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plain of Saint…Denis； and there decimated； previous to this； the most
notorious patriots will be singled out together with forty or fifty
market…women and broken on the wheel。 Already； on the 11th of August；
a rumor is current that 800 men of the late royal guards are ready to
make a descent on Paris；＇133＇ that very day the dwelling of
Beaumarchais is ransacked for seven hours；＇134＇ the walls are pierced；
the privies sounded； and the garden dug down to the rock。 The same
search is repeated in the adjoining house。 The women are especially
〃enraged at not finding anything；〃 and wish to renew the attempt；
swearing that they will discover where things are hidden in ten
minutes。 The nightmare is evidently too much for these unballasted
minds。 They break down under the weight of their accidental kingship；
their inflamed pride； extravagant desires； and intense and silent
fears which form in them that morbid and evil concoction which； in
democracy as well as in a monarchy； fashions a Nero。＇135＇
Their leaders； who are even more upset； conceited； and despotic； have
no scruples holding them back； for the most noteworthy are corrupt；
acting alone or as leaders。 Of the three chiefs of the old
municipality； Pétion； the mayor； actually in semi…retirement； but
verbally respected； is set aside and considered as an old decoration。
The other two remain active and in office； Manuel；＇136＇ the syndic…
attorney； son of a porter； a loud…talking； untalented bohemian； stole
the private correspondence of Mirabeau from a public depository；
falsified it； and sold it for his own benefit。 Danton；＇137＇ Manuel's
deputy； faithless in two ways； receives the King's money to prevent
the riot； and makes use of it to urge it on。 Varlet； 〃that
extraordinary speech…maker； led such a foul and prodigal life as to
bring his mother in sorrow to the grave； afterwards he spent what was
left； and soon had nothing。〃＇138＇ Others not only lacked honor but
even common honesty。 Carra； with a seat in the secret Directory of the
Federates； and who drew up the plan of the insurrection； had been
condemned by the Macon tribunals to two years' imprisonment for theft
and burglary。＇139＇ Westermann； who led the attacking column； had stolen
a silver dish； with a coat of arms on it； from Jean Creux； keeper of a
restaurant； rue des Poules； and was twice sent away from Paris for
swindling。＇140＇ Panis； chief of the Committee of Supervision；＇141＇ was
turned out of the Treasury Department； where his uncle was a sub
cashier； in 1774； for robbery。 His colleague； Sergent； appropriates
to himself 〃three gold watches； an agate ring； and other jewels；〃 left
with him on deposit。＇142＇ 〃Breaking seals； false charges； breaches of
trust；〃 embezzlements； are familiar transactions。 In their hands piles
of silver plate and 1；100；000 francs in gold are to disappear。＇143＇
Among the members of the new Commune； Huguenin； the president； a clerk
at the barriers； is a brazen embezzler。＇144＇ Rossignol； a journeyman
jeweller； implicated in an assassination； is at this moment subject to
judicial prosecution。＇145＇ Hébert； a journalistic garbage bag；
formerly check…taker in a theatre； is turned away from the Variétés
for larceny。＇146＇ Among men of action； Fournier； the American；
Lazowski； and Maillard are not only murderers； but likewise
robbers；＇147＇ while； by their side； arises the future general of the
Paris National Guard； Henriot； at first a domestic in the family of an
attorney who turned him out for theft； then a tax…clerk； again turned
adrift for theft； and； finally； a police spy； and still incarcerated
in the Bicêtre prison for another theft； and； at last； a battalion
officer； and one of the September executioners。＇148＇ … Simultaneously
with the bandits and rascals； monstrous maniacs come out of their
holes。 De Sades；＇149＇ who lived the life of 〃Justine〃 before he wrote
it； and whom the Revolution delivered from the Bastille； is secretary
