按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
drives off unsworn priests； organizes expeditions in the neighborhood；
and goes so far as to purify suspected municipalities。＇28＇ So many
acts of violence committed in town and country； render town and
country uninhabitable； and for the élite of the propriety owners； or
for well…bred persons； there is no longer any asylum but Paris。 After
the first disarmament seven or eight families take refuge there； and a
dozen or fifteen more join them after a threat of having their throats
cut； after the religious persecution； unsworn ecclesiastics； the rest
of the nobles； and countless other townspeople； 〃even with little
means；〃 betake themselves there in a mass。 There； at least； one is
lost in the crowd； one is protected by an incognito against the
outrages of the commonalty； one can live there as a private
individual。 In the provinces even civil rights do not exist； how
could any one there exercise political rights？ 〃All honest citizens
are kept away from the primary meetings by threats or maltreatment 。 。
。 The electoral battlefield is left for those who pay forty…five sous
of taxes； more than one…half of them being registered on the poor
list。〃 … Thus the elections are decided beforehand！ The former cook is
the one who authorizes or creates candidatures； and on the election of
the department deputies at the county town； the electors elected are；
like himself； true Jacobins。＇29＇
V。
Intimidation and withdrawal of the Conservatives。 Popular outbreaks
in Burgundy； Lyonnais； Provence； and the large cities。 Electoral
proceedings of the Jacobins； examples at Aix； Dax； and Montpellier。
Agitators go unpunishes Denunciations by name。 Manoeuvres with
the peasantry。 General tactics of the Jacobins。
Such is the pressure under which voting takes place in France during
the summer and fall of 1791。 Domiciliary visits＇30＇ and disarmament
everywhere force nobles and ecclesiastics； landed proprietors and
people of culture； to abandon their homes； to seek refuge in the large
towns and to emigrate；＇31＇ or； at least； confine themselves strictly
to private life； to abstain from all propaganda； from every
candidature； and from all voting。 It would be madness to be seen in
so many cantons where searches end in a riot； in Burgundy and the
Lyonnais； where castles are sacked； where aged gentlemen are mauled
and left for dead； where M。 de Guillin has just been assassinated and
cut to pieces； at Marseilles； where conservative party leaders are
imprisoned； where a regiment of Swiss guards under arms scarcely
suffices to enforce the verdict of the court which sets them at
liberty； where； if any indiscreet person opposes Jacobin resolutions
his mouth is closed by being notified that he will be buried alive； at
Toulon； where the Jacobins shoot down all conservatives and the
regular troops； where M。 de Beaucaire； captain in the navy； is killed
by a shot in the back； where the club； supported by the needy； by
sailors； by navvies； and 〃vagabond peddlers；〃 maintains a dictatorship
by right of conquest； at Brest； at Tulle； at Cahors； where at this
very moment gentlemen and officers are massacred in the street。 It is
not surprising that honest people turn away from the ballot…box as
from a center of cut…throats。 Nevertheless； let them come if they
like； it will be easy to get rid of them。 At Aix； the assessor whose
duty it is to read the electors' names is informed that 〃the names
should be called out by an unsullied mouth； that； being an aristocrat
and fanatical； he could neither speak nor vote；〃 and； without further
ceremony； they put him out of the room。＇32＇ The process is an
admirable one for converting a minority into a majority and yet here
is another； still more effective。 At Dax； the Feuillants； taking
the title of 〃Friends of the French Constitution；〃 have split up with
the Jacobins；＇33＇ and； moreover； they insist on excluding from the
National Guard 〃foreigners without property or position；〃 the passive
citizens who are admitted into it in spite of the law； who usurp the
right of voting and who 〃daily affront tranquil inhabitants。〃
Consequently； on election day； in the church where the primary meeting
is held； two of the Feuillants； Laurède； formerly collector of the
vingtièmes；； and Brunache； a glazier； propose to exclude an intruder；
a servant on wages。 The Jacobins at once rush forward。 Laurède is
pressed back on the holy…water basin and wounded on the head； on
trying to escape he is seized by the hair； thrown down； pierced in the
arm with a bayonet； put in prison； and Brunache along with him。 Eight
days afterwards； at the second meeting none are present but Jacobins；
naturally； 〃they are all elected〃。 They form the new municipality；
which； notwithstanding the orders of the department； not only refuses
to liberate the two prisoners； but throws them into a dungeon。 At
Montpellier； the delay in the operation is greater； but it is only the
more complete。 The votes are deposited； the ballot…boxes closed and
sealed up and the conservatives obtain a majority。 Thereupon the
Jacobin club； with the Society of the 〃iron…clubs；〃 calling itself
the Executive power； betake themselves in force to the sectional
meetings； burn one of the ballots； use firearms and kill two men。 To
restore order the municipality stations each company of the National
Guard at its captain's door； The moderates among them naturally obey
orders； but the violent party do not。 They overrun the town； numbering
about 2；000 inhabitants； enter the houses； kill three men in the
street or in their domiciles； and force the administrative body to
suspend its electoral assemblies。 In addition to this they require
the disarmament 〃of the aristocrats；〃 and this not being done soon
enough； they kill an artisan who is walking in the street with his
mother； cut off his head； bear it aloft in triumph； and suspend it in
front of his dwelling。 The authorities are now convinced and
accordingly decree a disarmament； and the victors parade the streets
in a body。 In exuberance or as a precaution； they fire； as they pass
along； at the windows of suspected houses and happen to kill an
additional man and woman。 During the three following days six hundred
families emigrate； while the authorities report that everything is
going on well； and that order is restored。 〃The elections；〃 they say；
〃are now proceeding in the quietest manner since the ill…intentioned
voluntarily keeping away from them； a large number having left the
town。 〃＇34＇ A void is created around the ballot…box and this is
called the unanimity of voters。 The effect of such assassinations
is great and only a few are required； especially when they go
unpunished； which is always the case。 Henceforth all that the
Jacobins have to do is to threaten； people no longer resist them for
they know that it costs too much to face them down。 They do not care
to attend electoral meetings where they meet insult and danger； they