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The French Revolution； Volume 2
The Origins of Contemporary France； Volume 3
by Hippolyte A。 Taine
THE REVOLUTION。 Volume II。 THE JACOBIN CONQUEST。
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION VOLUME II。
THE JACOBIN CONQUEST。
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION VOLUME II。
BOOK FIRST。 THE JACOBINS。
CHAPTER I。 The Establishment of the new political organ。
I。 The Revolutionary Party。
II。 The Jacobins。
III。 Jacobin Mentality。
IV。 What the Theory Promises。
CHAPTER II。 The Party。
I。 Formation of the Party
II。 Jacobin and other Associations
III。 The Press。
IV。 The Clubs。
V。 Jacobin Power。
BOOK SECOND。 THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CONQUEST。
CHAPTER I。 The Jacobins in Power。
I。 Manipulating the Vote。
II。 Danger of holding Public Office。
III。 Pursuit of the Opponents。
IV。 Turmoil。
V。 Tactics of Intimidation。
CHAPTER II。 The Legislative Assembly。
I。 New Incompetent Assembly。
II。 Jacobin Intelligence and Culture。
III。 Their Sessions。
IV。 The political Parties。
V。 Means and Ways。
VI。 Political Tactics。
CHAPTER III。 Policy of the Assembly。
I。 Lawlessness。
II。 Revolutionary Laws。
III。 War。
IV。 Dictatorship of the Proletariat。
V。 Citoyens！ Aux Armes！！
CHAPTER IV。 The Departments。
I。 Provence in 1792。
II。 The expedition to Aix。
III。 Marseilles against Arles。
IV。 The Jacobins of Avignon。
V。 The Class Struggle。
CHAPTER V。 PARIS。
I。 Weakening of the King。
II。 The Armed Revolutionaries。
III。 Jacobin Rabble…rousers。
IV。 The King in front of the people。
CHAPTER VI。 The Birth of the Terrible Paris Commune。
I。 The Plan of the Girondists。
II。 Girondists Foiled。
III。 Preparations for the Coup。
IV。 The Commune in Action。
V。 Purging the Assembly。
VI。 Take…over。
VII。 The King's Submission。
VIII。 Paris and its Jacobin leaders。
BOOK THIRD。 THE SECOND STAGE OF THE CONQUEST。
CHAPTER I。 Mob rule in times of anarchy。
I。 Brigands。
II。 Homicidal Part of Revolutionary Creed。
III。 Terror is their Salvation。
IV。 Carnage。
V。 Abasement and Stupor。
VI。 Jacobin Massacre。
CHAPTER II。 THE DEPARTMENTS。
I。 The Sovereignty of the People。。
II。 Robbers and Victims。
III。 Local Dictature。
IV。 Jacobin Violence； Rape and Pillage。
V。 The Roving Gangs。
VI。 The Programme of the Party。
CHAPTER III。 The New Sovereigns。。
I。 Sharing the Spoils。
II。 Doctoring the Elections
III Electoral Control。。
IV： The New Republican Assembly。
V。 The Jacobins forming alone the Sovereign People。
VI。 Composition of the Jacobin Party。
VII。 The Jacobin Chieftains。
CHAPTER IV。 TAKEN HOSTAGE。
I。 Jacobin tactics and power。
II。 Jacobin characters and minds。
III。 Physical fear and moral cowardice。
IV。 Jacobin victory over Girondist majority。
V。 Jacobin violence against the people。
VI。 Jacobin tactics。
VII。 The central Jacobin committee in power。
VIII。 Right or Wrong； my Country。
Preface：
In this volume； as in those preceding it and in those to come； there
will be found only the history of Public Authorities。 Others will
write that of diplomacy； of war； of the finances； of the Church； my
subject is a limited one。 To my great regret； however； this new part
fills an entire volume； and the last part； on the revolutionary
government； will be as long。
I have again to regret the dissatisfaction I foresee this work will
cause to many of my countrymen。 My excuse is； that almost all of them；
more fortunate than myself； have political principles which serve them
in forming their judgments of the past。 I had none； if indeed； I had
any motive in undertaking this work； it was to seek for political
principles。 Thus far I have attained to scarcely more than one； and
this is so simple that will seem puerile； and that I hardly dare
express it。 Nevertheless I have adhered to it； and in what the reader
is about to peruse my judgments are all derived from that； its truth
is the measure of theirs。 It consists wholly in this observation： that
HUMAN SOCIETY； ESPECIALLY A MODERN SOCIETY； IS A VAST AND COMPLICATED
THING。
Hence the difficulty in knowing and comprehending it。 For the same
reason it is not easy to handle the subject well。 It follows that a
cultivated mind is much better able to do this than an uncultivated
mind； and a man specially qualified than one who is not。 From these
two last truths flow many other consequences； which； if the reader
deigns to reflect on them； he will have no trouble in defining。
H。 A。 Taine； Paris 1881。
BOOK FIRST。 THE JACOBINS。
CHAPTER I。 THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW POLITICAL ORGAN。
In this disorganized society； in which the passions of the people are
the sole real force； authority belongs to the party that understands
how to flatter and take advantage of these。 As the legal government
can neither repress nor gratify them； an illegal government arises
which sanctions； excites； and directs these passions。 While the former
totters and falls to pieces； the latter grows stronger and improves
its organization； until； becoming legal in its turn； it takes the
other's place。
I。
Principle of the revolutionary party。 … Its applications。
As a justification of these popular outbreaks and assaults； we
discover at the outset a theory； which is neither improvised； added
to； nor superficial； but now firmly fixed in the public mind。 It has
