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that on this day the thermometer is sixteen degrees below zero； that
one hundred； two hundred other lines of people likewise stand waiting
at the doors of bakers and butchers； enduring the same cold； and that
they have already endured it and will yet endure it a month and more。
Words are wanting to describe the sufferings of these long lines of
motionless beings； during the night； at daybreak； standing there five
or six hours； with the blast driving through their rags and their feet
freezing。 … Vent？se is beginning； and the ration of bread is reduced
to a pound and a half；＇138＇ Vent？se ends； and the ration of bread；
kept at a pound and a half for the three hundred and twenty…four
laborers； falls to one pound； in fact； a great many get none at all；
many only a half and a quarter of a pound。 Germinal follows and the
Committee of Public Safety； finding that its magazines are giving out；
limits all rations to a quarter of a pound。 Thereupon； on the 12th of
Germinal； an insurrection of workmen and women breaks out； the
Convention is invaded and liberated by military force。 Paris is
declared in a state of siege and the government； again in the saddle；
tightens the reins。 Thenceforth； the ration of meat served out every
four or five days； is a quarter of a pound； bread averages every day；
sometimes five； sometimes six and sometimes seven ounces； at long
intervals eight ounces； often three； two and one ounce and a half； or
even none at all； while this bread； black and 〃making mischief；〃
becomes more and more worthless and detestable。＇139＇ People who are
well off live on potatoes； but only for them； for； in the middle of
Germinal； these cost fifteen francs the bushel and； towards the end；
twenty francs； towards the end of Messidor； forty…five francs； in the
first month of the Directory； one hundred and eighty francs； and then
two hundred and eighty…four francs； whilst other produce goes up at
the same rates。 … After the abolition of the 〃maximum 〃 the evil
springs not from a lack of provisions； but from their dearness： the
shops are well supplied。 Whoever comes with a full purse gets what he
wants＇140＇： The former rich； the property owners and large
capitalists； may eat on the condition that they hand their bundles of
assignats over； that they withdrawing their last louis from its
hiding…place； that they sell their jewelry； clocks； furniture and
clothes。 And the nouveaux rich； the speculators； the suppliers； the
happy and extravagant robbers； spend four hundred； one thousand； three
thousand； then five thousand francs for their dinner； and revel in the
great eating establishments on fine wines and exquisite cheer： the
burden of the scarcity is transferred to other shoulders。 … At
present； the class which suffers； and which suffers beyond all bounds
of patience is； together with employees and people with small
incomes；＇141＇ the crowd of workmen； the City plebeians； the low
Parisian populace
* which lives from day to day；
* which is Jacobin at heart；
* which made the Revolution in order to better itself；
* which finds itself worse off；
* which gets up one insurrection more on the 1st of Prairial；
* which forcibly enters the Tuileries yelling 〃Bread and the
Constitution of '93；〃
* which installs itself as sovereign in the Convention；
* which murders the Representative Féraud；
* which decrees a return to Terror；
but which； put down by the National Guard； disarmed and forced back
into lasting obedience； has only to submit to the consequences of its
own outrages； the socialism it has itself instituted and the
economical system it itself has organized。
Because the workers of Paris have been usurpers and tyrants they are
now beggars。 Owing to the ruin brought on proprietors and capitalists
by them； individuals can no longer employ them。 Owing to the ruin
they have brought on the Treasury； the State can provide them with
only the semblance of charity； and hence； while all are compelled to
go hungry； a great many die； and many commit suicide。
* On Germinal 6th； 〃Section of the Observatory；〃＇142＇ at the
distribution； 〃forty…one persons had been without bread； several
pregnant women desired immediate confinement so as to destroy their
infants； others asked for knives to stab themselves。〃
* On Germinal 8th；〃 a large number of persons who had passed the night
at the doors of the bakeries were obliged to leave without getting any
bread。〃
* On Germinal 24th； 〃the police commissioner of the Arsenal section
states that many become ill for lack of food； and that he buries quite
a number。。。。 The same day； he has heard of five or six citizens； who；
finding themselves without bread； and unable to get other food； throw
themselves into the Seine。〃
* Germinal 27； 〃the women say that they feel so furious and are in
such despair on account of hunger and want that they must inevitably
commit some act of violence。 。 。 。 In the section of 'Les Amis de
la Patrie；' one half have no bread。 。 。 。 Three persons tumbled
down through weakness on the Boulevard du Temple。〃
* Floréal 2； 〃most of the workmen in the 'République' section are
leaving Paris on account of the scarcity of bread。〃
* Floréal 5； 〃eighteen out of twenty…four inspectors state that
patience is exhausted and that things are coming to an end。〃
* Floréal 14； 〃the distribution is always unsatisfactory on account of
the four…ounce ration； two thirds of the citizens do without it。 One
woman； on seeing the excitement of her husband and her four children
who had been without bread for two days； trailed through the gutter
tearing her hair and striking her head； she then got up in a state of
fury and attempted to drown herself。〃
* Floréal 20； 〃all exclaim that they cannot live on three ounces of
bread； and； again； of such bad quality。 Mothers and pregnant women
fall down with weakness。〃
* Floréal 21； 〃the inspectors state that they encounter many persons
in the streets who have fallen through feebleness and inanition。〃
* Floréal 23； 〃a citoyenne who had no bread for her child tied it to
her side and jumped into the river。 Yesterday； an individual named
Mottez； in despair through want； cut his throat。〃
* Floréal 25； 〃several persons； deprived of any means of existence；
gave up in complete discouragement； and fell down with weakness and
exhaustion。 。 。 。 In the 'Gravilliers' section； two men were found
dead with inanition。 。 。 。 The peace officers report the decease
of several citizens； one cut his throat； while another was found dead
in his bed。〃 Floréal 28； 〃numbers of people sink down for lack of
something to eat； yesterday； a man was found dead and others exhausted
through want。〃
* Prairial 24； 〃Inspector Laignier states that the indigent are
compelled to seek nourishment in the piles of garbage on the corners。〃
* Messidor 1；＇143＇ 〃the said Picard fell through weakness at ten
o'clock in the m