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and the officers without their swords。 Their arms are stolen； the
people seize the suspected； the street…lamp is hauled down and the
noose is made ready。 Cayol； the flower…girl； is hung。 The
municipality； with great difficulty； saves one man who is already
lifted by the rope two feet from the ground； and obtains for three
others 〃a temporary refuge〃 in prison。
Henceforth there is no authority at the department headquarters； or
rather it has changed hands。 Another Directory； more pliable； is
installed in the place of the fugitive Directory。 Of the thirty…six
administrators who form the Council only twelve are present at the
election。 Of the nine elected only six consent to sit； while often
only three are found at its sessions； which three； to recruit their
colleagues； are obliged to pay them。＇18＇ Hence； notwithstanding their
position is the best in the department； they are worse treated and
more unfortunate than their servants outside。 The delegates of the
club； with the municipal officers of Marseilles seated alongside of
them； oblige them either to keep silent； or to utter what they dictate
to them。＇19＇ 〃Our arms are tied；〃 writes one of them； 〃we are wholly
under the yoke〃 of these intruders。 〃We have twice in succession seen
more than three hundred men； many of them with guns and pistols； enter
the hall and threaten us with death if we refused them what they
asked。 We have seen infuriate motionnaires； nearly all belonging to
Avignon； mount the desks of the Directory； harangue their comrades and
excite them to rioting and crime。 〃You must decide between life or
death；〃 they exclaimed to us； 〃you have only a quarter of an hour to
choose。〃 〃National guards have offered their sabers through the
windows； left open on account of the extreme heat； to those around us
and made signs to them to cut our throats。〃 Thus fashioned； reduced
and drilled； the Directory is simply an instrument in the hands of the
Marseilles demagogues。 Camo？n； Bertin and Rebecqui； the worst
agitators and usurpers； rule there without control。 Rebecqui and
Bertin； appointed delegates in connection with matters in Arles； have
themselves empowered to call for defensive troops； they immediately
demand them for attack； to which the Directory vainly remonstrates；
they declare to it that 〃not being under its inspection； it has no
authority over them； being independent of it； they have no orders to
receive from it nor to render to it any account of their conduct。〃 So
much the worse for the Directory on attempting to revoke their powers。
Bertin informs its vice…president that； if it dares do this he will
cut off his head。 They reply to the Minister's observations with the
utmost insolence。＇20＇ They glory in the boldness of the stroke and
prepare another； their march on Aix being only the first halt in the
long…meditated campaign which involves the possession of Arles。
III。
The Constitutionalists of Arles。 The Marseilles expedition against
Arles。 Excesses committed by them in the town and its vicinity。
Invasion of 〃Apt；〃 the club and its volunteers。
No city； indeed； is more odious to them。 For two years； led or
pushed on by its mayor； M。 d'Antonelle； it has marched along with them
or been dragged along in their wake。 D'Antonelle； an ultra…
revolutionary； repeatedly visited and personally encouraged the
bandits of Avignon。 To supply them with cannon and ammunition he
stripped the Tour St。 Louis of its artillery； at the risk of
abandoning the mouths of the Rhone to the Barbary pirates。＇21＇ In
concert with his allies of the Comtat； the Marseilles club； and his
henchmen from the neighboring boroughs； he rules in Arles 〃by terror。〃
Three hundred men recruited in the vicinity of the Mint； artisans or
sailors with strong arms and rough hands； serve him as satellites。 On
the 6th of June 1791； they drive away； on their own authority； the
unsworn priests； who had taken refuge in the town。＇22＇ At this；
however； the 〃property…owners and decent people；〃 much more numerous
and for a long time highly indignant； raise their heads； twelve
hundred of them assemble in the church of Saint…Honorat； swore to
maintain the constitution and public order；〃＇23＇ and then moved to the
（Jacobin） club； where； in their quality of national guards and active
citizens and in conformity with its by…laws； they were admitted en
masse。 At the same time； acting in concert with the municipality；
