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to persevering audacity in defiance of legitimate means； unable either
to make up their mind or to remain inactive； perplexed over sacrifices
just at the time when the enemy is going to render it impossible to
make any in the future； in a word； bringing weakness and egoism to
bear against the liberated passions； great poverty and hardened
immorality。〃＇55＇
The issue of the conflict is everywhere the same。 In each town or
canton an aggressive squad of unscrupulous fanatics and resolute
adventurers imposes its rule over a sheep…like majority which；
accustomed to the regularity of an old civilization； dares neither
disturb order for the sake of putting and end to disorder； or get
together a mob to put down another mob。 Everywhere the Jacobin
principle is the same。
〃Your system；〃 says one of the department Directories to them；＇56＇
〃is to act imperturbably on all occasions； even after a constitution
is established； and the limitations to power are fixed； as if the
empire would always be in a state of insurrection； as if you were
granted a dictatorship essential for the city's salvation； as if you
were given such full power in the name of public safety。〃
Everywhere are Jacobin tactics the same。 At the outset they assume to
have a monopoly of patriotism and； through the brutal destruction of
other associations； they are the only visible organ of public opinion。
Their voice； accordingly； seems to be the voice of the people； their
control is established on that of the legal authorities； they have
taken the lead through persistent and irresistible misdeeds； their
crimes are consecrated by exemption from punishment。
〃Among officials and agents； good or bad； constituted or not
constituted； that alone governs which is inviolable。 Now the club； for
a long time； has been too much accustomed to domineering； to annoying；
to persecuting； to wreaking vengeance； for any local administration to
regard it in any other light than as inviolable。〃＇57＇
They accordingly govern and their indirect influence is promptly
transformed into direct authority。 Voting alone； or almost alone；
in the primary meetings； which are deserted or under constraint； the
Jacobins easily choose the municipal body and the officers of the
National Guard。＇58＇ After this； through the mayor； who is their tool
or their accomplice； they have the legal right to launch or arrest the
entire armed force and they avail themselves of it。 Two obstacles
still stand in their way。 One the one hand； however conciliatory or
timid the Directory of the district or department may be； elected as
it is by electors of the second degree； it usually contains a fair
proportion of well…informed men； comfortably off； interested in
keeping order； and less inclined than the municipality to put up with
gross violations of the law。 Consequently the Jacobins denounce it to
the National Assembly as an unpatriotic and anti…revolutionary center
of 〃bourgeois aristocracy。〃 Sometimes； as at Brest；＇59＇ they
shamefully disobey orders which are perfectly legal and proper； often
repeated and strictly formal； afterward； still more shamefully； they
demand of the Minister if； 〃placed in the cruel alternative of giving
offense to the hierarchy of powers； or of leaving the commonwealth in
danger； they ought to hesitate。〃 Sometimes； as at Arras； they impose
themselves illegally on the Directory in session and browbeat it so
insolently as to make it a point of honor with the latter to solicit
its own suspension。＇60＇ Sometimes； as a Figeac； they summon an
administrator to their bar； keep him standing three…quarters of an
hour； seize his papers and oblige him； for fear of something worse； to
leave the town。＇61＇ Sometimes； as at Auch； they invade the
Directory's chambers； seize the administrators by the throat； pound
them with their fists and clubs； drag the president by the hair； and；
after a good deal of trouble； grant him his life。＇62＇ On the other
hand； the gendarmerie and the troops brought for the suppression of
riots； are always in the way of those who stir up the rioters。
Consequently； they expel； corrupt and； especially purify the
gendarmerie together with the troops。 At Cahors they drive out a
sergeant of the gendarmerie； 〃alleging that he keeps company with none
but aristocrats。〃＇63＇ At Toulouse； without mentioning the lieutenant…
colonel； whose life they threaten by anonymous letters and oblige to
