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electric chain around all France〃 and giving it a shock at every touch
from the center； their confederation； installed and enthroned； is not
only as a State within the State； but rather as a sovereign State in a
vassal State； summoning their administrative bodies to their bar；
judicial verdicts set aside through their intervention； private
individuals searched； assessed and condemned through their verdicts。
All this constitutes a steady； systematic defense of insubordination
and revolt； as； 〃under the name of hoarding and monopoly； commerce
and industry are described as misdemeanors；〃 property is unsettled and
every rich man rendered suspicious； 〃talent and integrity silenced。〃
In short； a public conspiracy made against society in the very name of
society； 〃while the sacred symbol of liberty is made use of as a seal〃
to exempt a few tyrants from punishment。 Such a protest said aloud
what most Frenchmen muttered to themselves； and from month to month；
graver excesses exited greater censure。
〃Anarchy exists＇72＇ to a degree scarcely to be paralleled； wrote the
ambassador of the United States。 The horror and apprehension； which
the licentious associations have universally inspired； are such that
there is reason to believe that the great mass of the French
population would consider even despotism a blessing； if accompanied
with that security to persons and property； experienced even under the
worst governments in Europe。〃
Another observer； not less competent；＇73＇ says：
〃it is plain to my eyes that when Louis XVI。 finally succumbed； he had
more partisans in France than the year previous； at the time of his
flight to Varennes。〃
The truth of this； indeed； was frequently verified at the end of 1791
and beginning of 1792； by various investigations。＇74＇ 〃Eighteen
thousand officers of every grade； elected by the constitutionalists；
seventy…one department administrations out of eighty…two； most of the
tribunals；＇75＇ all traders and manufacturers； every chief and a large
portion of the National Guard of Paris；〃 in short； the élite of the
nation； and among citizens generally； the great majority who lived
from day to day were for him； and for the 〃Right〃 of the Assembly
against the 〃Left〃。 If internal trouble had not been complicated by
external difficulties； there would have been a change in opinion； and
this the King expected。 In accepting the Constitution； he thought that
its defects would be revealed in practical operation and that they
would lead to a reform。 In the mean time he scrupulously observed the
Constitution； and； through interest as well as conscience； kept his
oath to the letter。 〃The most faithful execution of the Constitution；〃
he said to one of his ministers； 〃is the surest way to make the nation
see the changes that ought to be made in it。〃＇76＇ In other words；
he counted on experience； and it is very probable that if there had
been nothing to interfere with experience； his calculations would have
finally chosen between the defenders of order and the instigators of
disorder。 It would have decided for the magistrates against the clubs；
for the police against rioters； for the king against the mob。 In one
or two years more it would have learned that a restoration of the
executive power was indispensable for securing the execution of the
laws； that the chief of police； with his hands tied； could not do his
duty； that it was undoubtedly wise to give him his orders； but that if
he was to be of any use against knaves and fools； his hands should
first be set free。
V。
Effects of the war on the common people。 Its alarms and fury。 The
second revolutionary outburst and its characteristics。 Alliance of
the Girondists with the mob。 The red cap and pikes。 Universal
substitution of government by force for government by law。
Just the contrary with war； the aspect of things changes； and the
alternative is the other way。 It is no longer a choice between order
and disorder； but between the new and the old regime； for； behind
foreign opponents on the frontier； there stand the émigrés。 The
commotion is terrible； especially amongst the lower classes which
mainly bore the whole weight of the old establishment； among the
millions who live by the sweat of their brow； artisans； small farmers；
métayers； day…laborers and soldiers； also the smugglers of salt and
other articles； poachers； vagabonds； beggars and half…beggars； who；
taxed； plundered； and harshly treated for centuries； have to endure；
from father to son； poverty； oppression and disdain。 They know through
their own experience the difference between their late and their
present condition。 They have only to fall back on personal knowledge
to revive in their imaginations the enormous royal； ecclesiastical；
and seignorial taxes； the direct tax of eighty…one per cent。； the
bailiffs in charge； the seizures and the husbandry service； the
inquisition of excise men； of inspectors of the salt tax； wine tax
（rats de cave） and game…keepers； the ravages of wild birds and of
pigeons； the extortions of the collector and his clerk； the delay and
partiality in obtaining justice； the rashness and brutality of the
police； the kicks and cuffs of the constabulary； the poor wretches
gathered like heaps of dirt and filth； the promiscuousness； the over…
crowding； the filth and the starvation of the prisons。＇77＇ They have
simply to open their eyes to see their immense deliverance； all direct
or indirect taxes for the past two years legally abolished or
practically suppressed； beer at two pennies a pot； wine at six；
pigeons in their meat…safes； game on their turn…spits； the wood of the
national forests in their lofts； the gendarmerie timid； the police
absent； in many places the crops all theirs； the owner not daring to
claim his share； the judge avoiding condemning them； the constable
refusing to serve papers on them； privileges restored in their favor；
the public authorities cringing to the crowds and yielding to their
exactions； remaining quiet or unarmed in the face of their misdeeds；
their outrages excused or tolerated； their superior good sense and
deep feeling lauded in thousands of speeches； the jacket and the
blouse considered as symbols of patriotism； and supremacy in the
State claimed for the sans…culottes＇78＇ in the name their merits and
their virtues。 And now the overthrow of all this is announced to
them； a league against them of foreign kings； the emigrants in arms；
an invasion imminent； the Croats and Pandours in the field； hordes of
mercenaries and barbarians crowding down on them again to put them in
chains。 From the workshop to the cottage there rolls along a
formidable outburst of anger； accompanied with national songs；
denouncing the plots of tyrants and summoning the people to arms。＇79＇
This is the second wave of the Revolution； fast swelling and roaring；
less general than the first； since it bears along with it but little
more than the lower class； but higher and much more destructive。
Not only； indeed； is the mass now launched forth coarse and crude； but
a new sentiment animates it； the force of which is incalculable； that
of plebeian pride； that of the poor man； the subject； who； suddenly
erect after ages of debasement； relishes； far beyond his hopes and
unstintedly； the delights of equality； independence； and dominion。
〃Fifteen millions white Negroes；〃 says Mallet du Pan；＇80＇ worse fed；
more miserable than those of St。 Domingo； like them rebelled and freed
from all authority by their revolt； accustomed like them； through
thirty months of license； to ruling over all that is left of their
former masters； proud like them of the restoration of their caste and
exulting in their horny hands。 One may imagine their transports of
rage on hearing the trumpet…blast which awakens them； showing them on
the horizon the returning planters； bringing with them new whips and
heavier manacles？ Nothing is more distrustful than such a sentiment
in such breasts quickly alarmed； ready to strike； ready for any act
of violence； blindly credulous； headlong and easily impelled； not
merely against real enemies on the outside； but at first against
imaginary enemies on the inside；＇81＇ but also against the King； the
ministers； the gentry； priests； parliamentarians； orthodox Catholics；
against
all administrators and magistrates imprudent enough to have appealed
to the law；
all manufacturers； merchants； and owners of property who condemn
disorder；
the wealthy whose egotism keeps them at home；
all those who are well…off； well…bred and well…dressed。
They are all under suspicion because they have lost by the new regime；
or because they have not adopted its ways。 Such is the colossal
brute which the Girondins introduce into the political arena。＇82＇ For
six months they shake red flags before its eyes； goad it on； work it
up into a rage and drive it forward