for a long time been nourished by philosophical discussions。 It is a
sort of enduring； long…lived root out of which the new constitutional
tree has arisen。 It is the dogma of popular sovereignty。 Literally
interpreted； it means that the government is merely an inferior clerk
or servant。＇1＇ We； the people； have established the government； and
ever since； as well as before its organization； we are its masters。
Between it and us no infinite or long lasting 〃contract〃。 〃None which
cannot be done away with by mutual consent or through the
unfaithfulness of one of the two parties。〃 Whatever it may be； or
provide for； we are nowise bound by it； it depends wholly on us。 We
remain free to 〃modify； restrict； and resume as we please the power of
which we have made it the depository。〃 Through a primordial and
inalienable title deed the commonwealth belongs to us and to us only。
If we put this into the hands of the government it is as when kings
delegate authority for the time being to a minister He is always
tempted to abuse； it is our business to watch him； warn him； check
him； curb him； and； if necessary； displace him。 We must especially
guard ourselves against the craft and maneuvers by which； under the
pretext of preserving law and order； he would tie our hands。 A law；
superior to any he can make； forbids him to interfere with our
sovereignty； and he does interfere with it when he undertakes to
forestall； obstruct； or impede its exercise。 The Assembly； even the
Constituent； usurps when it treats the people like a lazybones （roi
fainéant）； when it subjects them to laws； which they have not
ratified； and when it deprives them of action except through their
representatives。＇2＇ The people themselves must act directly； must
assemble together and deliberate on public affairs。 They must control
and censure the acts of those they elect； they must influence these
with their resolutions； correct their mistakes with their good sense；
atone for their weakness by their energy； stand at the helm alongside
of them； and even employ force and throw them overboard； so that the
ship may be saved； which； in their hands； is drifting on a rock。＇3＇
Such； in fact； is the doctrine of the popular party。 This doctrine
is carried into effect July 14 and October 5 and 6； 1789。 Loustalot；
Camille Desmoulins； Fréron； Danton； Marat； Pétion； Robespierre
proclaim it untiringly in the political clubs； in the newspapers； and
in the assembly。 The government； according to them； whether local or
central； trespasses everywhere。 Why； after having overthrown one
despotism； should we install another？ We are freed from the yoke of a
privileged aristocracy； but we still suffer from 〃the aristocracy of
our representatives。〃＇4＇ Already at Paris； 〃the population is
nothing； while the municipality is everything〃。 It encroaches on our
imprescriptible rights in refusing to let a district revoke at will
the five members elected to represent it at the H？tel…de…Ville； in
passing ordinances without obtaining the approval of voters； in
preventing citizens from assembling where they please； in interrupting
the out…door meetings of the clubs in the Palais Royal where
〃Patriots are driven away be the patrol。〃 Mayor Bailly； 〃who keeps
liveried servants； who gives himself a salary of 110；000 livres；〃 who
distributes captains' commissions； who forces peddlers to wear
metallic badges； and who compels newspapers to have signatures to
their articles is not only a tyrant； but a crook； thief and 〃guilty of
lése…nation。〃 Worse are the abuses of the National Assembly。 To
swear fidelity to the constitution； as this body has just done； to
impose its work on us； forcing us to take a similar oath； disregarding
our superior rights to veto or ratify their decisions；＇5＇ is to
〃slight and scorn our sovereignty〃。 By substituting the will of 1200
individuals for that of the people； 〃our representatives have failed
to treat us with respect。〃 This is not the first time； and it is not
to be the last。 Often do they exceed their mandate； they disarm；
mutilate； and gag their legitimate sovereign and they pass decrees
against the people in the people's name。 Such is their martial law；
specially devised for 〃suppressing the uprising of citizens〃； that is
to say； the only means left to us against conspirators； monopolists；
and traitors。 Such a decree against publishing any kind of joint
placard or petition； is a decree 〃null and void；〃 and 〃constitutes a
most flagrant attack on the nation's rights。〃＇6＇ Especially is the
electoral law one of these； a law which； requiring a small
qualification tax for electors and a larger one for those who are
eligible； 〃consecrates the aristocracy of wealth。〃 The poor； who are
excluded by the decree； must regard it as invalid； register themselves
as they please and vote without scruple； because natural law has
precedence over written law。 It would simply be 〃fair reprisal〃 if； at
the end of the session； the millions of citizens lately deprived of
their vote unjustly； should seize the usurping majority by the threat
and tell them：
〃You cut us off from society in your chamber； because you are the
strongest there； we； in our turn； cut you off from the living society；
because we are strongest in the street。 You have killed us civilly …
we kill you physically。〃
Accordingly； f
