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thousand five hundred of these committees in France。＇55＇
IV。 Provincial Administration。
The administrative staff in the provinces。 … Jacobinism less in the
departmental towns than in Paris。 … Less in the country than in the
towns。 … The Revolutionary Committees in the small communes。 …
Municipal bodies lukewarm in the villages。 … Jacobins too numerous in
bourgs and small towns。 … Unreliable or hampered as agents when
belonging to the administrative bodies of large or moderate…sized
towns。 … Deficiency of locally recruited staff。
Had the laws of March 21 and September 5； 1793； been strictly
enforced； there would； instead of 21；500 have been 45；000 of these
revolutionary committees。 They would have been composed of 540；000
members costing the public 591 millions per year。＇56＇ This would have
made the regular administrative body； already twice as numerous and
twice as costly as under the ancient régime； an extra corps expending；
〃simply in surveillance；〃 one hundred millions more than the entire
taxation of the country； the greatness of which had excited the people
against the ancient régime。 … Happily； the poisonous and monstrous
fungal growth was only able to achieve half its intended size； neither
the Jacobin seed nor the bad atmosphere it required to make it spread
could be found anywhere。 〃The people of the provinces；〃 says a
contemporary；＇57＇ 〃are not up to the level of the Revolution； it
opposes old habits and customs and the resistance of inertia to
innovations which it does not understand。〃 〃The plowman is an
estimable man；〃 writes a missionary representative； 〃 but he is
generally a poor patriot。〃＇58＇ Actually； there is on the one hand；
less of human sediment in the departmental towns than in the great
Parisian sink； and； on the other hand； the rural population； preserved
from intellectual miasmas； better resists social epidemics than the
urban population。 Less infested with vicious adventurers； less
fruitful in disordered intellects； the provinces supply a corps of
inquisitors and terrorists with greater difficulty。
And first； in the thousands of communes which have less than five
hundred inhabitants；＇59＇ in many other villages of greater population；
but scattered＇60＇ and purely agricultural； especially in those in
which patois is spoken； there is a scarcity of suitable subjects for a
revolutionary committee。 People make use of their hands too much；
horny hands do not write every day； nobody desires to take up a pen；
especially to keep a register that may be preserved and some day or
other prove compromising。 It is already a difficult matter to recruit
a municipal council； to find a mayor； the two additional municipal
officers； and the national agent which the law requires； in the small
communes； these are the only agents of the revolutionary government；
and I fancy that； in most cases； their Jacobin fervor is moderate。
Municipal officer； national agent or mayor； the real peasant of that
day belongs to no party； neither royalist nor republican；＇61＇ his
ideas are rare； too transient and too sluggish； to enable him to form
a political opinion。 All he comprehends of the Revolution is that
which nettles him； or that which he sees every day around him； with
his own eyes； to him '93 and '94 are and will remain 〃the time of bad
paper （money） and great fright；〃 and nothing more。＇62＇ Patient in his
habits。； he submits to the new as he did to the ancient régime；
bearing the load put on his shoulders； and stooping down for fear of a
heavier one。 He is often mayor or national agent in spite of himself；
he has been obliged to take the place and would gladly throw the
burden off。 For； as times go； it is onerous； if he executes decrees
and orders； he is certain to make enemies； if he does not execute
them； he is sure to be imprisoned； he had better remain； or go back
home 〃Gros…Jean；〃 as he was before。 But he has no choice； the
appointment being once made and confirmed； he cannot decline； nor
resign； under penalty of being a 〃suspect；〃 he must be the hammer in
order not to become the anvil。 Whether he is a wine…grower； miller；
ploughman or quarry…man； he acts reluctantly； 〃submitting a petition
for resignation；〃 as soon as the Terror diminishes； on the ground that
〃he writes badly；〃 that 〃he knows nothing whatever about law and is
unable to enforce it；〃 that 〃he has to support himself with his own
hands；〃 that 〃he has a family to provide for； and is obliged to drive
his own cart〃 or vehicle； in short； entreating that he 〃may be
relieved of his charge。〃＇63＇ … These involuntary recruits are
evidently nothing more than common laborers； if they drag along the
revolutionary cart they do it like their horses； because they are
pressed into the service。
Above the small communes； in the large villages possessing a
revolutionary committee； and also in certain bourgs； the horses in
harness often pretend to draw and do not； for fear of crushing some
one。 … At this epoch； a straggling village； especially when isolated；
in an out…of…the…way place and on no highway； is a small world in
itself； much more secluded than now…a…days； much less accessible to
Parisian verbiage and outside pressure； local opinion here
preponderates； neighbors support each other； they would shrink from
denouncing a worthy man whom they had known for twenty years； the
moral sway of honest folks suffices for keeping down
〃blackguards。〃＇64＇ If the mayor is republican； it is only in words；
perhaps for self…protection； to protect his commune； and because one
must howl along with the other wolves。 … … …Moreover； in other
bourgs； and in the small towns； the fanatics and rascals are not
sufficiently numerous to fill all the offices； and； in order to fill
the vacancies； those who are not good Jacobins have been pushed
forward or admitted into the new administrative corps； lukewarm；
indifferent； timid or needy men； who take the place as an asylum or
ask for it as a means of subsistence。 〃 Citizens；〃 one of the
recruits； more or less under restraint； writes later on；＇65＇ 〃 I was
put on the Committee of Surveillance of Aignay by force； and installed
by force。〃 Three or four madmen on it ruled； and if one held any
discussion with them； 〃it was always threats 。 。 。 。 Always
trembling； always afraid； … that is the way I passed eight months
doing duty in that miserable place。〃 … Finally； in medium…sized or
large towns； the dead…lock produced by collective dismissals； the
pell…mell of improvised appointments； and the sudden renewal of an
entire set of officials； threw into the administration； willingly or
not； a lot of pretended Jacobins who； at heart； are Girondists or
Feuillantists； but who； having been excessively long…winded； are
assigned offices on account of their stump…speeches； and who
thenceforth sit alongside of the worst Jacobins； in the worst
employment。 〃Members of the Feurs Revolutionary Committee … those who
make that