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Directory and the Convention； which issued 45；000；000；000 francs
in this form （L1；800；000；000 sterling）； that an assignat of
100 livres was finally worth only a few halfpence。
Stimulated by his advisers； the feeble Louis attempted in
vain to struggle against the decrees of the Assembly by refusing
to sanction them。
Under the influence of the daily suggestions of the leaders and
the power of mental contagion the revolutionary movement was
spreading everywhere independently of the Assembly and often even
against it。
In the towns and villages revolutionary municipalities were
instituted； protected by the local National Guards。 Those of
neighbouring towns commenced to make mutual arrangements to
defend themselves should need arise。 Thus federations were
formed； which were soon rolled into one； this sent 14；000
National Guards to Paris； who assembled on the Champ…de…Mars on
the 14th of July； 1790。 There the king swore to maintain the
Constitution decreed by the National Assembly。
Despite this vain oath it became more evident every day that no
agreement was possible between the hereditary principles of the
monarchy and those proclaimed by the Assembly。
Feeling himself completely powerless； the king thought only of
flight。 Arrested at Varennes and brought back a prisoner to
Paris； he was shut up in the Tuileries。 The Assembly； although
still extremely royalist； suspended him from power； and decided
to assume the sole charge of the government。
Never did sovereign find himself in a position so difficult as
that of Louis at the time of his flight。 The genius of a
Richelieu would hardly have extricated him。 The only element of
defence on which he could have relied had from the beginning
absolutely failed him。
During the whole duration of the Constituent Assembly the
immense majority of Frenchmen and of the Assembly remained
royalist； so that had the sovereign accepted a liberal monarchy
he could perhaps have remained in power。 It would seem that
Louis had little to promise in order to come to an agreement with
the Assembly。
Little； perhaps； but with his structure of mind that little was
strictly impossible。 All the shades of his forbears would have
risen up in front of him had he consented to modify the mechanism
of the monarchy inherited from so many ancestors。 And even had
he attempted to do so； the opposition of his family； the clergy；
the nobles； and the Court could never have been surmounted。 The
ancient castes on which the monarchy rested； the nobility and the
clergy； were then almost as powerful as the monarch himself。
Every time it seemed as though he might yield to the injunctions
of the Assembly it was because he was constrained to do so by
force； and to attempt to gain time。 His appeals to alien Powers
represented the resolution of a desperate man who had seen all
his natural defences fail him。
He； and especially the queen； entertained the strangest illusions
as to the possible assistance of Austria； for centuries the rival
of France。 If Austria indolently consented to come to his aid；
it was only in the hope of receiving a great reward。 Mercy gave
him to understand that the payment expected consisted of Alsace；
the Alps； and Navarre。
The leaders of the clubs； finding the Assembly too royalist； sent
the people against it。 A petition was signed； inviting the
Assembly to convoke a new constituent power to proceed to the
trial of Louis XVI。
Monarchical in spite of all； and finding that the Revolution was
assuming a character far too demagogic； the Assembly resolved to
defend itself against the actions of the people。 A battalion of
the National Guard； commanded by La Fayette； was sent to the
Champ…de…Mars； where the crowd was assembled； to disperse it。
Fifty of those present were killed。
The Assembly did not long persist in its feeble resistance。
Extremely fearful of the people； it increased its arrogance
towards the king； depriving him every day of some part of his
prerogatives and authority。 He was now scarcely more than a mere
official obliged to execute the wishes of others。
The Assembly had imagined that it would be able to exercise the
authority of which it had deprived the king； but such a task was
infinitely above its resources。 A power so divided is always
weak。 ‘‘I know nothing more terrible；'' said Mirabeau； ‘‘than
the sovereign authority of six hundred persons。''
Having flattered itself that it could combine in itself all the
powers of the State； and exercise them as Louis XVI。 had done；
the Assembly very soon exercised none whatever。
As its authority failed anarchy increased。 The popular leaders
continually stirred up the people。 Riot and insurrection became
the sole power。 Every day the Assembly was invaded by rowdy and
imperious delegations which operated by means of threats and
demands。
All these popular movements； which the Assembly； under the stress
of fear； invariably obeyed； had nothing spontaneous about them。
They simply represented the manifestations of new powersthe
clubs and the Communewhich had been set up beside the
Assembly。
The most powerful of these clubs was the Jacobin； which had
quickly created more than five hundred branches in the country；
all of which were under the orders of the central body。 Its
influence remained preponderant during the whole duration of the
Revolution。 It was the master of the Assembly； and then of
France； its only rival the insurrectionary Commune； whose power
was exercised only in Paris。
The weakness of the national Assembly and all its failures had
made it extremely unpopular。 It became conscious of this； and；
feeling that it was every day more powerless； decided to hasten
the creation of the new Constitution in order that it might
dissolve。 Its last action； which was tactless enough； was to
decree that no member of the Constituent Assembly should be
elected to the Legislative Assembly。 The members of the latter
were thus deprived of the experience acquired by their
predecessors。
The Constitution was completed on the 3rd of September； 1791； and
accepted on the 13th by the king； to whom the Assembly had
restored his powers。
This Constitution organised a representative Government；
delegating the legislative power to deputies elected by the
people； and the executive power to the king； whose right of veto
over the decrees of the Assembly was recognised。 New
departmental divisions were substituted for the old provinces。
The imposts were abolished； and replaced by direct and indirect
taxes； which are still in force。
The Assembly； which had just altered the territorial divisions
and overthrown all the old social organisation； thought
itself powerful enough to transform the religious organisation of
the country also。 It claimed notably that the members of the
clergy should be elected by the people； and should be thus
withdrawn from the influence of their supreme head； the Pope。
This civil constitution of the clergy was the origin of religious
struggles and persecutions which lasted until the days of the
Consulate。 Two…thirds of the priests refused the oath demanded
of them。
During the three years which represented the life of the
Constituent Assembly the Revolution had produced considerable
results。 The principal result was perhaps the beginning of the
transference to the Third Estate of the riches of the privileged
classes。 In this way while interests were created to be defended
fervent adherents were raised up to the new regime。 A
Revolution supported by the gratification of acquired appetites
is bound to be powerful。 The Third Estate； which had supplanted
the nobles； and the peasants； who had bought the national
domains； would readily understand that the restoration of the
ancien regime would despoil them of all their advantages。
The energetic defence of the Revolution was merely the defence of
their own fortunes。
This is why we see； during part of the Revolution； nearly half
the departments vainly rising against the despotism that crushed
them。 The Republicans triumphed over all opposition。 They were
extremely powerful in that they had to defend； not only a new
ideal； but new material interests。 We shall see that the
influence of these two factors lasted during the whole of the
Revolution； and contributed powerfully to the establishment of
the Empire。
CHAPTER II
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
1。 Political Events during the Life of the Legislative Assembly。
Before examining the mental characteristics of the Legislative
Assembly let us briefly sum up the considerable political events
which marked its short year's life。 They naturally played an
important part in respect of its psychological manifestations。
Extremely monarchical； the Legislative Assembly had no