the origins of contemporary france-2-第4章

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sufficiently　lax；　put　themselves　at　the　head　of　four　or　five　hundred

men；　go　off　each　day　to　three　or　four　villages。　　Here　they　force

everybody　who　has　any　wheat　to　give　it　to　them　at　24　livres；〃　and

even　at　18　livres；　the　sack。　　Those　among　the　band；　who　say　that

they　have　no　money；　carry　away　their　portion　without　payment。

Others；　after　having　paid　what　they　please；　re…sell　at　a　profit；

which　amounts　to　even　45　livres　the　sack。　　This　is　a　good　business；

and　one　in　which　greed　takes　poverty　for　its　accomplice。　　At　the

next　harvest　the　temptation　will　be　similar：　〃they　have　threatened

to　come　and　do　our　harvesting　for　us；　and　also　to　take　our　cattle

and　sell　the　meat　in　the　villages　at　the　rate　of　two　sous　the

pound。〃　　In　every　important　insurrection　there　are　similar　evil…

does　and　vagabonds；　enemies　to　the　law；　savage；　prowling

desperadoes；　who；　like　wolves；　roam　about　wherever　they　scent　a

prey。　　It　is　they　who　serve　as　the　directors　and　executioners　of

public　or　private　malice。　　Near　Uzès　twenty…five　masked　men；　with

guns　and　clubs；　enter　the　house　of　a　notary；　fire　a　pistol　at　him；

beat　him；　wreck　the　premises；　and　burn　his　registers　along　with　the

title…deeds　and　papers　which　be　has　in　keeping　for　the　Count　de

Rouvres。　　Seven　of　them　are　arrested；　but　the　people　are　on　their

side；　and　fall　on　the　constabulary　and　free　them。＇24＇　　　They　are

known　by　their　acts；　by　their　love　of　destruction　for　the　sake　of

destruction；　by　their　foreign　accent；　by　their　savage　faces　and

their　rags。　　Some　of　them　come　from　Paris　to　Rouen；　and；　for　four

days；　the　town　is　at　their　mercy。＇25＇　　The　stores　are　forced　open；

train　wagons　are　discharged；　wheat　is　wasted；　and　convents　and

seminaries　are　put　to　ransom。　　They　invade　the　dwelling　of　the

attorney…general；　who　has　begun　proceedings　against　them；　and　want

to　tear　him　to　pieces。　　They　break　his　mirrors　and　his　furniture；

leave　the　premises　laden　with　booty；　and　go　into　the　town　and　its

outskirts　to　pillage　the　manufactories　and　break　up　or　burn　all　the

machinery。　　　Henceforth　these　constitute　the　new　leaders：　for　in

every　mob　it　is　the　boldest　and　least　scrupulous　who　march　ahead　and

set　the　example　in　destruction。　　The　example　is　contagious：　the

beginning　was　the　craving　for　bread；　the　end　is　murder　and　arson；

the　savagery　which　is　unchained　adding　its　unlimited　violence　to　the

limited　revolt　of　necessity。





V。



Effect　on　the　Population　of　the　New　Ideas。



Bad　as　it　is；　this　savagery　might；　perhaps；　have　been　overcome；　in

spite　of　the　dearth　and　of　the　brigands；　but　what　renders　it

irresistible　is　the　belief　of　its　being　authorized；　and　that　by

those　whose　duty　it　is　to　repress　it。　　Here　and　there　words　and

actions　of　a　brutal　frankness　break　forth；　and　reveal　beyond　the

somber　present　a　more　threatening　future　　After　the　9th　of

January；　1789；　among　the　mob　which　attacks　the　H？tel…de…Ville　and

besieges　the　bakers'　shops　of　Nantes；　〃shouts　of　Vive　la

Liberté！＇26＇　。mingled　with　those　of　Vive　le　Roi！　are　heard。〃　A　few

months　later；　around　Plo？rmel；　the　peasants　refuse　to　pay　tithes；

alleging　that　the　memorial　of　their　seneschal's　court　demands　their

abolition。　　In　Alsace；　after　March；　there　is　the　same　refusal　〃in

many　places；〃　many　of　the　communities　even　maintain　that　they　will

pay　no　more　taxes　until　their　deputies　to　the　States…General　shall

have　fixed　the　precise　amount　of　the　public　contributions。　　In　Isère

it　is　decided；　by　proceedings；　printed　and　published；　that　〃personal

dues〃　shall　no　longer　be　paid；　while　the　landowners　who　are　affected

by　this　dare　not　prosecute　in　the　tribunals。　　At　Lyons；　the　people

have　come　to　the　conclusion　〃that　all　levies　of　taxes　are　to　cease；〃

and；　on　the　29th　of　June；　on　hearing　of　the　meeting　of　the　three

orders；　〃astonished　by　the　illuminations　and　signs　of　public

