the origins of contemporary france-2-第38章

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new　law　which　announces　to　him　his　freedom。



In　the　face　of　these　unexpected　trammels　the　peasant　becomes

furious：　His　fixed　idea；　from　the　outbreak　of　the　Revolution；　is

that　he　no　longer　owes　anything　to　anybody；　and；　among　the　speeches；

decrees；　proclamations；　and　instructions　which　rumor　brings　to　his

ears；　he　comprehends　but　one　phrase；　and　is　determined　to　comprehend

no　other；　and　that　is；　that　henceforth　his　obligations　are　removed。

He　does　not　swerve　from　this；　and　since　the　law　hinders；　instead　of

aiding　him；　he　will　break　the　law。　　In　fact；　after　the　4th　of

August；　1789；　feudal　dues　cease　to　be　collected。　　The　claims　which

are　maintained　are　not　enforced　any　more　than　those　which　are

suppressed。　　Whole　communities　come　and　give　notice　to　the　lord　of

the　manor　that　they　will　not　pay　any　more　rent。　　Others；　with　sword

in　hand；　compel　him　to　give　them　acquittances。　　Others　again；　to　be

more　secure；　break　open　his　safe；　and　throw　his　title…deeds　into　the

fire。＇24＇　　Public　force　is　nowhere　strong　enough　to　protect　him　in

his　legal　rights。　　Officers　dare　not　serve　writs；　the　courts　dare

not　give　judgment；　administrative　bodies　dare　not　decree　in　his

favor。　　He　is　despoiled　through　the　connivance；　the　neglect；　or　the

impotence　of　all　the　authorities　which　ought　to　defend　him。　　He　is

abandoned　to　the　peasants　who　fell　his　forests；　under　the　pretext

that　they　formerly　belonged　to　the　commune；　who　take　possession　of

his　mill；　his　wine…press；　and　his　oven；　under　the　pretext　that

territorial　privileges　are　suppressed。＇25＇　Most　of　the　gentry　of　the

provinces　are　ruined；　without　any　resource；　and　have　not　even　their

daily　bread；　for　their　income　consisted　in　seignorial　rights；　and　in

rents　derived　from　their　real　property；　which　they　had　let　on

perpetual　leases；　and　now；　in　accordance　with　the　law；　one…half　of

this　income　ceases　to　be　paid；　while　the　other　half　ceases　to　be

paid　in　spite　of　the　law。　　One　hundred　and　twenty…three　millions　of

revenue；　representing　two　thousand　millions　and　a　half　of　capital　in

the　money　of　that　time；　double；　at　least；　that　of　the　present　day；

thus　passes　as　a　gift；　or　through　the　toleration　of　the　National

Assembly；　from　the　hands　of　creditors　into　those　of　their　debtors。

To　this　must　be　added　an　equal　sum　for　revenue　and　capital　arising

from　the　tithes　which　are　suppressed　without　compensation；　and　by

the　same　stroke。　　　　This　is　the　commencement　of　the　great

revolutionary　operation；　that　is　to　say；　of　the　universal　bankruptcy

which；　directly　or　indirectly；　is　to　destroy　all　contracts；　and

abolish　all　debts　in　France。　　Violations　of　property；　especially　of

private　property；　cannot　be　made　with　impunity。　　The　Assembly

desired　to　lop　off　only　the　feudal　branch；　but；　in　admitting　that

the　State　can　annul；　without　compensation；　the　obligations　which　it

has　guaranteed；　it　put　the　ax　to　the　root　of　the　tree；　and　other

rougher　hands　are　already　driving　it　in　up　to　the　haft。



Nothing　now　remains　to　the　noble　but　his　title；　his　territorial

name；　and　his　armorial　bearings；　which　are　innocent　distinctions；

since　they　no　longer　confer　any　jurisdiction　or　pre…eminence　upon

him；　and　which；　as　the　law　ceases　to　protect　him；　the　first　comer

may　borrow　with　impunity。　　Not　only；　moreover；　do　they　do　no　harm；

but　they　are　even　worthy　of　respect。　　With　many　of　the　nobles　the

title　of　the　estate　covers　the　family　name；　the　former　alone　being

made　use　of。　　If　one　were　substituted　for　the　other；　the　public

would　have　difficulty　in　discovering　M。　　de　Mirabeau；　Lafayette；　and