they reorganize the National Guard and form new companies； the effect
of which is to put an end to the Mint gang； thus depriving the faction
of all its strength。 Thenceforth； without violence or illegal acts；
the majority of the club； as well as of the National Guard； consists
of constitutional monarchists； the elections of November； 1791； giving
to the partisans of order nearly all the administrative offices of the
commune and of the district。 M。 Loys； a physician and a man of
energy； is elected mayor in the place of M。 d'Antonelle； he is known
as able to suppress a riot； 〃holding martial law in one hand； and his
saber in the other。〃 This is too much； so Marseilles feel
compelled to bring Arles under control 〃to atone for the disgrace of
having founded it。〃＇24＇ In this land of ancient cities political
hostility is embittered with old municipal grudges； similar to those
of Thebes against Plat？e； of Rome against Veii； of Florence against
Pisa。 The Guelphs of Marseilles brooded over the one idea of crushing
the Ghibellins of Arles。 Already； in the electoral assembly of
November； 1791； M。 d'Antonelle； the president； had invited the
communes of the department to take up arms against this anti…jacobin
city。＇25＇ Six hundred Marseilles volunteers set out on the instant；
install themselves at Salon； seize the syndic…attorney of the hostile
district； and refuse to give him up； this being an advance…guard of
4；000 men promised by the forty or fifty clubs of the party。＇26＇ To
arrest their operations requires the orders of the three
commissioners； resolutions passed by the Directory still intact； royal
proclamations； a decree of the Constituent Assembly； the firmness of
the still loyal troops and the firmer stand taken by the Arlesians
who； putting down an insurrection of the Mint band； had repaired their
ramparts； cut away their bridges and mounted guard with their guns
loaded。＇27＇ But it is only a postponement。 Now that the commissioners
have gone； and the king's authority a phantom； now that the last loyal
regiment is disarmed； the terrified Directory recast and obeying like
a servant； with the Legislative Assembly allowing everywhere the
oppression of the Constitutionalists by the Jacobins； a fresh Jacobin
expedition may be started against the Constitutionalists with
impunity。 Accordingly； on the 23rd of March； 1792； the Marseilles army
of 4；500 men sets out on its march with nineteen pieces of cannon。
In vain the commissioners of the neighboring departments； sent by the
Minister； represent to them that Arles submits； that she has laid down
her arms； and that the town is now garrisoned with troops of the line；
the Marseilles army requires the withdrawal of this garrison。 In
vain the garrison departs。 Rebecqui and his acolytes reply that
〃nothing will divert them from their enterprise； they cannot defer to
anybody's decision but their own in relation to any precaution tending
to ensure the safety of the southern departments。〃 In vain the
Minister renews his injunctions and counter…orders。 The Directory
replies with a flagrant falsehood； stating that it is ignorant of the
affair and refuses to give the government any assistance。 In vain
M。 de Wittgenstein； commander…in…chief in the south； offers his
services to the Directory to repel the invaders。 The Directory
forbids him to take his troops into the territory of the
department。＇28＇ Meanwhile； on the 29th of March； the Marseilles
army effects a breach with its cannon in the walls of defenseless
Arles； its fortifications are demolished and a tax of 1；400；000 francs
is levied on the owners of property。 In contempt of the National
Assembly's decree the Mint bandits； the longshoremen； the whole of the
lowest class again take up their arms and lord it over the disarmed
population。 Although 〃the King's commissioner and most of the judges
have fled； jury examinations are instituted against absentees；〃 the
juries consisting of the members of the Mint band。＇29＇ The conquerors
imprison； smite and slaughter as they please。 Countless peaceable
individuals are struck down and mauled； dragged to prison and many of
them are mortally wounded。 An old soldier； eighty years of age；
retired to his country home three months earlier； dies after twenty
days' confinement in a dungeon； from a blow received in the stomach by
a rifle butt； women are flogged。 〃All citizens that with an interest
in law and order；〃 nearly five thousand families； have