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p。33。 Report of Fran？ois de Nantes。） At Troyes； out of 164 brought in
in year IV。； 134 die； out of 147 received in year VII。； 136 die。
（Albert Babeau； II。； 452。） At Paris； in year IV。； out of 3；122 infants
received 2；907 perish。 （Moniteur； year V。； No。 231。） … The sick
perish the same。 〃At Toulon； only seven pounds of meat are given each
day to eighty patients； I saw in the civil Asylum；〃 says Fran？ois de
Nantes； 〃a woman who had just undergone a surgical operation to whom
they gave for a restorative a dozen beans on a wooden platter。〃
（Ibid。； 16； 31； and passim； especially for Bordeaux； Caen； Alen？on；
St。 L？； etc。） … As to beggars； these are innumerable： in year IX。； it
is estimated that there are 3 or 4；000 by department； at least 300；000
in France。 〃In the four Brittany departments one can truly say that a
third of the population live at the expense of the other two…thirds；
either by stealing from them or through compelling assistance。〃
（Rocquain； 〃Report by Barbé…Marbois；〃 p。93。）
3rd。 In year IX。； the Consells…generaux are called upon to ascertain
whether the departments have increased or diminished in population
since 1789。 （〃Analyse des procés…verbaux des Conseils…Generaux de
l'an XI。〃 In four volumes。） Out of 58 which reply； 37 state that the
population with them has diminished； 12； that it has increased； 9；
that it remains stationary。 Of the 22 others； 13 attribute the
maintenance or increase of population； at least for the most part； to
the multiplication of early marriages in order to avoid conscription
and to the large number of natural children。 … Consequently； the
average rate of population is kept up not through preserving life； but
through the substitution of new lives for the old ones that are
sacrificed。 Bordeaux； nevertheless； lost one…tenth of its population；
Angers one…eighth； Pau one…seventh； Chambery one…fourth； Rennes one…
third。 In the departments where the civil…war was carried on；
Argenton…Chateau lost two…thirds of its population； Bressuire fell
from 3；000 to 630 inhabitants； Lyons； after the siege； fell from a
population of 140；000 thousand to 80；000。 （〃Analyse des procés…
verbaux des Conseils…Generaux〃 and Statistiques des Prefets。〃）
＇152＇ Lareveillère…Lepeaux； 〃Mémoires。 〃 I； 248。 （He belongs to the
Committee and is an eye…witness。）
BOOK FIFTH。 The End of the Revolutionary Government。
CHAPTER I。
I。 The Convention。
The Convention after Thermidor 9。 … Reaction against the Terrorists。
… Aversion to the Constitutionalists。 … The danger they run if they
lose power。
Nevertheless they too； these glutted sovereigns； are anxious； and very
much so； we have just seen why； it's a question of remaining in office
in order to remain alive； and henceforth this is their sole concern。
… A good Jacobin； up to the 9th of Thermidor； could； by shutting his
eyes； still believe in his creed。＇1＇ After the 9th of Thermidor；
unless born blind； like Soubrany； Romme and Goujon； a fanatic whose
intellectual organs are as rigid as the limbs of a fakir； nobody in
the Convention can any longer believe in the Contrat…Social； in a
despotic equalizing socialism； in the merits of Terror； in the divine
right of the pure。 For； to escape the guillotine of the pure； the
purest had to be guillotined； Saint…Just； Couthon and Robespierre； the
high…priest of the sect。 That very day the 〃Montagnards；〃 in giving
up their doctor； abandoned their principles； and there is no longer
any principle or man to which the Convention could rally。 In effect；
before guillotining Robespierre and his associates as orthodox； it
guillotined the Girondins； Hébert and Danton； as heretics。 Now； 〃the
existence of popular idols and of head charlatans is irrevocably
ended。〃＇2＇ Ever the same conventional symbol before the empty
sanctuary in the blood…stained temple； and ever the same loud…intoned
anthem； but faith is gone； and only the acolytes remain to drone out
the revolutionary litany； old train…bearers and swingers of incense；
the subaltern butchers who； through a sudden stroke； have become
pontiffs； in short； the valets of the church who have donned the
mitres and croziers of their masters after having assassinated them。
From month to month； under the pressure of public opinion； they detach
themselves from the worship at which they have officiated； for；
however blunted or perverted their consciences； they cannot avoid
admitting that Jacobinism； as they have practiced it； was the religion
of robbery and murder。 Previous to Thermidor an official
phraseology＇3＇ drowned with its doctrinal roar the living truth； while
each Conventional sacristan or beadle； confined to his own chapel； saw
clearly only the human sacrifices in which he himself had taken part。
After Thermidor； the friends and kindred of the dead； the oppressed；
make their voices heard； and he is forced to see collectively and in
detail all the crimes to which； nearly or remotely； he has contributed
either through his assent or through his vote； the same as in Mexico；
the priest of Huichilobos walks about in the midst of the six hundred
thousand skulls amassed in the vaults of his temple。 … In quick
succession； during the whole of year III。； through the freedom of the
press and the great public discussions； the truth becomes known。
First； comes an account of the funereal journey of one hundred and
thirty…two Nantese； dragged from Nantes to Paris；＇4＇ and the solemn
acquittal； received with transports； of the ninety…four who survive。
After this； come the trials of the most prominent terrorists； that of
Carrier and the Revolutionary Committee of Nantes； that of Fouquier…
Tinville and the old revolutionary Tribunal of Paris； that of Joseph
Lebon；＇5＇ and； during thirty or forty consecutive sessions； hundreds
of minute； verified depositions ending in the most complete and
satisfactory testimony。 … In the mean time； revelations multiply at
the tribune of the Convention； these consist of the letters of the new
representatives on mission and the denunciations of the towns against
their overthrown tyrants； against Maignet； Dartigoyte； Piochefer…
Bernard； Levasseur； Crassous； Javogues； Lequinio； Lefiot； Piorry；
Pinet； Monestier； Fouché； Laplanche； Lecarpentier； and many others。
Add to these the reports of commissions charged with examining into
the conduct of old dictators； Collot d'Herbois； Billaud…Varennes；
Barère； Amar； Vouland； Vadier and David； the reports of the
representatives charged with investigating certain details of the
abolished system； that of Grégoire on revolutionary vandalism； that of
Cambon on revolutionary taxes； that of Courtois on Robespierre's
papers。 … All these rays combine in a terrible illumination which
imposes itself even on the eyes that turn away from it： It is now but
too plain that France； for fourteen months； has been devastated by a
gang of bandits。 All that can be said in favor of the