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even know that they exist； while the most serious question that
disturbs them in their thoughtful days is； can one amuse one's self as
much under a republican form of government as under the ancient
régime？〃 They hope； perhaps； to escape under cover of inoffensive
neutrality。 Is it likely that the victor； whoever he is； will regard
people as enemies who are resigned to his rule before…hand？ 〃A
dandy＇75＇ alongside of me remarked； yesterday morning； 'They will not
take my arms away； for I never had any。' Alas；' I replied to him；
'don't make a boast of it； for you may find forty thousand simpletons
in Paris that would say the same thing； and； indeed； it is not at all
to the credit of Paris。'〃 Such is the blindness or self…complacency
of the city dweller who； having always lived under a good police； is
unwilling to change his habits； and is not aware that the time has
come for him to turn fighting man in his turn。
The manufacturers； the merchants and the man living on his income are
even less disposed than the independent gentleman； to give up his
private affairs for public affairs。 His business will not wait for
him； he being confined to his office； store or counting…room。 For
example； 〃the wine…dealers＇76＇ are nearly all aristocrats in the sense
of this word at this period；〃 but 〃never were their sales so great as
during the insurrections of the people and in revolutionary days。〃
Hence the impossibility of obtaining their services in those days。
〃They are seen on their premises very active； with three or four of
their assistants；〃 and turn a deaf ear to every appeal。 〃How can we
leave when custom is so good？ People must have their wants supplied。
Who will attend to them if I and the waiters should go away？ 〃
There are other causes of their weakness。 All grades in the National
Guard and all places in the municipality having been given up to the
Jacobin extremists； they have no chiefs： the Girondists are incapable
of rallying them； while Garat； the Minister； is unwilling to employ
them。 Moreover； they are divided amongst themselves； no one having any
confidence in the other； 〃it being necessary to chain them together to
have anything accomplished。〃＇77＇ Besides this； the remembrance of
September weighs upon their spirits like a nightmare。 All this
converts people into a timid flock； ready to scamper at the slightest
alarm。 〃In the Contrat Social section；〃 says an officer of the
National Guard； 〃one…third of those who are able to defend the section
are off in the country； another third are hiding away in their houses；
and the other third dare not do anything。〃＇78＇ 〃If； out of fifty
thousand moderates； you can collect together three thousand； I shall
be very much astonished。 And if； out of these three thousand； five
hundred only are found to agree； and have courage enough to express
their opinion； I shall be still more astonished。 The latter； for
instance； must expect to be Septemberized！〃＇79＇ This they know； and
hence they keep silent and bend beneath the yoke。 〃What； indeed； would
the majority of the sections do when it is demonstrated that a dozen
raving maniacs at the head of a sans…culottes section puts the other
forty…seven sections of Paris to flight？ 〃 Through this desertion
of the state and themselves； they surrender in advance； and； in this
great city； as formerly in ancient Athens and Rome； we see alongside
of an immense population of subjects without any rights； a small
despotic oligarchy in itself composing the sovereign people。＇80＇
VI。
Composition of the party。 Its numbers and quality decline。 The
Underlings。 Idle and dissipated workmen。 The suburban rabble。
Bandits and blackguards。 Prostitutes。 The September actors。
Not that this minority has been on the increase since the 10th of
August； quite the reverse。 On the 19th of November； 1792； its
candidate for the office of Mayor of Paris； Lhuillier； obtains only
4；896 votes。＇81＇ On the 18th of June； 1793； its candidate for the
command of the National Guard； Henriot； will secure but 4；573 votes；
to ensure his election it will be necessary to cancel the election
twice； impose the open vote； and relieve voters from showing their
section tickets； which will permit the trusty to vote successively in
other quarters and apparently double their number by allowing each to
vote two or three times。＇82＇ Putting all together； there are not six
thousand Jacobins in Paris； all of them sans…culottes and partisans of
the 〃Mountain。〃＇83＇ Ordinarily； in a section assembly； they number
〃ten or fifteen；〃 at most 〃thirty or forty；〃 〃organized into a
permanent tyrannical board。〃 。 。 。 〃The rest listen and raise their
hands mechanically。〃 。 。 。 〃Three or four hundred Visionaries； whose
devotion is as frank as it is stupid； and two or three hundred more to
whom the result of the last revolution did not bring the places and
honors they too evidently relied on；〃 form the entire staff of the
party； 〃these are the clamorers of the sections and of the groups； the
only ones who have clearly declared themselves against order； the
apostles of a new sedition； scathed or ruined men who need disturbance
to keep alive；〃 while under these comes the train of Marat； vile
women； worthless wretches； and 〃paid shouters at three francs a
day。〃＇84＇
To this must be added that the quality of the factious is still more
reduced than their number。 Plenty of honest men； small tradesmen； wine
dealers； cook…shop keepers； clerks； who； on the 10th of August； were
against the Court； are now against the Commune。＇85＇ The September
affair； probably； disgusted them； and they were not disposed to
recommence the massacres。 A workman named Gonchon； for example； the
usual spokesman of the faubourg SaintAntoine； an upright man； sincere
and disinterested； supports Roland； and； very soon； at Lyons； seeing
how things are with his own eyes； he is to loyally endorse the revolt
of the moderates against the Maratists。＇86＇ 〃The respectable class
of the arts； says observers； 〃 is gradually leaving the faction to
join the sane party。〃＇87＇ 〃Now that water…carriers； porters and the
like storm the loudest in the sections； it is plain to all eyes that
the gangrene of disgust has reached the fruit…sellers； tailors； shoe…
makers； bar owners；〃 and others of that class。＇88＇ Towards the
end； 〃butchers of both classes； high and low； are aristocratized。〃
In the same way； 〃the women in the markets； except a few who are paid
and whose husbands are Jacobins； curse and swear； fume； fret and
storm。〃 〃This morning；〃 says a merchant； 〃four or five of them were
here； they no longer insist on being called citoyennes； they declare
that they 〃spit on the republic。〃＇89＇ … The only remaining patriot
females are from the lowest of the low class； the harpies who pillage
shops as much through envy as through necessity； 〃boat…women；
embittered by hard labor；＇90＇ 。 。 。 jealous of the grocer's wife；
better dressed th