书城公版The Origins of Contemporary France
19097600000797

第797章

43. (Amiens, September, 1792.) "Ladies in the street who are well-dressed or wear colors that the people regard as aristocratic are commonly insulted. I, myself, have been almost knocked down for wearing a straw hat trimmed with green ribbons." - Nolhac, "Souvenirs de Trois Années de la Révolution at Lyons," p.132. "It was announced that whoever had two coats was to fetch one of them to the Section, so as to clothe some good republican and ensure the reign of equality."[93] Buchez et Roux, XXVI., 455. (Speech by Robespierre, in the Jacobin club, May 10, 1793.): "The rich cherish hopes for an anti-revolution; it is only the wretched, only the people who can save the country." - Ibid., XXX. (Report by Robespierre to the Convention, December 25, 1793.): "Virtue is the appanage of the unfortunate and the people's patrimony." - Archives Nationales, AF.,II., 72. (Letter of the municipality of Montauban, Vendémiaire 23, year IV.) Many workmen in the manufactories have been perverted "by excited demagogues and club orators who have always held out to them equality of fortunes and presented the Revolution as the prey of the class they called sans-culottes . . . . The law of the 'maximum,' at first tolerably well carried out, the humiliation of the rich, the confiscation of the immense possessions of the rich, seemed to be the realization of these fine promises."[94] Archives Nationales, F.7, 4421. Petition of Madeleine Patris. -Petition of Quétrent Cogniér, weaver, "sans-culotte, and one of the first members of the Troyes national guard." - (The Style and orthography of the most barbarous kind.)[95] bid., AF., II. 135. (Extract from the deliberations of the Revolutionary Committee of the commune of Strasbourg, list of prisoners and reasons for arresting them.) At Obersch?ffolsheim, two farmers "because they are two of the richest private persons in the commune." - "Recueil de Pieces, etc.," I.. 225. (Declaration by Welcher, revolutionary commissioner). "I, the undersigned, declare that, on the orders of citizen Clauer, commissioner of the canton, Ihave surrendered at Strasbourg seven of the richest in Obersh?ffolsheim without knowing why." Four of the seven were guillotined.

[96] Buchez et Roux, XXVI., 341. (Speech by Chasles in the Convention, May 2, 1793.)[97] Moniteur, XVIII., 452. (Speech by Hébert in the Jacobin club, Brumaire 26.)-Schmidt, "Tableaux de la Révolution Fran?aise," 19.

(Reports of Dutard, June II. - Archives Nationales. F7., 31167.

(Report of the Pourvoyeur, Niv?se 6, year II.) "The people complain (se plain) that there are still some conspirators in the interior, such as butchers and bakers, but particularly the former, who are (son) an intolerable aristocracy. They (il) will sell no more meat, etc. It is frightful to see what they (il) give the people."[98] "Recueil de Police," etc., I., 69 and 91. At Strasbourg a number of women of the lower class are imprisoned as "aristocrats and fanatics," with no other alleged motive. The following are their occupations: dressmaker, upholsteress, housewife, midwife, baker, wives of coffee-house keepers, tailors, potters and chimney-sweeps. -Ibid., II., 216. "Ursule Rath, servant to an émigré arrested for the purpose of knowing what her master had concealed. . . . Marie Faber, on suspicion of having served in a priest's house." - Archives Nationales, AF., II., 135. (List of the occupations of the suspected women detained in the cells of the National college.) Most of them are imprisoned for being either mothers, sisters, wives or daughters of émigrés or exiled priests, and many are the wives of shopkeepers or mechanics. One, a professional nurse, is an "aristocrat and fanatic."(Another list describes the men); a cooper as "aristocrat;" a tripe-seller as "very incivique, never having shown any attachment to the Revolution;" a mason has never shown "patriotism," a shoemaker is aristocrat at all times, having accepted a porter's place under the tyrant;" four foresters "do not entertain patriotic sentiments," etc.

- "Recueil de Pièces, etc.," II., 220. Citoyenne Genet, aged 75, and her daughter, aged 44, are accused of having sent, May 22, 1792, thirty-six francs in silver to the former's son, an émigré and were guillotined. - Cf. Sauzay, vols. III., IV., and V. (appendices), lists of émigrés and prisoners in Doubs, where titles and professions, with motives for confining them, will be found. - At Paris, even (Archives Nationales, F.7, 31167. report of Latour-Lamontagne, September 20, 1793), aversion to the government descends very low.

"Three women (market-women) all agree on one point-the necessity of a new order of things. They complain of the authorities without exception. . . . If the King is not on their lips, it is much to be feared that he is already in their hearts. A woman in the Faubourg St. Antoine, said: If our husbands made the Revolution we know how to make a counter-revolution if that should be necessary."[99] See above ch. V., § 4. - Archives Nationales, F.7, 4435, No.

10. (Letter of Collot d'Herbois to Couthon, Frimaire 11, year II.)[100] Archives des Affaires étrangères, vol.331. (Letter of Bertrand, N?mes, Frimaire 3.) "We are sorry to see patriots here not very delicate in the way they cause arrests, in ascertaining who are criminal, and the precious class of craftsmen is no exception."[101] Berryat Saint-Prix, "La Justice Révolutionnaire," 1st ed., p.229.

[102] "Un Séjour en France," p. 186. "I notice that most of the arrests now made are farmers." (In consequence of the requisitions for grain, and on account of the applications of the law of the maximum.)[103] "Bulletin du Tribunal Révolutionnaire," No.431. (Testimony of Tontin, secretary of the court.) Twelve hundred of these poor creatures were set free after Thermidor 9.

[104] Moniteur, session of June 29, 1797. (Report of Luminais.)??Danican, "Les Brigands Démasqués," p. 194.

[105] Meillan, "Mémoires, p. 166.