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However vigorous the electoral pressure may have been； the voting
machine has not provided the expected results。 At the opening of the
session； out of 749 deputies； only about fifty＇30＇ are found to
approve of the Commune； nearly all of the elected in places where； as
at Rheims and Paris； terror has the elector by the throat； 〃under the
clubs； axes； daggers； and bludgeons of the butchers。〃＇31＇ But where
the physical impressions of murder have not been so tangible and
impressive； some sense of decency has prevented too glaring elections。
The inclination to vote for well…known names could not wholly be
arrested； seventy…seven former members of the Constituent Assembly；
and one hundred and eighty…six of the previous Legislative Assembly
enter the Convention； and the practical knowledge which many of these
have of government business has given them some insights。 In short；
the consciences of six hundred and fifty deputies are only in part
perverted。
They are all； unquestionably； decided republicans； enemies of
tradition； apostles of reason； and trained in deductive politics；
only on these conditions could they be elected。 Every candidate is
supposed to possess the Jacobin faith； or； at least； to recite the
revolutionary creed。 The Convention； consequently； at its opening
session votes unanimously； with cheers and enthusiasm； the abolition
of royalty； and three months later it pronounces； by a large majority；
Louis XVI。；
〃guilty of conspiring against the liberty of the nation； and of
assaults on
the general welfare of the State。〃＇32＇
Nevertheless； social habitudes still subsist under political
prejudices。 A man who is born in and lives for a long time in an old
community； is； through this alone； marked with its imprint； the
customs to which he conforms have crystallized in him in the shape of
sentiments： if it is well…regulated and civilized； he has
involuntarily arrived at respect for property and for human life； and；
in most characters； this respect has taken very deep root。 A theory；
even if adopted； does not wholly succeed in destroying this respect；
only in rare instances is it successful； when it encounters coarse and
defective natures； to take full hold； it is necessary that it should
fall on the scattered inheritors of former destructive appetites； on
those hopelessly degenerate souls in which the passions of an anterior
date are slumbering； then only does its malevolence fully appear； for
it rouses the ferocious or plundering instincts of the barbarian； the
raider； the inquisitor； and the pasha。 On the contrary； with the
greatest number； do what it will； integrity and humanity always remain
powerful motives。 Nearly all these legislators； who originate in the
middle class； are at bottom； irrespective of a momentary delusion；
what they always have been up to now； advocates； attorneys； merchants；
priests； or physicians of the ancient regime； and what they will
become later on； docile administrators or zealous functionaries of
Napoleon's empire；＇33＇ that is to say； ordinary civilized persons
belonging to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries； sufficiently
honest in private life to have a desire to be equally so in public
life。 Hence their horror of anarchy； of Marat；＇34＇ and of the
September butchers and robbers。 Three days after their assembling
together they vote； 〃almost unanimously；〃 the preparation of a law
〃against the instigators of murder and assassination。〃 〃Almost
unanimously；〃 they desire to raise a guard； recruited in the 83
departments； against the armed bands of Paris and the Commune。
Pétition is elected as their first president by 〃almost the totality
of suffrages。〃 Roland who has just read his report to them； is greeted
with the 〃loudest〃 applause from nearly the 〃entire〃 Assembly。 In
short they are for the ideal republic against actual brigands。 This
accounts for their ranging themselves around those upright and sincere
deputies； who； in the two preceding Assemblies or alongside of them；
were the ablest defenders of both principles and humanity； around
Buzot； Lanjuinais； Pétition； and Rabaut…Saint…Etienne； around Brissot；
Vergniaud； Guadet； Gensonné； Isnard； and Condorcet； around Roland；
Louvet； Barbaroux； and the five hundred deputies of the 〃Plain；〃＇35＇
marching in one body under the leadership of the 180 Girondists who
now form the 〃Right。〃＇36＇
These latter； among the republicans； are the most sincere and have the
most faith； for they have long been such； after much thought； study
and as a matter of principle。 Nearly all of them are well…read
educated men； reasoners； philosophers； disciples of Diderot or of
Rousseau； satisfied that absolute truth had been revealed by their
masters； thoroughly imbued with the Encyclopédie＇37＇ or the Contrat
Social； the same as the Puritans formerly were with the Bible。＇38＇ At
the age when the mind is maturing； and fondly clings to general
ideas；＇39＇ they embraced the theory and aimed at a reconstruction of
society according to abstract principles。 They have accordingly set to
work as pure logicians； rigorously applying the superficial and false
system of analysis then in vogue。＇40＇ They have formed for themselves
an idea of man in general； the same in all times and ages； an extract
or minimum of man； they have pondered over several thousands of or
millions of these abstract mortals； erected their imaginary wills into
primordial rights； and drawn up in anticipation the chimerical
contract which is to regulate their impossible union。 There are to be
no more privileges； no more heredity； no qualifications of any kind；
all are to be electors； all eligible and all of equal members of the
sovereignty； all powers are to be of short date； and conferred through
election； there must be but one assembly； elected and entirely renewed
annually； one executive council elected and one…half renewed annually；
a national treasury…board elected and one…third renewed annually； all
local administrations and tribunals must be elected； a referendum to
the people； the electoral body endowed with the initiative； a constant
appeal to the sovereignty； which； always consulted and always active；
will manifest its will not alone by the choice of its mandatories but；
again； through 〃the censure〃 which it will apply to the laws such
is the Constitution they forge for themselves。＇41＇ 〃The English
Constitution；〃 says Condorcet； 〃is made for the rich； that of America
for citizens well…off； the French Constitution should be made for all
men。〃 … It is； for this reason； the only legitimate one； every
institution that deviates from it is opposed to natural rights and；
therefore； fit only to be put down。…This is what the Girondists have
done during the Legislative sessions； we know how they； armed with the
illusions＇42＇ of their new philosophy and triumphing through a rigid；
rash and hasty reason； have
* persecuted Catholic consciences；
* violated feudal property；
* encroached on the legal authority of the King；
* persecuted the remains of the ancient regime；
* tolerated crimes committed by the crowds；
* even plunged France into an European war；
* armed even the paupers；
* caused the overthrow of all government。 …
As far as his Utopia is concerned； the Girondist is a sectarian； and
he knows no scruples。
* Little does he care that nine out of ten electors do not vote： he
regards himself as the authorized representative of all ten。
* Little does he care whether the great majority of Frenchmen favor
the Constitution of 1791； it is his business to impose on them his
own。
* Little does he care whether his former opponents； King； émigrés；
unsworn ecclesiastics； are honorable men or at least excusable； he
will launch against them every rigorous legal proceeding；
transportation； confiscation； civil death and physical death。＇43＇
In his own eyes he is the justiciary； and his investiture is bestowed
upon him by eternal right。 There is no human infatuation so pernicious
to man as that of absolute right； nothing is better calculated for the
destruction in him of the hereditary accumulation of moral
conceptions。 Within the narrow bounds of their creed； however； the
Girondins are sincere and consistent。 They are masters of their
formulae； they know how to deduce consequences from them； they believe
in them the same as a surveyor in his theorems； and a theologian in
the articles of his faith； they are anxious to apply them； to devise a
constitution； to establish a regular government； to emerge from a
barbarous state； to put an end to fighting in the street； to
pillaging； to murders； to the sway of brutal force and of naked arms。
The disorder； mover； so repugnant to them as logicians is still more
repugnant to them as cultivated； polished men。 They have a sense of
what is proper；＇44＇ of becoming ways； and their tastes are even
refin