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the secretary of the club。 M。 Senis； caught in his country…house； is
hung on the Place du Vieux Palais。 Desidery； a captain in the navy；
the curé of La Valette； and M。 de Sacqui des Thourets； are beheaded in
the suburbs； and their beads are brought into town on the ends of
three poles。 M。 de Flotte d'Argenson； vice…admiral； a man of
Herculean stature； of such a grave aspect； and so austere that he is
nicknamed the 〃Père Eternel〃 is treacherously enticed to the entrance
of the Arsenal； where he sees the lantern already dropping； he seizes
a gun； defends himself； yields to numbers； and after having been
slashed with sabers； is hung。 M。 de Rochemaure； a major…general of
marines； is likewise sabred and hung in the same manner； a main artery
in the neck； severed by the blow of the saber； spouts blood from the
corpse and forms a pool on the pavement； Barry； one of the
executioners； washes his hands in it and sprinkles the by…standers as
if bestowing a blessing on them。 Barry； Lemaille； Jassaud；
Sylvestre； and other leading assassins； the new kings of Toulon；
sufficiently resemble those of Paris。 Add to these a certain Figon；
who gives audience in his garret； straightens out social inequalities；
forces the daughters of large farmers to marry poor republicans； and
rich young men to marry prostitutes；＇105＇ and； taking the lists
furnished by the club or neighboring municipalities； ransoming all the
well…to…do and opulent persons inscribed on them。 In order that the
portraiture of the band may be complete； it must be noted that； on the
23rd of August； it attempted to set free the 1800 convicts； the
latter； not comprehending that they were wanted for political allies；
did not dare sally forth； or； at least； the reliable portion of the
National Guard arrived in time to put their chains on again。 But here
its efforts cease； and for more than a year public authority remains
in the hands of a Jacobin faction which； as far as public order is
concerned； does not even have the morals of a convict。
More than once during the course of this long review the Minister must
have flushed with shame； for to the reprimands dispatched by him to
these apathetic administrations； they reply by citing himself as an
example：
〃You desire us to denounce the arbitrary arrests to the public
prosecutor； have you denounced those guilty of similar and yet greater
crimes committed at the capital？ 〃＇106＇ …
From all quarters come the cries of the oppressed appealing to 〃the
patriot Minister； the sworn enemy of anarchy；〃 to 〃the good and
incorruptible Minister of the Interior； his only reproach； the common
sense of his wife；〃 and he could only reply with empty phrases and
condolences：
〃To lament the events which so grievously distress the province； all
administrations being truly useful when they forestall evils； it being
very sad to be obliged to resort to such remedies； and recommend to
them a more active supervision。〃＇107＇
〃To lament and find consolation in the observations made in the
letter；〃 which announces four murders； but calls attention to the fact
that 〃the victims immolated are counter…revolutionaries。〃＇108＇
Roland has carried on written dialogues with the village
municipalities； and given lessons in constitutional law to communities
of pot…breakers。＇109＇ But； on this territory； he is defeated by
his own principles； while the pure Jacobins read him a lesson in turn；
they； likewise； are able to deduce the consequences of their own
creed。
〃Brother and Friend； Sir；〃 write those of Rouen； 〃not to be always at
the feet of the municipality； we have declared ourselves permanent；
deliberative sections of the Commune。〃＇110＇
Let the so…called constituted authorities； the formalists and pedants
of the Executive Council and the Minister of the Interior； look twice
before censuring the exercise of popular sovereignty。 This sovereign
raises his voice and drives his clerks back into their holes；
spoliation and murder； all this is just。
〃Can you have forgotten that； after the tempest； as you yourself
declared in the height of the storm； it is the nation which saves
itself？ Well； sir； this is what we have done。＇111＇ 。 。 What！ when
all France was resounding with that long expected proclamation of the
abolition of tyranny； you were willing that the traitors； who strove
to reestablish it； should escape public prosecution！ My God； what
