the origins of contemporary france-2-第66章

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every　traveler　as　an　aristocrat　who　is　running　away　　…　　which　is　so

much　the　worse　for　those　who　fall　into　their　hands。　　Near　Autun；

four　priests　who；　to　obey　the　law；　are　betaking　themselves　to　the

frontier；　are　put　in　prison　〃for　their　own　protection；〃　they　are

taken　out　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　and；　in　spite　of　thirty…two　of

the　mounted　police；　are　massacred。　　〃Their　carriage　was　still

burning　as　I　passed；　and　the　corpses　were　stretched　out　not　far　off。

Their　driver　was　still　in　durance；　and　it　was　it　vain　that　I

solicited　his　release。〃　　…　　On　the　other　hand；　at　Lyons；　the　power

has　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　degraded　women　of　the　streets。

〃They　seized　the　central　club；　constituted　themselves　commissaries

of　police；　signed　notices　as　such；　and　paid　visits　of　inspection　to

store…houses；〃　they　drew　up　a　tariff　of　provisions；　〃from　bread　and

meat　up　to　common　peaches；　and　peaches　of　fine　quality。〃　They

announced　that　〃whoever　dared　to　dispute　it　would　be　considered　a

traitor　to　the　country；　an　adherent　of　the　civil　list；　and

prosecuted　as　such。〃　All　this　is　published；　proclaimed　and　applied

by　〃female　commissaries　of　police；〃　themselves　the　dregs　of　the

lowest　sinks　of　corruption。　　Respectable　housewives　and　workwomen

had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　nor　〃working…people　of　any　class。〃　The

