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uselessly jostling in space。 If we did not know that it all
ended in practical and dreadful results； we should think they
were games of logic； school exercises； academical demonstrations；
ideological combinations。''
The theories of the Jacobins amounted practically to an absolute
tyranny。 To them it seemed evident that a sovereign State must
be obeyed without discussion by citizens rendered equal as to
conditions and fortune。
The power with which they invested themselves was far greater
than that of the monarchs who had preceded them。 They fixed the
prices of merchandise and arrogated the right to dispose of the
life and property of citizens。
Their confidence in the regenerative virtues of the revolutionary
faith was such that after having declared war upon kings they
declared war upon the gods。 A calendar was established from
which the saints were banished。 They created a new divinity；
Reason； whose worship was celebrated in Notre…Dame； with
ceremonies which were in many ways identical with those of the
Catholic faith； upon the altar of the ‘‘late Holy Virgin。'' This
cult lasted until Robespierre substituted a personal religion of
which he constituted himself the high priest。
The sole masters of France； the Jacobins and their
disciples were able to plunder the country with impunity；
although they were never in the majority anywhere。
Their numbers are not easy to determine exactly。 We know only
that they were very small。 Taine valued them at 5；000 in Paris；
among 700；000 inhabitants； in Besancon 300 among 300；000； and
in all France about 300；000。
‘‘A small feudality of brigands； set over a conquered France；''
according to the words of the same author； they were able； in
spite of their small numbers； to dominate the country； and this
for several reasons。 In the first place； their faith gave them a
considerable strength。 Then； because they represented the
Government； and for centuries the French had obeyed those who
were in command。 Finally； because it was believed that to
overthrow them would be to bring back the ancien regime；
which was greatly dreaded by the numerous purchasers of the
national domains。 Their tyranny must have grown frightful indeed
to force so many departments to rise against them。
The first factor of their power was very important。 In the
conflict between powerful faiths and weak faiths victory never
falls to the latter。 A powerful faith creates strong wills；
which will always overpower weak wills。 That the Jacobins
themselves did finally perish was because their accumulated
violence had bound together thousands of weak wills whose united
weight overbalanced their own strong wills。
It is true that the Girondists； whom the Jacobins persecuted with
so much hatred； had also well…established beliefs； but in the
struggle which ensued their education told against them；
together with their respect for certain traditions and the rights
of others； scruples which did not in the least trouble their
adversaries。
‘‘The majority of the sentiments of the Girondists；'' writes
Emile Ollivier； ‘‘were delicate and generous； those of the
Jacobin mob were low； gross； and brutal。 The name of Vergniaud；
compared with that of the ‘divine' Marat； measures a gulf which
nothing could span。''
Dominating the Convention at the outset by the superiority of
their talents and their eloquence； the Girondists soon fell under
the domination of the Montagnardsworthless energumens； who
carried little weight； but were always active； and who knew how
to excite the passions of the populace。 It was violence and not
talent that impressed the Assemblies。
3。 Mental Characteristics of the Convention。
Beside the characteristics common to all assemblies there are
some created by influences of environment and circumstances；
which give any particular assembly of men a special physiognomy。
Most of the characteristics observable in the Constituent and
Legislative Assemblies reappeared； in an exaggerated form； in the
Convention。
This Assembly comprised about seven hundred and fifty deputies；
of whom rather more than a third had sat in the Constituent or
the Legislative Assembly。 By terrorising the population the
Jacobins contrived to triumph at the elections。 The majority of
the electors； six millions out of seven； preferred to abstain
from voting。
As to the professions； the Assembly contained a large number of
lawyers； advocates； notaries； bailiffs； ex…magistrates； and a few
literary men。
The mentality of the Convention was not homogeneous。 Now； an
assembly composed of individuals of widely different characters
soon splits up into a number of groups。 The Convention very
early contained threethe Gironde； the Mountain； and the Plain。
The constitutional monarchists had almost disappeared。
The Gironde and the Mountain； extreme parties； consisted of about
a hundred members apiece； who successively became leaders。 In
the Mountain were the most advanced members： Couthon； Herault
de Sechelles； Danton； Camille Desmoulins； Marat； Collot
d'Herbois； Billaud…Varennes； Barras； Saint…Just； Fouche；
Tallien； Carrier； Robespierre； &c。 In the Gironde were Brissot；
Petion； Condorcet； Vergniaud； &c。
The five hundred other members of the Assemblythat is； the
great majorityconstituted what was known as the Plain。
This latter formed a floating mass； silent； undecided； and timid；
ready to follow every impulse and to be carried away by the
excitement of the moment。 It gave ear indifferently to the
stronger of the two preceding groups。 After obeying the Gironde
for some time it allowed itself to be led away by the Mountain；
when the latter triumphed over its enemy。 This was a natural
consequence of the law already stated； by which the weak
invariably fall under the dominion of the stronger wills。
The influence of great manipulators of men was displayed
in a high degree during the Convention。 It was constantly led by
a violent minority of narrow minds； whose intense convictions
lent them great strength。
A brutal and audacious minority will always lead a fearful and
irresolute majority。 This explains the constant tendency toward
extremes to be observed in all revolutionary assemblies。 The
history of the Convention verifies once more the law of
acceleration studied in another chapter。
The men of the Convention were thus bound to pass from moderation
to greater and greater violence。 Finally they decimated
themselves。 Of the 180 Girondists who at the outset led the
Convention 140 were killed or fled； and finally the most
fanatical of the Terrorists； Robespierre； reigned alone over a
terrified crowd of servile representatives。
Yet it was among the five hundred members of the majority；
uncertain and floating as it was； that the intelligence and
experience were to be found。 The technical committees to whom
the useful work of the Convention was due were recruited from the
Plain。
More or less indifferent to politics； the members of the Plain
were chiefly anxious that no one should pay particular attention
to them。 Shut up in their committees； they showed themselves as
little as possible in the Assembly； which explains why the
sessions of the Convention contained barely a third of the
deputies。
Unhappily； as often happens； these intelligent and honest men
were completely devoid of character； and the fear which always
dominated them made them vote for the worst of the
measures introduced by their dreaded masters。
The men of the Plain voted for everything they were ordered to
vote forthe creation of the Revolutionary Tribunal； the Terror；
&c。 It was with their assistance that the Mountain crushed the
Gironde； and Robespierre destroyed the Hebertists and
Dantonists。 Like all weak people； they followed the strong。 The
gentle philanthropists who composed the Plain； and constituted
the majority of the Assembly； contributed； by their
pusillanimity； to bring about the frightful excesses of the
Convention。
The psychological note always prevailing in the Convention was a
horrible fear。 It was more especially through fear that men cut
off one another's heads； in the doubtful hope of keeping their
own on their shoulders。
Such a fear was； of course； very comprehensible。 The unhappy
deputies deliberated amid the hootings and vociferations of the
tribunes。 At every moment veritable savages； armed with pikes；
invaded the Assembly； and the majority of the members no longer
dared to attend the sessions。 When by chance they did go it was
only to vote in silence according to the orders of the Mountain；
which was only a third as numerous。
The fear which dominated the latter； although less visible； was
just as profound。 Men destroyed their enemies； not only because
they were shallow fanatics； but because they were c