century is this in which we find such Ministers！〃
Arbitrary taxes； penalties； confiscations； revolutionary expeditions；
nomadic garrisons； pillage； what fault can be found with all that？
〃We do not pretend that these are legal methods； but； drawing nearer
to nature； we demand what object the oppressed have in view in
invoking justice。 Is it to lag behind and vainly pursue an equitable
adjustment which is rendered fleeting by judicial forms？ Correct these
abuses or do not complain of the sovereign people suppressing them in
advance。 。 。 。 You； sir； with so many reasons for it； would do well
to recall your insults and redeem the wrongs you have inflicted before
we happen to render them public。〃 。 。 。 〃Citizen Minister； people
flatter you； you are told too often that you are virtuous； the moment
this gives you pleasure you cease to be so。 。 。 。 Discard the
astute brigands who surround you； listen to the people； and remember
that a citizen Minister is merely the executor of the sovereign will
of the people。〃
However narrow Roland's outlook may be； he must finally comprehend
that the innumerable robberies and murders which he has just noted
over are not a thoughtless eruption； a passing crisis of delirium； but
a manifesto of the victorious party； the beginning of an established
system of government。 Under this system； write the Marseilles
Jacobins；
〃to…day； in our happy region； the good rule over the bad； and
constitute a party which allows no contamination； whatever is vicious
has gone into hiding or has been exterminated。〃…
The programme is very precise； and acts form its commentary。 This is
the programme which the faction； throughout the interregnum； sets
openly before the electors。
_____________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Guillon de Montléon； I。 122。 Letter of Laussel； dated Paris； 28th
of August； 1792； to the Jacobins of Lyons： 〃Tell me how many heads
have been cut off at home。 It would be infamous to let our enemies
escape。〃
1792）。
＇2＇ 〃Les Révolutions de Paris；〃 by Prudhomme； Vol。 XIII。 pp。 59…63
（14th of July； 3 Decrees of the 10th and 11th of August； 1792。
＇4＇ Prudhomme； number of the 15th of September； p。 483。 … Mortimer…
Ternaux； IV。 430。
＇5＇ Mortimer…Ternaux。 IV。 II。 Fauchet's report； Nov。 6； 1792。 … Ib。；
IV。 91； 142。 Discourse of M。 Fockedey； administrator of the department
of the north； and of M。 Bailly； deputy de Seine…et…Marne。
＇6＇ Prudhomme； number of Sept。 1； 1792； pp。 375； 381； 385： number of
Sept。 22； pp。 528…530； …Cf。 Guillon de Montléon； I。 144。 Here are some
of the principles announced by the Jacobin leaders of Lyons； Chalier；
Laussel； Cusset； Rouillot； etc。 〃The time has come when this prophecy
must be fulfilled： The rich shall be put in the place of the poor； and
the poor in the place of the rich。〃 … If a half of their property be
left them the rich will still be happy。〃 … 〃If the laboring people of
Lyons are destitute of work and of bread； they can profit by these
calamities in helping themselves to wealth in the quarter where they
find it。〃 … 〃No one who is near a sack of wheat can die of hunger。 Do
you wish the word that will buy all that you want？ Slay！ … or perish！〃
＇7＇ Prudhomme； number for the 28th of August； 1792； pp。 284…287。
＇8＇ Cf。。 〃The French Revolution；〃 I。346。 In ten of the departments the
seventh jacquerie continues the sixth without a break。 Among other
examples； this letter from the administrators of Tarn； June 18； 1792；
may be read （〃Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 3271）。 〃Numerous bands overran
both the city （Castres） and the country。 They forcibly entered the
houses of the citizens； broke the furniture to pieces； and pillaged
everything that fell into their hands。 Girls and women underwent
shameful treatment。 Commissioners sent by the district and the
municipality to advocate peace were insulted and menaced。 The pillage
was renewed； the home of the citizen was violated。〃 The administrators
add： 〃In many places the progress made by the constitution was
indicated by the speedy and numerous emigrations of its enemies。〃
＇9＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 3272。 Letter of the administrators of
the Var； May 27； 1792。 Letter of the minister； Duranthon； May 28。
Letter of the commission composing the directory Oct。 31。
＇10＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 Letter of the administrators of Var； May。
27。 The saying is the summary of the revolutionary spirit； it