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by the so…called commissioners of the 48 sections of Paris； I heard
Santerre say in a loud tone to those around him； somewhat in these
words： 'You see； now； these deputies are not up to the Revolution。 。 。
That all comes from fifty； a hundred two hundred leagues off； they
don't understand one word you say！'〃
CHAPTER IV。
PRECARIOUS SITUATION OF A CENTRAL GOVERNMENT LOCKED UP WITHIN A LOCAL
JURISDICTION。
〃Citizen Danton；〃 wrote the deputy Thomas Paine；＇1＇ 〃the danger；
every day increasing； is of a rupture between Paris and departments。
The departments did not send their deputies to Paris to be insulted；
and every insult shown to them is an insult to the department that
elected them。 I see but one effective plan to prevent this rupture
taking place； and that is to fix the residence of the Convention and
of the future assemblies at a distance from Paris。 。 。 。 I saw； during
the American Revolution； the exceeding inconvenience that arose from
having the government of Congress within the limits of any municipal
jurisdiction。 Congress first resided in Philadelphia； and； after a
residence of four years； it found it necessary to leave it。 It then
adjourned to the State of Jersey。 It afterwards removed to New York。
It again removed from New York to Philadelphia； and； after
experiencing in every one of these places the great inconvenience of a
government within a government； it formed the project of building a
town not within the limits of any municipal jurisdiction for the
future residence of Congress。 In every one of the places where
Congress resided； the municipal authority privately or publicly
opposed itself to the authority of Congress； and the people of each of
those places expected more attention from Congress than their equal
share with the other States amounted to。 The same thing now takes
place in France； but in a greater excess。〃
Danton knew all this； and he is sufficiently clear…headed to
comprehend the danger； but the furrow is laid out； traced； and by
himself。 Since the 10th of August Paris holds France down while a
handful of revolutionaries tyrannize Paris。＇2＇
I。
Jacobin advantages。 Their sway in the section assemblies。
Maintenance； re…election and completion of the Commune。 Its new
chiefs； Chaumette； Hébert and Pache。 The National Guard recast。
Jacobins elected officers and sub…officers。 The paid band of roughs。
Public and secret funds of the party。
Owing to the composition and the holding of the section assemblies；
the original source of power has remained Jacobin； and has become of
a darker and darker hue； accordingly； the electoral processes which；
under the legislative body； had fashioned the usurping Commune of the
10th of August； are perpetuated and aggravated under the
Convention。＇3＇ 〃In nearly all the sections＇4＇ it is the sans…culottes
who occupy the chair； arrange things inside the chamber； place the
sentinels and provide the censors and auditors。 Five or six spies；
familiar with the section； and paid forty sous a day； remain during
the session； and ready to undertake any enterprise。 These same
individuals will take orders from one Committee of Surveillance to
another； 。 。 so that if the sans…culottes of one section are not
strong enough they may call in those of a neighboring section。〃 In
such assemblies the elections are decided beforehand； and we see how
the faction keeps forcibly in its hands； or obtains by force； every
elective position。 The Council of the Commune； in spite of the hostile
inclinations of the Legislative Assembly and the Convention； succeeds
at first in maintaining itself four months； then； in December；＇5＇ when
it is at last compelled to break up； it reappears through the
authorization of the suffrage； reinforced and completed by its own
class； with three chiefs； a syndic…attorney； a deputy and a mayor； all
three authors or abettors of the September massacre； with Chaumette；
Anaxagoras； so…called； once a cabin…boy； then a clerk； always in debt；
a windbag； and given to drink； Hébert； called 〃Père Duchesne；〃 which
states about all that is necessary for him； Pache； a subaltern busy…
body； a bland； smooth…faced intriguer； who； with his simple air and
seeming worth； pushes himself up to the head of the War Department；
where he used all its resources for pillaging； and who； born in a
door…keeper's lodgings； returns there； either through craft or
inclination； to take his dinner。 The Jacobins； with the civil power
in their hands； also grab the military power。 Immediately after the
10th of August；＇6＇ the National Guard is reorganized and distributed
in as many battalions as there are sections； each battalion thus
becoming 〃a section in arms〃； by this we may judge its composition；
and the kind of rabble…rousers they select as officers and non…
commissioned officers。 〃The title of National Guard；〃 writes a deputy；
〃can no longer be given to the lot of pikemen and substitutes； mixed
with a few bourgeois； who； since the 10th of August； maintain the
military service in Paris。〃 There are； indeed； 110；000 names on paper；
when called out on important occasions； all who are registered may
respond； if not disarmed； but； in general； almost all stay at home and
pay a sans…culotte to mount guard in their place。 In fact； there is
for the daily service only a hired reserve in each section； about one
hundred men； always the same individuals。 This makes in Paris a band
of four or five thousand roughs； in which the squads may be
distinguished which have already been seen in September： Maillard and
his 68 men at the Abbaye； Gauthier and his 40 men at Chantilly；
Audouin； the Sapper of the Carmelites；〃 and his 350 men in the suburbs
of Paris； Fournier； Lazowski and their 1；500 men at Orleans and
Versailles。＇7＇ As to the pay of these and that of their civil
auxiliaries； the faction is not troubled about that； for； along with
power； it has seized money。 To say nothing of its rapine in
September；＇8＇ and without including the lucrative offices at its
disposition； four hundred of these being distributed by Pache alone；
and four hundred more by Chaumette；＇9＇ the Commune has 850；000 francs
per month for its military police。 Other bleedings at the Treasury
cause more public money to flow into the pockets of its clients。 One
million per month supports the idle workmen which fife and drum have
collected together to form the camp around Paris。 Five millions of
francs protect the petty tradesmen of the capital against the
depreciation in value of certificates of credit。 Twelve thousand
francs a day keep down the price of bread for the Paris poor。＇10＇ To
these regularly allowed subsidies add the funds which are diverted or
extorted。 On one side； in the War Department； Pache； its accomplice
before becoming its mayor； organizes a steady stream of waste and
theft； in three months he succeeds in bringing about a deficiency of
130；000；000； 〃without vouchers。〃＇11＇ On