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earth。
The executions during the Terror did not affect the members of
the aristocracy only； since 4；000 peasants and 3；000 working…men
were guillotined。
Given the emotion produced in Paris in our days by a capital
execution； one might suppose that the execution of so many
persons at one time would produce a very great emotion。 But
habit had so dulled sensibility that people paid but little
attention to the matter at last。 Mothers would take their
children to see people guillotined as to…day they take them to
the marionette theatre。
The daily spectacle of executions made the men of the time
very indifferent to death。 All mounted the scaffold with perfect
tranquillity； the Girondists singing the Marseillaise as they
climbed the steps。
This resignation resulted from the law of habitude； which very
rapidly dulls emotion。 To judge by the fact that royalist
risings were taking place daily； the prospect of the guillotine
no longer terrified men。 Things happened as though the Terror
terrorised no one。 Terror is an efficacious psychological
process so long as it does not last。 The real terror resides far
more in threats than in their realisation。
3。 The Terror in the Provinces。
The executions of the Revolutionary Tribunals in the provinces
represented only a portion of the massacres effected in the
departments during the Terror。 The revolutionary army； composed
of vagabonds and brigands； marched through France killing and
pillaging。 Its method of procedure is well indicated by the
following passage from Taine：
‘‘At Bedouin； a town of 2；000 inhabitants； where unknown hands
had cut down the tree of liberty； 433 houses were demolished or
fired； 16 persons were guillotined； and 47 shot down； all the
other inhabitants were expelled and reduced to living as
vagabonds in the mountains； and to taking shelter in caverns
which they hollowed out of the earth。''
The fate of the wretches sent before the Revolutionary Tribunals
was no better。 The first mockery of trial was quickly
suppressed。 At Nantes； Carrier drowned and shot down according
to his fancy nearly 5；000 personsmen； women； and children。
The details of these massacres figured in the Moniteur
after the reaction of Thermidor。 I cite a few lines：
‘‘I saw；'' says Thomas； ‘‘after the taking of Noirmoutier； men
and women and old people burned alive 。 。 。 women violated； girls
of fourteen and fifteen； and massacred afterward； and tender
babes thrown from bayonet to bayonet； children who were taken
from beside their mothers stretched out on the ground。''
In the same number we read a deposition by one Julien； relating
how Carrier forced his victims to dig their graves and to allow
themselves to be buried alive。 The issue of October 15； 1794；
contained a report by Merlin de Thionville proving that the
captain of the vessel le Destin had received orders to embark
forty…one victims to be drowned‘‘among them a blind man of 78；
twelve women； twelve girls； and fourteen children； of whom ten
were from 10 to 6 and five at the breast。''
In the course of Carrier's trial （Moniteur； December 30； 1794）
it was proved that he ‘‘had given orders to drown and shoot women
and children； and had ordered General Haxo to exterminate all the
inhabitants of La Vendee and to burn down their dwellings。''
Carrier； like all wholesale murderers； took an intense joy in
seeing his victims suffer。 ‘‘In the department in which I hunted
the priests；'' he said； ‘‘I have never laughed so much or
experienced such pleasure as in watching their dying grimaces''
（Moniteur； December 22； 1794）。
Carrier was tried to satisfy the reaction of Thermidor。 But
the massacres of Nantes were repeated in many other towns。
Fouche slew more than 2；000 persons at Lyons； and so many were
killed at Toulon that the population fell from 29；000 to 7；000 in
a few months。
We must say in defence of Carrier； Freron； Fouche and all
these sinister persons； that they were incessantly stimulated by
the Committee of Public Safety。 Carrier gave proof of this
during his trial。
‘‘I admit；'' said he （Moniteur； December 24； 1794）； ‘‘that 150
or 200 prisoners were shot every day； but it was by order of the
commission。 I informed the Convention that the brigands were
being shot down by hundreds； and it applauded this letter； and
ordered its insertion in the Bulletin。 What were these deputies
doing then who are so furious against me now？ They were
applauding。 Why did they still keep me ‘on mission'？ Because I
was then the saviour of the country； and now I am a bloodthirsty
man。''
Unhappily for him； Carrier did not know； as he remarked in the
same speech； that only seven or eight persons led the Convention。
But the terrorised Assembly approved of all that these seven or
eight ordered； so that they could say nothing in reply to
Carrier's argument。 He certainly deserved to be guillotined； but
the whole Convention deserved to be guillotined with him； since
it had approved of the massacres。
The defence of Carrier； justified by the letters of the
Committee； by which the representatives ‘‘on mission'' were
incessantly stimulated； shows that the violence of the Terror
resulted from a system； and not； as has sometimes been claimed；
from the initiative of a few individuals。
The thirst for destruction during the Terror was by no means
assuaged by the destruction of human beings only； there was an
even greater destruction of inanimate things。 The true believer
is always an iconoclast。 Once in power； he destroys with equal
zeal the enemies of his faith and the images； temples； and
symbols which recall the faith attacked。
We know that the first action of the Emperor Theodosius when
converted to the Christian religion was to break down the
majority of the temples which for six thousand years had been
built beside the Nile。 We must not； therefore； be surprised to
see the leaders of the Revolution attacking the monuments and
works of art which for them were the vestiges of an abhorred
past。
Statues； manuscripts； stained glass windows； and plate were
frenziedly broken。 When Fouche； the future Duke of Otranto
under Napoleon； and minister under Louis XVIII。； was sent as
commissary of the Convention to the Nievre； he ordered the
demolition of all the towers of the chateaux and the
belfries of the churches ‘‘because they wounded equality。''
Revolutionary vandalism expended itself even on the tomb。
Following a report read by Barrere to the Convention； the
magnificent royal tombs at Saint…Denis； among which was the
admirable mausoleum of Henri II。； by Germain Pilon； were smashed
to pieces； the coffins emptied； and the body of Turenne sent to
the Museum as a curiosity； after one of the keepers had extracted
the teeth in order to sell them as curiosities。 The moustache
and beard of Henri IV。 were also torn out。
It