriers； the bearers of fresh
complaints； are arriving constantly。〃 In one place 〃a statement of
the fund is demanded； and it is proposed to divide it。〃 Elsewhere； a
garrison； with drums beating； leaves the town； deposes its officers；
and comes back sword in hand。 Each regiment is governed by a
committee of soldiers。 〃It is in this committee that the detention
of the lieutenant…colonel of Poitou has been twice arranged； here it
is that 'Royal…Champagne' conceived the insurrection〃 by which it
refused to recognize a sub…lieutenant sent to it。 〃Every day the
minister's cabinet is filled with soldiers who are sent as
representatives to him； and who proudly come and intimate to him the
will of their constituents。〃 Finally； at Strasbourg； seven
regiments； each represented by three delegates； formed a military
congress。 The same month； the terrible insurrection of Nancy breaks
out … three regiments in revolt； the populace with them； the
arsenal pillaged； three hours of furious fighting in the streets；
the insurgents firing from the windows of the houses and from the
cellar openings； five hundred dead among the victors； and three
thousand among the vanquished。 … The following month； and for
six weeks；＇41＇ there is another insurrection； less bloody； but more
extensive； better arranged and more obstinate； that of the whole
squadron at Brest； a mutiny of twenty thousand men； at first against
their admiral and their officers； then against the new penal code
and against the National Assembly itself。 The latter； after
remonstrating in vain； is obliged not only not to take rigorous
measures； but again to revise its laws。＇42＇
》From this time forth； I cannot enumerate the constant outbreaks in
the fleet and in the army。 … Authorized by the minister； the
soldier goes to the club； where he is repeatedly told that his
officers； being aristocrats； are traitors。 At Dunkirk； he is
additionally taught how to get rid of them。 Clamors； denunciations；
insults； musket…shots … these are the natural means； and they are
put in practice： but there is another； recently discovered； by which
an energetic officer of whom they are afraid may be driven away。
Some patriotic bully is found who comes and insults him。 If the
officer fights and is not killed； the municipal authorities have him
arraigned； and his chiefs send him off along with his seconds 〃in
order not to disturb the harmony between the soldier and the
citizen。〃 If he declines the proposed duel； the contempt of his men
obliges him to quit the regiment。 In either case he is got out of
the way。＇43＇ … They have no scruples in relation to him。 Present
or absent； a noble officer must certainly be plotting with h