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！
to see the national bond dissolving； he sees departments breaking
away； new； distinct； independent； complete governments forming on the
basis of popular sovereignty；＇98＇ publicly and officially； they keep
funds raised for the central government for local uses； they institute
penalties against their inhabitants seeking refuge in France； they
organize tribunals； levy taxes； raise troops； and undertake military
expeditions。＇99＇ Assembled together to elect representatives to the
Convention； the electors of the Bouches…du…Rh？ne were； additionally；
disposed to establish throughout the department 〃the reign of liberty
and equality；〃 and to this effect they found； says one of them； 〃an
army of 1；200 heroes to purge the districts in which the bourgeois
aristocracy still raises its bold； imprudent head。〃 Consequently； at
Sonas； Noves； St。 Remy； Maillane； Eyrages； Graveson； Eyguières；
extended over the territory consisting of the districts of Tarascon；
Arles and Salon； these twelve hundred heroes are authorized to get a
living out of the inhabitants at pleasure； while the rest of the
expenses of the expedition are to be borne 〃by suspected
citizens。〃＇100＇ These expeditions are prolonged six weeks and more；
one of them goes outside of the department； to Monosque； in the
Basses…Alpes； and Monosque； obliged to pay 104；000 francs to its
〃saviors and fathers；〃 as an indemnity for traveling expenses； writes
to the Minister that； henceforth； it can no longer meet his
impositions。
What kind of improvised sovereigns are these who have instituted
perambulating brigandage？ Roland； on this point； has simply to
question his friend Barbaroux； their president and the executive agent
of their decrees。 〃Nine hundred persons；〃 Barbaroux himself writes；
〃generally of slight education； impatiently listening to
conservatives； and yielding all attention to the effervescent； cunning
in the diffusion of calumnies； petty suspicious minds； a few men of
integrity but unenlightened； a few enlightened but cowardly； many of
them patriotic； but without judgment； without philosophy〃； in short； a
Jacobin club； and Jacobin to such an extent as to 〃make the hall ring
with applause＇101＇ on receiving the news of the September massacre〃；
in the foremost ranks； 〃a crowd of men eager for office and money；
eternal informers； imagining trouble or exaggerating it to obtain for
themselves lucrative commissions；〃＇102＇ in other words； the usual pack
of hungry appetites in full chase。 … To really know them； Roland has
only to examine the last file； that of the neighboring departments；
and consider their colleagues in Var。 In this great wreck of reason
and of integrity； called the Jacobin Revolution； a few stray waifs
still float on the surface； many of the department administrations are
composed of liberals； friends of order； intelligent men； upright and
firm defenders of the law。 Such was the Directory of Var。＇103＇ To get
rid of it the Toulon Jacobins contrived an ambush worthy of the
Borgias and Oliverettos of the sixteenth century。＇104＇ On the 28th of
July； in the forenoon； Sylvestre； president of the club； distributed
among his trusty men in the suburbs and purlieus of the town an
enormous sack of red caps； while he posted his squads in convenient
places。 In the mean time the municipal body； his accomplices；
formally present themselves at the department bureau； and invite the
administrators to join them in fraternizing with the people。 The
administrators； suspecting nothing； accompany them； each arm in arm
with a municipal officer or delegate of the club。 They scarcely reach
the square when there rushes upon it from every avenue a troop of red…
caps lying in wait。 The syndic…attorney； the vice…president of the
department； and two other administrators； are seized； cut down and
hung； another； M。 Debaux； succeeding in making his escape； hides away；
scales the ramparts during the night； breaks his thigh and lies there
on the ground； he is discovered the next morning； a band； led by
Jassaud； a harbor…laborer； and by Lemaille； calling him self 〃the
town hangman；〃 come and raise him up； carry him away in a barrow； and
hang him at the first lamppost。 Other bands dispatch the public
prosecutor in the same fashion； a district administrator； and a
merchant； and then； spreading over the country； pillage and slay among
the country houses。 In vain has the commandant of the place； M。
Dumerbion； entreated the municipality to proclaim martial law。 Not
only does it refuse； but it enjoins him to order one…half of his
troops back to their barracks。 By way of an offset； it sets free a
number of soldiers condemned to the galleys； and all that are confined
for insubordination。 Henceforth every shadow of discipline
vanishes； and； in the following month； murders multiply。 M。 de
Possel； a navy administrator； is taken from his dwelling； and a rope
is passed around his neck； he is saved just in time by a bombardier；
the secretary of the club。 M。 Senis； caught in his country…house； is
hung on the Place du Vieux Palais。 Desidery； a captain in the navy；
the curé of La Valette； and M。 de Sacqui des Thourets； are beheaded in
the suburbs； and their beads are brought into town on the ends of
three poles。 M。 de Flotte d'Argenson； vice…admiral； a man of
Herculean stature； of such a grave aspect； and so austere that he is
nicknamed the 〃Père Eternel〃 is treacherously enticed to the entrance
of the Arsenal； where he sees the lantern already dropping； he seizes
a gun； defends himself； yields to numbers； and after having been
slashed with sabers； is hung。 M。 de Rochemaure； a major…general of
marines； is likewise sabred and hung in the same manner； a main artery
in the neck； severed by the blow of the saber； spouts blood from the
corpse and forms a pool on the pavement； Barry； one of the
executioners； washes his hands in it and sprinkles the by…standers as
if bestowing a blessing on them。 Barry； Lemaille； Jassaud；
Sylvestre； and other leading assassins； the new kings of Toulon；
sufficiently resemble those of Paris。 Add to these a certain Figon；
who gives audience in his garret； straightens out social inequalities；
forces the daughters of large farmers to marry poor republicans； and
rich young men to marry prostitutes；＇105＇ and； taking the lists
furnished by the club or neighboring municipalities； ransoming all the
well…to…do and opulent persons inscribed on them。 In order that the
portraiture of the band may be complete； it must be noted that； on the
23rd of August； it attempted to set free the 1800 convicts； the
latter； not comprehending that they were wanted for political allies；
did not dare sally forth； or； at least； the reliable portion of the
National Guard arrived in time to put their chains on again。 But here
its efforts cease； and for more than a year public authority remains
in the hands of a Jacobin faction which； as far as public order is
concerned； does not even have the morals of a convict。
More than once during the course of this long review the Minister must
have flushed with shame； for to the reprimands dispatched by him to
these apathetic administrations； they reply by citing himself as an
example：
〃You desire us to denounce the arbitrary arrests to the public
prosecutor； have you denounced those guilty of similar and yet greater
crimes committed at the capital？ 〃＇106＇ …
From all quarters come the cries of the oppressed appealing to 〃the
patriot Minister； the sworn enemy of anarchy；〃 to 〃the good and
incorruptible Minister of the Interior； his only reproach； the common
sense of his wife；〃 and he could only reply with empty phrases and
condolences：
〃To lament the events which so grievously distress the province； all
administrations being truly useful when they forestall evils； it being
very sad to be obliged to resort to such remedies； and recommend to
them a more active supervision。〃＇107＇
〃To lamen