rejoicing；〃　they　believe　that　the　good　time　has　come。〃　They　think　of

forcing　the　delivery　of　meat　to　them　at　four　sous　the　pound；　and

wine　at　the　same　rate。　　The　publicans　insinuate　to　them　the

prospective　abolition　of　octrois。＇27＇　　and　that；　meanwhile；　the

King；　in　favor　of　the　re…assembling　of　the　three　orders；　has　granted

three　days'　freedom　from　all　duties　at　Paris；　and　that　Lyons　ought

to　enjoy　the　same　privilege。〃　Upon　this　the　crowd；　rushing　off　to

the　barriers；　to　the　gates　of　Sainte…Claire　and　Perrache；　and　to　the

Guillotière　bridge；　burn　or　demolish　the　bureaux；　destroy　the

registers；　sack　the　lodgings　of　the　clerks；　carry　off　the　money　and

pillage　the　wine　on　hand　in　the　depot。　　　In　the　mean　time　a　rumor

has　circulated　all　round　through　the　country　that　there　is　free

entrance　into　the　town　for　all　provisions。　　During　the　following

days　the　peasantry　stream　in　with　enormous　files　of　wagons　loaded

with　wine　and　drawn　by　several　oxen；　so　that；　in　spite　of　the　re…

established　guard；　it　is　necessary　to　let　them　enter　all　day　without

paying　the　dues。　　It　is　only　on　the　7th　of　July　that　these　can　again

be　collected。　　　The　same　thing　occurs　in　the　southern　provinces；

where　the　principal　imposts　are　levied　on　provisions。　　There　also

the　collections　are　suspended　in　the　name　of　public　authority。　　At

Agde；＇28＇　〃the　people；　considering　the　so…called　will　of　the　King　as

to　equality　of　classes；　are　foolish　enough　to　think　that　they　are

everything　and　can　do　everything。〃　Thus　do　they　interpret　in　their

own　way　and　in　their　own　terms　the　double　representation　accorded　to

the　Third…Estate。　　They　threaten　the　town；　consequently；　with

general　pillage　if　the　prices　of　all　provisions　are　not　reduced；　and

if　the　duties　of　the　province　on　wine；　fish；　and　meat　are　not

suppressed。　　They　also　wish　to　nominate　consuls　who　have　sprung　up

out　of　their　body。〃　The　bishop；　the　lord　of　the　manor；　the　mayor　and

the　notables；　against　whom　they　forcibly　stir　up　the　peasantry　in

the　country；　are　obliged　to　proclaim　by　sound　of　trumpet　that　their

demands　shall　be　granted。　　Three　days　afterwards　they　exact　a

diminution　of　one…half　of　the　tax　on　grinding；　and　go　in　quest　of

the　bishop　who　owns　the　mills。　　The　prelate；　who　is　ill；　sinks　down

in　the　street　and　seats　himself　on　a　stone；　they　compel　him

forthwith　to　sign　an　act　of　renunciation；　and　hence　〃his　mill；

valued　at　15；000　livres；　is　reduced　to　7；500　livres。〃　　At　Limoux；

under　the　pretext　of　searching　for　grain；　they　enter　the　houses　of

the　comptroller　and　tax　contractors；　carry　off　their　registers；　and

throw　them　into　the　water　along　with　the　furniture　of　their　clerks。

　In　Provence　it　is　worse；　for　most　unjustly；　and　through

inconceivable　imprudence；　the　taxes　of　the　towns　are　all　levied　on

flour。　　It　is　therefore　to　this　impost　that　the　dearness　of　bread　is

directly　attributed。　　Hence　the　fiscal　agent　becomes　a　manifest

enemy；　and　revolts　on　account　of　hunger　are　transformed　into

insurrections　against　the　State。



　VI。



The　first　jacquerie　in　Province。　　…　Feebleness　or　ineffectiveness　of

repressive　measures。



Here；　again；　political　novelties　are　the　spark　that　ignites　the　mass

of　gunpowder。　　Everywhere；　the　uprising　of　the　people　takes　place　on

the　very　day　on　which　the　electoral　assembly　meets。　　From　forty　to

fifty　riots　occur　in　the　provinces　in　less　than　a　fortnight。

Popular　imagination；　like　that　of　a　child；　goes　straight　to　its

mark。　　The　reforms　having　been　announced；　people　think　them

accomplished　and；　to　make　sure　of　them；　steps　are　at　once　taken　to

carry　them　out。　　Now　that　we　are　to　have　relief；　let　us　relieve

ourselves。　　〃This　is　not　an　isolated　riot　as　usual；〃　writes　the

commander　of　the　troops；＇29＇　〃here　the　faction　is　united　and

governed　by　uniform　principles；　the　same　errors　are　diffused　through

all　minds。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　The　principles　impressed　on　the　people　are

