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Constitutionalists of the Legislative body are kept at the capital；
their passports being refused to them to prevent them from returning
into the provinces and obtaining votes by publicly stating the truth
in relation to the recent revolution。 In the same way； all
conservative journals are suppressed； reduced to silence； or compelled
to become turncoats。 Now； when one has neither the possibility to
speak up nor a candidate which might become one's representative； of
what use is it to vote？ And especially； since the primary assemblies
are places of disorder and violence；＇16＇ patriots alone； in many
places； being admitted；＇17＇ a conservative being 〃insulted and
overwhelmed with numbers；〃 and； if he utters an opinion； exposed to
danger； also； if he remains silent； incurring the risk of
denunciations； threats； and blows。 To keep in the background； remain
on the sidelines； avoid being seen； and to strive to be forgotten； is
the rule under a pasha； and especially when this pasha is a mob。 Hence
the absenteeism of the majority； around the ballot…box there is an
enormous void。 At Paris； in the election of mayor and municipal
officers； the balloting of October； November and December collect
together only 14；000 out of 160；000 registered voters； later 10；000；
and； later again； only 7；000。＇18＇ At Besan？on； 7；000。 registered
voters result in less than 600； there is the same proportion in other
towns； as for example； in Troyes。 In like manner； in the rural
cantons； east of Doubs and west of Loire…Inférieure； but one…tenth of
the electors dare exercise their right to vote。＇19＇ The electoral
source is so exhausted； so often disturbed； and so stopped up as to be
almost dry： in these primary assemblies which； directly or indirectly；
delegate all public powers； and which； in the expression of the common
will； should be full； there are lacking six millions three hundred
thousands electors out of seven millions。＇20＇
III。
Composition and tone of the secondary assemblies。 … Exclusion of
〃Feuillant〃 electors。 … Pressure on other electors。… Persons elected
by the conservatives obliged to resign。 … Elections by the Catholics
canceled。 … Secession of the Jacobin minorities。 … The election of
their men made valid。 … Public opinion not in accord with official
selections。
Through this anticipated purge the assemblies of the first degree find
themselves； for the most part； Jacobin； consequently the electors of
the second degree； appointed by them； are for the most part； Jacobin；
in many departments； their assembly becomes the most anarchical； the
most turbulent； and the most usurping of all the clubs。 Here there is
only shouting； denunciations； oath…taking； incendiary motions；
cheering which carry all questions； furious speeches by Parisian
commissaries； by delegates from the local club； by passing Federates；
and by female wretches demanding arms。＇21＇ The Pas…de…Calais
assemblage sets free and applauds a woman imprisoned for having beaten
a drum in a mob。 The Paris assembly fraternizes with the Versailles
slaughterers and the assassins of the mayor of Etampes。 The assembly
of the Bouches…du…Rh？ne gives a certificate o virtue to Jourdan； the
Glacière murderer。 The assembly of Seine…et…Marne applauds the
proposal to cast a cannon which might contain the head of Louis XVI。
for a cannon…ball to be fired at the enemy。 It is not surprising
that an electoral body without self…respect should respect nothing；
and practice self…mutilation under the pretext of purification。＇22＇
The object of the despotic majority was to reign at once； without any
contest； on its own authority； and to expel all offensive electors。 At
Paris； in the Aisne； in Haute…Loire； in Ille…et…Vilaine； in Maine…et…
Loire； it excludes as unworthy the members of old Feuillants and
monarchical clubs； and the signers of Constitutionalist protests。 In
Hérault it cancels the elections in the canton of Servian； because the
elected men； it says； are 〃mad aristocrats。〃 In Orne it drives away an
old Constituent； Goupil de Préfeln； because he voted for the revision；
also； his son…in…law； because he is his son…in…law。 In the Bouches…
du…Rh？ne； where the canton of Seignon； by mistake or through routine；
swore 〃to maintain the constitution of the kingdom；〃 it sets aside
these retrograde elected representatives； commences proceedings
against the 〃crime committed；〃 and sends troops against Noves because
