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roof； but he buys no manure； exhausts the soil； devastates the forest；
alienates the fields； and dismembers the entire farm； damaging the
ground and the stock of tools and injuring the dwelling by selling its
mirrors； lead and iron； and oftentimes the window…shutters and doors。
He turns all into cash； no matter how； at the expense of the domain；
which he leaves in a run…down condition； unfurnished and for a long
time unproductive。 In like manner； the communal possessions； ravaged；
pillaged and then pieced out and divided off； are so many organisms
which are sacrificed for the immediate relief of the village poor； but
of course to the detriment of their future productiveness and an
abundant yield。＇18＇
Alone； amongst these millions of men who have stopped working； or work
the wrong way； the petty cultivator labors to advantage； free of
taxes； of tithes and of feudal imposts； possessing a scrap of ground
which he has obtained for almost nothing or without stretching his
purse strings； he works in good spirits。＇19＇ He is sure that
henceforth his crop will no longer be eaten up by the levies of the
seignior； of the décimateur and of the King； that it will belong to
him； that it will be wholly his； and that the worse the famine in the
towns； the dearer he will sell his produce。 Hence； he has ploughed
more vigorously than ever； he has even cleared waste ground； getting
the soil gratis； or nearly so； and having to make but few advances；
having no other use for his advances； consisting of seed； manure； the
work of his cattle and of his own hands； he has planted； reaped and
raised grain with the greatest energy。 Perhaps other articles of
consumption will be scarce； it may be that； owing to the ruin of other
branches of industry； it will be hard to get dry…goods； shoes； sugar；
soap； oil； candles； wine and brandy； it may happen that； owing to the
bungling way in which agricultural transformations have been effected；
all produce of the secondary order； meat； vegetables； butter and eggs；
may become scarce。 In any event； French foodstuffs par excellence is
on hand； standing in the field or stored in sheaves in the barns； in
1792 and 1793； and even in 1794； there is enough grain in France to
provide every French inhabitant with his daily bread。＇20＇
But that is not enough。 In order that each Frenchman may obtain his
bit of bread every day； it is still essential that grain should reach
the markets in sufficient quantities； and that the bakers should every
day have enough flour to make all the bread that is required；
moreover； the bread offered for sale in the bakeries should not exceed
the price which the majority of consumers can afford to pay。 Now； in
fact； through a forced result of the new system； neither of these
conditions is fulfilled。 … In the first place； wheat； and hence
bread； is too dear。 Even at the old rate； these would still be too
dear for the innumerable empty or half…empty purses； after so many
attacks on property； industry and trade； now that so many hundreds of
workmen and employees are out of work； now that so many land…owners
and bourgeois receive no rents； now that incomes； profits； wages and
salaries have diminished by hundreds of thousands。 But wheat； and；
consequently； bread； has not remained at old rates。 Formerly a sack
of wheat in Paris was worth 50 francs。 In February； 1793； it is worth
sixty…five francs； in May； 1793； one hundred francs and then one
hundred and fifty； and hence bread； in Paris； early in 1793； instead
of being three sous the pound； costs six sous； in many of the southern
departments seven and eight sous； and in other places ten and twelve
sous。＇21＇ The reason is； that； since August 10； 1792； after the King's
fall and the wrenching away of the ancient keystone of the arch which
still kept the loosened stones of the social edifice in place； the
frightened peasant would no longer part with his produce； he
determined not to take assignats； not to let his grain go for anything
but ringing coin。 To exchange good wheat for bad； dirty paper rags
seemed to him a trick； and justly so； for； on going to town every
month he found that the dealers gave him less merchandise for these
rags。 Being distrustful and a hoarder； he must have good； old
fashioned crowns； with the ancient effigy； so as to lay them away in a
jar or old woollen stocking； give him specie or he will keep his
grain。 For he is not； as formerly； obliged to part with it as soon as
it is cut； to pay taxes and rent； the bailiff and sheriff are no
longer there to constrain him； in these times of disorder and
demagoguism； under impotent or partial authorities； neither the public
nor the private creditor has the power to compel payment； while the
spurs which formerly impelled the farmer to seek the nearest market
are blunted or broken。 He therefore stays away； and he has excellent
reasons for so doing。 Vagabonds and the needy stand by the roadside
and at the entrances of the towns to stop and pillage the loaded
carts； in the markets and on the open square； women cut open bags of
grain with their scissors and empty them； or the municipality； forced
to do it by the crowd； fixes the price at a reduced rate。＇22＇ … The
larger a town； the greater the difficulty in supplying its market； for
its provisions are drawn from a distance； each department； each
canton； each village keeps its own grain for itself by means of legal
requisitions or by brutal force； it is impossible for wholesale
dealers in grain to make bargains； they are styled monopolists； and
the mob； breaking into their storehouses； hangs them out of
preference。＇23＇ As the government； accordingly； has proclaimed their
speculations 〃crimes；〃 it is going to interdict their trade and
substitute itself for them。＇24＇ … But this substitution only increases
the penury still more； in vain do the towns force collections； tax
their rich men； raise money on loan； and burden themselves beyond
their resources；＇25＇ they only make the matter worse。 When the
municipality of Paris expends twelve thousand francs a day for the
sale of flour at a low price in the markets； it keeps away the flour…
dealers； who cannot deliver flour at such low figures； the result is
that there is not flour enough in the market for the six hundred
thousand mouths in Paris； when it expends seventy…five thousand francs
daily to indemnify the bakers； it attracts the outside population；
which rushes into Paris to get bread cheap； and for the seven hundred
thousand mouths of Paris and the suburbs combined； the bakers have not
an adequate supply。 Whoever comes late finds the shop empty；
consequently； everybody tries to get there earlier and earlier； at
dawn； before daybreak； and then five or six hours before daybreak。 in
February； 1793； long lines of people are already waiting at the
bakers' door； these lines growing longer and longer in April； while in
June they are enormously long。＇26＇ Naturally； for lack of bread