按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
clergy； it withholds bread； the small pension allowed them for food；
which is the ransom of their confiscated possessions；＇17＇ it declares
them 〃suspected of revolt against the law and of bad intentions
against the country；〃 it subjects them to special surveillance； it
authorizes their expulsion without trial by local rulers in case of
disturbances； it decrees that in such cases they shall be
banished。＇18＇ It suppresses 〃all secular congregations of men and
women ecclesiastic or laic； even those wholly devoted to hospital
service will take away from 600；000 children the means of learning to
read and write。〃＇19＇ It lays injunctions on their dress； it places
episcopal palaces in the market for sale； also the buildings still
occupied by monks and nuns。＇20＇ It welcomes with rounds of applause a
married priest who introduces his wife to the Assembly。 Not only is
the Assembly destructive but it is insulting； the authors of each
decree passed by it add to its thunderbolt the rattling hail of their
own abuse and slander。
〃Children；〃 says a deputy； 〃have the poison of aristocracy and
fanaticism injected into them by the congregations。〃＇21＇
〃Purge the rural districts of the vermin which is devouring them！〃 …
〃Everybody knows；〃 says Isnard； 〃that the priest is as cowardly as he
is vindictive。 。 。 Let these pestiferous fellows be sent back to
Roman and Italian lazarettos 。 。 What religion is that which； in its
nature； is unsocial and rebellious in principle？〃
Whether unsworn； whether immigrants actually or in feeling； 〃large
proprietors； rich merchants； false conservatives；〃＇22＇ are all
outspoken conspirators or concealed enemies。 All public disasters are
imputed to them。 〃The cause of the troubles；〃 says Brissot；＇23＇ 〃which
lay waste the colonies； is the infernal vanity of the whites who have
three times violated an engagement which they have three times sworn
to maintain。〃 Scarcity of work and short crops are accounted for
through their cunning malevolence。
〃A large number of rich men； 〃says Fran？ois de Nantes；＇24＇ 〃allow
their property to run down and their fields to lie fallow； so as to
enjoy seeing the suffering of the people。〃
France is divided into two parties； on the one hand； the aristocracy
to which is attributed every vice； and； on the other hand； the people
on whom is conferred every virtue。＇25＇
〃The defense of liberty；〃 says Lamarque；＇26＇ 〃is basely abandoned
every day by the rich and by the former nobility； who put on the mask
of patriotism only to cheat us。 It is not in this class； but only in
that of citizens who are disdainfully called the people； that we find
pure beings； those ardent souls really worthy of liberty。〃 One step
more and everything will be permitted to the virtuous against the
wicked； if misfortune befalls the aristocrats so much the worse for
them。 Those officers who are stoned； M。 de la Jaille and others；
〃wouldn't they do better not to deserve being sacrificed to popular
fury？〃＇27＇ Isnard exclaims in the tribune； 〃it is the long…continued
immunity enjoyed by criminals which has rendered the people
executioners。 Yes； an angry people； like an angry God； is only too
often the terrible supplement of silent laws。〃＇28＇ In other words
crimes are justified and assassinations still provoked against those
who have been assassinated for the past two years。
By a forced conclusion； if the victims are criminals； their
executioners are honest； and the Assembly； which rigorously proceeds
against the former； reserves all its indulgence for the latter。 It
reinstates the numerous deserters who abandoned their flags previous
to the 1st of January； 1789；＇29＇ it allows them three sous per league
mileage； and brings them back to their homes or to their regiments to
become； along with their brethren whose desertion is more recent；
either leaders or recruits for the mob。 It releases from the galleys
the forty Swiss guards of Chateauroux whom their own cantons desired
to have kept there； it permits these 〃'martyrs to Liberty 〃 to
promenade the streets of Paris in a triumphal car；＇30＇ it admits them
to the bar of the house； and； taking a formal vote on it； extends to
them the honors of the session。＇31＇ Finally； as if it were their
special business to let loose on the public the most ferocious and
foulest of the rabble； it amnesties Jourdan； Mainvielle； Duprat； and
Raphel； fugitive convicts； jail…birds； the condottieri of all lands
assuming the title of 〃the brave brigands of Avignon；〃 and who； for
eighteen months； have pillaged and plundered the Comtat＇32＇； it stops
the trial； almost over； of the Glacière butchers； it tolerates the
return of these as victors；＇33＇ and their installation by their own
act in the places of the fugitive magistrates； allowing Avignon to be
treated as a conquered city； and； henceforth； to become their prey and
their booty。 This is a willful restoration of the vermin to the social
body； and； in this feverish body； nothing is overlooked that will
increase the fever。 The most anarchical and deleterious maxims
emanate； like miasma； from the Assembly benches。 The reduction of
things to an absolute level is adopted as a principle； 〃equality of
rights；〃 says Lamarque；＇34＇ 〃is to be maintained only by tending
steadily to an equality of fortunes；〃 this theory is practically
applied on all sides since the proletariat is pillaging all who own
property。 〃Let the communal possessions be partitioned among the
citizens of the surrounding villages；〃 says Fran？ois de Nantes； 〃in an
inverse ratio to their fortunes； and let him who has the least
inheritance take the largest share in the divisions。〃＇35＇ Conceive the
effect of this motion read at evening to peasants who are at this very
moment claiming their lord's forest for their commune。 M。 Corneille
prohibits any tax to be levied for the public treasury on the wages of
manual labor； because nature； and not society； gives us the 〃right to
live。〃＇36＇ On the other hand； he confers on the public treasury the
right of taking the whole of an income； because it is society； and not
nature； which institutes public funds； hence； according to him； the
poor majority must be relieved of all taxation； and all taxes must
fall on the rich minority。 The system is well…timed and the argument
apt for convincing indigent or straitened tax…payers； namely； the
refractory majority； that its taxes are just； and that it should not
refuse to be taxed。 …
〃Under the reign of liberty；〃 says President Daverhoult；＇37＇ 〃the
people have the right to insist not merely on subsistence； but again
on plenty and happiness。〃＇38＇
Accordingly； being in a state of poverty they have been betrayed。
〃Elevated to the height achieved by the French people；〃 says another
president； 〃it looks down upon the tempests under its feet。〃＇39＇ The
tempest is at hand and bursts over its head。 War； like a black cloud；
rises above the horizon； overspreads the sky； thunders and wraps
France filled with explosive materials in a circle of lightening； and
it is the Assembly which； through the greatest of its mistakes； draws
down the bolt on the nation's head。
III。
War。 … …Disposition of foreign powers。 … … The King's dislikes。
Provocation of the Girondins。 Dates and causes of the rupture。
It might have been turned aside with a little prudence。 Two principal
grievances were alleged； one by France and the other by the Empire。
On the one hand； and very justly； France complained of the gathering
of émigré's； which the Emperor and Electors tolerated against it on
the frontier。 In the first place； however； a few thousand gentlemen；
without troops or stores； and nearly without money；＇40＇ were hardly to
be feared； and； besides this； long before the decisive hour came these
troops were dispersed； at once by the Emperor in his own dominions；
and； fifteen days afterwards； by the Elector of Trèves in his
electorate。＇4