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Barra and Viala： 〃Under so fine a government woman will bring forth
without pain。〃 Mercier 〃Le Nouveau Paris；〃 I。 13。 〃I heard （an
orator） exclaim in one of the sections； to which I bear witness： 'Yes；
I would take my own head by the hair； cut it off； and； presenting it
to the despot； I would say to him： Tyrant； behold the act of a free
man！'〃
＇56＇ Now； one hundred years later； I consider the tens of thousands
of western intellectuals； who； in their old age； seem unable to
understand their longtime fascination with Lenin； Stalin and Mao； I
cannot help to think that history might be holding similar future
surprises in store for us。 （SR）。
＇57＇ And my lifetime； our Jacobins the communists； have including in
their register the distortion； the lie and slander as a regular tool
of their trade。 （SR）。
＇58＇ Lafayette； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。467 （on the Jacobins of August 10；
1792）。 〃This sect； the destruction of which was desired by nineteen…
twentieths of France。〃 Durand…Maillan； 49。 The aversion to the
Jacobins after June 20； 1792； was general。 〃The communes of France；
everywhere wearied and dissatisfied with popular clubs； would gladly
have got rid of them； that they might no longer be under their
control。〃
＇59＇ The words of Leclerc； a deputy of the Lyons committee in the
Jacobin Club at Paris May 12； 1793。 〃Popular machiavelianism must be
established 。 。 。 Everything impure must disappear off the French
soil。 。 。 I shall doubtless be regarded as a brigand； but there is one
way to get ahead of calumny； and that is to exterminate the
calumniators。〃
＇60＇ Buchez et Roux； XXXIV。 204 （testimony of Fran？ois Lameyrie）。
〃Collection of authentic documents for the History of the Revolution
at Strasbourg；〃 II。 210 （speech by Baudot； Frimaire 19； year II。； in
the Jacobin club at Strasbourg）。 〃Egoists； the heedless； the enemies
of liberty； the enemies of all nature should not be regarded as her
children。 Are not all who oppose the public good； or who do not share
it； in the same case？ Let us； then； utterly destroy them。 。 。 Were
they a million； would not one sacrifice the twenty…fourth part of
one's self to get rid of a gangrene which might infect the rest of the
body？。。〃 For these reasons； the orator thinks that every man who is
not wholly devoted to the Republic must be put to death。 He states
that the Republic should at one blow cause the instant disappearance
of every friend to kings and feudalism。Beaulieu； 〃Essai；〃 V。 200。 M。
d'Antonelle thought； 〃like most of the revolutionary clubs； that； to
constitute a republic； an approximate equality of property should be
established； and to do this； a third of the population should be
suppressed。〃 〃 This was the general idea among the fanatics of the
Revolution。 〃 Larevellière…Lépaux； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。150 〃Jean Bon St。
André 。 。 。 suggested that for the solid foundation of the Republic in
France； the population should be reduced one…half。〃 He is violently
interrupted by Larevellière…Lépeaux； but continues and insists on
this。 … Guffroy； deputy of the Pas…de…Calais； proposed in his journal
a still larger amputation； he wanted to reduce France to five millions
of inhabitants。
BOOK SECOND。 THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CONQUEST。
CHAPTER I。
THE JACOBINS COME INTO IN POWER。 … THE ELECTIONS OF 1791。 … PROPORTION
OF PLACES GAINED BY THEM。
In June； 1791； and during the five following months； the class of
active citizens＇1＇ are convoked to elect their representatives； which；
as we know； according to the law； are of every kind and degree。 In the
first place； there are 40；000 members of electoral colleges of the
second degree and 745 deputies。 Next； there are one…half of the
administrators of 83 departments； one…half of the administrators of
544 districts； one…half of the administrators of 41；000 communes； and
finally； in each municipality； the mayor and syndic…attorney。 Then in
each department they have to elect the president of the criminal court
and the prosecuting…attorney； and； throughout France； officers of the
National Guard； in short； almost the entire body of the agents and
depositories of legal authority。 The garrison of the public citadel is
to be renewed； which is the second and even the third time since 1789。
At each time the Jacobins have crept into the place； in small
bands； but this time they enter in large bodies。 Pétion becomes mayor
of Paris； Manual； syndic…attorney； and Danton the deputy of Manuel。
Robespierre is elected prosecuting…attorney in criminal cases。 The
very first week；＇2＇ 136 new deputies enter their names on the club's
register。 In the Assembly the party numbers about 250 members。 On
passing all the posts of the fortress in review； we may estimate the
besiegers as occupying one…third of them； and perhaps more。 Their
siege for two years has been carried on with unerring instinct； the
extraordinary spectacle presenting itself of an entire nation legally
overcome by a troop of insurgents。＇3＇
I。
Their siege operations。 Means used by them to discourage the
majority of electors and conservative candidates。 Frequency of
elections。 … Obligation to take the oath。
First of all； they clear the ground； and through the decrees forced
out of the Constituent Assembly； they keep most of the majority away
from the polls。 On the one hand； under the pretext of better
ensuring popular sovereignty； the elections are so multiplied； and
held so near together； as to demand of each active citizen one…sixth
of his time； such an exaction is very great for hard…working people
who have a trade or any occupation；＇4＇ which is the case with the
great mass； at all events； with the useful and sane portion of the
population。 Accordingly； as we have seen； it stays away from the
polls； leaving the field open to idlers or fanatics。＇5＇ On the
other hand； by virtue of the constitution； the civic oath； which
includes the ecclesiastical oath； is imposed on all electors； for； if
any one takes the former and reserves the latter； his vote is thrown
out： in November； in the Doubs； the municipal elections of thirty…
three communes are invalidated solely on this pretext。＇6＇ Not only
forty thousand ecclesiastics are thus rendered unsworn （insermentés）；
but again； all scrupulous Catholics lose the right of suffrage； these
being by far the most numerous in Artois； Doubs and the Jura； in the
Lower and Upper Rhine district；＇7＇ in the two Sévres and la Vendée； in
the Lower Loire； Morbihan； Finisterre and C？tes du Nord； in Lozère and
Ardèche； without mentioning the southern departments。＇8＇ Thus； aided
by the law which they have rendered impracticable； the Jacobins； on
the one hand； are rid of all sensible voters in advance； counting by
millions； and； on the other； aided by a law which they have rendered
intolerant； they are rid of the Catholic vote which counts by hundreds
of thousands。 On entering the electoral lists； consequently； thanks to