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assemblies；〃 even pouncing on refractory Jacobins； invalidating the
returns of a majority when not satisfactory to them； and rendering the
choice of a minority valid； if it suited them； in short； constituting
itself the chief elector of all local and central authorities。 …
Finally； all institutions； laws； public and private rights； are down；
and the nation； body and soul； again becomes； as under Robespierre；
the property of its rulers with this sole difference； that the kings
of Terror； postponing their constitution； openly proclaim their
omnipotence； whilst the others hypocritically rule under a
constitution which they have themselves destroyed； and reign by virtue
of a title which interdicts royalty to them。
They； too； maintain themselves by Terror； only； like so many
Tartuffes； they are not disposed to act openly as executioners。 The
Directory； heir to the Convention； affects to repudiate its
inheritance： 〃Woe；〃 says Boulay de la Meurthe； 〃to whoever would re…
establish scaffolds。〃 There is to be no guillotine； its purveyors have
been too strongly denounced； they stand too near the red stream and
view with too great nervous horror those who fed it。 It is better to
employ death at a distance； lingering and spontaneous； with no
effusion of human blood； 〃dry；〃 less repulsive than the other sort；
but more painful and not less certain； this shall be imprisonment on
the marshes of Rochefort； and； better still； transportation to the
feverish coasts of Guyanna： there is no distinction between the mode
used by the Convention and that of the Directory； except the
distinction between to kill and to cause death。＇84＇ Moreover； every
brutality that can be employed to repress the indignation of the
proscribed by fear is exhausted on the way。 … The first convoy which
bears away； with thirteen others； Barthélémy； who negotiated the
treaty of Basle； Pichegru； the conqueror of Holland； Lafond…Ladébat；
president of the council of the Five Hundred； Barbé…Marbois； president
of the council of the Ancients； was at first provided with
carriages。＇85＇ An order of the Directory substitutes for these the
prison van； an iron car with one door bolted and padlocked； and；
overhead； openings through which the rain poured in streams； and with
common boards for seats。 This lumbering machine without springs rolls
along at a fast trot along the ruts in the road； each jolt sending the
condemned inmates against the hard oak sides and roof； one of these；
on reaching Blois； 〃shows his black…and…blue elbows。〃 The man selected
to command this escort is the vilest and most brutal reprobate in the
army； Dutertre； a coppersmith foreman before the Revolution； next an
officer and sentenced to be put in irons for stealing in the La Vendée
war； and such a natural robber that he again robs his men of their pay
on the road； he is evidently qualified for his work。 On stopping at
Blois； 〃he passes the night in an orgy with his brothers and friends；〃
fellow…thieves and murderers as above described。 He curses Madame
Barbé…Marbois who comes to take leave of her husband； dismissing on
the spot the commandant of the gendarmerie who supports her in a
swoon； and； noticing the respect and attentions which all the
inhabitants； even the functionaries； show to the prisoners； he cries
out； 〃Well； what airs and graces for people that will perhaps be dead
in three or four days！〃 On the vessel which transports them； and still
in sight of Rochelle； a boat is observed rowing vigorously to overtake
them and they hear a shout of 〃I am Lafond…Ladébat's son！ Allow me to
embrace my father！〃 A speaking…trumpet from the vessel replies： 〃Keep
away or you'll be fired on！〃 … Their cabins； on the voyage； are
noxious； they are not allowed to be on deck more than four at a time；
one hour in the morning and an hour in the evening。 The sailors and
soldiers are forbidden to speak to them； their food consists of a
sailor's ration； and this is spoilt； toward the end of the voyage they
are starved。 In Guyanna they are allowed one candle to a mess； and no
table…linen； they lack water； or it is not drinkable； out of sixteen
taken to Sinnamary only two survive。
Those who are deported the following year； priests； monks； deputies；
journalists and artisans accused of emigration； fare worse。 On all
the roads leading to Rochefort； sorrowful crowds are seen on carts or
tramping along in files； on foot； the same as former chains of
convicts。 〃An old man of eighty…two； Monsieur Dulaurent of Quimper；
thus traverses four departments；〃 in irons which strangle him。
Following upon this； the poor creatures； between the decks of the
〃Décade〃 and the 〃Bayonnaise；〃 crammed in； suffocated through lack of
air and by the torrid heat； badly treated and robbed； die of hunger or
asphyxia； while Guyanna completes the work of the voyage： out of 193
conveyed on board the 'Décade；〃 only 39 remain at the end of twenty…
two months； and of the 120 brought by the 'Bayonnaise；〃 only one is
left。 … Meanwhile； in France； in the casemates of the islands of Rhé
and Oléron； over twelve hundred priests become stifled or rot away；
while； on all sides； the military commissioners in the departments
shoot down vigorously。 At Paris； and in its environs； at Marseilles；
Lyons； Bordeaux； Rennes； and in most of the large towns； sudden
arrests and clandestine abductions go on multiplying。＇86＇ 〃Nobody； on
retiring to rest； is sure of awaking in freedom the next morning。 。
。 。 From Bayonne to Brussels； there is but one sentiment； that of
unbounded consternation。 No one dares either to speak to； encounter；
look at or help one another。 Everybody keeps aloof； trembles and
hides away。〃 … So that through this third offensive reaction； the
Jacobin Conquest is completed； and the conquering band； the new
feudalism； becomes a fixed installation。 〃All who pass here；〃 writes
a Tours habitant； 〃state that there is no difference in the country
between these times and Robespierre's＇87＇。。 。 。 。 It is certain
that the soil is not tenable； and that the people are continually
threatened with exactions as in a conquered country。 。 。 。
Proprietors are crushed down with impositions to such an extent that
they cannot meet their daily expenses； nor pay the cost of
cultivation。 In some of my old parishes the imposition takes about
thirteen out of twenty sous of an income。 。 。 The interest on money
amounts to four per cent。 a month。 。 。 Tours； a prey to the
terrorists who devour the department and hold all the offices； is in
the most deplorable state； every family at all well…off； every
merchant； every trader； is leaving it。〃 The veteran pillagers and
murderers； the squireens； （hobereaux） of the reign of Terror； again
appear and resume their fiefs。 At Toulouse； it is Barrau； a
shoemaker； famous up to 1792 for his fury under Robespierre； and
Desbarreaux； another madman of 1793； formerly an actor playing the
parts of valet； compelled i