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hard…core of local jacqueries； at the present time they form the staff
of the universal jacquerie。 At N？mes；＇30＇ the head of the Executive
Power is a 〃dancing…master。〃 The two leading demagogues of Toulouse
are a shoemaker； and an actor who plays valets。＇31＇ At Toulon；＇32＇ the
club； more absolute than any Asiatic despot； is recruited from among
the destitute； sailors； harbor…hands； soldiers； 〃stray peddlers；〃
while its president； Sylvestre； sent down from Paris； is a criminal of
the lowest degree。 At Rheims；＇33＇ the principal leader is an unfrocked
priest； married to a nun； aided by a baker； who； an old soldier； came
near being hung。 Elsewhere；＇34＇ it is some deserter tried for
robbery； here； a cook or innkeeper； and there； a former lackey The
oracle of Lyons is an ex…commercial traveler； an emulator of Marat；
named Chalier； whose murderous delirium is complicated with morbid
mysticism。 The acolytes of Chalier are a barber； a hair…dresser； an
old…clothes dealer； a mustard and vinegar manufacturer； a cloth…
dresser； a silk…worker； a gauze…maker； while the time is near when
authority is to fall into still meaner hands； those of 〃the dregs of
the female population；〃 who； aided by 〃a few bullies；〃 elect 〃 female
commissaries；〃 tax food； and for three days pillage the
warehouses。＇35＇ Avignon has for its masters the Glacière bandits。
Arles is under the yoke of its porters and bargemen。 Marseilles
belongs to 〃a band of wretches spawned out of houses of debauchery；
who recognize neither laws nor magistrates； and ruling the city
through terror。〃＇36＇ It is not surprising that such men； invested
with such power； use it in conformity with their nature； and that the
interregnum； which is their reign； spreads over France a circle of
devastations； robberies； and murders。
V。
The companies of traveling volunteers。 Quality of the recruits。
Election of officers。 …Robberies and murders。
Usually； the stationary band of club members has an auxiliary band of
the same species which roves about。 I mean the volunteers； who
inspire more fear and do more harm； because they march in a body and
are armed。＇37＇ Like their brethren in the ordinary walks of life； many
of them are town and country vagabonds； most of them； living from hand
to mouth； have been attracted by the pay of fifteen sous a day； they
have become soldiers for lack of work and bread。＇38＇ Each commune；
moreover； having been called upon for its army contingent； 〃they have
picked up whatever could be found in the towns； all the scamps hanging
around street…corners； men with no pursuit； and； in the country；
wretches and vagabonds of every description； nearly all have been
forced to march by money or drawing lots；〃 and it is probable that the
various administrations thought that 〃in this way they would purge
France。〃＇39＇ To the wretched 〃bought by the communes；〃 add others of
the same stamp； procured by the rich as substitutes for their
sons。＇40＇ Thus do they pick over the social dunghill and obtain at a
discount the natural and predestined inmates of houses of correction；
poor…houses and hospitals； with an utter disregard of quality； even
physical； 〃the halt； the maimed and the blind；〃 the deformed and the
defective； 〃some too old； and others too young and too feeble to
support the fatigues of war； others so small as to stand a foot lower
than their guns；〃 a large number of boys of sixteen； fourteen； and
thirteen； in short； the reprobate of great cities as we now see him；
stunted； puny； and naturally insolent and insurgent。＇41＇ 〃One…third of
them are found unfit for service〃 on reaching the frontier。＇42＇
But； before reaching the frontier； they act like 〃pirates〃 on the
road。 The others； with sounder bodies and better hearts； become；
under the discipline of constant danger； good soldiers at the end of a
year。 In the mean time； however； they make no less havoc； for； if
they are less disposed to robbery； they are more fanatical。 Nothing
is more delicate than the military organization； owing to the fact
that it represents force； and man is always tempted to abuse force；
for any free company of soldiers to remain inoffensive in a civil
community； it must be restrained by the strongest curbs； which curbs；
either within or without； were wholly wanting with the volunteers of
1792。＇43＇
Artisans； peasants； the petty bourgeois class； youthful enthusiasts
