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Vendée； Brittany； Picardie and Flanders； and in Marseilles； Bordeaux
and Lyons。 In Lyons alone； writes Collot d'Herbois； 〃there are sixty
thousand persons who never will become republicans。 They should be
dealt with； that is made redundant； and prudently distributed all over
the surface of the Republic。〃＇99＇ … Finally； add to the persons of the
lower class； prosecuted on public grounds； those who are prosecuted on
private grounds。 Among peasants in the same village； workmen of the
same trade and shopkeepers in the same quarter； there is always envy；
enmities and spites； those who are Jacobins become local pashas and
are able to gratify local jealousies with impunity； something they
never fail to do。＇100＇
Hence； on the lists of the guillotined； the incarcerated and of
emigrés； the men and women of inferior condition are in much greater
number； far greater than their companions of the superior and middle
classes all put together。 Out of 12；000 condemned to death whose rank
and professions have been ascertained； 7；545＇101＇ are peasants；
cultivators； ploughmen； workmen of various sorts； innkeepers； wine…
dealers； soldiers and sailors； domestics； women； young girls； servants
and seamstresses。 Out of 1；900 emigrés from Doubs； nearly 1；100
belong to the lower class。 Towards the month of April； 1794； all the
prisons in France overflow with farmers；＇102＇ in the Paris prisons
alone； two months before Thermidor 9； there are 2 000 of them。＇103＇
Without mentioning the eleven western departments in which four or
five hundred square leagues of territory are devastated and twenty
towns and one thousand eight hundred villages destroyed；＇104＇ where
the avowed purpose of the Jacobin policy is a systematic and total
destruction of the country； man and beast； buildings； crops； and even
trees； there are cantons and even provinces where the entire rural and
working population is arrested or put to flight。 In the Pyrenees； the
old Basque populations 〃torn from their natal soil； crowded into the
churches with no means of subsistence but that of charity；〃 in the
middle of winter； so that sixteen hundred of those incarcerated die
〃mostly of cold and hunger；〃＇105＇ at Bédouin； a town of two thousand
souls； in which a tree of liberty is cut down by some unknown persons；
four hundred and thirty…three houses are demolished or burned； sixteen
persons guillotined and forty…seven shot； while the rest of the
inhabitants are driven out； reduced to living like vagabonds on the
mountain； or in holes which they dig in the ground；＇106＇ in Alsace；
fifty thousand farmers who； in the winter of 1793； take refuge with
their wives and children on the other side of the Rhine。＇107＇ In
short； the revolutionary operation is a complete prostration of people
of all classes； the trunks as well as the saplings being felled； and
often in such a way as to clear the ground entirely。
But in this ruthless felling； however； the notables of the people；
making all due allowances； suffer more than the ordinary people。 It
is obvious that the Jacobin wood…chopper persecutes； insistently and
selectively； the veterans of labor and savings； the large cultivators
who from father to son and for many generations have possessed the
same farm； the master…craftsmen whose shops are well stocked and who
have good customers； the respectable； well…patronized retailers； who
owe nothing； the village…syndics and trades…syndics； all those showing
more deeply and visibly than the rest of their class； the five or six
blazes which summon the ax。 They are better off； better provided with
desirable comforts and conveniences； which is of itself an offense
against equality。 Having accumulated a small hoard； a few pieces of
plate； sometimes a few crowns；＇108＇ a store of linen and clothes； a
stock of provisions or goods； they do not willingly submit to being
plundered； which is the offense of egoism。 Being egoists； it is
presumed that they are hostile to the system of fraternity； at least
indifferent to it； as well as lukewarm towards the Republic； that is
to say； Moderates； which is the worst offense of all。＇109＇ Being the
foremost of their class； they are haughty like the nobles or the
bourgeois and regard themselves as superior to a poor man； to a
vagabond； to a genuine sans…culotte； the fourth and most inexcusable
of all offenses。 Moreover； from the fact of their superior condition；
they have contracted familiarities and formed connections with the
proscribed class； the farmer； the intendant； the overseer is often
attached to his noble proprietor or patron；＇110＇ many of the farmers；
shopkeepers and craftsmen belonging to old families are considered as
affiliated with the bourgeoisie or the clergy；＇111＇ through a son or
brother who has risen a degree in trade； or by some industrial
pursuit； or who； having completed his studies； has become a curé or
lawyer； or else through some daughter； or well…married sister； or
through one who has become a nun： now； this relation； ally； friend or
comrade of a 〃suspect 〃 is himself a 〃suspect；〃 … the last anti…
revolutionary and decisive barrier。 Sober and well…behaved persons；
having prospered or maintained themselves under the ancient régime；
must naturally cherish respect for former institutions； they must
involuntarily retain a deep feeling of veneration for the King； and
especially for religion； they are devout Catholics； and therefore are
chagrined to see the churches shut up； worship prohibited and
ecclesiastics persecuted； and would again be glad to go to Mass； honor
Easter； and have an orthodox curé who could administer to them
available sacraments； a baptism； an absolution； a marriage…rite； a
genuine extreme unction。＇112＇ … Under all these headings； they have
made personal enemies of the rascals who hold office； on all these
grounds； they are struck down； what was once meritorious with them is
now disgraceful。 Thus； the principal swath consists of the élite of
the people； selected from amongst the people itself； it is against the
〃subordinate aristocracy；〃 those most capable of doing and conducting
manual labor； the most creditable workmen； through their activity；
frugality and good habits； that the Revolution； in its rigor against
the inferior class； rages with the greatest fury。
VIII。 Rigor against the Upper Classes。
The rigor of the revolutionary laws increase according to the
elevation of the class。 … The Notables properly so called attacked
because of their being Notables。 … Orders of Taillefer； Milhaud； and
Lefiot。 … The public atonement of Montargis。
For the same reason； as far as the notables； properly so…called； are
concerned； it bears down still more heavily； not merely on the nobles
because of ancient privileges； not merely on ecclesiastics on the
score of being insubordinate Catholics； but on nobles； ecclesiastics
and bourgeois in their capacity of notables； that is to say； born and
bred above others； and respe