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but again； 〃invested with the municipal scarf；〃 they seize； 〃in the
public establishment belonging to the nation； all furniture； and
whatever is of most value。〃 〃In one building alone； they carry off the
value of 100；000 crowns。〃＇27＇ Elsewhere； in the hands of the treasurer
of the civil list； they appropriate to themselves； a box of jewels；
other precious objects； and 340； 000 francs。＇28＇ Their commissioners
bring in from Chantilly three wagons each drawn by three horses
〃loaded with the spoils of M。 de Condé；〃 and they undertake 〃removing
the contents of the houses of the émigrés。〃＇29＇ They confiscate in the
churches of Paris 〃the crucifixes； music…stands； bells； railings； and
every object in bronze or of iron； chandeliers； cups； vases；
reliquaries； statues； every article of plate；〃 as well 〃on the altars
as in the sacristies；〃＇30＇ and we can imagine the enormous booty
obtained； to cart away the silver plate belonging to the single church
of Madeleine…de…la…ville required a vehicle drawn by four horses。
Now they use all this money； so freely seized； as freely as they do
power itself。 One fills his pockets in the Tuileries without the
slightest concern； another； in the Garde…Meuble； rummages secretaries；
and carries off a wardrobe with its contents。＇31＇ We have already
seen that in the depositories of the Commune 〃most of the seals are
broken；〃 that enormous sums in plate； in jewels； in gold and silver
coin have disappeared。 Future inquests and accounts will charge on
the Committee of Supervision； 〃abstractions； dilapidations； and
embezzlements；〃 in short； 〃a mass of violations and breaches of
trust。〃 When one is king； one easily mistakes the money…drawer of
the State for the drawer in which one keeps one's own money。
Unfortunately； this full possession of public power and the public
funds holds only by a slender thread。 Let the evicted and outraged
majority dare； as subsequently at Lyons； Marseilles； and Toulon； to
Return to the section assemblies and revoke the false mandate which
they have arrogated to themselves through fraud and force； and； on the
instance； they again become； through the sovereign will of the people；
and by virtue of their own deed； what they really are； usurpers；
extortioners； and robbers； there is no middle course for them between
a dictatorship and the galleys。 The mind； before such an
alternative； unless extraordinarily well…balanced； loses its
equilibrium； they have no difficulty in deluding themselves with the
idea that the State is menaced in their persons； and； in postulating
the rule； that all is allowable for them； even massacre。 Has not
Bazire stated in the tribune that； against the enemies of the nation；
〃all means are fair justifiable？ Has not another deputy； Jean Debry；
proposed the formation of a body of 1；200 volunteers； who 〃will
sacrifice themselves；〃 as formerly the assassins of the Old Man of the
Mountain； in 〃attacking tyrants； hand to hand； individually；〃 as well
as generals？＇32＇ Have we not seen Merlin de Thionville insisting that
〃the wives and children of the émigrés should be kept as hostages；〃
and declared responsible； or； in other words； ready for slaughter if
their relatives continue their attacks？＇33＇
That is all that is left to do； since all the other measures have
proved insufficient。 In vain has the Commune decreed the arrest of
journalists belonging to the opposite party； and distributed their
printing machinery amongst patriotic printers。＇34＇ In vain has it
declared the members of the Sainte…Chapelle club； the National Guards
who have sworn allegiance to Lafayette； the signers of the petition of
8；000； and of that of 20；000； disqualified for any service
whatever。＇35＇ In vain has it multiplied domiciliary visits； even to
the residence and carriages of the Venetian ambassador。 In vain；
through insulting and repeated examinations； does it keep at its bar；
under the hootings and death…cries of its tribunes； the most honorable
and most illustrious men； Lavoisier； Dupont de Nemours； the eminent
surgeon Desault； the most harmless and most refined ladies； Madame de
Tourzel； Mademoiselle de Tourzel； and the Princesse de Lamballe。＇36＇
In vain； after a profusion of arrests during twenty days； it envelopes
all Paris inside one cast of its net for a nocturnal search＇37＇during
which；
1。 the barriers are closed and doubly guarded；
2。 sentinels are on the quays and boats stationed on the Seine to
prevent escape by water；
3。 the city is divided beforehand into circumscriptions； and for each
section； a list of suspected persons；
4。 the circulation of vehicles is stopped；
5。 every citizen is ordered to stay at home；
6。 the silence of death reigns after six o'clock in the evening； and
then；
7。 in each street； a patrol of sixty pikemen； seven hundred squads of
sans…culottes； all working at the same time； and with their usual
brutality；
8。 doors are burst in with pile drivers；
9。 wardrobes are picked by locksmiths；
10。 walls are sounded by masons；
11。 cellars are searched even to digging in the ground；
12。 papers are seized；
13。 arms are confiscated；
14。 three thousand persons are arrested and led off；＇38＇ priests； old
men； the infirm； the sick。
The action lasts from ten in the evening to five o'clock in the
morning； the same as in a city taken by assault； the screams of women
rudely treated； the cries of prisoners compelled to march； the oaths
of the guards； cursing and drinking at each grog…shop； never was there
such an universal； methodical execution； so well calculated to
suppress all inclination for resistance in the silence of general
stupefaction。
And yet； at this very moment； there are those who act in good faith in
the sections and in the Assembly； and who rebel at being under such
masters。 A deputation from the Lombards section； and another from the
Corn…market； come to the Assembly and protest against the Commune's
usurpations。＇39＇ Choudieu； the Montagnard； denounces its blatant
corrupt practices。 Cambon； a stern financier； will no longer consent
to have his accounts tampered with by thieving tricksters。＇40＇ The
Assembly at last seems to have recovered itself。 It extends its
protection to Géray； the journalist； against whom the new pashas had
issued a warrant； it summons to its own bar the signers of the
warrant； and orders them to confine themselves in future to the exact
limits of the law which they transgress。 Better still； it dissolves
the interloping Council； and substitutes for it ninety…six delegates；
to be elected by the sections in twenty…four hours。 And； even still
better； it orders an account to be rendered within two days of the
objects it has seized； and the return of all gold or silver articles
to the Treasury。 Quashed； and summoned to disgorge their booty； the
autocrats of the H？tel…de…ville come in vain to the Assembly in force
on the following day＇41＇ to