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and another flogged with all their might？＇2＇
These troubles； it is said； are transient； on the Constitution being
proclaimed； order will return of itself。 Very well； the Constitution
is voted； accepted by the King； proclaimed； and entrusted to the
Legislative Assembly。 Let the Legislative Assembly consider what is
done in the first few weeks。 In the eight departments that surround
Paris； there are riots on every market…day； farms are invaded and the
cultivators of the soil are ransomed by bands of vagabonds； the mayor
of Melun is riddled with balls and dragged out from the hands of the
mob streaming with blood。＇3＇ At Belfort； a riot for the purpose of
retaining a convoy of coin； and the commissioner of the Upper…Rhine in
danger of death； at Bouxvillers； owners of property attacked by poor
National Guards； and by the soldiers of Salm…Salm； houses broken into
and cellars pillaged； at Mirecourt； a flock of women beating drums；
and； for three days； holding the H？tel…de…Ville in a state of siege。 …
… One day Rochefort is in a state of insurrection； and the workmen of
the harbor compel the municipality to unfurl the red flag。＇4＇ On the
following day； it is Lille； the people of which； 〃unwilling to
exchange its money and assignats for paper…rags； called billets de
confiance； gather into mobs and threaten； while a whole garrison is
necessary to prevent an explosion。〃 On the 16th of October； it is
Avignon in the power of bandits； with the abominable butchery of the
Glacière。 On the 5th of November； at Caen； there are eighty…two
gentlemen； townsmen and artisans； knocked down and dragged to prison；
for having offered their services to the municipality as special
constables。 On the 14th of November； at Montpellier； the roughs
triumph； eight men and women are killed in the streets or in their
houses； and all conservatives are disarmed or put to flight。 By the
end of October； it is a gigantic column of smoke and flame shooting
upward suddenly from week to week and spreading everywhere； growing；
on the other side of the Atlantic； into civil war in St。 Domingo；
where wild beasts are let loose against their keepers； 50；000 blacks
take the field； and； at the outset； 1；000 whites are assassinated；
15；000 Negroes slain； 200 sugar…mills destroyed and damage done to the
amount of 600；000；000； 〃a colony of itself alone worth ten provinces；
is almost annihilated。〃＇5＇ At Paris； Condorcet is busy writing in his
journal that 〃this news is not reliable； there being no object in it
but to create a French empire beyond the seas for the King； where
there will be masters and slaves。〃 A corporal of the Paris National
Guard； on his own authority； orders the King to remain indoors；
fearing that he may escape； and forbids a sentinel to let him go out
after nine o'clock in the evening；＇6＇ at the Tuileries； stump…speakers
in the open air denounce aristocrats and priests； at the Palais…Royal；
there is a pandemonium of public lust and incendiary speeches。＇7＇
There are centers of riot in all quarters； 〃as many robberies as there
are quarter…hours； and no robbers punished； no police； overcrowded
courts； more delinquents than there are prisons to hold them； nearly
all the private mansions closed； the annual consumption in the
faubourg St。 Germain alone diminished by 250 millions； 20；000 thieves；
with branded backs； idling away time in houses of bad repute； at the
theaters； in the Palais…Royal； at the National Assembly； and in the
coffee…houses； thousands of beggars infesting the streets； crossways；
and public squares。 Everywhere an image of the deepest poverty which
is not calling for one's pity as it is accompanied with insolence。
Swarms of tattered vendors are offering all sorts of paper…money；
issued by anybody that chose to put it in circulation； cut up into
bits； sold； given； and coming back in rags； fouler than the miserable
creatures who deal in it。〃＇8＇ Out of 700；000 inhabitants there are
100；000 of the poor； of which 60；000 have flocked in from the
departments；＇9＇ among them are 30；000 needy artisans from the national
workshops； discharged and sent home in the preceding month of June；
but who； returning three months later； are again swallowed up in the
great sink of vagabondage； hurling their floating mass against the
crazy edifice of public authority and furnishing the forces of
sedition。 At Paris； and in the provinces； disobedience exists
throughout the hierarchy。 Directories countermand ministerial orders。
Here； municipalities brave the commands of their Directory； there；
communities order around their mayor with a drawn sword。 Elsewhere；
soldiers and sailors put their officers under arrest。 The accused
insult the judge on the bench and force him to cancel his verdict；
mobs tax or plunder wheat in the market； National Guards prevent its
distribution； or seize it in the storehouses。 There is no security
for property； lives； or consciences。 The majority of Frenchmen are
deprived of their right to worship in their own faith； and of voting
at the elections。 There is no safety； day or night； for the élite of
the nation； for ecclesiastics and the gentry； for army and navy
officers； for rich merchants and large landed proprietors； no
protection in the courts； no income from public funds； denunciations
abound； expulsions； banishments to the interior； attacks on private
houses； there is no right of free assemblage； even to enforce the law
under the orders of legal authorities。＇10＇ Opposed to this； and in
contrast with it； is the privilege and immunity of a sect formed into
a political corporation； 〃which extends its filiations over the whole
kingdom； and even abroad； which has its own treasury； its committees；
and its by…laws； which rules the government； which judges
justice；〃＇11＇ and which； from the capital to the hamlet； usurps or
directs the administration。 Liberty； equality； and the majesty of the
law exist nowhere； except in words。 Of the three thousand decrees
given birth to by the Constituent Assembly； the most lauded； those the
best set off by a philosophic baptism； form a mass of stillborn
abortions of which France is the burying…ground。 That which really
subsists underneath the false appearances of right； proclaimed and
sworn to over and over again； is； on the one hand； an oppression of
the upper and cultivated classes； from which all the rights of man are
withdrawn； and； on the other hand； the tyranny of the fanatical and
brutal rabble which assumes to itself all the rights of sovereignty。
II。
The Assembly hostile to the oppressed and favoring oppressors。
Decrees against the nobles and clergy。 Amnesty for deserters；
convicts； and bandits。 Anarchical and leveling maxims。
In vain do the honest men of the Assembly protest against this scandal
and this overthrow。 The Assembly； guided and forced by the Jacobins；
will only amend the law to damn the oppressed and to authorize their
oppressors。 Without making any distinction between armed
assemblages at Coblentz； which it had a right to punish； and refugees；
three times as numerous； old men； women and children； so many
indifferent and inoffensive people； not merely nobles but
plebeians；＇12＇ who left the soil only to escape popular outrages； it
confiscates the property of all emigrants and orders this to be
sold。＇13＇ Through the new restriction of the passport； those who
remain are tied to their domiciles； their freedom of movement； even in
the interior； being subject to the decision of each Jacobin
municipality。＇14＇ It completes their ruin by depriving them without
indemnity of all income from their real estate； of all the seignorial
rights which the Constituent Assembly had declared to be
legitimate。＇15＇ It abolishes； as far as it can； their history and
their past； by burning in the public depots their genealogical
titles。＇16＇ To all unsworn ecclesiastics； two…thirds of the French
clergy； it withholds bread； the small pensi