[104] "Un Sejour en France," 158, 171. - Manuscript journal of Mallet du Pan (January, 1795).- Cf. his letters to the convention, the jokes of jailors and sbirri, for instance. - (Moniteur, XVIII., 214, Brumaire I, year II.) - Lacretelle, "Dix Années d'Epreuves," 178. "He ordered that everybody should dance in his fief of Picardy. They danced even in prison. Whoever did not dance was "suspect." He insisted on a rigid observance of the fêtes in honor of Reason, and that everybody should visit the temple of the Goddess each decadi, which was the cathedral (at Noyon). Ladies, bourgeoises, seamstresses, and cooks, were required to form what was called the chain of Equality. We dragoons were forced to be performers in this strange ballet."[105] De Martel, "Fouché," 418. (Orders of Albitte and Collot, Niv?se 13, year II.)[106] Camille Boursier, " Essai sur la Terreur en Anjou," 225. Letter of Vacheron, Frimaire 15, year II.) "Republiquain, it is absolutely necessary, immediately, that you have sent or brought into the house of the representatives, a lot of red wine, of which the consumption is greater than ever. People have a right to drink to the Republic when they have helped to preserve the commune you and yours live in. Ihold you responsible for my demand." Signed, le republiquain, Vacheron."[107] Ibid., 210. Deposition of Madame Edin, apropos of Quesnoy, a prostitute, aged twenty-six, Brumaire 12, year III.; and of Rose, another prostitute. Similar depositions by Benaben and Scotty.
[108] Dauban, "La Demagogie en 1793," p.369. (Extracts from the unpublished memoirs of Mercier de Rocher.) - Ibid., 370. "Bourdon de l'Oise had lived with Tuncq at Chantonney, where they kept busy emptying bottles of fine wine. Bourdon is an excellent patriot, a man of sensibility, but, in his fits of intoxication, he gives himself up to impracticable views. "Let those rascally administrators," he says, "be arrested!" Then, going to the window, - he heard a runaway horse galloping in the street- "That's another anti-revolutionary! Let 'em all be arrested!" - Cf. "Souvenirs," by General Pélleport, p.21.
At Perpignan, he attended the fête of Reason. "The General in command of the post made an impudent speech, even to the most repulsive cynicisim. Some prostitutes, well known to this wretch, filled one of the tribunes; they waved their handkerchiefs and shouted " Vive la Raison! " After listening to similar harangues by representatives Soubrang and Michaud, Pélleport, although half cured (of his wound)returns to camp: "I could not breathe freely in town, and did not think that I was safe until facing the enemy along with my comrades."[109] Archives des Affaires étrangères, vol.332; correspondence of secret agents, October, 1793. "Citizen Cusset, representative of the people, shows no dignity in his mission; he drinks like a Lapithe, and when intoxicated commits the arbitrary acts of a vizier." For the style and orthography of Cusset, see one of his letters. (Dauban, "Paris en 1794," p 14.) - Berryat St. Prix, "La Justice Révolutionnaire," (2nd ed.) 339.
[110] Ibid., 371. (According to "Piecès et Documents" published by M.
Fajon.) - Moniteur, XXIV., 453. (Session of Floréal 24, year III.)Address of the commune of Saint-Jean du Gard. - XXI., 528. (Session of Fructidor 2, year III.) Address of the Popular club of N?mes.
[111] Moniteur, XXIV., 602. (Session of Prairial 13, year III.) Report of Durand Meillan: "This denunciation is only too well supported by documents. It is for the convention to say whether it will hear them read. I have to state beforehand that it can hear nothing more repulsive nor better authenticated."- De Martel, "Fouché, 246.
(Report of the constituted authorities of la Nièvre on the missions of Collot d'Herbois, Laplanche, Fouché and Pointe, Prairial 19, year III.) Laplanche, a former Benedictine, is the most foul-mouthed." In his speech to the people of Moulins-Engelbert, St. Pierre-le-Montier, and Nevers, Laplanche asked girls to surrender themselves and let modesty go. "Beget children," he exclaims, "the Republic needs them.
continence is the virtue of fools." Bibliotheque Nationale, Lb. 41, No. 1802. (Denunciation, by the six sections of the Dijon commune to the convention, of Leonard Bourdon and Piochefer Bernard de Saintes, during their mission in C?te-d'Or.) Details on the orgies of Bernard with the municipality, and on the drunkenness and debaucheries of Bourdon with the riff-raff~ of the country; authentic documents proving the robberies and assassinations committed by Bernard. He pillaged the house of M. Micault, and, in four hours, had this person arrested, tried and guillotined; he attended the execution himself, and that evening, in the dead man's house, danced and sang before his daughter with his acolytes.
[112] "Souvenirs," by General Pélleport, p.8. He, with his battalion, is inspected in the Place du Capitale, at Toulouse, by the representative on mission. "It seems as if I can still see that charlatan: He shook his ugly plumed head and dragged along his saber like a merry soldier, wishing to appear brave. It made me feel sad."[113] Fervel, "Campagnes des Fran?ais dans les Pyrenees Orientals,"I., 169. (October, 1793.) - Ibid., 201, 206. - Cf. 188. Plan of Fabre for seizing Roses and Figuières, with eight thousand men, without provisions or transports. "Fortune is on the side of fools,"he said. Naturally the scheme fails. Collioure is lost, and disasters accumulate. As an offset to this the worthy general Dagobert is removed. Commandant Delatre and chief-of-staff Ramel are guillotined. In the face of the impracticable orders of the representatives the commandant of artillery commits suicide. On the devotion of the officers and enthusiasm of the troops, Ibid., 105, 106, 130, 131, 162.