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。 The electoral battlefield is left for those who pay forty…five sous
of taxes； more than one…half of them being registered on the poor
list。〃 … Thus the elections are decided beforehand！ The former cook is
the one who authorizes or creates candidatures； and on the election of
the department deputies at the county town； the electors elected are；
like himself； true Jacobins。＇29＇
V。
Intimidation and withdrawal of the Conservatives。 Popular outbreaks
in Burgundy； Lyonnais； Provence； and the large cities。 Electoral
proceedings of the Jacobins； examples at Aix； Dax； and Montpellier。
Agitators go unpunishes Denunciations by name。 Manoeuvres with
the peasantry。 General tactics of the Jacobins。
Such is the pressure under which voting takes place in France during
the summer and fall of 1791。 Domiciliary visits＇30＇ and disarmament
everywhere force nobles and ecclesiastics； landed proprietors and
people of culture； to abandon their homes； to seek refuge in the large
towns and to emigrate；＇31＇ or； at least； confine themselves strictly
to private life； to abstain from all propaganda； from every
candidature； and from all voting。 It would be madness to be seen in
so many cantons where searches end in a riot； in Burgundy and the
Lyonnais； where castles are sacked； where aged gentlemen are mauled
and left for dead； where M。 de Guillin has just been assassinated and
cut to pieces； at Marseilles； where conservative party leaders are
imprisoned； where a regiment of Swiss guards under arms scarcely
suffices to enforce the verdict of the court which sets them at
liberty； where； if any indiscreet person opposes Jacobin resolutions
his mouth is closed by being notified that he will be buried alive； at
Toulon； where the Jacobins shoot down all conservatives and the
regular troops； where M。 de Beaucaire； captain in the navy； is killed
by a shot in the back； where the club； supported by the needy； by
sailors； by navvies； and 〃vagabond peddlers；〃 maintains a dictatorship
by right of conquest； at Brest； at Tulle； at Cahors； where at this
very moment gentlemen and officers are massacred in the street。 It is
not surprising that honest people turn away from the ballot…box as
from a center of cut…throats。 Nevertheless； let them come if they
like； it will be easy to get rid of them。 At Aix； the assessor whose
duty it is to read the electors' names is informed that 〃the names
should be called out by an unsullied mouth； that； being an aristocrat
and fanatical； he could neither speak nor vote；〃 and； without further
ceremony； they put him out of the room。＇32＇ The process is an
admirable one for converting a minority into a majority and yet here
is another； still more effective。 At Dax； the Feuillants； taking
the title of 〃Friends of the French Constitution；〃 have split up with
the Jacobins；＇33＇ and； moreover； they insist on excluding from the
National Guard 〃foreigners without property or position；〃 the passive
citizens who are admitted into it in spite of the law； who usurp the
right of voting and who 〃daily affront tranquil inhabitants。〃
Consequently； on election day； in the church where the primary meeting
is held； two of the Feuillants； Laurède； formerly collector of the
vingtièmes；； and Brunache； a glazier； propose to exclude an intruder；
a servant on wages。 The Jacobins at once rush forward。 Laurède is
pressed back on the holy…water basin and wounded on the head； on
trying to escape he is seized by the hair； thrown down； pierced in the
arm with a bayonet； put in prison； and Brunache along with him。 Eight
days afterwards； at the second meeting none are present but Jacobins；
naturally； 〃they are all elected〃。 They form the new municipality；
which； notwithstanding the orders of the department； not only refuses
to liberate the two prisoners； but throws them into a dungeon。 At
Montpellier； the delay in the operation is greater； but it is only the
more complete。 The votes are deposited； the ballot…boxes closed and
sealed up and the conservatives obtain a majority。 Thereupon the
Jacobin club； with the Society of the 〃iron…clubs；〃 calling itself
the Executive power； betake themselves in force to the sectional
meetings； burn one of the ballots； use firearms and kill two men。 To
restore order the municipality stations each company of the National
Guard at its captain's door； The moderates among them naturally obey
orders； but the violent party do not。 They overrun the town； numbering
about 2；000 inhabitants； enter the houses； kill three men in the
street or in their domiciles； and force the administrative body to
suspend its electoral assemblies。 In addition to this they require
the disarmament 〃of the aristocrats；〃 and this not being done soon
enough； they kill an artisan who is walking in the street with his
mother； cut off his head； bear it aloft in triumph； and suspend it in
front of his dwelling。 The authorities are now convinced and
accordingly decree a disarmament； and the victors parade the streets
in a body。 In exuberance or as a precaution； they fire； as they pass
along； at the windows of suspected houses and happen to kill an
additional man and woman。 During the three following days six hundred
families emigrate； while the authorities report that everything is
going on well； and that order is restored。 〃The elections；〃 they say；
〃are now proceeding in the quietest manner since the ill…intentioned
voluntarily keeping away from them； a large number having left the
town。 〃＇34＇ A void is created around the ballot…box and this is
called the unanimity of voters。 The effect of such assassinations
is great and only a few are required； especially when they go
unpunished； which is always the case。 Henceforth all that the
Jacobins have to do is to threaten； people no longer resist them for
they know that it costs too much to face them down。 They do not care
to attend electoral meetings where they meet insult and danger； they
acknowledge defeat at the start。 Have not the Jacobins irresistible
arguments； without taking blows into account？ At Paris；＇35＇ Marat in
three successive numbers of his paper has just denounced by name 〃the
rascals and thieves〃 who canvass for electoral nominations； not the
nobles and priests but ordinary citizens； lawyers； architects；
physicians； jewellers； stationers； printers； upholsterers and other
artisans； each name being given in full with the professions；
addresses and one of the following qualifications； 〃hypocrite
（tartufe）； immoral； dishonest； bankrupt； informer； usurer； cheat；〃 not
to mention others that I cannot write down。 It must be noted that this
slanderous list may become a proscriptive list； and that in every town
and village in France similar lists are constantly drawn up and
circulated by the local dub； which enables us to judge whether the
struggle between it and its adversaries is a fair one。…As to rural
electors； it has suitable means for persuading them； especially in the
innumerable cantons ravaged or threatened by the jacqueries； （country…
riots） or； for example； in Corrèze； where 〃the whole department is
smattered with insurrections and devastation's； and where nobody talks
of anything but of hanging the officers who serve papers。〃＇36＇
Through…out the electoral operations the sittings of the dub are
permanent； 〃its electors are incessantly summoned to its meetings； 〃
at each of these 〃the main question is the destruction of fish…ponds
and rentals； their principal speakers summing it all up by saying that
none ought to be paid。〃 The majority of electors； composed of
rustics； are found to be sensitive to speeches like this； all its
candidates are obliged to express themselves against fishponds and
rentals； its deputies and the public prosecuting attorney are
nominated on this profession of faith； in other words； to be elected；
the Jacobins promise to greedy tenants the incomes and property of
their owners。 We already see in the procee