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！
95。 … Moniteur； XIII。 222； session of July 22。
＇36＇ Lacretelle； 〃Dix Ans d'Epreuves；〃 80。
＇37＇ Mathieu Dumas； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 88 （Feb。 23）。 … Hua； 〃Mémoires〃
d'un Avocat au Parliament de Paris；〃 106； 121； 134； 154。 Moniteur；
XIII。 212 （session of July 21）； speech by M。 … 〃The avenues to this
building are daily beset with a horde of people who insult the
representatives of the nation。〃
＇38＇ De Vaublanc； 〃Mémoires；〃 344。 … Moniteur； XIII。 368 （letters
and speeches of deputies； session of Aug。 9）。
＇39＇ Hua； 115。 Ibid。； 90。 3 out of 4 deputies of Seine…et…Oise were
Jacobins。 〃We met once a week to talk over the affairs of the
department。 We were obliged to drive out the vagabonds who； even at
the table； talked of nothing but killing。〃
＇40＇ Moniteur； XII。 702。 For example； on the 19th of June； 1792； on a
motion unexpectedly proposed by Condorcet； that the departments be
authorized to burn all titles （to nobility） in the various depots。
Adopted at once； and unanimously。
＇41＇ Later Stalin and his successors should invest the United
Nations and other international organizations to indirectly propose
and ensure the acceptance of a new convention of human rights；
children's rights； the rights of refugees etc。 In many cases these
became the base of national legislation which is now giving trouble to
many of the Western democracies。 （SR）。
＇42＇ Hua； 114。
＇43＇ Moniteur； XII。 664。 … Mercure de France； June 23； 1792。
＇44＇ Hua； 141。 Mathieu Dumas； II。 399： 〃It is remarkable that
Lafond de Ladébat； one of our trustiest friends； was elected president
on the 23rd of July； 1792。 This shows that the majority of the
Assembly was still sound； but it was only brought about by a secret
vote in the choice of candidates。 The same men who obeyed their
consciences； through a sentiment of justice and of propriety； could
not face the danger which surrounded them in the threats of the
factions when they were called upon to vote by rising or sitting。〃
＇45＇ This description and others of the same period have undoubtedly
been studied carefully by thousands of socialists and political
hopefuls who； in any case； made use of similar tactics to take over
thousands of governing committees； institutions and organizations。
（SR）。
CHAPTER III。
I。
Policy of the Assembly。 … State of France at the end of 1791。 …
Powerlessness of the Law。
If the deputies who； on the 1st of October； 1791； so solemnly and
enthusiastically swore to the Constitution； had been willing to open
their eyes； they would have seen this Constitution constantly
violated； both in its letter and spirit； over the entire territory。 As
usual； and through the vanity of authorship； M。 Thouret； the last
president of the Constituent Assembly； had； in his final report；
hidden disagreeable truth underneath pompous and delusive phrases； but
it was only necessary to look over the monthly record to see whether；
as guaranteed by him； 〃the decrees were faithfully executed in all
parts of the empire。〃 〃 Where is this faithful execution to be
found？〃 inquires Mallet du Pan。＇1＇ 〃Is it at Toulon； in the midst of
the dead and wounded； shot in the very face of the amazed municipality
and Directory？ Is it at Marseilles； where two private individuals are
knocked down and massacred as aristocrats；〃 under the pretext 〃that
they sold to children poisoned sugar…plums with which to begin a
counter…revolution？〃 Is it at Arles； 〃against which 4；000 men from
Marseilles； dispatched by the club； are at this moment marching？〃 Is
it at Bayeux； 〃where the sieur Fauchet against whom a warrant for
arrest is out； besides being under the ban of political disability；
has just been elected deputy to the Legislative Assembly？〃 Is it at
Blois； 〃where the commandant； doomed to death for having tried to
execute these decrees； is forced to send away a loyal regiment and
submit to licentious troops？〃 Is it at N？mes； 〃where the Dauphiny
regiment； on leaving the town by the Minister's orders； is ordered by
the people〃 and the club 〃to disobey the Minister and remain？〃 Is it
in those regiments whose officers； with pistols at their breasts； are
obliged to leave and give place to amateurs？ Is it at Toulouse；
〃where； at the end of August； the administrative authorities order all
unsworn priests to leave the town in three days； and withdraw to a
distance of four leagues？〃 Is it in the outskirts of Toulouse； 〃where；
