the origins of contemporary france-2-第58章

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papers；　insulting　libels　by　the　municipal　body　and　the　club；　the

seditious　or　violent　discussions　of　the　district　assemblies；　and　a

lot　of　pamphlets；　are　freely　distributed　among　the　people　and　the

soldiers：　the　latter　are　purposely　stirred　up　in　advance　against

their　chiefs。　…　　…　In　vain　are　the　officers　mild；　conciliatory；　and

cautious。　　In　vain　does　the　commander…in…chief　depart　with　a　portion

of　the　troops。　　The　object　now　is　to　dislodge　the　regiment　occupying

the　three　forts。　　The　club　sets　the　ball　in　motion；　and；　forcibly　or

otherwise；　the　will　of　the　people　must　be　carried　out。　　On　the　29th

of　April；　two　actors；　supported　by　fifty　volunteers；　surprise　a

sentinel　and　get　possession　of　Notre…Dame　de　la　Garde。　　On　the　same

day；　six　thousand　National　Guards　invest　the　forts　of　Saint…Jean　and

Saint…Nicolas。　　The　municipal　authorities；　summoned　to　respect　the

fortresses；　reply　by　demanding　the　opening　of　the　gates　to　the

National　Guard；　that　it　may　do　duty　jointly　with　the　soldiers。　　The

commandants　hesitate；　refer　to　the　law；　and　demand　time　to　consult

their　superiors。　　A　second　requisition；　more　urgent；　is　made；　the

commandants　are　held　responsible　for　the　disturbances　they　provoke

by　their　refusal。　　If　they　resist　they　are　declared　promoters　of

civil　war。＇32＇　　They　accordingly　yield　and　sign　　a　capitulation。

One　among　them；　the　Chevalier　de　Beausset；　major　in　Fort　Saint…Jean；

is　opposed　to　this；　and　refuses　his　signature。　　On　the　following　day

he　is　seized　as　he　is　about　to　enter　the　H？tel…de…Ville；　and

massacred；　his　head　being　borne　about　on　the　end　of　a　pike；　while

the　band　of　assassins；　the　soldiers；　and　the　rabble　dance　about　and

shout　over　his　remains。　…　〃　It　is　a　sad　accident；〃　writes　the

municipality。＇33＇　　How　does　it　happen　that；　〃after　having　thus　far

merited　and　obtained　all　praise；　a　Beausset；　whom　we　were　unable　to

protect　against　the　decrees　of　Providence；　should　sully　our　laurels？

Having　had　nothing　to　do　with　this　tragic　affair；　it　is　not　for　us

to　prosecute　the　authors　of　it。〃　Moreover；　he　was　〃culpable　。　　。　　。。

rebellious；　condemned　by　public　opinion；　and　Providence　itself　seems

to　have　abandoned　him　to　the　irrevocable　decrees　of　its　vengeance。〃

…　As　to　the　taking　of　the　forts；　nothing　is　more　legitimate。　　〃These

places　were　in　the　hands　of　the　enemies　of　the　State；　while　now　they

are　in　the　hands　of　the　defenders　of　the　Constitution　of　the　empire。

Woe　to　whoever　would　take　them　from　us　again；　to　convert　them　into　a

focus　of　counter…revolution　〃　　…　M。　　de　Miran；　commandant　of　the

province；　has；　it　is　true；　made　a　demand　for　them。　　But；　〃is　it　not

somewhat　pitiable　to　see　the　requisition　of　a　Sieur　de　Miran；　made

in　the　name　of　the　King　he　betrays；　to　surrender　to　his　Majesty's

troops　places　which；　henceforth　in　our　hands；　guarantee　public

security　to　the　nation；　to　the　law；　and　to　the　King？〃　In　vain　does

the　King；　at　the　request　of　the　National　Assembly；＇34＇　order　the

municipality　to　restore　the　forts　to　the　commandants；　and　to　make

the　National　Guards　leave　them。　　The　municipal　authorities　become

indignant；　and　resist。　　According　to　them　the　wrong　is　all　on　the

side　of　the　commandant　and　the　ministers。　　It　is　the　commandants

who；　〃with　the　threatening　equipment　of　their　citadels；　their　stores

of　provisions　and　of　artillery；　are　disturbers　of　the　public　peace。

What　does　the　minister　mean　by　driving　the　national　troops　out　of

the　forts；　in　order　to　entrust　their　guardianship　to　foreign　troops？

His　object　is　apparent　in　this　plan　。　　。　　。　　。　　he　wants　to　kindle

civil　war。〃　　…　〃All　the　misfortunes　of　Marseilles　originate　in　the

secret　under…standing　existing　between　the　ministers　and　the　enemies

of　the　State。〃　The　municipal　corps　is　at　last　obliged　to　evacuate

the　forts；　but　it　is　determined　not　to　give　them　up。　　The　day

following　that　on　which　it　receives　the　decree　of　the　National

Assembly；　it　conceives　the　design　of　demolishing　them。　　On　the　17th

of　May；　two　hundred　laborers；　paid　in　advance；　begin　the　work　of

destruction。　　To　save　appearances　the　municipal　body　betakes　itself

at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　to　the　different　localities；　and

orders　them　to　stop。　　But；　on　its　departure；　the　laborers　keep　on；

and；　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　a　resolution　is　passed　that；　〃to