of the section of the Place Vend？me。 Marat； the homicidal monomaniac；
constitutes himself； after the 23rd of August； official journalist at
the H？tel…de…ville； political advisor and consciousness of the new
Commune； and the obsessive plan； which he preaches for three years； is
merely an instant and direct wholesale butchery。
〃Give me；〃 said he to Barbaroux；＇150＇ 〃two hundred Neapolitans armed
with daggers； and with only a hand…kerchief on their left arms for a
buckler； and I will overrun France and build the Revolution。〃
According to him it is necessary to do away with 260；000 men 〃on
humane grounds；〃 for； unless this is done； there is no safety for the
rest。
〃The National Assembly may still save France； let it decree that all
aristocrats shall wear a blue ribbon； and the moment that three of
them are seen in company； let them be hung。〃
Another way would be
〃to lay in wait in dark streets and at corners for the royalists and
Feuillants； and cut their throats。 Should ten patriots happen to be
killed among a hundred men； what does it matter？ It is only ninety for
ten； which prevents mistakes。 Fall upon those who own carriages；
employ valets； wear silk coats； or go to the theatres。 You may be sure
that they are aristocrats。〃
The Jacobin proletariat has obviously found the leadership that suits
them。 They will get on with each other without difficulty。 In order
that this spontaneous massacre may become an administrative measure；
the Neros of the gutter have but to await the word of command from the
Neros of the H？tel…de…ville。
_________________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇An expression of Lafayette's in his address to the Assembly。
＇2＇Lafayette； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。 452。 Malouet （II。 213） states that
there were seventy。
＇3＇Cf。； for example； 〃Archives Nationales；〃 A。F。 II。116。 Petition of
228 notables of Montargis。
＇4＇ Petition of the 20；000； so…called； presented by Messrs。 Guillaume
and Dupont de Nemours。 … Cf。。 Mortimer…Ternaux； I。 278。 According
to Buchez et Roux； the petition containing only 7；411 names。
＇5＇ Mortimer…Ternaux； I。277。
＇6＇ Moniteur； XIII。 89。 The act （July 7） is drawn up with admirable
precision and force。 On comparing it with the vague； turgid
exaggerations of their adversaries； it seems to measure the
intellectual distance between the two parties。
＇7＇ 339 against 224 R？derer （〃Chronique des cinquante jours；〃
p。79）。 〃A strong current of opinion by a majority of the inhabitants
of Paris sets in favor of the King。〃 … C。 Desmoulins； 〃That class of
petty traders and shopkeepers； who are more afraid of the
revolutionaries than of so many Uhlans。 。 。 〃
＇8＇ Mortimer…Ternaux； I。 236。 Letter of R？derer to the president of
the National Assembly； June 25。 〃Mr。 President； I have the honor to
inform the Assembly that an armed mob is marching towards the
Chateau。〃
＇9＇ Mortimer…Ternaux； I。 245； 246。 … II。 81； 131； 148； 170。
＇10＇ The murder of M。 Duhamel； sub…lieutenant of the national guard。
＇11＇ Letter of Vergniaud and Guadet to the painter Boze （in the
〃Mémoires de Dumouriez〃）。 R？derer； 〃Chronique des cinquante jours；〃
295。 Bertrand de Molleville； 〃Mémoires；〃 III。 29。
＇12＇ Moniteur； XIII。 155 （session of July 16）。 Mortimer…Ternaux；
II。 69。 〃Favored by you；〃 says Manuel； 〃all citizens are entitled to
visit the first functionary of the nation。 。 。 The prince's dwelling
should be open； like a church。 Fear of the people is an insult to the
people。 If Louis XVI。 possessed the soul of a Marcus Aurelius； he
would have descended into his gardens and tried to console a hundred
thousand beings； on account of the slowness of the Revolution。 。 。
Never had there been fewer thieves in the Tuileries than on that day；
for the courtiers had fled。 。 。The red cap was an honor to Louis XVI。s
head； and ought to be his crown。〃 At this solemn moment the
fraternization of the king with the people took place