on the 28th of August； a municipal officer is hung at a street…lamp
after an affray with guns？〃 Is it at Paris； where； on the 25th of
September； the Irish college； vainly protected by an international
treaty； has just been assailed by the mob； where Catholics； listening
to the orthodox mass； are driven out and dragged to the authorized
mass in the vicinity； where one woman is torn from the confessional；
and another flogged with all their might？＇2＇
These troubles； it is said； are transient； on the Constitution being
proclaimed； order will return of itself。 Very well； the Constitution
is voted； accepted by the King； proclaimed； and entrusted to the
Legislative Assembly。 Let the Legislative Assembly consider what is
done in the first few weeks。 In the eight departments that surround
Paris； there are riots on every market…day； farms are invaded and the
cultivators of the soil are ransomed by bands of vagabonds； the mayor
of Melun is riddled with balls and dragged out from the hands of the
mob streaming with blood。＇3＇ At Belfort； a riot for the purpose of
retaining a convoy of coin； and the commissioner of the Upper…Rhine in
danger of death； at Bouxvillers； owners of property attacked by poor
National Guards； and by the soldiers of Salm…Salm； houses broken into
and cellars pillaged； at Mirecourt； a flock of women beating drums；
and； for three days； holding the H？tel…de…Ville in a state of siege。 …
… One day Rochefort is in a state of insurrection； and the workmen of
the harbor compel the municipality to unfurl the red flag。＇4＇ On the
following day； it is Lille； the people of which； 〃unwilling to
exchange its money and assignats for paper…rags； called billets de
confiance； gather into mobs and threaten； while a whole garrison is
necessary to prevent an explosion。〃 On the 16th of October； it is
Avignon in the power of bandits； with the abominable butchery of the
Glacière。 On the 5th of November； at Caen； there are eighty…two
gentlemen； townsmen and artisans； knocked down and dragged to prison；
for having offered their services to the municipality as special
constables。 On the 14th of November； at Montpellier； the roughs
triumph； eight men and women are killed in the streets or in their
houses； and all conservatives are disarmed or put to flight。 By the
end of October； it is a gigantic column of smoke and flame shooting
upward suddenly from week to week and spreading everywhere； growing；
on the other side of the Atlantic； into civil war in St。 Domingo；
where wild beasts are let loose against their keepers； 50；000 blacks
take the field； and； at the outset； 1；000 whites are assassinated；
15；000 Negroes slain； 200 sugar…mills destroyed and damage done to the
amount of 600；000；000； 〃a colony of itself alone worth ten provinces；
is almost annihilated。〃＇5＇ At Paris； Condorcet is busy writing in his
journal that 〃this news is not reliable； there being no object in it
but to create a French empire beyond the seas for the King； where
there will be masters and slaves。〃 A corporal of the Paris National
Guard； on his own authority； orders the King to remain indoors；
fearing that he may escape； and forbids a sentinel to let him go out
after nine o'clock in the evening；＇6＇ at the Tuileries； stump…speakers
in the open air denounce aristocrats and priests； at the Palais…Royal；
there is a pandemonium of public lust and incendiary speeches。＇7＇
There are centers of riot in all quarters； 〃as many robberies as there
are quarter…hours； and no robbers punished； no police； overcrowded
courts； more delinquents than there are prisons to hold them； nearly
all the private mansions closed； the annual consumption in the
faubourg St。 Germain alone diminished by 250 millions； 20；000 thieves；
with branded backs； idling away time in houses of bad repute； at the
theaters； in the Palais…Royal； at the National Assembly； and in the
coffee…houses； thousands of beggars infesting the streets； crossways；
and public squares。 Everywhere an image of the deepest poverty which
is not calling for one's pity as it is accompanied with insolence。
Swarms of tattered vendors are offering all sorts of paper…money；
issued by anybody that chose to put it in circulation； cut up into
bits； sold； given； and coming back in rags； fouler than the miserable
creatures who deal in it。〃＇8＇ Out of 700；000 inhabitants there are
100；000 of the poor； of which 60；000 have flocked in from the
departments；＇9＇ among them are 30；000 needy arti