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the origins of contemporary france-2-第28章

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the administration; the bench; the bar; the financial system and the

academies; all as 〃suspicious;〃 at all events the people only suffer

on their account。



 〃The Government is monopolizing grain; to make us to pay through

  the nose for a poisonous bread。〃



The Government; again; through a new conspiracy is about to blockade

Paris; so as to starve it with greater ease。  Utterances of this

kind; at such a time; are firebrands thrown upon fear and hunger to

kindle the flames of rage and cruelty。  To this frightened and

fasting crowd the agitators and newspaper writers continue to repeat

that it must act; and act alongside of the authorities; and; if need

be; against them。  In other words; We will do as we please; we are

the sole legitimate masters;



〃in a well…constituted government; the people as a body are the real

sovereign: our delegates are appointed only to execute our orders ;

what right has the clay to rebel against the potter?〃



On the strength of such principles; the tumultuous club which

occupies the Palais…Royal substitutes itself for the Assembly at

Versailles。  Has it not all the titles for this office? The Palais…

Royal 〃saved the nation〃 on the 12th and 13th of July。  The Palais…

Royal; 〃through its spokesmen and pamphlets;〃 has made everybody and

even the soldiers 〃philosophers。〃 It is the house of patriotism;

〃the rendezvous of the select among the patriotic;〃 whether

provincials or Parisians; of all who possess the right of suffrage;

and who cannot or will not exercise it in their own district。  〃It

saves time to come to the Palais…Royal。  There is no need there of

appealing to the President for the right to speak; or to wait one's

time for a couple of hours。  The orator proposes his motion; and; if

it finds supporters; mounts a chair。  If he is applauded; it is put

into proper shape。  If he is hissed; he goes away。  This was the way

of the Romans。〃 Behold the veritable National Assembly ! It is

superior to the other semi…feudal affair; encumbered with 〃six

hundred deputies of the clergy and nobility;〃 who are so many

intruders and who 〃should be sent out into the galleries。〃  Hence

the pure Assembly rules the impure Assembly; and 〃the Café Foy lays

claim to the government of France。〃



 IV。



Intervention by the popular leaders with the Government。  … Their

pressure on the Assembly。



On the 30th of July; the harlequin who led the insurrection at Rouen

having been arrested; 〃it is openly proposed at the Palais Royal'22'

to go in a body and demand his release。〃   On the 1st of August;

Thouret; whom the moderate party of the Assembly have just made

President; is obliged to resign; the Palais…Royal threatens to send

a band and murder him along with those who voted for him; and lists

of proscriptions; in which several of the deputies are inscribed;

begin to be circulated。   From this time forth; on all great

questions…the abolition of the feudal system; the suppression of

tithes; a declaration of the rights of man; the dispute about the

Chambers; the King's power of veto;'23' the pressure from without

inclines the balance: in this way the Declaration of Rights; which

is rejected in secret session by twenty…eight bureaus out of thirty;

is forced through by the tribunes in a public sitting and passed by

a majority。   Just as before the 14th of July; and to a still

greater extent; two kinds of compulsion influence the votes; and it

is always the ruling faction which employs both its hands to

throttle its opponents。  On the one hand this faction takes post on

the galleries in knots composed nearly always of the same persons;

〃five or six hundred permanent actors;〃 who yell according to

understood signals and at the word of command。'24'  Many of these

are French Guards; in civilian clothes; and who relieve each other:

previously they have asked of their favorite deputy 〃at what hour

they must come; whether all goes on well; and whether he is

satisfied with those fools of parsons (calotins) and the

aristocrats。〃 Others consist of low women under the command of

Théroigne de Méricourt; a virago courtesan; who assigns them their

positions and gives them the signal for hooting or for applause。

Publicly and in full session; on the occasion of the debate on the

veto; 〃the deputies are applauded or insulted by the galleries

according as they utter the word 'suspensive;' or the word

'indefinite。' 〃  〃Threats;〃 (says one of them) 〃circulated; I heard

them on all sides around me。〃 These threats are repeated on going

out: 〃Valets dismissed by their masters; deserters; and women in

rags;〃 threaten the refractory with the lamp post; 〃and thrust their

fists in their faces。  In the hall itself; and much more accurately

than before the 14th of July; their names are taken down; and the

lists; handed over to the populace;〃 travel to the Palais…Royal;