prevent　the　entire　demolition　of　the　citadel；　it　is　deemed　advisable

to　authorize　only　that　of　the　part　overlooking　the　town。〃　On　the

18th　of　May　the　Jacobin　club；　at　once　agent；　accomplice；　and

councilor　of　the　municipal　body；　compels　private　individuals　to

contribute　something　towards　defraying　the　expenses　of　the

demolition。　　It　〃sends　round　to　every　house；　and　to　the　syndics　of

all　corporations；　exacting　their　quotas；　and　making　all　citizens

subscribe　a　document　by　which　they　appear　to　sanction　the　action　of

the　municipal　body；　and　to　express　their　thanks　to　it。　　People　had

to　sign　it；　pay；　and　keep　silent。　　Woe　to　any　one　that　refused　！〃　On

the　20th　of　May　the　municipal　body　presumes　to　write　to　the

Assembly；　that　〃this　threatening　citadel；　this　odious　monument　of　a

stupendous　despotism；　is　about　to　disappear。〃　To　justify　its

disobedience；　it　takes　occasion　to　remark；　〃that　the　love　of　country

is　the　most　powerful　and　most　enduring　of　an　empire's　ramparts。〃　On

the　28th　of　May　it　secures　the　performance　in　two　theaters　of　a

piece　representing　the　capture　of　the　forts　of　Marseilles；　for　the

benefit　of　the　men　engaged　in　their　demolition。　　Meanwhile；　it　has

summoned　the　Paris　Jacobins　to　its　support；　it　has　proposed　to

invite　the　Lyons　federation　and　all　the　municipalities　of　the

kingdom　to　denounce　the　minister。　　It　has　forced　M。　　de　Miran；

threatened　with　death　and　watched　by　a　party　in　ambush　on　the　road；

to　quit　Aix；　and　then　demands　his　recall。＇35＇　　Only　on　the　6th　of

June　does　it　decide；　at　the　express　command　of　the　National

Assembly；　to　suspend　the　almost　completed　demolition。　…　？Authorities

to　which　obedience　is　due　could　not　be　treated　more　insolently。　　The

end；　however；　is　attained；　there　is　no　longer　a　citadel；　and　the

troops　have　departed；　the　regiment　commanded　by　Ernest　alone

remains；　to　be　tampered　with；　insulted；　and　then　sent　off。　　It　is

ordered　to　Aix；　and　the　National　Guard　of　Marseilles　will　go　there

to　disarm　and　disband　it。　　Henceforth　the　municipal　body　has　full

sway。　　It　〃observes　only　those　laws　which　suit　it；　makes　others　to

its　own　liking；　and；　in　short；　governs　in　the　most　despotic　and

arbitrary　manner。〃＇36＇　　And　not　only　at　Marseilles；　but　throughout

the　department　where；　under　no　authority　but　its　own；　it　undertakes

armed　expeditions　and　makes　raids　and　sudden　attacks。







III。



Independent　Assemblies。　…　Why　they　took　the　initiative。　…　The　people

in　council。　…　Powerlessness　of　the　municipalities。　…　the　violence　to

which　they　are　subject。　…　Aix　in　1790。　…　Government　disobeyed　and

perverted　everywhere。



Were　it　but　possible　for　the　dissolution　to　stop　here！　But　each

commune　is　far　from　being　a　tranquil　little　state　under　the　rule　of

a　body　of　respected　magistrates。　　The　same　causes　which　render

municipalities　rebellious　against　the　central　authority　render

individuals　rebellious　against　local　authority。　　They　also　feel　that

they　are　in　danger　and　want　to　provide　for　their　own　safety。　　They

also；　in　virtue　of　the　Constitution　and　of　circumstances；　believe

themselves　appointed　to　save　the　country。　　They　also　consider

themselves　qualified　to　judge　for　themselves　on　all　points　and

entitled　to　carry　out　their　judgments　with　their　own　hands。　　The

shopkeeper；　workman　or　peasant；　at　once　elector　and　National　Guard；