sole　actors　of　this　administrative　parody　are　〃　scamps；　a　few

bullies　of　houses　of　ill…fame；　and　a　portion　of　the　dregs　of　the

female　sex。〃　　…　　To　this　end　comes　the　dictatorship　of　instinct；

yonder　let　loose　on　the　highway　in　a　massacre　of　priests；　and　here；

in　the　second　city　of　France；　in　the　government　of　strumpets。





III。



Egotism　of　the　tax…payer。　…　Issoudun　in　1790。　　…　　Rebellion　against

taxation。　　…　　Indirect　taxes　in　1789　and　1790。　　…　　Abolition　of　the

salt　tax；　excise；　and　octrois。　　…　　Direct　taxation　in　1789　and　1790。

…　　Delay　and　insufficiency　of　the　returns。　　…　　New　levies　in　1791

and　1792。　　…　　Delays；　partiality；　and　concealment　in　preparing　the

rolls。　　…　　Insufficiency　of；　and　the　delay　in；　the　returns。　　…

Payment　in　assignats。…　The　tax…payer　relieves　himself　of　one…half。

…　　Devastation　of　the　forests。　　…　　Division　of　the　communal

property。



The　fear　of　starvation　is　only　the　sharper　form　of　a　more　general

passion；　which　is　the　desire　of　possession　and　the　determination　not

to　give　anything　up。　　No　popular　instinct；　had　been　longer；　more

rudely；　more　universally　offended　under　the　ancient　régime；　and

there　is　none　which　gushes　out　more　readily　under　constraint；　none

which　requires　a　higher　or　broader　public　barrier；　or　one　more

entirely　constructed　of　solid　blocks；　to　keep　it　in　check。　　Hence　it

is　that　this　passion　from　the　commencement　breaks　down　or　engulfs

the　slight　and　low　boundaries；　the　tottering　embankments　of

crumbling　earth　between　which　the　Constitution　pretends　to　confine

it。　　…　　The　first　flood　sweeps　away　the　pecuniary　claims　of　the

State；　of　the　clergy；　and　of　the　noblesse。　　The　people　regard　them

as　abolished；　or；　at　least；　they　consider　their　debts　discharged。

Their　idea；　in　relation　to　this；　is　formed　and　fixed；　for　them　it　is

that　which　constitutes　the　Revolution。　　The　people　have　no　longer　a

creditor；　they　are　determined　to　have　none；　they　will　pay　nobody；

and　first　of　all；　they　will　make　no　further　payment　to　the　State。



On　the　14th　of　July；　1790；　the　day　of　the　Federation；　the　population

of　Issoudun；　in　Touraine；　solemnly　convoked　for　the　purpose；　had

just　taken　the　solemn　oath　which　was　to　ensure　public　peace；　social

harmony；　and　respect　for　the　law　for　evermore。＇35＇　Here；　probably；

as　elsewhere；　arrangements　had　been　made　for　an　stirring　ceremonial；

there　were　young　girls　dressed　in　white；　and　learned　and

impressionable　magistrates　were　to　pronounce　philosophical

harangues。　　All　at　once　they　discover　that　the　people　gathered　on

the　public　square　are　provided　with　clubs；　scythes；　and　axes；　and

that　the　National　Guard　will　not　prevent　their　use；　on　the　contrary；

the　Guard　itself　is　composed　almost　wholly　of　wine　growers　and

others　interested　in　the　suppression　of　the　duties　on　wine；　of

coopers；　innkeepers；　workmen；　carters　of　casks；　and　others　of　the

same　stamp；　all　rough　fellows　who　have　their　own　way　of　interpreting

the　Social　Contract。　　The　whole　mass　of　decrees；　acts；　and

rhetorical　flourishes　which　are　dispatched　to　them　from　Paris；　or

which　emanate　from　the　new　authorities；　are　not　worth　a　halfpenny

tax　maintained　on　each　bottle　of　wine。　　There　are　to　be　no　more

excise　duties；　they　will　only　take　the　civic　oath　on　this　express

condition；　and　that　very　evening　they　hang；　in　effigy；　their　two

deputies；　who　〃had　not　supported　their　interests〃　in　the　National

Assembly。　　A　few　months　later；　of　all　the　National　Guard　called　upon

to　protect　the　clerks；　only　the　commandant　and　two　officers　respond

to　the　summons。　　If　a　docile　taxpayer　happens　to　be　found；　he　is　not

allowed　to　pay　the　dues；　this　seems　a　defection　and　almost

treachery。　　An　entry　of　three　puncheons　of　wine　having　been　made；

they　are　stove　in　with　stones；　a　portion　is　drunk；　and　the　rest

taken　to　the　barracks　to　debauch　the　soldiers；　M。　de　Sauzay；

commandant　of　the　〃Royal　Roussillon；〃　who　was　bold　enough　to　save

the　clerks；　is　menaced；　and　for　this　misdeed　he　barely　escapes　being

hung　himself。　　When　the　municipal　body　is　called　upon　to　interpose

and　employ　force；　it　replies　that　〃for　so　small　a　matter；　it　is　not

worth　while　to　compromise　the　lives　of　the　citizens；〃　and　the

regular　troops　sent　to　the　H？tel…de…Ville　are　ordered　by　the　people

not　to　go　except　with　the　but…ends　of　their　muskets　in　the　air。

Five　days　after　this　the　windows　of　the　excise　office　are　smashed；

and　the　public　notices　are　torn　down；　the　fermentation　does　not

subside；　and　M。　de　Sauzay　writes　that　a　regiment　would　be　necessary

to　restrain　the　town。　　At　Saint…Amand　the　insurrection　breaks　out

violently；　and　is　only　put　down　by　violence。　　At　Saint…étienne…en…

Forez；　Bertheas；　a　clerk　in　the　excise　office；　falsely　accused　of

monopolizing　grain；＇36＇　is　fruitlessly　defended　by　the　National