from where they are dispatched in correspondence and in newspapers

to the provinces。'25'  …  Thus we see the second means of

compulsion; each deputy is answerable for his vote; at Paris; with

his own life; and; in the province; with those of his family。

Members of the former Third…Estate avow that they abandon the idea

of two Chambers; because 〃they are not disposed to get their wives'

and children's throats cut。〃 On the 30th of August; Saint…Hurugue;

the most noisy of the Palais…Royal barkers; marches off to

Versailles; at the head of 1;500 men; to complete the conversion of

the Assembly。  This garden club indeed; from the heights of its

great learning; integrity; and immaculate reputation; decides that

the ignorant; corrupt; and doubtful deputies must be got rid of。〃

That they are such cannot be questioned; because they defend the

royal sanction; there are over 600 and more; 120 are deputies of the

communes; who must be expelled to begin with; and then must be

brought to judgment。'26'  In the meantime they are informed; as well

as the Bishop of Langres; President of the National Assembly; that

〃15;000 men are ready to light up their chateaux and in particular

yours; sir。〃 To avoid all mistake; the secretaries of the Assembly

are informed in writing that 〃 2;000 letters〃 will be sent into the

provinces to denounce to the people the conduct of the malignant

deputies: 〃Your houses are held as a surety for your opinions: keep

this in mind; and save yourselves !〃 At last; on the morning of the

1st of August; five deputations from the Palais…Royal; one of them

led by Loustalot; march in turn to the H?tel…de…Ville; insisting

that the drums should be beaten and the citizens be called together

for the purpose of changing the deputies; or their instructions; and

of ordering the National Assembly to suspend its discussion on the

veto until the districts and provinces could give expression to

their will: the people; in effect; alone being sovereign; and alone

competent; always has the right to dismiss or instruct anew its

servants; the deputies。  On the following day; August 2nd; to make

matters plainer; new delegates from the same Palais…Royal suit

gestures to words; they place two fingers on their throats; on being

introduced before the representatives of the commune; as a hint

that; if the latter do not obey; they will be hung。



After this it is vain for the National Assembly to make any show of

indignation; to declare that it despises threats; and to protest its

independence; the impression is already produced。  〃More than 300

members of the communes;〃 says Mounier; 〃had decided to support the

absolute veto。〃 At the end of ten days most of these had gone over;

several of them through attachment to the King; because they were

afraid of 〃a general uprising;〃 and 〃were not willing to jeopardize

the lives of the royal family。〃 But concessions like these only

provoke fresh extortions。  The politicians of the street now know by

experience the effect of brutal violence on legal authority。

Emboldened by success and by impunity; they reckon up their strength

and the weakness of the latter。  One blow more; and they are

undisputed masters。  Besides; the issue is already apparent to

clear…sighted men。  When the agitators of the public thoroughfares;

and the porters at the street…corners; convinced of their superior

wisdom; impose decrees by the strength of their lungs; of their

fists; and of their pikes; at that moment experience; knowledge;

good sense; cool…blood; genius; and judgment; disappear from human

affairs; and things revert back to chaos。  Mirabeau; in favor of the

veto for life; saw the crowd imploring him with tears in their eyes

to change his opinion :



 〃Monsieur le Comte; if the King obtains this veto; what will be the

use of a National Assembly? We shall all be slaves 〃'27'



Outbursts of this description are not to be resisted; and all is

lost。  Already; near the end of September; the remark applies which

Mirabeau makes to the Comte de la Marck:



〃Yes; all is 
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