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！
the president； the merchant of importance pay less on their dinner of
delicate fish and becaficos than the caulker or porter on his two
pounds of bread rubbed with a piece of garlic！ Bread in this country
is already too dear！ And the quality is so poor that Malouet； the
intendant of the marine； refuses to let his workmen eat it！
〃Sire；〃 said M。 de la Fare； bishop of Nancy； from his pulpit； May
4th； 1789； 〃Sire； the people over which you reign has given
unmistakable proofs of its patience。 。 。 。 They are martyrs in whom
life seems to have been allowed to remain to enable them to suffer the
longer。〃
VIII。 COMPLAINTS IN THE REGISTERS＇72＇。
〃I am miserable because too much is taken from me。 Too much is
taken from me because not enough is taken from the privileged。 Not
only do the privileged force me to pay in their place； but； again；
they previously deduct from my earnings their ecclesiastic and feudal
dues。 When； out of my income of 100 francs； I have parted with fifty…
three francs； and more； to the collector； I am obliged again to give
fourteen francs to the seignior； also more than fourteen for
tithes；＇73＇ and； out of the remaining eighteen or nineteen francs； I
have additionally to satisfy the excise men。 I alone； a poor man； pay
two governments； one the old government； local and now absent；
useless； inconvenient and humiliating； and active only through
annoyances； exemptions and taxes； and the other； recent； centralized；
everywhere present； which； taking upon itself all functions； has vast
needs； and makes my meager shoulders support its enormous weight。〃
These； in precise terms； are the vague ideas beginning to ferment
in the popular brain and encountered on every page of the records of
the States…General。
〃Would to God；〃 says a Normandy village；＇74＇ 〃the monarch might
take into his own hands the defense of the miserable citizen pelted
and oppressed by clerks； seigniors； justiciary and clergy！〃
〃Sire；〃 writes a village in Champagne；＇75＇ 〃the only message to us
on your part is a demand for money。 We were led to believe that this
might cease； but every year the demand comes for more。 We do not hold
you responsible for this because we love you； but those whom you
employ； who better know how to manage their own affairs than yours。 We
believed that you were deceived by them and we； in our chagrin； said
to ourselves； If our good king only knew of this！ 。 。 。 We are crushed
down with every species of taxation； thus far we have given you a part
of our bread； and； should this continue； we shall be in want。 。 。 。
Could you see the miserable tenements in which we live； the poor food
we eat； you would feel for us； this would prove to you better than
words that we can support this no longer and that it must be lessened。
。 。 。 That which grieves us is that those who possess the most； pay
the least。 We pay the tailles and for our implements； while the
ecclesiastics and nobles who own the best land pay nothing。 Why do the
rich pay the least and the poor the most？ Should not each pay
according to his ability？ Sire； we entreat that things may be so
arranged； for that is just。 。 。 。 Did we dare； we should undertake to
plant the slopes with vines； but we are so persecuted by the clerks of
the excise we would rather pull up those already planted； the wine
that we could make would all go to them； scarcely any of it remaining
for ourselves。 These exactions are a great scourge and； to escape
them； we would rather let the ground lie waste。 。 。 。 Relieve us of
all these extortions and of the excisemen； we are great sufferers
through all these devices； now is the time to change them； never shall
we be happy as long as these last。 We entreat all this of you； Sire；
along with others of your subjects as wearied as ourselves。 。 。 。 We
would entreat yet more but you cannot do all at one time。〃
Imposts and privileges； in the really popular registers； are the
two enemies against which complaints everywhere arise＇76＇。
〃We are overwhelmed by demands for subsidies； 。 。 。 we are burdened
with taxes beyond our strength； 。 。 。 we do not feel able to support
any more； we perish； overpowered by the sacrifices demanded of us。
Labor is taxed while indolence is exempt。 。 。 。 Feudalism is the most
disastrous of abuses； the evils it causes surpassing those of hail and
lightning。 。 。 。 Subsistence is impossible if three…quarters of the
crops are to be taken for field…rents； terrage； etc。 。 。 。 The
proprietor has a fourth part； the décimateur a twelfth； the harvester
a twelfth； taxation a tenth； not counting the depredations of vast
quantities of game which devour the growing crops： nothing is left for
the poor cultivator but pain and sorrow。〃
Why should the Third…Estate alone pay for roads on which the nobles
and the clergy drive in their carriages？ Why are the poor alone
subject to militia draft？ Why does 〃the subdelegate cause only the
defenseless and the unprotected to be drafted？〃 Why does it suffice to
be the servant of a privileged person to escape this service？ Destroy
those dove…cotes； formerly only small pigeon…pens and which now
contain as many as 5；000 pairs。 Abolish the barbarous rights of
〃motte； quevaise and domaine congéable＇77＇ under which more than
500；000 persons still suffer in Lower Brittany。〃 〃You have in your
armies； Sire； more than 30；000 Franche…Comté serfs；〃 should one of
these become an officer and be pensioned out of the service he would
be obliged to return to and live in the hut in which he was born；
otherwise； at his death； the seignior will take his pittance。 Let
there be no more absentee prelates； nor abbés…commendatory。 〃The
present deficit is not to be paid by us but by the bishops and
beneficiaries； deprive the princes of the church of two…thirds of
their revenues。〃 〃Let feudalism be abolished。 Man； the peasant
especially； is tyrannically bowed down to the impoverished ground on
which he lies exhausted。 。 。 。 There is no freedom； no prosperity； no
happiness where the soil is enthralled。 。 。 。 Let the lord's dues； and
other odious taxes not feudal； be abolished； a thousand times returned
to the privileged。 Let feudalism content itself with its iron scepter
without adding the poniard of the revenue speculator。〃＇78＇
Here； and for some time before this； it is not the Countryman who
speaks but the procureur； the lawyer； who places professional
metaphors and theories at his service。 But the lawyer has simply
translated the countryman's sentiments into literary dialect。
___________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇〃Collection des économistes；〃 II。 832。 See a tabular statement
by Beaudan。
＇2＇ 〃Ephémérides du citoyen；〃 IX。 15； an article by M。 de Butré；
1767。
＇3＇ 〃Collection des économistes；〃 I。 551； 562。
＇4＇ 〃Procès…verbaux de l'assemblée provi