Guard；　he　is　put　in　prison；　according　to　the　usual　custom；　to　save

his　life；　and；　for　greater　security；　the　crowd　insist　on　his　being

fastened　by　an　iron　collar。　　But；　suddenly　changing　its　mind；　it

breaks　upon　the　door　and　drags　him　outside；　beating　him　till　he　is

unconscious。　　Stretched　on　the　ground；　his　head　still　moves　and　he

raises　his　hand　to　it；　when　a　woman；　picking　up　a　large　stone；

smashes　his　skull。　　…　　These　are　not　isolated　occurrences。　　During

the　months　of　July　and　August；　1789；　the　tax　offices　are　burnt　in

almost　every　town　in　the　kingdom。　　In　vain　does　the　National

Assembly　order　their　reconstruction；　insist　on　the　maintenance　of

duties　and　octrois；　and　explain　to　the　people　the　public　needs；

pathetically　reminding　them；　moreover；　that　the　Assembly　has　already

given　them　relief；　　…　　the　people　prefer　to　relieve　themselves

instantly　and　entirely。　　Whatever　is　consumed　must　no　longer　be

taxed；　either　for　the　benefit　of　the　State　or　for　that　of　the　towns。

〃Entrance　dues　on　wine　and　cattle；〃　writes　the　municipality　of

Saint…Etienne；　〃scarcely　amount　to　anything；　and　our　powers　are

inadequate　for　their　enforcement。〃　At　Cambrai；　two　successive

outbreaks　compel　the　excise　office　and　the　magistracy　of　the

town＇37＇　to　reduce　the　duties　on　beer　one…half。　　But　〃the　evil；　at

first　confined　to　one　corner　of　the　province；　soon　spreads　；〃　the

grands　baillis　of　Lille；　Douai；　and　Orchies　write　that　〃we　have

hardly　a　bureau　which　has　not　been　molested；　and　in　which　the　taxes

are　not　wholly　subject　to　popular　discretion。〃　Those　only　pay　who

are　disposed　to　do　so；　and；　consequently；　〃greater　fraud　could　not

exist。〃　The　taxpayers；　indeed；　cunningly　defend　themselves；　and　find

plenty　of　arguments　or　quibbles　to　avoid　paying　their　dues。　　At

Cambrai　they　allege　that；　as　the　privileged　now　pay　as　well　as　the

rest；　the　Treasury　must　be　rich　enough。＇38＇　At　Noyon；　Ham；　and

Chauny；　and　in　the　surrounding　parishes；　the　butchers；　innkeepers；

and　publicans　combined；　who　have　refused　to　pay　excise　duties；　pick

flaws　in　the　special　decree　by　which　the　Assembly　subjects　them　to

the　law；　and　a　second　special　decree　is　necessary　to　circumvent

these　new　legal　experts。　　The　process　at　Lyons　is　simpler。　　Here　the

thirty…two　sections　appoint　commissioners；　these　decide　against　the

octroi；　and　request　the　municipal　authorities　to　abolish　it。　　They

must　necessarily　comply；　for　the　people　are　at　hand　and　are　furious。

Without　waiting；　however；　for　any　legal　measures；　they　take　the

authority　on　themselves；　rush　to　the　toll…houses　and　drive　out　the

clerks；　while　large　quantities　of　provisions；　which　〃through　a

singular　predestination〃　were　waiting　at　the　gates；　come　in　free　of

duty。　　…　　The　Treasury　defends　itself　as　it　best　can　against　this

universally　bad　disposition　of　the　tax…payer；　against　these

irruptions　and　infiltrations　of　fraud；　it　repairs　the　dike　where　it

has　been　carried　away；　stops　up　the　fissures　and　again　resumes

collections。　　But　how　can　these　be　regular　and　complete　in　a　State

where　the　courts　dare　not　condemn　delinquents；　where　public　force

dares　not　support　the　courts；＇39＇　where　popular　favor　protects　the

most　notorious　bandits　and　the　worst　vagabonds　against　the　tribunals

and　against　the　public　powers？　At　Paris；　where；　After　eight　months

of　impunity；　proceedings　are　begun　against　the　pillagers　who；　on　the

13th　of　August；　1789；　set　fire　to　the　tax　offices；　the　officers　of

the　election；　〃considering　that　their　audiences　have　become　too

tumultuous；　that　the　thronging　of　the　people　excites　uneasiness；

that　threats　have　been　uttered　of　a　kind　calculated　to　create

reasonable　alarm；〃　are　constrained　to　suspend　their　sittings　and

refer　matters　to　the　National　Assembly；　while　the　latter；

considering　that　〃if　prosecutions　are　authorized　in　Paris　it　will　be

necessary　to　authorize　them　throughout　the　kingdom；〃　decides　that　it

is　best　〃to　veil　the　statue　of　the　Law。〃＇40＇



Not　only　does　the　Assembly　veil　the　statue　of　the　Law；　but　it　takes

to　pieces；　remakes；　and　mutilates　it；　according　to　the　requirements

of　the　popular　will；　and；　in　the　matter　of　indirect　imposts　all　its

decrees　are　forced　upon　it。　　The　outbreak　against　the　salt　impost

was　terrible　from　the　beginning；　sixty　thousand　men　in　Anjou　alone

combined　to　destroy　it；　and　the　price　of　salt　had　to　be　reduced　from

sixteen　to　six　sous。＇41＇　　The　people；　however；　are　not　satisfied

with　this。　　This　monopoly　has　been　the　cause　of　so　much　suffering

that　they　are　not　disposed　to　put　up　with　any　remains　of　it；　and　are

always　on　the　side　of　the　smugglers　against　the　excise　officers。　　In

the　month　of　January；　1790；　at　Béziers；　thirty…two　employees；　who

had　seized　a　quantity　of　contraband　salt　on　the　persons　of　armed

smugglers；＇42＇　are　pursued　by　the　crowd　to　the　H？tel…de…Ville；