leave the town； they transfer the whole corps to another district
under the pretense that 〃its principles are adverse to the
Constitution。〃＇64＇ At Auch； and at Rennes； through the insubordination
which they provoke among the men； they exhort resignations from their
officers。 At Perpignan； by means of a riot which they foment； they
seize； beat and drag to prison； the commandant and staff whom they
accuse 〃of wanting to bombard the town with five pounds of
powder。〃＇65＇… Meanwhile； through the jacquerie； which they let loose
from the Dordogne to Aveyron； from Cantal to the Pyrenees and the Var；
under the pretence of punishing the relatives of émigrés and the
abettors of unsworn priests； they create an army of their own made up
of robbers and the destitute who； in anticipation of the exploits of
the coming revolutionary army； freely kill； burn； pillage； hold to
ransom and prey at large on the defenseless flock of proprietors of
every class and degree。＇66＇
In this operation each club has its neighbors for allies； offering to
them or receiving from them offers of men and money。 That of Caen
tenders its assistance to the Bayeux association for expelling unsworn
priests； and to help the patriots of the place 〃to rid themselves of
the tyranny of their administrators。〃＇67＇ That of Besan？on declares
the three administrative bodies of Strasbourg 〃unworthy of the
confidence with which they have been honored；〃 and openly enters into
a league with all the clubs of the Upper and Lower Rhine； to set free
a Jacobin arrested as a fomenter of insurrections。＇68＇ Those of the
Puy…de…D？me and neighboring departments depute to and establish at
Clermont a central club of direction and propaganda。＇69＇ Those of the
Bouches…du…Rh？ne treat with the commissioners of the departments of
Dr？me； Gard； and Hérault； to watch the Spanish frontier； and send
delegates of their own to see the state of the fortifications of
Figuières。＇70＇ There is no recourse to the criminal tribunals。 In
forty departments； these are not yet installed； in the forty…three
others； they are cowed； silent； or lack money and men to enforce their
decisions。＇71＇
Such is the foundation of the Jacobin State； a confederation of twelve
hundred oligarchies； which maneuver their proletariat clients in
obedience to the word of command dispatched from Paris。 It is a
complete； organized； active State； with its central government； its
active force； its official journal； its regular correspondence； its
declared policy； its established authority； and its representative and
local agents； the latter are actual administrators alongside of
administrations which are abolished； or athwart administrations which
are brought under subjection。 In vain do the latest ministers；
good clerks and honest men； try to fulfill their duties； their
injunctions and remonstrances are only so much waste paper。＇72＇ They
resign in despair； declaring that；
〃in this overthrow of all order； 。 。 。 in the present weakness of
the public forces； and in the degradation of the constituted
authorities； 。 。 。 it is impossible for them to maintain the life and
energy of the vast body； the members of which are paralyzed。〃 …
When the roots of a tree are laid bare； it is easy to cut it down；
now that the Jacobins have severed them； a push on the trunk suffices
to bring the tree to the ground。
______________________________________________________________________
NOTES：
＇1＇ De Loménie； 〃Les Mirabeaus；〃 I。 11。 （Letter of the Marquis de
Mirabeau）。
＇2＇ 〃 Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 7171； No。 7915。 Report on the
situation in Marseilles； by Miollis； commissioner of the Directory in
the department； year V。 Niv？se 15。 〃A good many strangers from France
and Italy are attracted there by the lust of gain； a love of pleasure；
the want of work； a desire to escape from the effects of ill conduct 。
。 。 Individuals of both sexes and of every age； with no ties of
country or kindred； with no profession； no opinions； pressed by daily
necessities that are multiplied by debauched habit； seeking to indulge
these without too much effort； the means for this being formerly found
in the many manual operations of commerce； gone astray during the
Revolution and； subsequently； scared of the dominant party； accustomed
unfortunately at that time to receiving pay for taking part in
political strife； and now reduced to living on almost gratuitous
distributions of food； to dealing in small wares； to the menial