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And so they beat him in the presence of his family。 Many others like
him are seized and unmercifully beaten on their own premises。 As to
the expenses of the operation； these must be defrayed by the
malevolent。 These； therefore； are taxed according to their
occupations； this or that tanner or dealer in cattle has to pay 36
francs； another； a hatter； 72 francs； otherwise 〃they will be attended
to that very night at nine o'clock。〃 Nobody is exempt； if he is not
one of the band。 Poor old men who have nothing but a five…franc
assignat are compelled to give that； they take from the wife of an
unskilled laborer； whose savings consist of seven sous and a half； the
whole of this； exclaiming； 〃that is good for three mugs of wine。〃＇17＇
When money is not to be had； they take goods in kind； they make short
work of cellars； bee…hives； clothes…presses； and poultry…yards。 They
eat； drink； and break； giving themselves up to it heartily； not only
in the town； but in the neighboring villages。 One detachment goes to
Brusque； and proceeds so vigorously that the mayor and syndic…attorney
scamper off across the fields； and dare not return for a couple of
days。＇18＇ At Versol； the dwelling of the sworn curé； and at Lapeyre；
that of the sworn vicar； are both sacked； the money is stolen and the
casks are emptied。 In the house of the curé of Douyre； 〃furniture；
clothes； cabinets； and window…sashes are destroyed〃； they feast on his
wine and the contents of his cupboard； throw away what they could not
consume； then go in search of the curé and his brother； a former
Carthusian； shouting that 〃their heads must be cut off； and sausage…
meat made of the rest of their bodies！〃 Some of them； a little
shrewder than the others； light on a prize； for example； a certain
Bourguière； a trooper of the line； seized a vineyard belonging to an
old lady； the widow of a physician and former mayor；＇19＇ he gathered
in its crop； 〃publicly in broad daylight；〃 for his own benefit； and
warns the proprietress that he will kill her if she makes a complaint
against him； and； as she probably does complain of him； he obliges
her； in the name of the Executive Power； to pay him fifty crowns
damages。 As to the common Jacobin gangsters； their reward； besides
food and drink； is perfect licentiousness。 In all houses invaded at
eleven o'clock in the evening。 Whilst the father flies； or the husband
screams under the cudgel； one of the villains stations himself at the
entrance with a drawn saber in his hands； and the wife or daughter
remains at the mercy of the others； they seize her by the neck and
maintain their hold。＇20＇ In vain does she scream for help。 〃Nobody in
Saint…Afrique dares go outdoors at night〃； nobody comes； and； the
following day； the juge…de…paix dares not receive the complaint；
because 〃he is afraid himself。〃 Accordingly； on the 23rd of
September； the municipal officers and the town…clerk； who made their
rounds； were nearly beaten to death with clubs and stones； on the 10th
of October another municipal officer was left for dead； a fortnight
before this； a lieutenant of volunteers； M。 Mazières； 〃trying to do
his duty； was assassinated in his bed by his own men。〃 Naturally；
nobody dares whisper a word； and； after two months of this order of
things； it may be presumed that at the municipal elections of the 21st
of October； the electors will be docile。 In any event； as a
precaution； their notification eight days before； according to law； is
dispensed with； as extra precaution； they are informed that if they do
not vote for the Executive Power； they will have to do with the
triangular cudgel。＇21＇ Consequently； most of them abstain； in a town
of over 600 active citizens； 40 votes give a majority； Bourgougnon and
Sarrus； the two chiefs of the Executive Power； are elected； one mayor；
and the other syndic…attorney； and henceforth the authority they
seized by force is conferred on them by the law。
IV。
Ordinary practices of the Jacobin dictatorship。 … The stationary
companies of the clubs。 … Their personnel。 … Their leaders。
This is roughly the type of government which spring up in every
commune of France after the 10th of August； the club reigns； but the
form and processes of its dictatorship are different； according to
circumstances。 Sometimes it operates directly through an executive
gang or by lancing an excited mob； sometimes it operates indirectly
through the electoral assembly it has had elected； or through the
municipality； which is its accomplice。 If the administrations are
Jacobin； it governs through them。 If they are passive； it governs
alongside of them。 If they are refractory； it purges them；＇22＇ or
breaks them up；＇23＇ and； to put them down； it resorts not only to
blows； but even to murder＇24＇ and massacre。＇25＇ Between massacre and
threats； all intermediaries meet； the revolutionary seal being
everywhere impressed with inequalities of relief。
In many places； threats suffice。 In regions where the temperament of
the people is cool； and where there is no resistance； it is pointless
to resort to assault and battery。 What is the use is killing in a town
like Arras； for instance； where； on the day of the civic oath； the
president of the department； a prudent millionaire； stalks through the
streets arm in arm with Aunty Duchesne； who sells cookies down in a
cellar； where； on election days； the townspeople； through cowardice；
elect the club candidates under the pretense that 〃rascals and
beggars〃 must be sent off to Paris to purge the town of them！＇26＇ It
would be labor lost to strike people who grovel so well。＇27＇ The
faction is content to mark them as mangy curs； to put them in pens；
keep them on a leash； and to annoy them。＇28＇ It posts at the entrance
of the guard…room a list of inhabitants related to an émigré； it makes
domiciliary visits； it draws up a fancied list of the suspected； on
which list all that are rich are found inscribed。 It insults and
disarms them； it confines them to the town； it forbids them to go
outside of it even on foot； it orders them to present themselves daily
before its committee of public safety； it condemns them to pay their
taxes for a year in twenty…four hours； it breaks the seals of their
letters； it confiscates； demolishes； and sells their family tombs in
the cemeteries。 This is all in order； as is the religious persecution；
* with the irruption into private chapels where mass is said；
* with blows with gun…stocks and the fist bestowed on the officiating
priest；
* with the obligation of orthodox parents to have their children
baptized by the schismatic curé；
* with the expulsion of nuns； and
* with the pursuit； imprisonment and transportation of unsworn
ecclesiastics。
But if the domination of the club is not always a bloody one； the
judgments are always those of an armed man； who； putting his gun to
his shoulder； aims at the wayfarers whom he has stopped on the road。
Generally they kneel down； tender their purses； and the shot is not
fired。 But the gun is cocked； nevertheless； and； to be certain of
this； we have only to look at the shriveled hand grasping the trigger。
We are reminded of those swarms of banditti which infested the country
under the ancient regime；＇29＇ the double…girdle of smugglers and
receivers embraced within twelve hundred leagues of internal excise…
duties； the poachers abounding on the four hundred leagues of guarded
captaincies； the deserters so numerous that in eight years they
amounted to sixty thousand； the beggars with which the prisons
overflowed； the thousands of thieves and vagabonds thronging the
highways； quarry of the police which the Revolution let loose and
armed； and which； in its turn； from being prey； became the hunters of
game。 For three years these strong…armed prowlers have served as the
hard…core of local jacqueries； at the present time they form the staff
of the universal jacquerie。 At N？mes