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provinces so as to feed the city； to starve the former to…morrow so as
to feed the latter to…day。 … Subject to the clamors and menaces of
the street they dispatch things rapidly； they cease to care for the
future； the present being all that concerns them； they take and take
forcibly； they uphold violence by brutality； they support robbery with
murder； they expropriate persons by categories and appropriate objects
by categories； and after the rich they despoil the poor。 … During
fourteen months the revolutionary government thus keeps both hands at
work； one hand completing the confiscation of property； large and
medium； and the other proceeding to the entire abolition of property
even on a small scale。
Against large or medium properties it suffices to extend and aggravate
the decrees already passed。 … The spoliation of the last of existing
corporations must be effected： the government； confiscates the
property of hospitals； communes； and all scientific or literary
associations。＇31＇
To this we must add the spoliation of State credits and all other
credits： it issues in fourteen months 5 100 millions of assignats； at
one time and with one decree 1；400 million and another time 2；000
millions。 It thus condemns itself to complete future bankruptcy。 It
also calls in the 1；500 million of assignats bearing the royal stamp
（à face royale） and thus arbitrarily converts and reduces the public
debt on the Grand Ledger； which is already； in fact； a partial and
declared bankruptcy。 Six months imprisonment for whoever refuses to
accept assignats at par； twenty years in irons if the offence is
repeated and the guillotine if there is an incivique intention or act；
which suffices for all other creditors。＇32＇
The spoliation of individuals； a forced loan of a billion on the rich；
requisitions for coin against assignats at par； seizures of plate and
jewels in private houses； revolutionary taxes so numerous as not only
to exhaust the capital； but likewise the credit； of the person
taxed；＇33＇ and the resumption by the State of the public domain
pledged to private individuals for the past three centuries。 How many
years of labor are requisite to bring together again so much available
capital； to reconstruct in France and to refill once again those
private reservoirs which are to contain the accumulated savings
essential for the out…flow required to drive the great wheel of each
general enterprise？ Take into account； moreover； the enterprises which
are directly destroyed； root and branch； by revolutionary executions；
enforced against the manufacturers and traders of Lyons； Marseilles
and Bordeaux； proscribed in a mass；＇34＇ guillotined； imprisoned； or
put to flight； their factories stopped； their storehouses put under
sequestration； with their stocks of brandy； soap； silk； muslins；
leather； paper； serges； cloth； canvas； cordage and the rest； the same
at Nantes under Carrier； at Strasbourg under Saint…Just； and
everywhere else。＇35＇ … 〃Commerce is annihilated；〃 writes a Swiss
merchant；＇36＇ from Paris； and the government； one would say； tries
systematically to render it impossible。 On the 27th of June； 1793；
the Convention closes the Bourse； on the 15th of April； 1794； it
suppresses 〃financial associations〃 and 〃prohibits all bankers；
merchants and other persons from organizing any establishment of the
said character under any pretext or title whatsoever。〃 On the 8th of
September； 1793； the Commune places seals 〃in all the counting…houses
of bankers； stockbrokers； agents and silver…dealers；〃＇37＇ and locks up
their owners； as a favor； considering that they are obliged to pay the
drafts drawn on them； they are let out； but provisionally； and on
condition that they remain under arrest at home； 〃under the guard of
two good citizens；〃 at their own expense。 Such is the case in Paris
and in other cities； not alone with prominent merchants； but likewise
with notaries and lawyers； with whom funds are on deposit and who
manage estates； a sans…culotte with his pike stands in their cabinet
whilst they write； and he accompanies them in the street when they
call on their clients。 Imagine the state of a notary's office or a
counting…room under a system of this sort！ The master of it winds up
his business as soon as he can； no matter how； makes no new
engagements and does as little as possible。 Still more inactive than
he； his colleagues； condemned to an indefinite listlessness； under
lock and key in the common prison； no longer attend to their business。
… There is a general； total paralysis of those natural organs which；
in economic life； produce； elaborate； receive； store； preserve；
exchange and transmit in large quantities； and as an after effect；
embarrass； saturate； or weaken all the lesser subordinate organs to
which the superior ones no longer provide outlets； intermediary
agencies or aliment。
It is now the turn of the small enterprises。 Whatever their
sufferings may be they are ordered to carry their work out as in
normal times； and they will be forced to do this。 The Convention；
pursuing its accustomed rigid logical course with its usual
shortsightedness； lays on them its violent and inept hands； they are
trodden down； trampled upon and mauled for the purpose of curing them。
Farmers are forbidden to sell their produce except in the markets； and
obliged to bring to these a quota of so many sacks per week； military
raids compelling them to furnish their quotas。＇38＇ Shopkeepers are
ordered 〃to expose for sale； daily and publicly； all goods and
provisions of prime necessity〃 that they have on hand； while a maximum
price is established； above which no one shall sell 〃bread； flour and
grain； vegetables and fruits； wine； vinegar； cider； beer and brandy；
fresh meat； salt meat； pork； cattle； dried； salted； smoked or pickled
fish； butter； honey； sugar； sweet…oil； lamp…oil； candles； firewood；
charcoal and other coal； salt； soap； soda； potash； leather； iron；
steel； castings； lead； brass； hemp； linen； woolens； canvas and woven
stuffs； sabots； shoes and tobacco。〃 Whoever keeps on hand more than he
consumes is a monopolist and commits a capital crime； the penalty；
very severe； is imprisonment or the pillory； for whoever sells above
the established price：＇39＇ such are the simple and direct expedients
of the revolutionary government； and such is the character of its
inventive faculty； like that of the savage who hews down a tree to get
at its fruit。 … Consequently； after the first application of the
〃maximum〃 the shopkeeper is no longer able to carry on business； his
customers； attracted by the sudden depreciation in price of his wares；
flock to his shop and empty it in a few days；＇40＇ having sold his
goods for half what they cost him；＇41＇ he has got back only one…half
of his advances； therefore； he can only one…half renew his assortment；
less than a half； since he has not paid his bills； and his credit is
declining； the （Jacobin） representative