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！
400 to 224； it acquits him。 On this side； again； the strategy of
the Girondists is found erroneous。 Power slips away from them the
second time。 Neither the King nor the Assembly have consented to
restore it to them； while they can no longer leave it suspended in the
air； or defer it until a better opportunity； and keep their Jacobin
acolytes waiting。 The feeble leash restraining the revolutionary dog
breaks in their hands； the dog is free and in the street
III。
The Girondins have worked for the benefit of the Jacobins。 The
armed force sent away or disorganized。 The Federates summoned。
Brest and Marseilles send men。 Public sessions of administrative
bodies。 Permanence of administrative bodies and of the sections。 …
… Effect of these two measures。 The central bureau of the H？tel…
de…ville。 Origin and formation of the revolutionary Commune。
Never was better work done for another。 Every measure relied on by
them for getting power back； serves only to place it in the hands of
the mob。 On the one hand； through a series of legislative acts and
municipal ordinances； they have set aside or disbanded the army； alone
capable of repressing or intimidating it。 On the 29th of May they
dismissed the king's guard。 On the 15th of July they ordered away from
Paris all regular troops。 On the 16th of July；＇26＇ they select 〃 for
the formation of a body of infantry…gendarmerie； the former French…
guardsmen who served in the Revolution about the epoch of the 1st day
of June； 1789； the officers； under…officers； gunners； and soldiers who
gathered around the flag of liberty after the 12th of July of that
year；〃 that is to say； a body of recognized insurgents and deserters。
On the 6th of July； in all towns of 50；000 souls and over； they strike
down the National Guard by discharging its staff； 〃an aristocratic
corporation；〃 says a petition；＇27＇ 〃a sort of modern feudality
composed of traitors； who seem to have formed a plan for directing
public opinion as they please。〃 Early in August；＇28＇ they strike into
the heart of the National Guard by suppressing special companies；
grenadiers； and chasseurs； recruited amongst well…to…do…people； the
genuine elite； stripped of its uniform； reduced to equality； lost in
the mass； and now； moreover； finding its 'ranks degraded by a mixture
of interlopers； federates； and men armed with pikes。 Finally； to
complete the pell…mell； they order that the palace guard be hereafter
composed daily of citizens taken from the sixty battalions；＇29＇ so
that the chiefs may no longer know their men nor the men their chiefs；
so that no one may place confidence in his chief； in his subordinate；
in his neighbor； or in himself； so that all the stones of the human
dike may be loosened beforehand； and the barrier crumble at the first
onslaught。 On the other hand； they have taken care to provide the
insurrection with a fighting army and an advanced guard。 By another
series of legislative acts and municipal ordinances； they authorize
the assemblage of the Federates at Paris； they allow them pay and
military lodgings；＇30＇ they allow them to organize under a central
committee sitting at the Jacobin club； and to take their instructions
from that club。 Of these new…comers； two…thirds； genuine soldiers and
true patriots； set out for the camp at Soissons and for the frontier；
one…third of them； however； remain at Paris；＇31＇ perhaps 2；000； the
rioters and politicians； who； feasted； entertained； indoctrinated； and
each lodged with a Jacobin； become more Jacobin than their hosts； and
incorporate themselves with the revolutionary battalions； so as to
serve the good cause with their guns。＇32＇ Two squads； late comers；
remain separate； and are only the more formidable； both are dispatched
by the towns on the sea…cost in which； four months before this；
〃twenty…one capital acts of insurrection had occurred； all unpunished；
and several under sentence of the maritime jury。〃＇33＇ The first；
numbering 300 men； comes from Brest；
* where the municipality； as infatuated as those of Marseilles and
Avignon； engages in armed expeditions against its neighbors； where
popular murder is tolerated；
* where M。 de la Jaille is nearly killed ；
* where the head of M。 de la Patry is borne on a pike；
* where veteran rioters compose the crews of the fleet；
* where 〃workers paid by the State； clerks； masters； non…commission
officers； converted into agitators； political stump…speakers； movers；
and critics of the administration；〃 ask only to be given roles to
perform on a more conspicuous stage。
The second troop； summoned from Marseilles by the Girondins； Rebecqui；
and Barbaroux；＇34＇ comprises 516 men； intrepid； ferocious adventurers；
from everywhere； either Marseilles or abroad； Savoyards； Italians；
Spaniards； driven out of their country； almost all of the vilest
class； or gaining a livelihood by infamous pursuits； 〃hit…men and
their henchmen of evil haunts；〃 used to blood； quick to strike； good
cut…throats； picked men out of the bands that had marched on Aix；
Arles； and Avignon； the froth of that froth which； for three years； in
the Comtat and in the Bouches…du…Rh？ne； boiled over the useless
barriers of the law。 The very day they reach Paris they show what
they can do。＇35＇ Welcomed with great pomp by the Jacobins and by
Santerre； they are conducted； for a purpose； to the Champs…Elysées；
into a tavern； near the restaurant in which the grenadiers of the
Filles St。 Thomas； bankers； brokers； leading men； well…known for their
attachment to a monarchical constitution； were dining in a body； as
announced several days in advance。 The mob which had formed a convoy
for the Marseilles battalion； gathers before the restaurant； shouts；
throws mud； and then lets fly a volley of stones ； the grenadiers draw
their sabers。 Forthwith a shout is heard just in front of them； à nous
les Marseillais！ upon which the gang jump out of the windows with true
southern agility； clamber across the ditches； fall upon the grenadiers
with their swords； kill one and wound fifteen。 No début could be
more brilliant。 The party at last possesses men of action；＇36＇ and
they must be kept within reach！ Men who do such good work； and so
expeditiously； must be well posted near the Tuileries。 The mayor；
consequently； on the night of the 8th of August； without informing the
commanding general； solely on his own authority； orders them to leave
their barracks in the Rue Blanche and take up their quarters； with
their arms and cannon； in the barracks belonging to the
Cordeliers。＇37＇
Such is the military force in the hands of the Jacobin masses； nothing
remains but to place the civil power in their hands also； and； as the
first gift of this kind was made to them by the Girondins； they will
not fail to make them the second one。 On the 1st of July； they
decree that the sessions of administrative bodies should thenceforth
be public； this is submitting municipalities； district； and department
councils； as well as the National Assembly itself； to the clamor； the
outrages； the menaces； the rule of their audiences； which in these
bodies as in the National Assembly； will always be Jacobin。＇38＇ On the
11th of July； on declaring the country in danger；＇39＇ they render the
sessions permanent； first of the administrative bodies； and next of
the forty…eight sections of Paris； which is a surrender of the
administrative bodies and the forty…eight sections of Paris to the
Jacobin minority； which minority； through its zeal and being ever
present； knows how to convert itself into a majority。 Let us
trace the consequences of this； and see the selection which is thus
effected by the double decree。 Those who attend these meetings； day
and night； are not the steady； busy people。 In the first place； they
are too busy in their own counting…rooms； shops and factories to lose
so much time。 In the next place； they are too sensible； t