书城公版The Origins of Contemporary France
19097600000507

第507章

"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, and "the next day the same king betrayed, calumniated, and disgraced the people!"Manuel's rigmarole surpasses all that can be imagined. "After this there arises in the panelings of the Louvre, at the confluence of the civil list, another channel, which leads through the shades below to Pétion's dungeon. . . The department, in dealing a blow at the municipality, explains how, at the banquet of the Law, it represents the Law in the form of a crocodile, etc."[13] Moniteur, XIII. 93 (session of July 9); -- 27 (session of July 2).

[14] Moniteur, XII. 751 (session of June 24); XIII.33 (session of July 3).

[15] Moniteur, XIII. 224 (session of July 23). Two unsworn priests had just been massacred at Bordeaux and their heads carried through the streets on pikes. Ducos adds: "Since the executive power has put its veto on laws repressing fanaticism, popular executions begin to be repeated. If the courts do not render justice, etc." -- Ibid., XIII.

301 (session of July 31).

[16] Moniteur, XIII. 72 (session of July 7). The king's speech to the Assembly after the Lamourette kiss. "I confess to you, M. President, that I was very anxious for the deputation to arrive, that I might hasten to the Assembly."[17] Moniteur, XIII. 313 (session of Aug. 3). The declaration read in the king's name must be weighed sentence by sentence; it sums up his conduct with perfect exactness and thus ends: "What are personal dangers to a king, from whom they would take the love of his people?

This is what affects me most. The day will come, perhaps, when the people will know how much I prize its welfare, how much this has always been my concern and my first need. What sorrows would disappear at the slightest sign of its return!"[18] Moniteur, XIII. 33, 56 bis 85, 97 (sessions of July 3, 5, 6 and 9).

[19] Moniteur, XIII. 26, 170, 273 (sessions of July 12, 17, 28). -Mortimer-Ternaux, II. 122 (session of July 23): Addresses of the municipal council of Marseilles, of the federates, of the Angers petitioners, of the Charente volunteers, etc. "A hereditary monarchy is opposed to the Rights of Man. Pass the act of dethronement and France is saved. . . Be brave, let the sword of the law fall on a perjured functionary and conspirator! Lafayette is the most contemptible, the guiltiest, . . . the most infamous of the assassins of the people," etc.

[20] Mortimer-Ternaux, II. 126. -- Bertrand de Molleville, III. 294.

[21] Moniteur, XIII. 325 (session of Aug. 3).

[22] Moniteur, XII. 738; XII. 340.

[23] Moniteur, XIII. 170, 171, 187, 208, 335 (sessions of July 17, 18, and 23, and Aug. 5).

[24] Moniteur, XIII. 187 (session of July 18). "The galleries applaud.