the origins of contemporary france-4-第6章

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！



As　to　the　department　committees；　it　is　true　that；　in　the　heat　of　the

first　excitement；　they　thought　of　forming　a　new　Convention　at

Bourges；＇61＇　either　through　a　muster　of　substitute　deputies；　or

through　the　convocation　of　a　national　commission　of　one　hundred　and

seventy　members。　　But　time　is　wanting；　also　the　means；　to　carry　out

the　plan；　it　remains　suspended　in　the　air　like　vain　menace；　at　the　end

of　a　fortnight　it　vanishes　in　smoke；　the　departments　succeed　in

federating　only　in　scattered　groups；　they　desist　from　the　formation　of

a　central　government；　and　thus；　through　this　fact　alone；　condemn

themselves　to　succumb；　one　after　the　other；　in　detail；　and　each　at

home。　　　What　is　worse；　through　conscientiousness　and　patriotism；

they　prepare　their　own　defeat：　the　refrain　from　calling　upon　the

armies　and　from　stripping　the　frontiers；　they　do　not　contest　the　right

of　the　Convention　to　provide　as　it　pleases　for　the　national　defense。

Lyons　allows　the　passage　of　convoys　of　cannon…balls　which　are　to　be

subsequently　used　in　cannonading　its　defenders＇62＇。　　　The　authorities

of　Puy…de…Dome　aid　by　sending　to　Vendée　the　battalion　that　they　had

organized　against　the　〃Mountain。〃　Bordeaux　is　to　surrender　Chateau…

Trompette；　its　munitions　of　war　and　supplies；　to　the　representatives

on　mission；　and；　without　a　word；　with　exemplary　docility；　both　the

Bordeaux　battalions　which　guard　Blaye　suffer　themselves　to　be

dislodged　by　two　Jacobin　battalions。＇63＇　　Comprehending　the

insurrection　in　this　way；　defeat　is　certain　beforehand。



The　insurgents　are　thus　conscious　of　their　false　position；　they　have　a

vague　sort　of　feeling　that；　in　recognizing　the　military　authority　of

the　Convention；　they　admit　its　authority　in　full；　insensibly　they

glide　down　this　slope；　from　concession　to　concession；　until　they　reach

complete　submission。　　From　the　16th　of　June；　at　Lyons；＇64＇　〃people

begin　to　feel　that　it　ought　not　break　with　the　Convention。〃　Five　weeks

later；　the　authorities　of　Lyons　〃solemnly　recognize　that　the

Convention　is　the　sole　central　rallying　point　of　all　French　citizens

and　republicans；〃　and　decree　that　〃all　acts　emanating　from　it

concerning　the　general　interests　of　the　republic　are　to　be

executed。〃＇65＇　Consequently；　at　Lyons　and　in　other　departments；　the

administrations　convoke　the　primary　assemblies　as　the　Convention　has

prescribed；　consequently；　the　primary　assemblies　accept　the

Constitution　which　it　has　proposed；　consequently；　the　delegates　of　the

primary　assemblies　betake　themselves　to　Paris　according　to　its　orders。

　Henceforth；　the　Girondins'　cause　is　lost；　the　discharge　of　a　few

cannon　at　Vernon　and　Avignon　disperse　the　only　two　columns　of　soldiery

that　have　set　out　on　their　march。　　In　each　department；　the　Jacobins；

encouraged　by　the　representatives　on　mission；　raise　their　heads；

everywhere　the　local　club　enjoins　the　local　government　to　submit；＇66＇

everywhere　the　local　governments　report　the　acts　they　pass；　make

excuses　and　ask　forgiveness。　　Proportionately　to　the　retraction　of　one

department；　the　rest；　feeling　themselves　abandoned；　are　more　disposed

to　retract。　　On　the　9th　of　July　forty…nine　departments　are　enumerated

as　having　given　in　their　adhesion。　　Several　of　them　declare　that　the

scales　have　dropped　from　their　eyes；　that　they　approve　of　the　acts　of

May　31　and　June　2；　and　thus　ensure　their　safety　by　manifesting　their

zeal。　　The　administration　of　Calvados　notifies　the　Breton　fédérés　that

〃having　accepted　the　Constitution　it　can　no　longer　tolerate　their

presence　in　Caen；〃　it　sends　them　home；　and　secretly　makes　peace　with

