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a curé died after being stabbed six times。 A warning for priests
and for gentlemen： they had better not vote； and the same good advice
may be given to dealers in grain； to land…owners； and every other
suspected person。 For this is the day on which the people recover
their sovereignty； the violent believe that they have the right to do
exactly what suits them； nothing being more natural than to exclude
candidates in advance who are distrusted； or electors who do not vote
as they ought to。 At Villeneuve…St。…Georges； near Paris；＇24＇ a
barrister； a man of austere and energetic character； is about to be
elected judge by the district electors； the proletariat； however；
mistrust a judge likely to condemn marauders； and forty or fifty
vagabonds collect together under the windows and cry out： 〃We don't
want him elected。〃 The curé of Crosne； president of the electoral
assembly； informs them in vain that the assembled electors represent
90 communes； nearly 100；000 inhabitants； and that 〃40 persons should
not prevail against 100；000。 Shouts redouble and the electors
renounce their candidate。… At Pau； patriots among the militia＇25＇
forcibly release one of their imprisoned leaders； circulate a list for
proscriptions； attack a poll…teller with their fists and afterwards
with sabers； until the proscribed hide themselves away； on the
following day 〃nobody is disposed to attend the electoral assembly。〃 …
… Things are much worse in 1791。 In the month of June； just at the
time of the opening of the primary meetings； the king has fled to
Varennes； the Revolution seems compromised； civil war and a foreign
war loom up on the horizon like two ghosts； the National Guard had
everywhere taken up arms； and the Jacobins were making the most of the
universal panic for their own advantage。 To dispute their votes is no
longer the question； it is not well to be visible： among so many
turbulent gatherings a popular execution is soon over。 The best thing
now for royalists； constitutionalists； conservatives and moderates of
every kind； for the friends of law and of order； is to stay at home
too happy if they may be allowed to remain there； to which the armed
rabble agrees； on the condition of frequently paying them visits。
Consider their situation during the whole of the electoral period； in
a calm district； and judge of the rest of France by this corner of it。
At Mortagne；＇26＇ a small town of 6；000 souls； the laudable spirit of
1789 still existed up to the journey to Varennes。 Among the forty or
fifty noble families were a good many liberals。 Here； as elsewhere
among the gentry； the clergy and the middle class； the philosophic
education of the eighteenth century had revived the old provincial
spirit of initiative； and the entire upper class had zealously and
gratuitously undertaken the public duties which it alone could perform
well。 District presidents； mayors； and municipal officers； were all
chosen from among ecclesiastics and the nobles； the three principal
officers of the National Guard were chevaliers of St。 Louis； while
other grades were filled by the leading people of the community。 Thus
had the free elections placed authority in the hands of the socially
superior； the new order of things resting on the legitimate hierarchy
of conditions； educations； and capacities。 … But for six months the
club； formed out of 〃a dozen hot…headed； turbulent fellows； under the
presidency and in the hands of a certain Rattier； formerly a cook；〃
worked upon the population and the rural districts。 Immediately on
the receipt of the news of the King's flight； the Jacobins 〃give out
that nobles and priests had supplied him with money for his departure；
to bring about a counter…revolution。〃 One family had given such an
amount； and another so much； there was no doubt about it； the precise
figures are given； and given for each family according to its known
resources。 Forthwith； 〃the principal clubbists； associated with the
dubious part of the National Guard；〃 spread through the streets in
squads： the houses of the nobles and of other suspected persons are
invaded。 All the arms； 〃guns； pistols； swords； hunting…knives； and
sword…canes；〃 are carried off。 Every hole and corner is ransacked；
they make the inmates open； or they force open； secretaries and
clothes…presses in search of ammunition； the search extending 〃even to
the ladies' toilette…tables〃。 By way of precaution 〃they break sticks
of pomatum in two； presuming that musket…balls are concealed in them；
and they take away hair…powder under the pretext that it is either
colored or masked gunpowder。〃 Then； without disbanding； the troop
betakes itself to the environs and into the country； where it operates
with the same promptness in the chateaux； so that 〃in one day all
honest citizens； those with the most property and furniture to
protect； are left without arms at the mercy of the first robber that
comes along。〃 All reputed aristocrats are disarmed。 As such are
considered those who 〃disapprove of the enthusiasm of the day； or who
do not attend the club； or who harbor any unsworn ecclesiastic；〃 and；
first of all； 〃the officers of the National Guard who are nobles；
beginning with the commander and his entire staff。〃 The latter
allow their swords to be taken without resistance； and with a
forbearance and patriotic spirit of which their brethren everywhere
furnish an example 〃they are obliging enough to remain at their posts
so as not to disorganize the army； hoping that this frenzy will soon
come to an end；〃 contenting themselves with making their complaint to
the department。 But in vain the department orders their arms to be
restored to them。 The clubbists refuse to give them up so long as the
king refuses to accept the Constitution； meanwhile they do not
hesitate to say that 〃at the very first gun on the frontier； they will
cut the throats of all the nobles and unsworn priests。〃 After the
royal oath to the Constitution is taken； the department again insists；
but no attention is paid to it。 On the contrary； the National Guard；
dragging cannons along with them； purposely station themselves before
the mansions of the unarmed gentry； the ladies of their families are
followed in the streets by urchins who sing ？A IRA＇27＇ in their faces；
and； in the final refrain； they mention them by name and promise them
the lantern； 〃not one of them could invite a dozen of his friends to
supper without incurring the risk of an uproar。〃 On the strength of
this； the old chiefs of the National Guard resign； and the Jacobins
turn the opportunity to account。 In contempt of the law the whole body
of officers is renewed； and； as peaceable folks dare not deposit their
votes； the new staff 〃is composed of maniacs； taken for the most part；
from the lowest class。〃 With this purged militia the club expels nuns；
drives off unsworn priests； organizes expeditions in the neighborhood；
and goes so far as to purify suspected municipalities。＇28＇ So many
acts of violence committed in town and country； render town and
country uninhabitable； and for the élite of the propriety owners； or
for well…bred persons； there is no longer any asylum but Paris。 After
the first disarmament seven or eight families take refuge there； and a
dozen or fifteen more join them after a threat of having their throats
cut； after the religious persecution； unsworn ecclesiastics； the rest
of the nobles； and countless other townspeople； 〃even with little
means；〃 betake themselves there in a mass。 There； at least； one is
lost in the crowd； one is protected by an incognito against the
outrages of the commonalty； one can live there as a private
individual。 In the provinces even civil rights do not exist； how
could any one there exercise political rights？ 〃All honest citizens
are kept away from the primary meetings by threats or maltreatment 。 。
。 The electoral battlefield is left for those who pay forty…five sous
of taxes； more than o