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other object but to rule over captives and the dead。
But this is precisely the Jacobin aim； for； he is not satisfied with
less than absolute submission ； he must rule at any cost； just as he
pleases； by fair means or foul； no matter over what ruins。 A despot
by instinct and installation； his dogma has consecrated him King ； he
is King by natural and divine right； in the name of eternal verity；
the same as Philip II。； enthroned by his religious system and blessed
by his Holy Office。 Hence he can abandon no jot or title of his
authority without a sacrifice of principle； nor treat with rebels；
unless they surrender at discretion； simply for having risen against
legitimate authority； they are traitors and villains。 And who are
greater rascals the renegades who； after three years of patient
effort； just as the sect finally reaches its goal； oppose its
accession to power！＇81＇ At N？mes； Toulouse； Bordeaux； Toulon； and
Lyons； not only have they interfered with or arrested the blow which
Paris struck； but they have put down the aggressors； closed the club；
disarmed the fanatical and imprisoned the leading Maratists； and worse
still； at Lyons and at Toulon； five or six massacreurs； or promoters
of massacre； Chalier and Riard； Jassaud； Sylvestre and Lemaille；
brought before the courts； have been condemned and executed after a
trial in which all the forms were strictly adhered to。 That is the
inexpiable crime； for； in this trial； the 〃Mountain〃 is involved； the
principles of Sylvestre and Chalier are its principles； what is
accomplished in Paris； they have attempted in the provinces； if they
are guilty； it is also guilty； it cannot tolerate their punishment
without assenting to its own punishment。 Accordingly；
* it must proclaim them heroes and martyrs；
* it must canonize their memory；＇82＇
* it must avenge their tortures；
* it must resume and complete their assaults；
* it must restore their accomplices to their places；
* it must render them omnipotent；
* it must force each rebel city to accept the rule of its rabble and
villains。
It matters little whether the Jacobins be a minority； whether at
Bordeaux； they have but four out of twenty…eight sections on their
side； at Marseilles five out of thirty…two； whether at Lyons they can
count up only fifteen hundred devoted adherents。＇83＇ Suffrages are
not reckoned； but weighed； for legality is founded； not on numbers；
but on patriotism； the sovereign people being composed wholly of sans…
culottes。 So much the worse for towns where the anti…revolutionary
majority is so great； they are only more dangerous； under the
republican demonstrations is concealed the hostility of old parties
and of the 〃suspect〃 classes； the Moderates； the Feuillants and
Royalists； merchants； men of the legal profession； property…owners and
muscadins。＇84＇ These towns are nests of reptiles and must be crushed
out。
IX。
Destruction of Rebel Cities。 Bordeaux。 Marseilles。 Lyons。…
… Toulon。
Consequently； obedient or disobedient； they are crushed out。 They are
declared traitors to the country； not merely the members of the
departmental committees； but； at Bordeaux； all who have 〃aided or
abetted the Committee of Public Safety；〃 at Lyons； all administrators；
functionaries； military or civil officers who 〃convoked or tolerated
the Rh？ne…et…Loire congress；〃 and furthermore； 〃every individual whose
son； clerk； servant； or even day…laborer； may have borne arms or
contributed the means of resistance；〃 that is to say； the entire
National Guard who took up arms； and nearly all the population which
gave its money or voted in the sections。＇85＇ By virtue of this
decree； all are 〃outlaws；〃 or； in other words subject to the
guillotine just on the establishment of their identity； and their
property confiscated。 Consequently； at Bordeaux； where not a gun had
been fired； the mayor Saige； and principal author of the submission；
is at once led to the scaffold without any form of trial；＇86＇ while
eight hundred and eighty…one others succeed him amidst the solemn
silence of a dismayed population。＇87＇ Two hundred prominent merchants
are arrested in one night； more than fifteen hundred persons are
imprisoned； all who are well off are ransomed； even those against who
no political charge could be made； nine millions of fines are levied
against 〃rich egoists。〃 One of these；＇88＇ accused of 〃indifference and
moderatism；〃 pays twenty thousand francs 〃not to be harnessed to the
car of the Revolution；〃 another 〃convicted of having shown contempt
for his section and for the poor by giving thirty livres per months；〃
is taxed at one million two hundred thousand livres； while the new
authorities； a crooked mayor and twelve knaves composing the
Revolutionary Committee； traffic in lives and property。89 At
Marseilles； says Danton；＇90＇ the object is 〃to give the commercial
aristocracy an important lesson；〃 we must 〃show ourselves as terrible
to traders as to nobles and priests；〃 consequently； twelve thousand of
them are proscribed and their possessions sold。＇91＇ From the first day
the guillotine works as fast as possible； nevertheless； it does not
work fast enough for Representative Fréron who finds the means for
making it work faster。
〃The military commission we have established in place of the
revolutionary tribunal；〃 he writes； 〃works frightfully fast against
the conspirators。 。 。 。 They fall like hail under the sword of the
law。 Fourteen have already paid for their infamous treachery with
their heads。 To…morrow； sixteen more are to be guillotined； all
chiefs of the legion； notaries； sectionists； members of the popular
tribunal； to…morrow； also； three merchants will dance the carmagnole；
and they are the ones we are after。〃＇92＇
Men and things； all must perish； he wishes to demolish the city and
proposes to fill up the harbor。 Restrained with great difficulty；
Fréron contents himself with a destruction of 〃the haunts〃 of the
aristocracy； two churches； the concert…hall； the houses around it； and
twenty…three buildings in which the rebel sections had held their
meetings。
At Lyons； to increase the booty； the representatives had taken pains
to encourage the manufacturers and merchants with vague promises；
these opened their shops and brought their valuable goods； books and
papers out of their hiding…places。 No time is lost in seizing the
plunder； 〃a list of all property belonging to the rich and to anti…
revolutionaries〃 is drawn up； which is 〃confiscated for the benefit of
the patriots of the city；〃 in addition to this a tax of six millions
is imposed； payable in eight days； by those whom the confiscation may
have still spared；＇93＇ it is proclaimed； according to principle； that
the surplus of each individual belongs by right to the sans…culottes；
and whatever may have been retained beyond the strictly necessary； is
a robbery by the individual to the detrim