the　〃Mountain；〃　and　only　informs　the　deputies；　who　are　its　guests；　of

this　proceeding；　three　days　afterwards；　by　postings　on　their　door　the

decree　that　declares　them　outlaws。



Disguised　as　soldiers；　the　latter　depart　along　with　the　Breton

fédérés；　on　the　way；　they　are　able　to　ascertain　the　veritable

sentiments　of　this　people　whom　they　believe　imbued　with　their　rights

and　capable　of　taking　a　political　initiative。＇67＇　　The　pretended

citizens　and　republicans　they　have　to　do　with　are；　in　sum；　the　former

subjects　of　Louis　XVI。　　and　the　future　subjects　of　Napoleon　I。；　that

is　to　say；　administrators　and　people；　disciplined　by　habit　and

instinctively　subordinate；　requiring　a　government　just　as　sheep

require　a　shepherd　and　a　watch…dog；　accepting　or　submitting　to

shepherd　and　dog；　provided　these　look　and　act　the　part；　even　if　the

shepherd　be　a　butcher　and　the　dog　a　wolf。　　To　avoid　isolation；　to

rejoin　the　most　numerous　herd　as　soon　as　possible；　to　always　form

masses　and　bodies　and　thus　follow　the　impulsion　which　comes　from

above；　and　gather　together　scattered　individuals；　such　is　the　instinct

of　the　flock。



In　the　battalion　of　federates；　they　begin　by　saying　that；　as　the

Constitution　is　now　accepted　and　the　convention　recognized；　it　is　no

longer　allowed　to　protect　deputies　whom　it　has　declared　outlaws：　〃that

would　be　creating　a　faction。〃　Thereupon；　the　deputies　withdraw　from

the　battalion；　and；　in　a　little　squad　by　themselves；　march　along

separately。　　As　they　are　nineteen　in　number；　resolute　and　well　armed；

the　authorities　of　the　market…towns　through　which　they　pass　make　no

opposition　by　force；　it　would　be　offering　battle；　and　that　surpasses　a

functionary's　zeal；　moreover；　the　population　is　either　indifferent

toward　them　or　sympathetic。　　Nevertheless；　efforts　are　made　to　stop

them；　sometimes　to　surround　them　and　take　them　by　surprise；　for；　a

warrant　of　arrest　is　out　against　them；　transmitted　through　the

hierarchical　channel；　and　every　local　magistrate　feels　bound　to　do　his

duty　as　gendarme。　　Under　this　administrative　network；　the　meshes　of

which　they　encounter　everywhere；　the　proscribed　deputies　can　do　naught

else　but　hide　in　caves　or　escape　by　sea。　　　On　reaching　Bordeaux；

they　find　other　sheep　getting　ready　for　the　slaughter…house。　　Saige；

the　mayor；　preaches　conciliation　and　patience：　he　declines　the　aid　of

four　or　five　thousand　young　men；　three　thousand　grenadiers　of　the

National　Guard；　and　two　or　three　hundred　volunteers　who　had　formed

themselves　into　a　club　against　the　Jacobin　club。　　He　persuades　them　to

disband；　he　sends　a　deputation　to　Paris　to　entreat　the　Convention　to

overlook　〃a　moment　of　error〃　and　pardon　their　〃brethren　who　had　gone

astray。〃　　〃They　flattered　themselves；〃　says　a　deputy；　an　eye…

witness；＇68＇　〃that　prompt　submission　would　appease　the　resentment　of

tyrants　and　that　these　would　be；　or　pretend　to　be；　generous　enough　to

spare　a　town　that　had　distinguished　itself　more　than　any　other　during

the　Revolution。〃　Up　to　the　last；　they　are　to　entertain　the　same

illusions　and　manifest　the　same　docility。　　When　Tallien；　with　his

eighteen　hundred　peasants　and　brigands；　enters　Bordeaux；　twelve

thousand　National　Guards；　equipped；　armed　and　in　uniform；　receive　him

wearing　oak…leaf　crowns；　they　listen　in　silence　to　〃his　astounding　and

outrageous　discourse；〃　they　suffer　him　to　tear　off　their　crowns；

cockades　and　epaulettes；　the　battalions　allow　themselves　to　be

disbanded　on　the　spot；　on　returning　to　their　quarters　they　listen　with

downcast　eyes　to　the　proclamation　which　〃orders　all　inhabitants

without　distinction　to　bring　their　arms　within　thirty…six　hours；　under

