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departments and districts with the power of acting for the greatest
advantage of the commune； but which； the moment it elects its own
administrators and agents； can no longer revoke the powers it has
bestowed； without a total subversion of order？ etc。〃 All the
documents belonging to this affair ought to be quoted； there is
nothing more instructive or ludicrous； and especially the style of the
secretary…clerk of Saint…Firmin： 〃We conjure you to remember that the
administrators of the district of Senlis strive to play the part of
the sirens who sought to enchant Ulysses。〃
＇110＇ Letter of the central bureau of the Rouen sections； Aug。 30。
＇111＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 3195。 Letter of the three
administrative bodies and commissaries of the sections of Marseilles；
Nov。 15； 1792。 Letter of the electors of Bouches…du…Rh？ne； Nov。 28。
（Forms of politeness are omitted at the end of these letters； and no
doubt purposely。） Roland replies （Dec。 31）： 〃While fully admiring the
civism of the brave Marseilles people； 。 。 。 do not fully agree with
you on the exercise of popular Sovereignty。〃 He ends by stating that
all their letters with replies have been transmitted to the deputies
of the Bouches…du…Rh？ne； and that the latter are in accord with him
and will arrange matters。
CHAPTER III。
I。
The second stage of the Jacobin conquest。 The importance and
multitude of vacant offices。
The second stage of the Jacobin conquest will；＇1＇ after August 10th
and during the next three months； extend and multiply all vacancies
from the top to the bottom of the hierarchy； for the purpose of
filling them with their own men。 In the first place； the faction
（the party） installs representatives on the summits of public
authority which represent itself alone； seven hundred and forty…nine
omnipotent deputies； in a Convention which； curbed neither by
collateral powers nor by a previously established constitution；
disposes at pleasure of the property； the lives and the consciences of
all French people。 Then； through this barely installed convention；
it decrees the complete renewal＇2＇ of all administrative and judicial
bodies； councils and directories of departments； councils and communal
municipalities； civil； criminal and commercial tribunals； justices and
their assistants in the lower courts； deputies of the justices；
national commissaries of the civil courts； with secretaries and
bailiffs belonging to the various tribunals and administrations。＇3＇
The obligation of having practiced as a lawyer is abolished by the
same stroke； so that the first comer； if he belongs to the club
（party） may become a judge without knowing how to write； and even
without being able to read。＇4＇ Just before this the staff of the
National Guard； in all towns above fifty thousand souls； and
afterwards in all the towns on the frontier； has again passed through
the electoral sieve。＇5＇ In like manner； the officers of the
gendarmerie at Paris and throughout France once more undergo an
election by their men。 Finally； all post…masters and post…office
comptrollers have to submit to election。 Even better； below or
alongside the elected officials； this administrative purge concerns
all non…elective functionaries and employees； no matter how
insignificant their service； however feeble and indirect their office
may be connected with political matters。 This is because tax receivers
and assessors； directors and other agents of rivers and forests；
engineers； notaries； attorneys； clerks and scribes belonging to the
administrative branch； are all subject to dismissal if they do not
obtain a certificate of civism from their municipality。 At Troyes； out
of fifteen notaries； it is refused to four；＇6＇ which leaves four
places to be filled by their Jacobin clerks。 At Paris；＇7＇ 〃all honest
folks； all clerks who are educated；〃 are driven out of the navy
offices； the war department is getting to be 〃a den where everybody on
duty wears a red cap； where all thee…and…thou each other； even the
Minister； where four hundred employees； among which are a number of
women； show off in the dirtiest dress； affect the coolest cynicism； do
nothing； and steal on all sides。〃 Under the denunciation of the
clubs； the broom is applied even at the bottom of the hierarchical
scale； even to secretaries of village councils； to messengers and
call…boys in the towns； to jail…keepers and door…keepers； to beadles
and sextons； to foresters； field…custodians； and others of this
class。＇8＇ All these persons must be； or appear to be； Jacobin；
otherwise； their place slips away from them； for there is always some
one to covet it； apply for it and take it。 Outside of employees
the sweeping operation reaches the suppliers and contractors； even
here there are the faithful to be provided for； and nowhere is the
bait so important。 The State； even in ordinary times； is always the
largest of consumers； and； at this moment； it is expending monthly；
merely on the war； two hundred millions extra。 What fish may be caught
in such disturbed waters！＇9＇ All these lucrative orders as well as
all these remunerated positions are at the disposition of the
Jacobins； and they seize the opportunity； they are the lawful owner；
who comes home after a long absence and gives or withdraws his custom
as the pleases； while he makes a clean sweep in his own household。
The administrative and judicial services alone number 1；300；000
places； all those in the treasury department； in that of public works；
in that of public education； and in the Church； all posts in the
National Guard and in the army； from that of commander…in…chief down
to a drummer； the whole of the central or local power； with the vast
patronage flowing from this。 Never had such rich spoils been made
available to the general public in one go。 Lots will be drawn；
apparently； by vote； but it is evident that the Jacobins have no
intention of surrendering their prey to the hazards of a free ballot；
they mean to keep it the way they got it； by force； and will leave no
stone unturned to control the elections。
II。
The elections。 The young and the poor invited to the ballot…box。
Danger of the Conservatives if candidates。 … …Their chiefs absent
themselves。 Proportion of absentees at the primary assemblies。
They begin by paving their way。＇10＇ A new decree has at once
suppressed the feeble and last legal requirement for impartiality；
integrity and competence of the elector and the eligible candidate。 No
more discrimination between active and passive citizens； no longer any
difference between poll tax of an elector of the first degree and
that of the second degree： no electoral poll tax qualification
whatever。 All Frenchmen； except domestics； of whom they are
distrustful； supposing them under their employer's influence； may vote
at the primary assemblies； and not longer at the age of twenty…five；
but at twenty…one； which brings to the polls the two most
revolutionary groups； on the one hand the young； and on the other the
poor； the latter in great numbers in these times of unemployment；
dearth and poverty； amounting in all to two millions and a half； and；
perhaps； three millions of new electors。 … At Besan？on the number of
the registered voters is doubled。＇11＇ Thus are the usual clients of
the Jacobins admitted within the electoral boundaries； from which they
had hitherto been excluded；＇12＇ and； to ensure their coming； their
leaders decide that every elector obliged to travel 〃shall receive
twenty sous mileage；〃 besides 〃three francs per diem during his
stay。〃＇13＇
While attracting their supporters they drove their adversaries away。
The political banditry； through which they dominate and terrify
France； has already taken care of that。 Many arbitrary arrests and
unpunished murders are a warning to all candidates who do not belong
to their party； and I do not speak about to the nobles or friends of
the ancient regime that have fled or are in prison； but the
Constitutionalists and the Feuillants。 Any electoral enterprise on
their part would be madness； almost a suicide。 Accordingly； none of
them call attention to themselves。 If any outrageous moderate； like
Durand de Maillane； appears on a list； it is because the
revolutionaries have adopted him without knowing him； and because he
swears that he hates royalty。＇14＇ The others； more honest； do not
want to don the popular livery and resort to club patronage； so they
carefully stay away； they know too well that to do otherwise would
mark their heads for pikes and their homes for pillage。 At the very
moment of depositing the vote the domains of several deputies are
sacked simply because； 〃on the comparative lists of seven calls by
name；〃 sent to the departments from Paris by the Jacobins； their names
are found on the right。＇15＇ Through an excess of precaution the
Constitutionalists of the Legislative body are kept at