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a great commotion with assassinations and pillage； preceded by the
payment of money distributed from hand to hand by subaltern officers
among those that can be relied on； and that these bands are to
assemble； as advertised； within a radius of thirty or forty
leagues。〃＇35＇ One day； to provoke a riot； 〃half a dozen men； who
have arranged the thing； form a small group； in which one of them
holds forth vehemently； at once a crowd of about sixty others gathers
around them。 Then the six men move on from place to place；〃 to form
fresh groups making their apparent excitement pass for popular
irritation。 Another day； 〃about forty fanatics； with powerful
lungs； and four or five hundred paid men；〃 scatter themselves around
the Tuileries； 〃yelling furiously；〃 and； gathering under the windows
of the Assembly； 〃move resolutions to assassinate。〃 〃Our ushers；〃
says a deputy to the Assembly； 〃whom you ordered to suppress this
tumult； heard reiterated threats of bringing you the heads of those
the crowd wished to proscribe。 That very evening； in the Palais…Royal；
〃I heard a subordinate leader of this factious band boast of having
charged your ushers to take this answer back； adding that there was
time enough yet for all good citizens to follow his advice。〃 The
watchword of these agitators is； are you true and the response is； a
true man。 Their pay is twelve francs a day； and when in action they
make engagements on the spot at that rate。 〃From several depositions
taken by officers of the National Guard and at the mayoralty；〃 it is
ascertained that twelve francs a day were tendered to 〃honest people
to join in with those you may have heard shouting； and some of them
actually had the twelve francs put into their hands。〃 The money
comes from the coffers of the Duke of Orleans； and they are freely
drawn upon； at his death； with a property amounting to 114；000；000
francs； his debts amount to 74；000；000。＇36＇ Being one of the faction；
he contributes to its expenses； and； being the richest man in the
kingdom； he contributes proportionately to his wealth。 Not because he
is a party leader； for he is too effeminate； too nervous； but 〃his
petty council；〃＇37＇ and especially one of his private secretaries；
Laclos； cherishes great designs for him； their object being to make
him lieutenant…general of the kingdom； afterwards regent； and even
king；＇38＇ so that they may rule in his name and 〃share the profits。〃 …
… In the mean time they turn his whims to the best account；
particularly Laclos； who is a kind of subordinate Macchiavelli；
capable of anything； profound； depraved； and long indulging his
fondness for monstrous combinations； nobody ever so coolly delighted
in indescribable compounds of human wickedness and debauchery。 In
politics； as in romance； his department is 〃Les Liaisons Dangereuses。〃
Formerly he maneuvered as an amateur with prostitutes and ruffians in
the fashionable world； now he maneuvers in earnest with the
prostitutes and ruffians of the sidewalks。 On the 5th of October
1789； he is seen； 〃dressed in a brown coat；〃＇39＇ foremost among the
women starting for Versailles； while his hand＇40＇ is visible 〃in the
Réveillon affair； also in the burning of barriers and Chateaux；〃 and
in the widespread panic which aroused all France against imaginary
bandits。 His operations； says Malouet； 〃were all paid for by the Duke
of Orleans〃； he entered into them 〃for his own account； and the
Jacobins for theirs。〃 At this time their alliance is plain to
everybody。 On the 21st of November； 1790； Laclos becomes secretary of
the club； chief of the department of correspondence； titular editor of
its journal； and the invisible； active； and permanent director of all
its enterprises。 Whether actual demagogues or prompted by ambition；
whether paid agents or earnest revolutionaries； each group works on
its own account； both in concert； both in the same direction； and both
devoted to the same undertaking； which is the conquest of power by
every possible means。
V。
Small number of Jacobins。 … Sources of their power。 … They form a
league。 … They have faith。 … Their unscrupulousness。 … The power of
the party vested in the group which best fulfills these conditions。
At first sight their success seems doubtful； for they are in a
minority； and a very small one。 At Besan？on； in November； 1791； the
revolutionaries of every shade of opinion and degree； whether
Girondists or Montagnards； consist of about 500 or 600 out of 3；000
electors； and； in November； 1792； of not more than the same number out
of 6；000 and 7；000。＇41＇ At Paris； in November； 1791； there are 6；700
out of more than 81；000 on the rolls； in October； 1792； there are less
than 14；000 out of 160；000。＇42＇ At Troyes； in 1792； there are found
only 400 or 500 out of 7；000 electors； and at Strasbourg the same
number out of 8；000 electors。＇43＇ Accordingly only about one…tenth of
the electoral population are revolutionaries； and if we leave out the
Girondists and the semi…conservatives； the number is reduced by one…
half。 Towards the end of 1792； at Besan？on； scarcely more than 300
pure Jacobins are found in a population of from 25；000 to 30；000；
while at Paris； out of 700；000 inhabitants only 5；000 are Jacobins。
It is certain that in the capital； where the most excitement prevails；
and where more of them are found than elsewhere； never； even in a
crisis and when vagabonds are paid and bandits recruited； are there
more than 10；000。＇44＇ In a large town like Toulouse a representative
of the people on missionary service wins over only about 400
persons。＇45＇ Counting fifty or so in each small town； twenty in each
large borough； and five or six in each village； we find； on an
average； but one Jacobin to fifteen electors and National Guards；
while； taking the whole of France； all the Jacobins put together do
not amount to 300；000。＇46＇ This is a small number for the
enslavement of six millions of able…bodied men； and for installing in
a country of twenty…six millions inhabitants a more absolute despotism
than that of an Asiatic sovereign。 Force； however； is not measured by
numbers； they form a band in the midst of a crowd and； in this
disorganized； inert crowd； a band that is determined to push its way
like an iron wedge splitting a log。
And against sedition from within as well as conquest from without a
nation may only defend itself through the activities of its
government； which provides the indispensable instruments of common
action。 Let it fail or falter and the great majority； undecided about
what to do； lukewarm and busy elsewhere； ceases to be a corps and
disintegrates into dust。 Of the two governments around which the
nation might have rallied； the first one； after July 14； 1789； lies
prostrate on the ground where it slowly crumbles away。 Now its ghost；
which returns； is still more odious because it brings with it the same
senseless abuses and intolerable burdens； and； in addition to these； a
yelping pack of claimants and recriminators。 After 1790 it appears on
the frontier more arbitrary than ever at the head of a coming invasion
of angry émigrés and grasping foreigners。 … … The other government；
that just constructed by the Constituent Assembly； is so badly put
together that the majority cannot use it。 It is not adapted to its
hand； no political instrument at once so ponderous and so helpless was
ever seen。 An enormous effort is needed to set it in motion； every
citizen is obliged to give it about two days labor per week。＇47＇ Thus
laboriously started but half in motion； it poorly meets the various
tasks imposed upon it the collection of taxes； public order in the
streets； the circulation of supplies； and security for consciences；
lives and property。 Toppled over by its own action； another rises out
of it； illegal and serviceable； which takes its place and stands。
In a great centralized state whoever possesses the head possesses the
body。 By v