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Desbarreaux； another madman of 1793； formerly an actor playing the
parts of valet； compelled in 1795 to demand pardon of the audience on
his knees on the stage； and； not obtaining it； driven out of the
house； and now filling the office of cashier in the theatre and posing
as department administrator。 At Blois； we find the ignoble or
atrocious characters with whom we are familiar； the assassins and
robbers Hézine； Giot； Venaille； Bézard； Berger； and Gidouin。＇88＇
Immediately after Fructidor； they stirred up their usual supporters
against the first convoy of the deported； 〃the idlers； the rabble of
the harbor； and the dregs of the people；〃 who overwhelmed them with
insults。 On this new demonstration of patriotism the government
restores to them their administrative or judicial 〃satrapies； and；
odious as they are； they are endured and obeyed； with the mute and
mournful obedience of despair。 〃 The soul sinks＇89＇ on daily perusing
the executions of conscripts and émigrés； and on seeing those
condemned to transportation constantly passing by。 。 。 。 All who
displease the government are set down on these lists of the dead； so…
called émigrés； this or that curé who is notoriously known not to have
left the department。〃 It is impossible for honest people to vote at
the primary assemblies； consequently； 〃the elections are frightful。
The 〃brothers〃 and their friends loudly proclaim that neither nobles；
priests； proprietors； merchants； nor justice are wanted； everything is
to be given up to pillage。〃 Let France perish rather than accept their
domination。 〃The wretches have announced that they will not give up
their places without overthrowing all； destroying palaces and setting
Paris on fire。〃
VII。 Enforcement of Pure Jacobinism。
Application and aggravation of the laws of the reign of Terror。 …
Measures taken to impose civic religion。 … Arrest； transportation；
and execution of Priests。 … Ostracism proposed against the entire
anti…Jacobin class。 … The nobles or the ennobled； not émigrés； are
declared foreigners。 … Decrees against émigrés of every class。 …
Other steps taken against remaining proprietors。 … Bankruptcy； forced
loan； hostages。
It is natural that with pure Jacobins one notes the re…appearance of
the pure Jacobinism； the egalitarian and anti…Christian socialism； the
programme of the funereal year； in short； the rigid； plain；
exterminating ideas which the sect gathers together； like daggers
encrusted with gore； from the cast…off robes of Robespierre； Billaud…
Varennes and Collot d'Herbois。＇90＇
In the forefront appears the fixed and favorite idea of the old…
fashioned philosophism。 By that I mean the consistent and decreed
plan to found a lay religion； and impose the observances and dogmas of
its theories on twenty…six millions of Frenchmen； and； consequently
extirping Christianity； its worship and its clergy。 The inquisitors
who hold office multiply； with extraordinary persistence and
minuteness； proscriptions and vigorous measures for the forcible
conversion of the nation。 The aim is to substitute the improvised
rites of a logical abstraction mechanically elaborated in the closet
for the tender emotions nourished by the customs of eighteen
centuries。 … Never did the dull imagination of a third…rate scholar
and classic poetaster； never did the grotesque solemnity of a pedant
fond of his phrases； never did the irritating hardness of the narrow
and stubborn devotee display with greater sentimental bombast and more
administrative officiousness than in the decrees of the Legislative
Corps；＇91＇ in the acts passed by the Directory and in the instructions
issued by the ministers Sotin； Letourneur； Lambrechts； Duval and
Fran？ois de Neufchateau。 War on Sunday； on the old calendar and on
fasting； obligatory rest on the décadi under penalty of fine and
imprisonment；＇92＇ obligatory fêtes on the anniversaries of January 21
and Fructidor 18； participation of all functionaries with their cult；
obligatory attendance of public and private instructors with their
pupils of both sexes at civic ceremonies； an obligatory liturgy with
catechisms and programmes sent from Paris； rules for scenic display
and for singings； readings； postures； acclamations and imprecations。
One might shrug his shoulders at these prescriptions of cuistres and
these parades of puppets； if； behind the apostles who compose moral
allegories； we did not detect the persecutor who imprisons； tortures
and murders。 … By the decree of Fructidor 19； not only were all the
laws of the reign of Terror against unsworn priests； their harborers
and their followers； enforced again； but the Directory arrogated to
itself the right of banishing； 〃through individual acts passed for
cause；〃 every ecclesiastic 〃who disturbed the public peace；〃 that is
to say who exercised his ministry and preached his faith；＇93＇ and；
moreover； the right of shooting down； within twenty…four hours； every
priest who； banished by the laws of 1792 and 1793； has remained in or
returned to France。 Almost all the ecclesiastics； even those who are
sworn； are comprised within the first category； the administration
enumerates 366 in the department of Doubs alone；＇94＇ and 556 in that
of Hérault。 Thousands of ecclesiastics are comprised in the second
category； the administration enumerates over 800 who； returned from
the frontier of Spain alone； still wander about the southern
departments。 On the strength of this the moralists in office proclaim
a hunt for the black game in certain places； an universal destruction
without exception or reprieve。 For instance； in Belgium； recently
incorporated with France； the whole of the regular and secular clergy
is proscribed en masse and tracked for transportation； 560
ecclesiastics in 〃Ourthe and the forests〃； 539 in Escaut； 883 in
Jemmapes； 884 in Sambre…et…Meuse； 925 in la Lys； 957 in Deux…Nèthes；
1；043 in Meuse…Inférieure； 1；469 in Dyle； in all 7；260； without
counting the missing names。＇95＇ A number of them escape abroad or
hide away； but the rest are caught； and quite enough of them to load
and fill the carts constantly。 … 〃Not a day passes；〃 says an
inhabitant of Blois；＇96＇ 〃when from seven to twenty and more are
lodged at the Carmelites。〃 The next day they set out for the casemates
of Rhé and Oléron； or for the Sinnamary marshes； where it is known
what becomes of them： after a few months； three…fourths of them lie in
the cemetery。 … In the interior； from time to time； some are shot as
an example … seven at Besan？on； one at Lyons； three in the Bouches…du…
Rh？ne； while the opponents of fanaticism； the official
philanthropists； the enlightened deists of Fructidor； use all these
disguised or declared murders as a basis on which to rear the cult of
Reason。
It remains now to consolidate the worship of Reason with the reign of
Equality； which is the second article in the Jacobin credo。 The
object now is to mow down all