the Noves elector； a justice who is denounced and in peril； has
escaped from the electoral den。 After the purification of persons
it proceeds to the purification of sentiments。 At Paris； and in at
least nine departments；＇23＇ and in contempt of the law； is suppresses
the secret ballot； the last refuge of timid conservatives； and imposes
on each elector a verbal public vote； loud and clear； on his name
being called； that is to say； if he does not vote as he ought to； he
risks the gallows。＇24＇ Nothing could more surely convert hesitation
and indecision into good sense； while； in many a place； still more
powerful machinery is violently opposed to the elections。 At Paris the
elections are carried on in the midst of atrocities； under the pikes
of the butchers； and con ducted by their instigators。 At Meaux and at
Rheims the electors in session were within hearing of the screeches of
the murdered priests。 At Rheims the butchers themselves ordered the
electoral assembly to elect their candidates； Drouet； the famous post…
master； and Armonville； a tipsy wool…carder； upon which one…half of
the assembly withdrew； while the two candidates of the assassins are
elected。 At Lyons； two days after the massacre； the Jacobin commander
writes to the Minister： 〃Yesterday's catastrophe puts the aristocrats
to flight； and ensures us the majority in Lyons。〃＇25＇ From universal
suffrage thus subjected to so much sifting； submitted to such heavy
pressure； heated and refined in the revolutionary alembic； those who
control it obtain all they want； a concentrated extract； the
quintessence of the Jacobin spirit。
And yet； should this extract not seem to them sufficiently strong；
wherever they are sovereign； they throw it away and begin over again。
At Paris；＇26＇ by means of a purifying and surplus ballot； the new
Council of the Commune undertakes the expulsion of its lukewarm
members； while d'Ormesson； the mayor elect of the moderates； is
assailed with so many threats that； on the verge of his installation；
he resigns。 At Lyons；＇27＇ another moderate； Nivière…Chol； twice
elected； and； by 9；000 out of 11；000 votes； is twice compelled to
abandon his place； after him； Gilibert； the physician； who； supported
by the same voters； is about to obtain the majority； is seized
suddenly and cast into prison； even in prison； he is elected； the
clubbists confine him there more rigidly； and do not let him out even
after extorting his resignation。 Elsewhere in the rural cantons；
for example； in Franche…Comté；＇28＇ a number of elections are canceled
when the person elected happens to be a Catholic。 The Jacobin
minority frequently secede； meet in a tavern； elect their mayor or
justice of the peace； and the validity of his election is secured
because he is a patriot； so much the worse for that of the majority；
whose more numerous votes are null because given by 〃fanatics。〃 The
response of universal suffrage thus appealed to cannot be other than
that which is framed for it。 Indisputable facts are to show to what
extent this response is compulsive or perverted； what a distance there
is between an official choice and public opinion； how the elections
give a contrary meaning to popular sentiment。 The departments of
Deux…Sèvres； Maine…et…Loire； la Vendée； Loire…Infèrieure； Morbihan；
and Finistère； send only anti…Catholic republicans to the Convention；
while these same departments are to become the inexhaustible nursery
of the great catholic and royalist insurrection。 Three regicides out
of four deputies represent Lozère； where； six months later； thirty
thousand peasants are to march under the Royal white banner。 Six
regicides out of nine deputies represent la Vendée； which is going to
rise from one end of it to the other in the name of the King。＇29＇
IV。
Composition of the National Convention。 … Number of Montagnards at the
start。 … Opinions and sentiments of the deputies of the Plain。 … The
Gironde。 … Ascendancy of the Girondins in the Convention。 … Their
intellectual character。 … Their principles。 … The plan of their
Constitution。 … Their fanaticism。 … Their sincerity； culture and
tastes。 … How they differ from pure Jacobins。 … How they comprehend
popular sovereignty。 … Their stipulations with regard to the
initiative of individuals and of groups。 … Weakness of philosophic
thought and of parliamentary authority in times of anarchy。
However vigorous the electoral pressure may have been； the voting
machine has not provided the exp