that　the　King　desires　equality。　　No　more　bishops　or　lords；　no　more

distinctions　of　rank；　no　tithes；　and　no　seignorial　privileges。

Thus；　these　misguided　people　fancy　that　they　are　exercising　their

rights；　and　obeying　the　will　of　the　King。〃　　　The　effect　of

sonorous　phrases　is　apparent。　　The　people　have　been　told　that　the

States…General　were　to　bring　about　the　〃regeneration　of　the　kingdom〃

The　inference　is　〃that　the　date　of　their　assembly　was　to　be　one　of

an　entire　and　absolute　change　of　conditions　and　fortunes。〃　Hence；

〃the　insurrection　against　the　nobles　and　the　clergy　is　as　active　as

it　is　widespread。〃　〃In　many　places　it　was　distinctly　announced　that

there　was　a　sort　of　war　declared　against　landowners　and　property；〃

and　〃in　the　towns　as　well　as　in　the　rural　districts　the　people

persist　in　declaring　that　they　will　pay　nothing；　neither　taxes；

duties；　nor　debts。〃　　　Naturally；　the　first　assault　is　against　the

piquèt；　or　flour…tax。　　At　Aix；　Marseilles；　Toulon；　and　in　more　than

forty　towns　and　market…villages；　this　is　summarily　abolished；　at

Aupt　and　at　Luc　nothing　remains　of　the　weighing…house　but　the　four

walls。　　At　Marseilles　the　home　of　the　slaughter…house　contractor　and

at　Brignolles　that　of　the　director　of　the　leather　excise；　are

sacked。　　The　determination　is　〃to　purge　the　land　of　excise…men。　　〃　…

…　This　is　only　a　beginning；　bread　and　other　provisions　must　become

cheap；　and　that　without　delay。　　At　Arles；　the　Corporation　of

sailors；　presided　over　by　M。　de　Barras；　consul；　had　just　elected　its

representatives。　　By　way　of　conclusion　to　the　meeting；　they　pass　a

resolution　insisting　that　M。　de　Barras　should　reduce　the　price　of

all　comestibles。　　On　his　refusal；　they　〃open　the　window；　exclaiming；

'We　hold　him；　and　we　have　only　to　throw　him　into　the　street　for　the

rest　to　pick　him　up。'〃　Compliance　is　inevitable。　　The　resolution　is

proclaimed　by　the　town…criers；　and　at　each　article　which　is　reduced

in　price　the　crowd　shout；　〃Vive　le　Roi；　vive　M。　Barras　！〃　　One

must　yield　to　brute　force。　　But　the　inconvenience　is　great　for；

through　the　suppression　of　the　flour…tax；　the　towns　have　no　longer　a

revenue。　　On　the　other　hand；　as　they　are　obliged　to　indemnify　the

butchers　and　bakers；　Toulon；　for　instance；　incurs　a　debt　of　2；500

livres　a　day。



In　this　state　of　disorder；　woe　to　those　who　are　under　suspicion　of

having　contributed；　directly　or　indirectly；　to　the　evils；　which　the

people　endure！　At　Toulon　a　demand　is　made　for　the　head　of　the　mayor；

who　signs　the　tax…list；　and　of　the　keeper　of　the　records。　　They　are

trodden　under　foot；　and　their　houses　are　ransacked。　　At　Manosque；

the　Bishop　of　Sisteron；　who　is　visiting　the　seminary；　is　accused　of

favoring　a　monopolist。　　On　his　way　to　his　carriage；　on　foot；　he　is

hooted　and　menaced。　　He　is　first　pelted　with　mud；　and　then　with

stones。　　The　consuls　in　attendance；　and　the　sub…delegate；　who　come

to　his　assistance；　are　mauled　and　repulsed。　　Meanwhile；　some　of　the

most　furious　begin；　before　his　eyes；　〃to　dig　a　ditch　to　bury　him

in。〃　Protected　by　five　or　six　brave　fellows；　amidst　a　volley　of

stones；　and　wounded　on　the　head　and　on　many　parts　of　his　body；　he

succeeds　in