the　penalty　of　death；　to　the　glacis　of　the　Chateau…Trompette；　before

the　time　elapses　thirty　thousand　guns；　swords；　pistols　and　even

pocket…knives　are　given　up。〃



Here；　as　at　Paris；　on　the　20th　of　June；　10th　of　August；　2nd　of

September；　3rd　of　May　and　2nd　of　June；　as　at　every　critical　moment　of

the　Revolution　in　Paris　and　the　provinces；　habits　of　subordination　and

of　amiability；　stamped　on　a　people　by　a　provident　monarchy　and　a　time…

honored　civilization；　have　blunted　in　man　the　foresight　of　danger；　his

aggressive　instinct；　his　independence　and　the　faculty　of　depending

upon　himself　only；　the　willingness　to　help　one　another　and　of　saving

himself。　　Inevitably；　when　anarchy　brings　a　nation　back　to　the　state

of　nature；　the　tame　animals　will　be　eaten　by　the　savage　ones；　　these

are　now　let　loose　and　immediately　they　show　their　true　nature。







VIII。　　The　Reasons　for　the　Terror。



The　last　local　resistance。　　　Political　orthodoxy　of　the　insurgent

towns。　　　They　stipulate　but　one　condition。　　　Reasons　of　State　for

granting　this。　　　Party　arguments　against　it。



If　the　men　of　the　〃Mountain〃　had　been　statesmen；　or　even　sensible　men；

they　would　have　shown　themselves　humane；　if　not　for　the　sake　of

humanity；　at　least　through　calculation；　for　in　this　France；　so　little

republican；　all　the　republican　strength　is　not　too　great　for　the

founding　of　the　Republic；　while；　through　their　principles；　their

culture；　their　social　position　and　their　number；　the　Girondins　form

the　élite　and　the　force；　the　flower　and　the　sap　of　the　party。　　　The

death…cry　of　the　〃Mountain〃　against　the　insurgents　of　Lozére＇69＇　and

Vendée　can　be　understood：　they　had　raised　the　king's　white　flag；　they

accepted　leaders　and　instructions　from　Coblentz　and　London。　　But

neither　Bordeaux；　Marseilles　nor　Lyons　are　royalist；　or　in　alliance

with　the　foreigner。



　〃We；　rebels！〃　write　the　Lyonnese；＇70＇　〃Why　we　see　no　other　than　the

tri…color　flag　waving；　the　white　cockade；　the　symbol　of　rebellion；　has

never　been　raised　within　our　walls。　　We；　royalists！　Why；　shouts　of

'Long　live　the　Republic'　are　heard　on　all　sides；　and；　spontaneously

（in　the　session　of　July　2nd）　we　have　all　sworn　to　fall　upon　whoever

should　propose　a　king。　　。　　。　　。　　Your　representatives　tell　you　that　we

are　anti…revolutionaries；　we　who　have　accepted　the　Constitution。　　They

tell　you　that　we　protect　émigrés　when　we　have　offered　to　surrender　all

those　that　you　might　indicate。　　They　tell　you　that　our　streets　are

filled　with　refractory　priests；　when　we　have　not　even　opened　the　doors

of　Pierre…en…Cize　（prison）　to　the　thirty…two　priests　confined　there　by

the　old　municipality；　without　indictment；　without　any　charge　whatever

against　them；　solely　because　they　were　priests。〃



Thus；　at　Lyons；　the　pretended　aristocrats　were；　then；　not　only

republicans　but　democrats　and　radicals；　loyal　to　the　established

régime；　and　submissive　to　the　worst　of　the　revolutionary　laws；　while

the　same　state　of　things　prevailed　at　Bordeaux；　at　Marseilles　and　even

at　Toulon。＇71＇　And　furthermore；　they　accepted　the　outrages　of　May　31

and　June　2；＇72＇　they　stopped　contesting　the　usurpations　of　Paris；　they

no　longer　insisted　on　the　return　of　the　excluded　deputies。　　On　the　2nd

of　August　at　Bordeaux；　and　the　30th　of　July　at　Lyons；　the　Committee…

Extraordinary　of　Public　Safety　resigned；　there　no　longer　existed　any

rival　assembly　opposed　to　the　Convention。　　After　the　24th　of　July；＇73＇

Lyons　solemnly　recognized　the　supreme　and　central　authority；　reserving

nothing　but　its　municipal　franchises。　　…　And　better　still；　in　striking

testimony　of　political　orthodoxy；　the　Council…General　of　the

department　prescribed　a　civic　festiva