furnished　with　his　vote　and　a　musket；　suddenly　becomes　the　equal　and

master　of　his　superiors；　instead　of　obeying；　he　commands；　while　all

who　see　him　again　after　some　years'　absence；　find　that　〃in　his

demeanor　and　manner　all　is　changed。〃　〃There　was　great　agitation

everywhere；〃＇37＇　says　M。　de　Ségur；　〃I　noticed　groups　of　men　talking

earnestly　in　the　streets　and　on　the　squares。　　The　sound　of　the　drum

struck　my　ear　in　the　villages；　while　I　was　astonished　at　the　great

number　of　armed　men　I　encountered　in　the　little　towns。　　On

interrogating　various　persons　among　the　lower　classes　they　would

reply　with　a　proud　look　and　in　a　bold　and　confident　tone。　　I

observed　everywhere　the　effect　of　those　sentiments　of　equality　and

liberty　which　had　then　become　such　violent　passions。〃　　…　Thus

exalted　in　their　own　eyes　they　believed　themselves　qualified　to　take

the　lead　in　everything；　not　only　in　local　affairs；　but　also　in

general　matters。　　France　is　to　be　governed　by　them；　by　virtue　of　the

Constitution　they　arrogate　to　themselves　the　right；　and；　by　dint　of

ignorance；　attribute　to　themselves　the　capacity；　to　govern　it。　　A

torrent　of　new；　shapeless；　and　disproportionate　ideas　have　taken

possession　of　their　brains　in　the　space　of　a　few　months。　　Vast

interests　about　which　they　have　never　thought；　have　to　be

considered。　　Government；　royalty；　the　church；　creeds；　foreign

powers；　internal　and　external　dangers；　what　is　occurring　at　Paris

and　at　Coblentz；　the　insurrection　in　the　Low　Countries；　the　acts　of

the　cabinets　of　London；　Vienna；　Madrid；　Berlin；　and；　of　all　this；

they　inform　themselves　as　they　best　can。　　An　officer；＇38＇　who

traverses　France　at　this　time；　narrates　that　at　the　post…stations

they　made　him　wait　for　horses　until　he　had　〃given　them　details。　　The

peasants　stopped　my　carriage　in　the　middle　of　the　road　and

overwhelmed　me　with　questions。　　At　Autun；　I　was　obliged；　in　spite　of

the　cold；　to　talk　out　of　a　window　opening　upon　the　square　and　tell

what　I　knew　about　the　Assembly。〃　　…　These　on…dits　are　all　changed

and　amplified　in　passing　from　mouth　to　mouth。　　They　finally　become

circumstantial　stories　adapted　to　the　caliber　of　the　minds　they　pass

into　and　to　the　dominant　passion　that　propagates　them。　　Trace　the

effect　of　these　fables　in　the　house　of　a　peasant　or　fish…woman　in　an

outlying　village　or　a　populous　suburb；　on　brutish　or　almost　brutal

minds；　especially　when　they　are　lively；　heated；　and　over…excited　　…

the　effect　is　tremendous。　　For；　in　minds　of　this　stamp；　belief　is　at


once　converted　into　action；　and　into　rude　and　destructive　action。

It　is　an　acquired　self…control；　reflection；　and　culture　which

interposes　between　belief　and　action　the　solicitude　for　social

interests；　the　observance　of　forms　and　respect　for　the　law。　　These

restraints　are　all　wanting　in　the　new　sovereign。　　He　does　not　know

how　to　stop　and　will　not　suffer　himself　to　be　stopped。　　Why　so　many

delays　when　the　peril　is　urgent？　What　is　the　use　of　observing

formalities　when　the　safety　of　the　people　is　at　stake？　What　is　there

sacred　in　the　law　when　it　protects　public　enemies？　What　is　more

pernicious　than　passive　deference　and　patient　waiting　under　timid　or

blind　officials？　What　can　be　more　just　than　to　do　one's　self　justice

at　once　and　on　the　spot？　　…　Precipitation　and　passion