M。　　de　Moutmorency；　under　the　new　names　Riquetti；　M。　　Mottié；　and　M。

Bouchard。　　Besides；　it　would　be　wrong　to　the　bearer　of　it；　to　whom

the　abolished　title　is　a　legitimate　possession；　often　precious；　it

being　a　certificate　of　quality　and　descent；　an　authentic　personal

distinction　of　which　he　cannot　be　deprived　without　losing　his

position；　rank；　and　worth；　in　the　human　world　around　him。　　　　The

Assembly；　however；　with　a　popular　principle　at　stake；　gives　no　heed

to　public　utility；　nor　to　the　rights　of　individuals。　　The　feudal

system　being　abolished；　all　that　remains　of　it　must　be　got　rid　of。

A　decree　is　passed　that　〃hereditary　nobility　is　offensive　to　reason

and　to　true　liberty；〃　that；　where　it　exists；　〃there　is　no　political

equality。〃＇26＇　Every　French　citizen　is　forbidden　to　assume　or　retain

the　titles　of　prince；　duke；　count；　marquis；　chevalier；　and　the　like；

and　to　bear　any　other　than　the　〃true　name　of　his　family；〃　he　is

prohibited　from　making　his　servants　wear　liveries；　and　from　having

coats…of…arms　on　his　house　or　on　his　carriage。　　In　case　of　any

infraction　of　this　law　a　penalty　is　inflicted　upon　him　equal　to　six

times　the　sum　of　his　personal　taxes；　he　is　to　be　struck　off　the

register　of　citizens；　and　declared　incapable　of　holding　any　civil　or

military　office。　　There　is　the　same　punishment　if　to　any　contract　or

acquittance　he　affixes　his　accustomed　signature；　if；　through　habit

or　inadvertence；　he　adds　the　title　of　his　estate　to　his　family　name

　　　if；　with　a　view　to　recognition；　and　to　render　his　identity

certain；　he　merely　mentions　that　he　once　bore　the　former　name。　　Any

notary　or　public　officer　who　shall　write；　or　allow　to　be　written；　in

any　document　the　word　ci…devant　（formerly）　is　to　be　suspended　from

his　functions。　　Not　only　are　old　names　thus　abolished；　but　an　effort

is　made　to　efface　all　remembrance　of　them。　　In　a　little　while；　the

childish　law　will　become　a　murderous　one。　　It　will　be　but　a　little

while　and；　according　to　the　terms　of　this　same　decree；　a　military

veteran　of　seventy…seven　years；　a　loyal　servant　of　the　Republic；　and

a　brigadier…general　under　the　Convention；　will　be　arrested　on

returning　to　his　native　village；　because　he　has　mechanically　signed

the　register　of　the　revolutionary　committee　as　Montperreux　instead

of　Vannod；　and；　for　this　infraction；　he　will　be　guillotined　along

with　his　brother　and　his　sister…in…law。＇27＇



Once　on　this　road；　it　is　impossible　to　stop；　for　the　principles

which　are　proclaimed　go　beyond　the　decrees　which　are　passed；　and　a

bad　law　introduces　a　worse。　　The　Constituent　Assembly＇28＇　had

supposed　that　annual　dues；　like　ground…rents；　and　contingent　dues；

like　feudal　duties　（lods　et　rentes）；　were　the　price　of　an　ancient

concession　of　land；　and；　consequently；　the　proof　to　the　contrary　is

to　be　thrown　upon　the　tenant。　　The　Legislative　Assembly　is　about　to

assume　that　these　same　rentals　are　the　result　of　an　old　feudal

usurpation；　and　that；　consequently；　the　proof　to　the　contrary　must

rest　with　the　proprietor。　　His　rights　cannot　be　established　by

possession　from　time　immemorial；　nor　by　innumerable　and　regular

acquittances；　he　must　produce　the　act　of　enfeoffment　which　is　many

centuries　old；　the　lease　which　has　never；　perhaps；　been　written　out；

the　primitive　title　already　rare　in　1720；＇29＇　and　since　stolen　or

burnt　in　the　recent　jacqueries：　otherwise　he　is　despoiled　without

indemnity。　　All　feudal　claims　are　swept　away　by　this　act　without

exception　and　without　compensation。



In　a　similar　manner；　the　Constituent　Assembly；　setting　common　law

aside　in　relation　to　inheritances　ab　intestato；　had　deprived　all

eldest　sons　and　males　of　any　advantages。＇30＇　　The　Convention；

