书城公版The Origins of Contemporary France
19097600000399

第399章

[39] "Mémoire Justificatif" (by Grégoire), on behalf of two soldiers, Emery and Delisle. - De Bouillé, "Mémoires." - De Dampmartin, I.128, 144. - "Archives Nationales," KK, 1105, Correspondence of M. de Thiard, July 2 and 9, 1790. - Moniteur, sittings of September 3 and June 4, 1790.

[40] De Bouillé, p. 127. - Moniteur, sitting of August 6, 1790, and that of May 27, 1790. - Full details in authentic documents of the affair at Nancy, passim. - Report of M. Emmery, August 16, 1790, and other documents in Buchez and Roux, VII. 59-162. - De Bezancenet, p.35. Letters of M. de Dommartin (Metz, August 4, 1790). "The Federation there passed off quietly, only, a short time after, some soldiers of a regiment took it into their heads to divide the (military) fund, and at once placed sentinels at the door of the officer having charge of the chest, compelling him to open it (désacquer). Another regiment has since put all its officers under arrest. A third has mutinied, and wanted to take all its horses to the market-place and sell them. . . . Everywhere the soldiers are heard to say that if they want money they know where to find it."[41] "Archives Nationales," F7, 3215, letters of the Royal Commissioners, September 27, October 1, 4, 8, 11, 1790. the commencement of the Revolution, had most to do with the insurrections in the interior. "What means can four commissioners employ to convince 20,000 men, most of whom are seduced by the real enemies of the public welfare? In consequence of the replacing of the men the crews are, for the most part, composed of those who are almost ignorant of the sea, who know nothing of the rules of subordination, and who, at the commencement of the Revolution, had most to do with the insurrections in the interior."[42] Mercure de France. October 2, 1790. Letter of the Admiral, M.

d'Albert de Rioms, September 16. The soldiers of the Majestueux have refused to drill, and the sailors of the Patriote to obey. -"I wished to ascertain beforehand if they had any complaint to make against their captain? - No. - If they complained of myself? -No. - If they had any complaints to make against their officers ?

- No. - It is the revolt of one class against another class;their sole cry is 'Vive la Nation et les Aristocrates à la lanterne!' The mob have set up a gibbet before the house of M. de Marigny, major-general of marines; he has handed in his resignation.

M. d'Albert tenders his resignation." - Ibid, June 18, 1791(letter from Dunkirk, June 3).

[43] De Dampmartin, I. 222, 219. Mercure de France, September 3, 1791. (Sitting of August 23.) - Cf. Moniteur (same date). "The Ancient Régime," p.377.

[44] Marshal Marmont, "Mémoires," I. 24. "The sentiment Ientertained for the person of the King is difficult to define. . .

(It was) a sentiment of devotion of an almost religious character, a profound respect as if due to a being of a superior order. At this time the word king possessed a magic power in all pure and upright hearts which nothing had changed. This delicate sentiment . . .

still existed in the mass of the nation, especially among the well-born, who, sufficiently remote from power, were rather impressed by its brilliancy than by its imperfections." De Bezancenet, 27.

Letter of M. de Dommartin, August 24, 1790. "We have just renewed our oath. I hardly know what it all means. I, a soldier, know only my King; in reality I obey two masters, who, we are told, will secure my happiness and that of my brethren, if they agree together."[45] De Dampmartin, I. 179. See the details of his resignation (III. 185) after June 20, 1792. - Mercure de France, April 14, 1792. Letter from the officers of the battalion of the Royal chasseurs of Provence (March 9). They are confined to their barracks by their soldiers, who refuse to obey their orders, and they declare that, on this account, they abandon the service and leave France.

[46] Rousset, "Les Volontaires de 1791 à 1794, p. 106. Letter of M. de Biron to the minister (August, 1792); p.225, letter of Vezu, commander of the 3rd battalion of Paris, to the army of the north (July 24, 1793). - "A Residence in France from 1792 to 1795"(September, 1792. Arras). See notes at the end of vol. II. for the details of these violent proceedings.

[47] Mercure de France, March 5, June 4, September 3, October 22, 1791. (Articles by Mallet du Pan. - Ibid. , April 14, 1792. More than six hundred naval officers resigned after the mutiny of the squadron at Brest. "Twenty-two grave revolts in the ports on shipboard remained unpunished, and several of them through the decisions of the naval jury." "There is no instance of any insurrection, in the ports or on shipboard, or any outrage upon a naval officer, having been punished. . . . It is not necessary to seek elsewhere for the causes of the abandonment of the service by naval officers. According to their letters all offer their lives to France, but refuse to command those who will not obey."[48] This was done by Hitler against the Jews and by the Communists against their "enemy" the bourgeois. (SR.)[49] Duvergier, "Decrees of August 1-6, 1791; February 9-11, 1792;March 30 to April 8, 1792; July 24-28, 1792; March 28 to April 5, 1793." - Report by Roland, January 6, 1793. He estimates this property at 4,800 millions, of which 1,800 millions must he de-ducted for the creditors of the emigrants; 3,000 millions remain.

Now, at this date, the assignats are at a discount of 55 per cent.

from their nominal figure.

[50] Mercure de France,, February 18, 1792.

[51] Already Tacitus noted some 2000 years ago that, "It is part of human nature to hate the man you have hurt." (SR.)[52] Cf. on this general attitude of the clergy, Sauzay, V. I.

and the whole of V. II. - Mercure de France, September 10, 1791: