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CHAPTER II。
I。
Composition of the Legislative Assembly。 Social rank of the
Deputies。 Their inexperience； incompetence； and prejudices。
If it be true that a nation should be represented by its superior men；
France was strangely represented during the Revolution。 From one
Assembly to another we see the level steadily declining； especially is
the fall very great from the Constituent to the Legislative Assembly。
The actors entitled to perform withdraw just as they begin to
understand their parts； and yet more； they have excluded themselves
from the theatre； while the stage is surrendered to their substitutes。
〃The preceding Assembly；〃 writes an ambassador；＇1＇ 〃contained men of
great talent； large fortune； and honorable name； a combination which
had an imposing effect on the people； although violently opposed to
personal distinctions。 The actual Assembly is but little more than a
council of lawyers； got together from every town and village in
France。〃
In actual fact； out of 745 deputies； indeed； 〃400 lawyers belong； for
the most part； to the dregs of the profession〃； there are about twenty
constitutional priests； 〃as many poets and literary men of but little
reputation； almost all without any fortune；〃 the greater number being
less than thirty years old； sixty being less than twenty…six；＇2＇
nearly all of them trained in the clubs and the popular assemblies〃。
There is not one noble or prelate belonging to the ancient régime； no
great landed proprietor；＇3＇ no head of a service； no eminent
specialist in diplomacy； in finance； in the administrative or military
arts。 But three general officers are found there； and these are of the
lower rank；＇4＇ one of them having held his appointment but three
months； and the other two being wholly unknown。 At the head of the
diplomatic committee stands Brissot； itinerant journalist； lately
traveling about in England and the United States。 He is supposed to be
competent in the affairs of both worlds； in reality he is one of those
presuming； threadbare； talkative fellows； who； living in a garret；
lecture foreign cabinets and reconstruct all Europe。 Things； to them；
seem to be as easily worked out as words and sentences： one day；＇5＇ to
entice the English into an alliance with France； Brissot proposes to
place two towns； Dunkirk and Calais； in their hands as security；
another day； he proposes 〃to make a descent on Spain； and； at the same
time； to send a fleet to conquer Mexico。〃 The leading member on the
committee on finances is Cambon； a merchant from Montpellier； a good
accountant； who； at a later period； is to simplify accounting and
regulate the Grand Livre of the public debt； which means public
bankruptcy。 Mean…while； he hastens this on with all his might by
encouraging the Assembly to undertake the ruinous and terrible war
that is to last for twenty…three years； according to him； 〃there is
more money than is needed for it。〃＇6＇ In actual fact； the guarantee
of assignats is used up and the taxes do not come in。 They live only
on the paper money they issue。 The assignats lose forty per centum；
and the ascertained deficit for 1792 is four hundred millions。＇7＇ But
this revolutionary financier relies upon the confiscations which he
instigates in France； and which are to be set agoing in Belgium； here
lies all his invention； a systematic robbery on a grand scale within
and without the kingdom。
As to the legislators and manufacturers of constitutions； we have
Condorcet； a cold…blooded fanatic and systematic leveler； satisfied
that a mathematical method suits the social sciences fed on
abstractions； blinded by formul？； and the most chimerical of perverted
intellects。 Never was a man versed in books more ignorant of mankind；
never did a lover of scientific precision better succeed in changing
the character of facts。 It was he who； two days before the 20th of
June； amidst the most brutal public excitement； admired 〃the calmness〃
and rationality of the multitude； 〃considering the way people
interpret events； it might be supposed that they had given some hours
of each day to the study of analysis。〃 It is he who； two days after
the 20th of June； extolled the red cap in which the head of Louis XVI。
had been muffled。 〃That crown is as good as any other。 Marcus
Aurelius would not have despised it。〃＇8＇ Such is the discernment
and practical judgment of the leaders； from these one can form an
opinion of the flock。 It consists of novices arriving from the
provinces and bringing with them the principles and prejudices of the
newspaper。 So remote from the center； having no knowledge of general
affairs or of their unity； they are two years behind their brethren of
the Constituent Assembly。 They are described in the following manner
by Malouet；＇9＇
〃Most of them； without having decided against a monarchy； had decided
against the court； the aristocracy； and the clergy； ever imagining
conspiracies and believing that defense consisted solely in attack。
There were still many men of talent among them； but with no
experience； they even lacked that which we had obtained。 Our patriot
deputies； in great part； were aware of their errors； the novices were
not； they were ready to begin all over again。〃
Moreover； they have their own political bent； for nearly all of them
are upstarts of the new régime。 We find in their ranks 264 department
administrators； 109 district administrators； 125 justices and
prosecuting…attorneys； 68 mayors and town officers； besides about
twenty officers of the National Guard； constitutional bishops and
curés。 The whole amounting to 566 of the elected functionaries； who；
for the past twenty months； have carried on the government under the
direction of their electors。 We have seen how this was done and under
what conditions； with what compliances and with what complicity； with
what deference to clamorous opinion； with what docility in the
presence of rioters； with what submission to the orders of the mob；
with what a deluge of sentimental phrases and commonplace
abstractions。 Sent to Paris as deputies； through the choice or
toleration of the clubs； they bear along with them their politics and
their rhetoric。 The result is an assemblage of narrow； perverted；
hasty； inflated and feeble minds； at each daily session； twenty word…
mills turn to no purpose； the greatest of public powers at once
becoming a manufactory of nonsense； a school of extravagancies； and a
theatre for declamation。
II。
Degree and quality of their intelligence and Culture。
Is it possible that serious men could have listened to such weird
nonsense until the bitter end？
〃I am a tiller of the soil；〃＇10＇ says one deputy； 〃I now dare speak
of the antique nobility of my plow。 A yoke of oxen once constituted
the pure； incorruptible legal worthies before whom my good ancestors
executed their contracts； the authenticity of which； far better
reco