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themselves privileged to insult us； and these wretches go unpunished
and are protected！ Even our religion is not free。 One of our number
has had his house sacked for having shown hospitality to an old curé
of eighty belonging to his parish who refused to take the oath。
Such is our fate。 We are not so base as to endure it。 Our right to
resist oppression is not due to a decree of the National Assembly；
but to natural law。 We are going to leave； and to die if necessary。
But to live under such a revolting anarchy ！ Should it not be broken
up we shall never set foot in France again！〃
The operation is successful。 The Assembly； through its decrees and
institutions； through the laws it enacts and the violence which it
tolerates； has uprooted the aristocracy and cast it out of the
country。 The nobles； now the reverse of privileged； cannot remain
in a country where； while respecting the law； they are really beyond
its pale。 Those who first emigrated on the 15th of July； 1789；
along with the Prince de Condé； received at their houses the evening
before they left a list of the proscribed on which their names
appeared； and a reward was promised to whoever would bring their
heads to the cellar of the Palais…Royal Others； in larger
numbers； left after the occurrences of the 6th of October。
During the last months of the Constituent Assembly；＇35＇
〃the emigration goes on in companies composed of men of every
condition。 。 。。 Twelve hundred gentlemen have left Poitou alone；
Auvergne； Limousin； and ten other provinces have been equally
depopulated of their landowners。 There are towns in which nobody
remains but common。 workmen； a club； and the crowd of devouring
office…holders created by the Constitution。 All the nobles in
Brittany have left； and the emigration has begun in Normandy； and is
going on in the frontier provinces。
〃More than two…thirds of the army will be without officers。〃 On
being called upon to take the new oath in which the King's name is
purposely omitted； 〃six thousand officers send in their
resignation。〃
The example gradually becomes contagious； they are men of the sword；
and their honor is at stake。 Many of them join the princes at
Coblentz； and。 subsequently do battle against France in the belief
that they are contending only against their executioners。
The treatment of the nobles by the Assembly is the same as the
treatment of the Protestants by Louis XIV。＇36＇ In both cases the
oppressed are a superior class of men。 In both cases France has
been made uninhabitable for them。 In both cases they are reduced to
exile； and they are punished because they exiled them selves。 In
both cases it ended in a confiscation of their property； and in the
penalty of death to all who should harbor them。 In both cases； by
dint of persecution； they are driven to revolt。 The insurrection of
La Vendée corresponds with the insurrection of the Cévennes； and the
emigrants； like the refugees of former times； will be found under。
the flags of Prussia and of England。 One hundred thousand Frenchmen
driven out at the end of the seventeenth century； and one hundred
thousand driven out at the end of the eighteenth century！ Mark how
an intolerant democracy completes the work of an intolerant
monarchy。 The moral aristocracy was mowed down in the name of
uniformity； the social aristocracy is mowed down in the name of
equality。 For the second time； an absolute principle； and with the
same effect； buries its blade in the heart of a living society。
The success is complete。 One of the deputies of the Legislative
Assembly； early in its session； on being informed of the great
increase in emigration； joyfully exclaims；
〃SO MUCH THE BETTER； FRANCE IS BEING PURGED！〃
She is； in truth； being depleted of one…half of her best blood。
IV。
Abuse and lukewarmness in 1789 in the ecclesiastical bodies。 … How
the State used its right of overseeing and reforming them。 … Social
usefulness of corporations。… The sound part in the monastic
institution。 … Zeal and services of nuns。 … How ecclesiastical
possessions should be employed。 … Principle of the Assembly as to
private communities； feudal rights and trust…funds。 … Abolition and
expropriation all corporations。 … Uncompensated suppression of
tithes。… Confiscation of ecclesiastical possessions。 … Effect on
the Treasury and on expropriated services。 …The civil constitution
of the clergy。… Rights of the Church in relation to the State。 …
Certainty and effects of a conflict。 … Priests considered as State…
functionaries。… Principal stipulations of the law。 … Obligations of
the oath。 … The majority of priests refuse to take it。 … The
majority of believes on their side。 … Persecution of believers and
of priests。
There remained the corporate； ecclesiastic； and lay bodies； and；
notably； the oldest； most opulent； and most considerable of all the
regular and secular clergy。 Grave abuses existed here also； for；
the institution being founded on ancient requirements； had not
accommodated itself to new necessities。＇37＇ There were too many
episcopal sees； and these were arranged according to the Christian
distribution of the population in the fourth century； a revenue
still more badly apportioned bishops and abbés with one hundred
thousand livres a year； leading the lives of amiable idlers； while
curés； overburdened with work； have but seven hundred； in one
monastery nineteen monks instead of eighty； and in another four
instead of fifty；＇38＇ a number of monasteries reduced to three or to
two inhabitants； and even to one； almost all the congregations of
men going to decay； and many of them dying out for lack of
novices；＇39＇ a general lukewarmness among the members； great laxity
in many establishments； and with scandals in some of them； scarcely
one…third taking an interest in their calling； while the remaining
two…thirds wish to go back to the world；＇40＇ it is evident from
all this that the primitive inspiration has been diverted or has
cooled； that the endowment only partially fulfills its ends； that
one…half of its resources are employed in the wrong way or remain
sterile； in short； that there is a need of reformation in the body。
That this ought to be effected with the co…operation of the
State and even under its direction is not less certain。 For a
corporation is not an individual like other individuals； and； in
order that it may acquire or possess the privileges of an ordinary
citizen； something supplementary must be added； some fiction； some
expedient of the law。 If the law is disposed to overlook the fact
that a corporation is not a natural personage； if it gives to it a
civil personality； if it declares it to be capable of inheriting； of
acquiring and of selling； if it becomes a protected and respected
proprietor； this is due to the favors of the State which places its
tribunal and gendarmes at its service； and which； in exchange for
this service； justly imposes conditions on it； and； among others；
that of being useful and remaining useful； or at least that of never
becoming harmful。 Such was the rule under the Ancient Régime； and
especially since the Government has for the last quarter of a
century gradually and efficaciously worked out a reform。 Not only；
in 1749； had it prohibited the Church from accepting land； either by
donation； by testament； or in exchange； without royal letters…patent
registered in Parliament； not only in 1764 had it abolished the
order of Jesuits； closed their colleges and sold their possessions；
but also； since 1766； a permanent commission； formed by the King's
order and instructed by him； had lopped off all the dying and dead
branches of the ecclesiastical tree。＇41＇ There was a revision of the
primitive Constitutions； a prohibition to every institution to have
more than two monasteries at Paris and more than one in other towns；
a postponement of the age for taking vows that of sixteen being
no longer permitted to twenty…one for men and eighteen for
women； an obligatory minimum of monks and nuns for each
establishment； which varies from fifteen to nine according to
circumstances； if this is not kept up there follows a suppression or
prohibition to receive novices： owing to these measures； rigorously
executed； at the end of twelve years 〃the Grammontins； the Servites；
the Celestins； the ancient order of Saint…Bénédict； that of the Holy
Ghost of Montpellier； and those of Sainte…Brigitte； Sainte…Croix…de…
la…Bretonnerie； Saint…Ruff； and Saint…Antoine；〃 … in short； nine
complete congregations had disappeared。 At the end of twenty years
three hundred and eighty…six establishments had been suppressed； the
number of monks and nuns had diminished one…third； the larger
portion of possessions which had escheated were usefully applied；
and the congregations of men lacked novices and complained that they