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* no constraint from below；
* the police…commissioners respectful and gendarmes protecting the
entrance to every electoral assembly；
* all proceedings regular； no disturbance inside； voting perfectly
free； the electors numerous； five or six millions of Frenchmen
gathered at the polls；
and guess what choice they will make。
After Fructidor； there is a renewal of religious persecution and of
excessive civil oppression； the brutality and unworthiness of the
rulers have doubled and diffused hatred against the men and the ideas
of the Revolution。 … In Belgium； recently annexed； the regular and
secular clergy had just been proscribed in a mass；＇12＇ and a great
rural insurrection had broken out。 The uprising had spread from the
Waes country and the ancient seignory of Malines； around Louvain as
far as Tirlemont； and afterward to Brussels； to Campine； to South
Brabant； to Flanders； to Luxembourg； in the Ardennes； and even to the
frontiers of Liège； many villages had to be burned； and many of their
inhabitants killed； and the survivors keep this in mind。 In the twelve
western departments；＇13＇ at the beginning of the year 1800； the
royalists were masters of nearly the whole country and had control of
forty thousand armed men in regimental order； undoubtedly these were
to be overcome and disarmed； but they were not to be deprived of their
opinions； as of their guns。 … In the month of August； 1799；＇14＇
sixteen thousand insurgents in Haute Garonne and the six neighboring
departments； led by Count de Paulo； had unfurled the royal white flag；
one of the cantons； Cadours； 〃had risen almost entirely；〃 a certain
town； Muret； sent all its able…bodied men。 They had penetrated even to
the outskirts of Toulouse； and several engagements； including a
pitched battle； were necessary to subdue them。 On one occasion； at
Montréjean； 2000 were slain or drowned。 The peasants fought with fury；
〃 a fury that bordered on frenzy；〃 〃some were heard to exclaim with
their last breath； 'Vive le Roi！' and others were cut to pieces rather
than shout； 'Vive la République！'〃 … From Marseilles to Lyons the
revolt lasted five years on both banks of the Rh？ne； under the form of
brigandage； the royalist bands； increased by refractory conscripts and
favored by the inhabitants whom they spared； killed or pillaged the
agents of the republic and the buyers of national possessions。＇15＇
There were thus； in more than thirty departments； intermittent and
scattered Vendées。 In all the Catholic departments there was a latent
Vendée。 Had the elections been free during this state of exasperation
it is probable that one…half of France would have voted for men of the
ancient régime … Catholics； Royalists； or； at least； the Monarchists
of 1790。
Let the reader imagine facing this party； in the same chamber； about
an equal number of representatives elected by the other party； the
only ones it could select； its notables； that is to say； the survivors
of preceding assemblies； probably Constitutionalists of the year IV
and the year V； Conventionalists of the Plain and of the Feuillants of
1792； from Lafayette and Dumolard to Daunou； Thibaudeau and Grégoire；
among them Girondists and a few Montagnards； Barère；＇16＇ with others；
all of them wedded to the theory the same as their adversaries to
traditions。 To one who is familiar with the two groups； behold two
inimical doctrines confronting each other； two irreconcilable systems
of opinions and passions； two contradictory modes of conceiving
sovereignty； law； society； the State； property； religion； the Church；
the ancient régime； the Revolution； the present and the past； it is
civil war transferred from the nation to the parliament。 Certainly the
Right would like to see the First Consul a Monck； which would lead to
his becoming a Cromwell； for his power depends entirely on his credit
with the army； then the sovereign force； at this date the army is
still republican； at least in feeling if not intelligently； imbued
with Jacobin prejudices； attached to revolutionary interests； and
hence blindly hostile to aristocrats； kings； and priests。＇17＇ At the
first threat of a monarchical and Catholic restoration it will demand
of him an eighteenth Fructidor＇18＇； otherwise； some Jacobin general；
Jourdan； Bernadotte； or Augereau； will make one without him； against
him； and they fall back into the rut from which they wished to escape；
into the fatal circle of revolutions and coups d'état。
VII。 Establishment of a new Dictatorship。
The electoral and legislative combinations of Sieyès。 … Bonaparte's
use of them。 … Paralysis and submission of the three legislative
bodies。 … The Senate as the ruler's tool。 …Senatus…consultes and
Plebiscites。 … Final establishment of the Dictatorship。 … Its dangers
and necessity。 … Public power now able to do its work。
Sieyès comprehended this： he detects on the horizon the two specters
which； for ten years； have haunted all the governments of France；
legal anarchy and unstable despotism； he has found a magic formula
with which to exorcise these two phantoms； henceforth 〃power is to
come from above and confidence from below。〃＇19＇ … Consequently； the
new constitutional act withdraws from the nation the right to elect
its deputies； it will simply elect candidates to the deputation and
through three degrees of election； one above the other； thus； it is to
take part in the choice of its candidates only through 〃an illusory
and metaphysical participation。〃＇20＇ The right of the electors of the
first degree is wholly reduced to designating one…tenth among
themselves； the right of those of the second degree is also reduced to
designating one…tenth among themselves； the right of those of the
third degree is finally reduced to designating one…tenth of their
number； about six thousand candidates。 On this list； the government
itself； by right and by way of increasing the number； inscribes its
own high functionaries； evidently； on such a long list； it will have
no difficulty in finding men who； as simple tools； will be devoted to
it。 Through another excess of precaution； the government； on its sole
authority； in the absence of any list； alone names the first
legislature。 Last of all； it is careful to attach handsome salaries to
these legislative offices； 10；000 f。； 15；000 f。； and 30；000 f。 a year；
parties canvass with it for these places the very first day； the
future depositaries of legislative power being； to begin with；
solicitors of the antechamber。 … To render their docility complete；
there is a dismemberment of this legislative power in advance； it is
divided among three bodies； born feeble and passive by institution。
Neither of these has any initiative； their deliberations are confined
to laws proposed by the government。 Each possesses only a fragment of
function； the 〃Tribunat〃 discusses without passing laws； the 〃Corps
Législatif〃 decrees without discussion； the conservative〃 Sénat〃 is