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divided amongst the twelve； it is； in practice； concentrated in a few
hands。 Several members occupy only a subaltern position； and amongst
these； Barère； who； official secretary and mouthpiece； is always ready
to make a speech or draft an editorial； others； with special
functions； Jean Bon St。 André； Lindet； and above all； Prieur de la
C？te d'Or and Carnot； confine themselves each to his particular
department； navy； war； supplies； with blank signatures； for which they
give in return their signatures to the political leaders； the latter；
called 〃the statesmen；〃 Robespierre； Couthon； Saint…Just； Collot
d'Herbois； Billaud…Varennes； are the real rulers providing overall
direction。 It is true that their mandate has to be renewed monthly；
but this is a certainty； for； in the present state of the Convention；
its vote； required beforehand； becomes an almost vain formality。 More
submissive than the parliament of Louis XIV。； the Convention adopts；
without discussion； the decrees which the Committee of Public Safety
present to it ready made。 It is no more than a registry…office； and
scarcely that； for it has relinquished its right of appointing its own
committees； that office being assigned to the Committee of Public
Safety； it votes as a whole all lists of names which the Committee
send in。＇119＇ Naturally； none but the creatures of the latter and the
faithful are inscribed； thus； the whole legislative and parliamentary
power belongs to it。 As to executive and administrative power； the
ministers have become mere clerks of the Committee of Public Safety；
〃they come every day at specified hours to receive its orders and
acts；＇120＇ 〃they submit to it 〃the list with explanations； of all the
agents〃 sent into the departments and abroad ； they refer to it every
minute detail； they are its scribes； merely its puppets； so
insignificant that they finally lose their title； and for the
〃Commission on External Relations〃 a former school…master is taken； an
inept clubbist； bar…fly and the pillar of the billiard…room； scarcely
able to read the documents brought to him to sign in the café where he
passes his days。＇121＇ Thus is the second power in the State
converted by the Committee into a squad of domestics； while the
foremost one is converted into an audience of claqueurs。
To make them do their duty； it has two hands。 One； the right；
which seizes people unawares by the collar； is the Committee of
General Security； composed of twelve extreme Montagnards； such as
Panis； Vadier； Le Bas； Geoffroy； David； Amar； La Vicomterie； Lebon and
Ruhl； all nominated； that is to say； appointed by it； being its
confederates and subalterns。 They are its lieutenants of police； and
once a week they come and take part in its labors； as formerly the
Sartines； and the Lenoirs assisted the Comptroller…general。 A man who
this secret committee deems a 〃suspect；〃 is suddenly seized； no matter
who； whether representative； minister； or general； and finds himself
the next morning behind the bars in one of the ten new Bastilles。
There； the other hand seizes him by the throat； this is the
revolutionary tribunal； an exceptional court like the extraordinary
commissions of the ancient régime； only far more terrible。 Aided by
its police gang； the Committee of Public Safety itself selects the
sixteen judges and sixty jurymen＇122＇ from among the most servile； the
most furious； or the most brutal of the fanatics：＇123＇ Fouquier…
Tinville； Hermann； Dumas； Payan； Coffinhal； Fleuriot…Lescot； and；
lower down on the scale； apostate priests； renegade nobles；
disappointed artists； infatuated studio…apprentices； journeymen
scarcely able to write their names； shoemakers； joiners； carpenters；
tailors； barbers； former lackeys； an idiot like Ganney； a deaf man
like Leroy…Dix…Ao？t； their names and professions indicate all that is
necessary to be told： these men are licensed and paid murderers。 The
Jurymen themselves are allowed eighteen francs a day； so that they may
attend to their business more leisurely。 This business consists in
condemning without proof； without any pleadings； and scarcely any
examination； in a hurry； in batches； whoever the Committee of Public
Safety might send to them； even the most confirmed Montagnards：
Danton； who contrived the tribunal； will soon discover this。 … it is
through these two government institutions that the Committee of Public
Safety keeps every head under the cleaver and each head； to avoid
being struck off； bows down；＇124＇ in the provinces as well as in
Paris。
This has happened when the existing local hierarchy was replaced by
new authorities making the omnipotent will of the Committee present
everywhere。 Directly or indirectly； 〃for all government measures or
measures of public safety； all that relates to persons and the general
and internal police； all constituted bodies and all public
functionaries； are placed under its inspection。〃＇125＇ You may imagine
how the risk of being guillotined weighed upon them。
To suppress in advance any tendency to administrative inertia； it has
had withdrawn from the too powerful； too much respected； department
governments； 〃too inclined to federalism；〃 their departmental
dominance and their 〃political influence。〃＇126＇ It reduces these to
the levying of taxes and the supervision of roads and canals； it
purges them out through its agents； it even purges out the governments
of municipalities and districts。 To suppress beforehand all
probability of popular opposition； it has had the sessions of the
sections reduced to two per week； it installs in these sections； for
about forty sous a day； a majority of sans…culottes ； it orders the
suspension 〃until further directives〃 of all municipal elections。＇127＇
Finally； to have full control on the spot； it appoints its own men；
first； the commissioners and the representatives on missions； a sort
of temporary corps of directors sent into each department with
unlimited powers；＇128＇ next； a body of national agents； a sort of
permanent body of sub…delegates； through whom in each district and
municipality it replaces the procureurs…syndics。＇129＇ To this army of
functionaries is added in each town； bourg or large village； a
revolutionary committee； paid three francs a day per member； charged
with the application of its decrees； and required to make reports
thereon。 Never before was such a vast and closely woven network cast
from above to envelope and keep captive twenty…six million people。
Such is the real constitution which the Jacobins substitute for the
constitution they have prepared for show。 In the arsenal of the
monarchy which they destroyed they took the most despotic institutions
… centralization； Royal Council； lieutenants of police； special
tribunals； intendants and sub…delegates； they disinterred the antique
Roman law of lèse…majesty； refurbished old blades which civilization
had dulled； aiming them at every throat and now wielded at rand