按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
more complete。 The votes are deposited； the ballot…boxes closed and
sealed up and the conservatives obtain a majority。 Thereupon the
Jacobin club； with the Society of the 〃iron…clubs；〃 calling itself
the Executive power； betake themselves in force to the sectional
meetings； burn one of the ballots； use firearms and kill two men。 To
restore order the municipality stations each company of the National
Guard at its captain's door； The moderates among them naturally obey
orders； but the violent party do not。 They overrun the town； numbering
about 2；000 inhabitants； enter the houses； kill three men in the
street or in their domiciles； and force the administrative body to
suspend its electoral assemblies。 In addition to this they require
the disarmament 〃of the aristocrats；〃 and this not being done soon
enough； they kill an artisan who is walking in the street with his
mother； cut off his head； bear it aloft in triumph； and suspend it in
front of his dwelling。 The authorities are now convinced and
accordingly decree a disarmament； and the victors parade the streets
in a body。 In exuberance or as a precaution； they fire； as they pass
along； at the windows of suspected houses and happen to kill an
additional man and woman。 During the three following days six hundred
families emigrate； while the authorities report that everything is
going on well； and that order is restored。 〃The elections；〃 they say；
〃are now proceeding in the quietest manner since the ill…intentioned
voluntarily keeping away from them； a large number having left the
town。 〃＇34＇ A void is created around the ballot…box and this is
called the unanimity of voters。 The effect of such assassinations
is great and only a few are required； especially when they go
unpunished； which is always the case。 Henceforth all that the
Jacobins have to do is to threaten； people no longer resist them for
they know that it costs too much to face them down。 They do not care
to attend electoral meetings where they meet insult and danger； they
acknowledge defeat at the start。 Have not the Jacobins irresistible
arguments； without taking blows into account？ At Paris；＇35＇ Marat in
three successive numbers of his paper has just denounced by name 〃the
rascals and thieves〃 who canvass for electoral nominations； not the
nobles and priests but ordinary citizens； lawyers； architects；
physicians； jewellers； stationers； printers； upholsterers and other
artisans； each name being given in full with the professions；
addresses and one of the following qualifications； 〃hypocrite
（tartufe）； immoral； dishonest； bankrupt； informer； usurer； cheat；〃 not
to mention others that I cannot write down。 It must be noted that this
slanderous list may become a proscriptive list； and that in every town
and village in France similar lists are constantly drawn up and
circulated by the local dub； which enables us to judge whether the
struggle between it and its adversaries is a fair one。…As to rural
electors； it has suitable means for persuading them； especially in the
innumerable cantons ravaged or threatened by the jacqueries； （country…
riots） or； for example； in Corrèze； where 〃the whole department is
smattered with insurrections and devastation's； and where nobody talks
of anything but of hanging the officers who serve papers。〃＇36＇
Through…out the electoral operations the sittings of the dub are
permanent； 〃its electors are incessantly summoned to its meetings； 〃
at each of these 〃the main question is the destruction of fish…ponds
and rentals； their principal speakers summing it all up by saying that
none ought to be paid。〃 The majority of electors； composed of
rustics； are found to be sensitive to speeches like this； all its
candidates are obliged to express themselves against fishponds and
rentals； its deputies and the public prosecuting attorney are
nominated on this profession of faith； in other words； to be elected；
the Jacobins promise to greedy tenants the incomes and property of
their owners。 We already see in the proceedings by which they
secure one…third of the offices in 1791 the germ of the methods by
which they will secure the whole of them in 1792； in this first
electoral campaign their acts indicate not merely their maxims and
policy but； again； the condition； education； spirit and character of
the men whom they place in power locally as well as at the capital。
NOTES：
