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the horizon the returning planters； bringing with them new whips and
heavier manacles？ Nothing is more distrustful than such a sentiment
in such breasts quickly alarmed； ready to strike； ready for any act
of violence； blindly credulous； headlong and easily impelled； not
merely against real enemies on the outside； but at first against
imaginary enemies on the inside；＇81＇ but also against the King； the
ministers； the gentry； priests； parliamentarians； orthodox Catholics；
against
all administrators and magistrates imprudent enough to have appealed
to the law；
all manufacturers； merchants； and owners of property who condemn
disorder；
the wealthy whose egotism keeps them at home；
all those who are well…off； well…bred and well…dressed。
They are all under suspicion because they have lost by the new regime；
or because they have not adopted its ways。 Such is the colossal
brute which the Girondins introduce into the political arena。＇82＇ For
six months they shake red flags before its eyes； goad it on； work it
up into a rage and drive it forward by decrees and proclamations；
* against their adversaries and against its keepers；
* against the nobles and the clergy；
* against aristocrats inside France in complicity with those of
Coblentz；
* against 〃the Austrian committee〃 the accomplice of Austria；
* against the King； whose caution they transform into treachery；
* against the whole government to which they impute the anarchy they
excite； and the war of which they themselves are the instigators。＇83＇
Thus over…excited and topsy…turvy； the proletariat require only arms
and a rallying…point。 The Girondins furnish both。 Through a striking
coincidence； one which shows that the plan was concerted；＇84＇ they
start three political engines at the same time。 Just at the moment
when； through their deliberate saber…rattling； they made war
inevitable； they invented popular insignia and armed the poor。 At the
end of January； 1792； almost during one week； they announced their
ultimatum to Austria using a fixed deadline； they adopted the red
woolen cap and began the manufacture of pikes。 It is evident that
pikes are of no use in the open field against cannon and a regular
army； accordingly the are intended for use in the interior and in
towns。 Let the national…guard who can pay for his uniform； and the
active citizen whose three francs of direct tax gives him a privilege；
own their guns； the stevedore； the market…porter； the lodger； the
passive citizen； whose poverty excludes them from voting must have
their pikes； and； in these insurrectionary times； a ballot is not
worth a good pike wielded by brawny arms。 The magistrate in his
robes may issue any summons he pleases； but it will be rammed down his
throat； and； lest he should be in doubt of this he is made to know it
beforehand。 〃The Revolution began with pikes and pikes will finish
it。〃＇85＇ 〃Ah；〃 say the regulars of the Tuileries gardens； 〃if the
good patriots of the Champs de Mars only had had pikes like these the
blue…coats （Lafayette's guards） would not have had such a good hand！〃
… 〃They are to be used everywhere； wherever there are enemies of the
people； to the Chateau； if any can be found there！〃 They will override
the veto and make sure that the National Assembly will approve the
good laws。 To this purpose； the Faubourg St。 Antoine volunteers its
pikes； and； to mark the use made of them； it complains that 〃efforts
are made to substitute an aristocracy of wealth for the omnipotence of
inherited rank。〃 It demands 〃severe measures against the rascally
hypocrites who； with the Constitution in their hands； slaughter the
people。〃 It declares that 〃kings； ministers and a civil list will pass
away； but that the rights of man； national sovereignty and pikes will
not pass away；〃 and； by order of the president； the National Assembly
thanks the petitioners； 〃for the advice their zeal prompts them to
give。
The leaders of the Assembly and the people armed with pikes unite
against the rich； against Constitutionalists； against the government；
and henceforth； the Jacobin extremists march side by side with the
Girondins； both reconciled for the attack but reserved their right to
disagree until after the victory。
〃The object of the Girondists＇86＇ is not a republic in name； but an
actual republic through a reduction of the civil lists to five
millions； through the curtailment of most of the royal prerogatives；
through a change of dynasty of which the new head would be a sort of
honorary president of the republic to which they would assign an
executive council appointed by the Assembly； that is to say； by
themselves。〃 As to the Jacobin extremists we find no principle with
them but 〃that of a rigorous； absolute application of the Rights of
Man。 With the aid of such a charter they aim at changing the laws and
public officers every six months； at extending their leveling process
to every constituted authority； to all legal pre…eminence and to
property。 The only regime they long for is the democracy of a
contentious rabble。 。 。 The vilest instruments； professional
agitators； brigands； fanatics； every sort of wretch； the hardened and
armed poverty…stricken； who； in wild disorder〃 march to the attack of
property and to 〃universal pillage〃 in short； barbarians of town and
country 〃who form their ordinary army and never leave it inactive one
single day。〃 … Under their universal； concerted and growing usurpation
the substance of power melts wholly away in the hand of the legal
authorities； little by little； these are reduced to vain counterfeits；
while from one end of France； to the other； long before the final
collapse； the party； in the provinces as well as at Paris；
substitutes； under the cry of public danger； a government of might for
the government of law。
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTES：
＇1＇ Mercure de France； September 24； 1791。 Cf。 Report of M。 Alquier
（session of Sept。 23）。
＇2＇ Mercure de France； Oct。 15； 1792 （the treaty with England was
dated Sep。 26； 1786）。 Ibid。； Letter of M。 Walsh； superior of the
Irish college； to the municipality of Paris。 Those who use the whips；
come out of a neighboring grog…shop。 The commissary of police； who
arrives with the National Guard； 〃addresses the people； and promises
them satisfaction；〃 requiring M。 Walsh to dismiss all who are in the
chapel； without waiting for the end of the mass。 M。 Walsh refers to
the law and to treaties。 The commissary replies that he knows
nothing about treaties； while the commandant of the national guard
says to those who laving the chapel； 〃In the name of human justice； I
order you to follow me to the church of Saint…Etienne； or I shall
abandon you to the people。〃
＇3＇ 〃The French Revolution；〃 Vol。 I。 pp。261； 263。 〃Archives
Nationales；〃 F7； 3185 and 3186 （numerous documents on the rural
disturbances in