suppressing　the　freedom　of　testamentary　bequest；　prohibits　the

father　from　disposing　of　more　than　one…tenth　of　his　possessions；　and

again；　going　back　to　the　past；　it　makes　its　decrees　retrospective：

every　will　opened　after　the　14th　of　July；　1789；　is　declared　invalid

if　not　in　conformity　with　this　decree；　every　succession　from　the

14th　of　June；　1789；　which　is　administered　after　the　same　date；　is

re…divided　if　the　division　has　not　been　equal；　every　donation　which

has　been　made　among　the　heirs　after　the　same　date　is　void。　　Not　only

is　the　feudal　family　destroyed　in　this　way；　but　it　must　never　be

reformed。　　The　aristocracy；　being　once　declared　a　venomous　plant；　it

is　not　sufficient　to　prime　it　away；　but　it　must　be　extirpated；　not

only　dug　up　by　the　root；　but　its　seed　must　be　crushed　out。　　　　A

malignant　prejudice　is　aroused　against　it；　and　this　grows　from　day

to　day。　　The　stings　of　self…conceit；　the　disappointments　of

ambition；　and　envious　sentiments　have　prepared　the　way。　　Its　hard；

dry　kernel　consists　of　the　abstract　idea　of　equality。　　All　around

revolutionary　fervor　has　caused　blood　to　flow；　has　embittered

tempers；　intensified　sensibilities；　and　created　a　painful　abscess

which　daily　irritation　renders　still　more　painful。　　Through　steadily

brooding　over　a　purely　speculative　preference　this　has　become　a

fixed　idea；　and　is　becoming　a　murderous　one。　　It　is　a　strange

passion；　one　wholly　of　the　brains；　nourished　by　magniloquent

phrases；　but　the　more　destructive；　because　phantoms　are　created　out

of　words；　and　against　phantoms　no　reasoning　nor　actual　facts　can

prevail。　　This　or　that　shopkeeper　who；　up　to　this　time；　had　always

formed　his　idea　of　nobles　from　his　impressions　of　the　members　of　the

Parliament　of　his　town　or　of　the　gentry　of　his　canton；　now　pictures

them　according　to　the　declamations　of　the　club　and　the　invectives　of

the　newspapers。　　The　imaginary　figure；　in　his　mind；　has　gradually

absorbed　the　living　figure：　he　no　longer　sees　the　calm　and　engaging

countenance；　but　a　grinning　and　distorted　mask。　　Kindliness　or

indifference　is　replaced　by　animosity　and　distrust；　they　are

overthrown　tyrants；　ancient　evil…doers；　And　enemies　of　the　public；

he　is　satisfied　beforehand　and　without　further　investigation　that

they　are　hatching　plots。　　If　they　avoid　being　caught；　it　is　owing　to

their　address　and　perfidy；　and　they　are　only　the　more　dangerous　the

more　inoffensive　they　appear。　　Their　sub…mission　is　merely　a　feint；

their　resignation　hypocrisy；　their　favorable　disposition；　treachery。

Against　these　conspirators　who　cannot　be　touched　the　law　is

inadequate；　let　us　stretch　it　in　practice；　and　as　they　wince　at

equality　let　us　try　to　make　them　bow　beneath　the　yoke。



In　fact；　illegal　persecution　precedes　legal　prosecution　；　the

privileged　person　who；　by　the　late　decrees；　seems　merely　to　be

brought　within　the　pale　of　the　common　law；　is；　in　fact；　driven

outside　of　it。　　The　King；　disarmed；　is　no　longer　able　to　protect

him；　the　partial　Assembly　repels　his　complaints　；　the　committee　of

inquiry　regards　him　as　a　culprit　when　he　is　simply　oppressed。　　His

income；　his　property；　his　repose；　his　freedom；　his　home；　his　life；

that　of　his　wife　and　of　his　children；　are　in　the　hands　of　an

administration　elected　by　the　crowd；　directed　by　clubs；　and

threatened　or　violated　by　the　mob。　　He　is　debarred　from　the

elections。　　The　newspapers　denounce　him。　　He　undergoes　domiciliary

visits。　　In　hundreds　of　places　his　chateau　is　sacked；　the　assassins

and　incendiaries　who　depart　from　it　with　their　hands　full　and

steeped　in　blood　are　not　prosecuted；　or　are　shielded　by　an

amnesty：＇31＇　it　is　established　by　innumerable　precedents　t