＇1＇ Law of May 28； 29； 1791 （according to official statements； the
total of active citizens amounted to 4；288；360）。 Laws of July 23；
Sept。 12； Sept。 29； 1791。 Buchez et Roux； XII。 310。
＇2＇ Bucher Ct Roux； XII。 33。 Mortimer…Ternaux； 〃Histoire de la
Terreur；〃 II。 205； 348。 Sauzay； II。 ch。 XVIII AIbert Babeau； I。
ch。 XX。
＇3＇ Lenin repeated this performance in 1917 and Stalin attempted to
do the same in the rest of the World。 （SR）。。
＇4＇ The following letter； by Camille Desmoulins （April 3； 1792）； shows
at once the time consumed by public affairs； the sort of attraction
they had； and the kind of men which they diverted from their business。
〃I have gone back to my old profession of the law； to which I give
nearly all the time which my municipal or electoral functions； and the
Jacobins （club）； allow me that is to say； very little。 It is very
disagreeable to me to come down to pleading bourgeois cases after
having managed interests of such importance； and the affairs of the
government； in the face of all Europe。〃
＇5＇ I cannot help but think of the willful proliferation of idle
functionaries； pensioners and other receivers of public funds which
today vote for the party which represents their interests。 （SR。）
＇6＇ Sauzay； II。 83…89 and 123。 A resolution of the inhabitants of
Chalèze； who； headed by their municipal officers； declare themselves
unanimously 〃non…conformists；〃 and demand 〃the right of using a temple
for the exercise of their religious opinions； belonging to them and
built with their contributions〃 On the strength of this； the municipal
officers of Chalèze are soundly rated by the district administration；
which thus states what principles are： 〃Liberty； indefinite for the
private individual； must be restricted for the public man whose
opinions must conform to the law： otherwise； 。 。 he must renounce all
public functions。〃
＇7＇ Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 3；253 （letter of the department
directory； April 7； 1792）。 〃On the 25th of January； in our report to
the National Assembly； we stated the almost general opposition which
the execution of the laws relating to the clergy has found in this
department 。 。 。 nine…tenths； at least； of the Catholics refusing to
recognize the sworn priests。 The teachers； influenced by their old
curés or vicars； are willing to take the civic oath； but they refuse
to recognize their legitimate pastors and attend their services。 We
are； therefore； obliged to remove them； and to look out for others to
replace them。 The citizens of a large number of the communes；
persisting in trusting these； will lend no assistance whatever to the
election of the new ones； the result is； that we are obliged； in
selecting these people； to refer the matter to persons whom we
scarcely know； and who are scarcely better known to the directories of
the district。 As they are elected against the will of the citizens；
they do not gain their confidence； and draw their salaries from the
commune treasury； without any advantage to public instruction；〃
＇8＇ Mercure de France； Sep。 3； 1791。 〃The right of attending primary
meetings is that of every citizen who pays a tax of three livres；
owing to the violence to which opinions are subject； more than one…
half of the French are compelled to stay away from these reunions；
which are abandoned to persons who have the least interest in
maintaining public order and in securing stable laws； with the least
property； and who pay the fewest taxes。〃
＇9＇ 〃The French Revolution；〃 Vol。 I。 p。 182 and following pages。
＇10＇ 〃Correspondence of M。 de Sta？l〃 （manuscript）； Swedish ambassador；
with his court； Sept 4； 1791。 〃The change in the way of thinking of
the democrats is extraordinary； they now seem convinced that it is
impossible to make the Constitution work。 Barnave； to my own
knowledge； has declared that the influence of assemblies in the future
should be limited to a council of notables； and that all power should
be in the government〃
＇11＇ Ibid。 Letter of July 17； 1791。 〃All the members of the Assembly；
with the exception of three or four； have passed a resolution to
separate from the Jacobins； they number about 3oo。〃 The seven
deputies who remain at the Jacobin Club； are Robespierre； Pétion；
Grégoire； Buzot； Coroller； and Abbé Royer。
＇12＇ 〃Les Feuillants〃 Was a political club consisting of
constitutional monarchists who held their meetings in the former
Feuillants monastery in Paris from 1791 to 1792。 （SR）。
＇13＇ Decree of Sept 29； 30； 17