stimulated by the prevailing doctrine； they are still much more
Jacobin than patriotic； the dogma of popular sovereignty； like a heady
wine； has turned their inexperienced brains； they are fully persuaded
that； 〃destined to contend with the enemies of the republic； is an
honor which permits them to exact and to dare all things。〃＇44＇ The
least among them believes himself superior to the law； 〃as formerly a
Condé；＇45＇〃 and he becomes king on a small scale； self…constituted； an
autocratic justiciary and avenger of wrongs； a supporter of patriots
and the scourge of aristocrats； the disposer of lives and property；
and； without delay or formality； taking it upon himself to complete
the Revolution on the spot in every town he passes through。 He is
not to be hindered in all this by his officers。 〃Having created his
chiefs； they are of no more account to him than any of a man's
creations usually are〃； far from being obeyed； the officers are not
even respected； 〃and that comes from resorting to analogies without
considering military talent or moral superiority。〃＇46＇ Through the
natural effects of the system of election； all grades of rank have
fallen upon demagogues and blusterers。
〃The intriguers； loud…talkers； and especially the great boozers； have
prevailed against the capable。〃＇47＇
Besides； to retain his popularity； the new officer will go to a bar
and drink with his men；＇48＇ and he must show himself more Jacobin than
they are； from which it follows that； not content with tolerating
their excesses； he provokes them。 Hence； after March； 1792； and
even before；＇49＇ we see the volunteers behaving in France as in a
conquered country。 Sometimes they make domiciliary visits； and break
everything to pieces in the house they visit。 Sometimes； they force
the re…baptism of infants by the conventionalist curé； and shoot at
the traditional father。 Here； of their own accord； they make arrests；
there； they join in with mutineers and stop grain…boats； elsewhere；
they force a municipality to tax bread； farther on； they burn or sack
chateaux； and； if a mayor happens to inform them that the chateau now
belongs to the nation and not to an émigré； they reply with 〃thrusts；〃
and threaten to cut his throat。＇50＇ As the 10th of August draws near；
the phantom of authority； which still occasionally imposed on them；
completely vanishes； and 〃they risk nothing in killing〃 whoever
displeases them。＇51＇ Exasperated by the perils they are about to
encounter on the frontier； they begin war in the interior。
Provisionally； and as a precaution； they slaughter probable
aristocrats on the way； and treat the officers； nobles and priests
they meet on the road worse than their club allies。 For； on the one
hand； being merely on the march； they are much safer from punishment
than local murderers； in a week； lost in the army； they will not be
sought for in camp； and they may slay with perfect security。 On the
other hand； as they are strangers and newcomers； they are not able；
like local persons； to identify a person。 So on account of a name； a
dress； qualifications； a coffee…house rumor； or an appearance； however
venerable and harmless a man may be； they kill him； not because they
know him； but because they do not know him。
VI。
A tour of France in the cabinet of the Minister of the Interior。
From Carcassonne to Bordeaux。 Bordeaux to Caen。 The north and
the east。 Chalons…sur…Marne to Lyons。 The Comtat and Provence。
The tone and the responses of the Jacobin administration。 The
programme of the party。
Let us enter the cabinet of Roland； Minister of the Interior； a
fortnight after the opening of the Convention； and suppose him
contemplating； some evening； in miniature； a picture of the state of
the country administered by him。 His clerks have placed the
correspondence of the past few weeks on his table； arranged in proper
order； his replies are noted in brief on the margin； he has a map of
France before him； and； placing his finger on the southern section； he
moves it along the great highway across the country。 At every stage he
recurs to the paper file of letters； and passing innumerable reports
of violence； he merely gives his attention to the great revolutionary
exploits。＇52＇ Madame Roland； I imagine； works with her husband； and
the couple； sitting together alone under the lamp； ponder over the
doings of the ferocious brute which they have set free in the
provinces the same as in Paris。
Their eyes go first to the southern extremity of France。