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！
demands。
All these popular movements； which the Assembly； under the stress
of fear； invariably obeyed； had nothing spontaneous about them。
They simply represented the manifestations of new powersthe
clubs and the Communewhich had been set up beside the
Assembly。
The most powerful of these clubs was the Jacobin； which had
quickly created more than five hundred branches in the country；
all of which were under the orders of the central body。 Its
influence remained preponderant during the whole duration of the
Revolution。 It was the master of the Assembly； and then of
France； its only rival the insurrectionary Commune； whose power
was exercised only in Paris。
The weakness of the national Assembly and all its failures had
made it extremely unpopular。 It became conscious of this； and；
feeling that it was every day more powerless； decided to hasten
the creation of the new Constitution in order that it might
dissolve。 Its last action； which was tactless enough； was to
decree that no member of the Constituent Assembly should be
elected to the Legislative Assembly。 The members of the latter
were thus deprived of the experience acquired by their
predecessors。
The Constitution was completed on the 3rd of September； 1791； and
accepted on the 13th by the king； to whom the Assembly had
restored his powers。
This Constitution organised a representative Government；
delegating the legislative power to deputies elected by the
people； and the executive power to the king； whose right of veto
over the decrees of the Assembly was recognised。 New
departmental divisions were substituted for the old provinces。
The imposts were abolished； and replaced by direct and indirect
taxes； which are still in force。
The Assembly； which had just altered the territorial divisions
and overthrown all the old social organisation； thought
itself powerful enough to transform the religious organisation of
the country also。 It claimed notably that the members of the
clergy should be elected by the people； and should be thus
withdrawn from the influence of their supreme head； the Pope。
This civil constitution of the clergy was the origin of religious
struggles and persecutions which lasted until the days of the
Consulate。 Two…thirds of the priests refused the oath demanded
of them。
During the three years which represented the life of the
Constituent Assembly the Revolution had produced considerable
results。 The principal result was perhaps the beginning of the
transference to the Third Estate of the riches of the privileged
classes。 In this way while interests were created to be defended
fervent adherents were raised up to the new regime。 A
Revolution supported by the gratification of acquired appetites
is bound to be powerful。 The Third Estate； which had supplanted
the nobles； and the peasants； who had bought the national
domains； would readily understand that the restoration of the
ancien regime would despoil them of all their advantages。
The energetic defence of the Revolution was merely the defence of
their own fortunes。
This is why we see； during part of the Revolution； nearly half
the departments vainly rising against the despotism that crushed
them。 The Republicans triumphed over all opposition。 They were
extremely powerful in that they had to defend； not only a new
ideal； but new material interests。 We shall see that the
influence of these two factors lasted during the whole of the
Revolution； and contributed powerfully to the establishment of
the Empire。
CHAPTER II
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
1。 Political Events during the Life of the Legislative Assembly。
Before examining the mental characteristics of the Legislative
Assembly let us briefly sum up the considerable political events
which marked its short year's life。 They naturally played an
important part in respect of its psychological manifestations。
Extremely monarchical； the Legislative Assembly had no more idea
than its predecessor of destroying the monarchy。 The king
appeared to it to be slightly suspect； but it still hoped to be
able to retain him on the throne。
Unhappily for him； Louis was incessantly begging for intervention
from abroad。 Shut up in the Tuileries； defended only by his
Swiss Guards； the timid sovereign was drifting among contrary
influences。 He subsidised journals intended to modify public
opinion； but the obscure ‘‘penny…a…liners'' who edited them knew
nothing of acting on the mind of the crowd。 Their only means of
persuasion was to menace with the gallows all the partisans of
the Revolution； and to predict the invasion of France by an army
which would rescue the king。
Royalty no longer counted on anything but the foreign
Courts。 The nobles were emigrating。 Prussia； Austria； and
Russia were threatening France with a war of invasion。 The Court
favoured their lead。 To the coalition of the three kings against
France the Jacobin Club proposed to oppose a league of peoples。
The Girondists were then； with the Jacobins； at the head of the
revolutionary movement。 They incited the masses to arm
themselves600；000 volunteers were equipped。 The Court accepted
a Girondist minister。 Dominated by him； Louis XVI。 was obliged
to propose to the Assembly a war against Austria。 It was
immediately agreed to。
In declaring war the king was not sincere。 The queen revealed
the French plans of campaign and the secret deliberations of the
Council to the Austrians。
The beginnings of the struggle were disastrous。 Several columns
of troops； attacked by panic； disbanded。 Stimulated by the
clubs； and persuadedjustly； for that matterthat the king was
conspiring with the enemies of France； the population of the
faubourgs rose in insurrection。 Its leaders； the Jacobins； and
above all Danton； sent to the Tuileries on the 20th of June a
petition threatening the king with revocation。 It then invaded
the Tuileries； heaping invectives on the sovereign。
Fatality impelled Louis toward his tragic destiny。 While the
threats of the Jacobins against royalty had roused many of the
departments to indignation； it was learned that a Prussian army
had arrived on the frontiers of Lorraine。
The hope of the king and queen respecting the help to be obtained
from abroad was highly chimerical。 Marie…Antoinette
suffered from an absolute illusion as to the psychology of the
Austrian and the French peoples。 Seeing France terrorised by a
few energumens； she supposed that it would be equally easy to
terrify the Parisians； and by means of threats to lead them back
under the king's authority。 Inspired by her； Fersen undertook to
publish the manifesto of the Duke of Brunswick； threatening Paris
with ‘‘total subversion if the royal family were molested。''
The effect produced was diametrically opposite to that intended。
The manifesto aroused indignation agains