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more than transform spontaneous anarchy into legal anarchy。
Deliberately and through distrust of authority they have undermined
the principle of command； reduced the King to the post of a decorative
puppet； and almost annihilated the central power： from the top to the
bottom of the hierarchy the superior has lost his hold on the
inferior； the minister on the departments； the departments on the
districts； and the districts on the communes。 Throughout all branches
of the service； the chief； elected on the spot and by his
subordinates； has come to depend on them。 Thenceforth； each post in
which authority is vested is found isolated； dismantled and preyed
upon； while； to crown all； the Declaration of Rights； proclaiming 〃the
jurisdiction of constituents over their clerks；〃＇2＇ has invited the
assailants to make the assault。 On the strength of this a faction
arises which ends in becoming an organized band ； under its clamor；
its menaces and its pikes； at Paris and in the provinces； at the polls
and in the parliament； the majorities are all silenced； while the
minorities vote； decree and govern； the Legislative Assembly is
purged； the King is dethroned； and the Convention is mutilated。 Of
all the garrisons of the central citadel； whether royalists；
Constitutionalists； or Girondins； not one has been able to defend
itself； to re…fashion the executive instrument； to draw the sword and
use it in the streets： on the first attack； often at the first
summons； all have surrendered； and now the citadel； with every other
public fortress； is in the hands of the Jacobins。
This time； its occupants are of a different stamp。 Aside from the
great mass of well…disposed people fond of a quiet life； the
Revolution has sifted out and separated from the rest all who are
fanatical； brutal or perverse enough to have lost respect for others；
these form the new garrison sectarians blinded by their creed； the
roughs （assommeurs） who are hardened by their calling； and those who
make all they can out of their offices。 None of this class are
scrupulous concerning human life or property ； for； as we have seen；
they have shaped the theory to suit themselves； and reduced popular
sovereignty to their sovereignty。 The commonwealth； according to the
Jacobin； is his； with him； the commonwealth comprises all private
possessions； bodies； estates； souls and consciences； everything
belongs to him； the fact of being a Jacobin makes him legitimately
czar and pope。 Little does he care about the wills of actually living
Frenchmen； his mandate does not emanate from a vote ； it descends to
him from aloft； conferred on him by Truth； by Reason； by Virtue。 As
he alone is enlightened； and the only patriot； he alone is worthy to
take command； while resistance； according to his imperious pride； is
criminal。 If the majority protests it is because the majority is
imbecile or corrupt； in either case； it deserves to be brought to
heel。 And； in fact； the Jacobin only does that and right away too；
insurrections； usurpations； pillaging； murders； assaults on
individuals； on judges and public attorneys； on assemblies； violations
of law； attacks on the State； on communities there is no outrage
not committed by him。 He has always acted as sovereign instinctively
； he was so as a private individual and clubbist； he is not to cease
being so； now that he possesses legal authority； and all the more
because if he hesitates he knows he is lost； to save himself from the
scaffold he has no refuge but in a dictatorship。 Such a man； unlike
his predecessors； will not allow himself to be turned out； on the
contrary； he will exact obedience at any cost。 He will not hesitate
to restore the central power； he will put back the local wheels that
have been detached； he will repair the old forcing gear； he will set
it agoing so as to work more rudely and arbitrarily than ever； with
greater contempt for private rights and public liberties than either a
Louis XIV。 or a Napoleon。
II。 Jacobin Dissimulation。
Contrast between his words and his acts。 … How he dissimulates his
change of front。 The Constitution of June； 1793。 … Its promises
of freedom。
In the mean time； he has to harmonize his coming acts with his recent
declarations； which； at the first glance； seems a difficult operation：
for； in the speeches he has made he has already condemned the actions
he meditates。 Yesterday he exaggerated the rights of the governed；
even to a suppression of those of the government； to…morrow he is to
exaggerate the rights of the people in power； even to suppressing
those who are governed。 The people； as he puts it； is the sole
sovereign； and he is going to treat the people as slaves； the
government； as he puts it； is a valet； and he is going to endow the
government with prerogatives of a sultan。 He has just denounced the
slightest exercise of public authority as a crime； he is now going to
punish as a crime the slightest resistance to public authority。 What
will justify such a volte…face and with what excuse can he repudiate
the principles with which he justified his takeover？ He takes good
care not to repudiate them； it would drive the already rebellious
provinces to extremes； on the contrary； he proclaims them with renewed
vigor； through which move the ignorant crowd； seeing the same flask
always presented to it； imagines that it is always served with the
same liquor； and is thus forced to drink tyranny under the label of
freedom。 Whatever the charlatan can do with his labels； signboards；
shouting and lies for the next six months； will be done to disguise
the new nostrum； so much the worse for the public if； later on； it
discovers that the draught is bitter； sooner or later it must swallow
it； willingly or by compulsion： for； in the interval； the instruments
are being got ready to force it down the public throat。＇3＇
As a beginning； the Constitution； so long anticipated and so often
promised； is hastily fabricated：＇4＇ declarations of rights in thirty…
five articles； the Constitutional bill in one hundred and twenty…four
articles； political principles and institutions of every sort；
electoral； legislative； executive； administrative； judicial； financial
and military；＇5＇ in three weeks all is drawn up and passed on the
double。 Of course； the new Constitutionalists do not propose to
produce an effective and serviceable instrument； that is the least of
their worries。 Hérault Séchelles； the reporter of the bill； writes on
the 7th of June； 〃to have procured for him at once the laws of Minos；
of which he has urgent need；〃 very urgent need； as he must hand in the
Constitution that week。＇6＇ Such circumstance is sufficiently
characteristic of both the workmen and the work。 All is mere show and
pretense。 Some of the workmen are shrewd politicians whose sole
object is to furnish the public with words instead of realities；
others； ordinary scribblers of abstractions； or