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〃wouldn't they do better not to deserve being sacrificed to popular
fury？〃＇27＇ Isnard exclaims in the tribune； 〃it is the long…continued
immunity enjoyed by criminals which has rendered the people
executioners。 Yes； an angry people； like an angry God； is only too
often the terrible supplement of silent laws。〃＇28＇ In other words
crimes are justified and assassinations still provoked against those
who have been assassinated for the past two years。
By a forced conclusion； if the victims are criminals； their
executioners are honest； and the Assembly； which rigorously proceeds
against the former； reserves all its indulgence for the latter。 It
reinstates the numerous deserters who abandoned their flags previous
to the 1st of January； 1789；＇29＇ it allows them three sous per league
mileage； and brings them back to their homes or to their regiments to
become； along with their brethren whose desertion is more recent；
either leaders or recruits for the mob。 It releases from the galleys
the forty Swiss guards of Chateauroux whom their own cantons desired
to have kept there； it permits these 〃'martyrs to Liberty 〃 to
promenade the streets of Paris in a triumphal car；＇30＇ it admits them
to the bar of the house； and； taking a formal vote on it； extends to
them the honors of the session。＇31＇ Finally； as if it were their
special business to let loose on the public the most ferocious and
foulest of the rabble； it amnesties Jourdan； Mainvielle； Duprat； and
Raphel； fugitive convicts； jail…birds； the condottieri of all lands
assuming the title of 〃the brave brigands of Avignon；〃 and who； for
eighteen months； have pillaged and plundered the Comtat＇32＇； it stops
the trial； almost over； of the Glacière butchers； it tolerates the
return of these as victors；＇33＇ and their installation by their own
act in the places of the fugitive magistrates； allowing Avignon to be
treated as a conquered city； and； henceforth； to become their prey and
their booty。 This is a willful restoration of the vermin to the social
body； and； in this feverish body； nothing is overlooked that will
increase the fever。 The most anarchical and deleterious maxims
emanate； like miasma； from the Assembly benches。 The reduction of
things to an absolute level is adopted as a principle； 〃equality of
rights；〃 says Lamarque；＇34＇ 〃is to be maintained only by tending
steadily to an equality of fortunes；〃 this theory is practically
applied on all sides since the proletariat is pillaging all who own
property。 〃Let the communal possessions be partitioned among the
citizens of the surrounding villages；〃 says Fran？ois de Nantes； 〃in an
inverse ratio to their fortunes； and let him who has the least
inheritance take the largest share in the divisions。〃＇35＇ Conceive the
effect of this motion read at evening to peasants who are at this very
moment claiming their lord's forest for their commune。 M。 Corneille
prohibits any tax to be levied for the public treasury on the wages of
manual labor； because nature； and not society； gives us the 〃right to
live。〃＇36＇ On the other hand； he confers on the public treasury the
right of taking the whole of an income； because it is society； and not
nature； which institutes public funds； hence； according to him； the
poor majority must be relieved of all taxation； and all taxes must
fall on the rich minority。 The system is well…timed and the argument
apt for convincing indigent or straitened tax…payers； namely； the
refractory majority； that its taxes are just； and that it should not
refuse to be taxed。 …
〃Under the reign of liberty；〃 says President Daverhoult；＇37＇ 〃the
people have the right to insist not merely on subsistence； but again
on plenty and happiness。〃＇38＇
Accordingly； being in a state of poverty they have been betrayed。
〃Elevated to the height achieved by the French people；〃 says another
president； 〃it looks down upon the tempests under its feet。〃＇39＇ The
tempest is at hand and bursts over its head。 War； like a black cloud；
rises above the horizon； overspreads the sky； thunders and wraps
France filled with explosive materials in a circle of lightening； and
it is the Assembly which； through the greatest of its mistakes； draws
down the bolt on the nation's head。
III。
War。 … …Disposition of foreign powers。 … … The King's dislikes。
Provocation of the Girondins。 Dates and causes of the rupture。
It might have been turned aside with a little prudence。 Two principal
grievances were alleged； one by France and the other by the Empire。
On the one hand； and very justly； France complained of the gathering
of émigré's； which the Emperor and Electors tolerated against it on
the frontier。 In the first place； however； a few thousand gentlemen；
without troops or stores； and nearly without money；＇40＇ were hardly to
be feared； and； besides this； long before the decisive hour came these
troops were dispersed； at once by the Emperor in his own dominions；
and； fifteen days afterwards； by the Elector of Trèves in his
electorate。＇41＇ On the other hand； according to treaties； the
German princes； who owned estates in Alsace； made claims for the
feudal rights abolished on their French possessions and the Diet
forbade them to accept the offered indemnity。 But； as far as the Diet
is concerned； nothing was easier nor more customary than to let
negotiations drag along； there being no risk or inconvenience
attending the suit as； during the delay； the claimants remained empty…
handed。 If； now； behind the ostensible motives； the real intentions
are sought for； it is certain that； up to January； 1792； the
intentions of Austria were pacific。 The grants made to the Comte
d'Artois； in the Declaration of Pilnitz； were merely a court…
sprinkling of holy…water； the semblance of an illusory promise and
subject to a European concert of action； that is to say； annulled
beforehand by an indefinite postponement； while this pretended league
of sovereigns is at once 〃placed by the politicians in the class of
august comedies。＇42＇〃 Far from taking up arms against 〃New France〃 in
the name of old France； the emperor Leopold and his prime minister
Kaunitz； were delighted to see the constitution completed and accepted
by the King； it 〃got them out of an embarrassing position；〃＇43＇ and
Prussia as well。 In the running of governments； political advantage
is the great incentive and both powers needed all their forces in
another direction； in Poland。 One for retarding； and the other for
accelerating the division of this country； and both； when the
partition took place； to get enough for themselves and prevent Russia
from getting too much。 The sovereigns of Prussia and Austria；
accordingly； did not have any idea of saving Louis XVI； nor of
conducting the émigrés back； nor of conquering French provinces。 If
anything was to be expected from them on account of personal ill…will；
there was no fear of their armed intervention。 In France it is not
the King wh