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！
house is pillaged； as well as the bureau of the flour…tax。 The
following day； the chief of the band 〃obliges the principal
inhabitants to give him a sum of money to indemnify； as he states
it； the peasants who have abandoned their work；〃 and devoted the day
to serving the public。 At Peinier； the Président de Peinier； an
octogenarian； is 〃besieged in his chateau by a band of a hundred and
fifty artisans and peasants；〃 who bring with them a consul and a
notary。 Aided by these two functionaries； they force the president
〃to pass an act by which he renounces his seignorial rights of every
description 〃 At Sollier they destroy the mills belonging to M。
de Forbin…Janson。 They sack the house of his business agent；
pillage the chateau； and demolish the roof； chapel； altar； railings；
and escutcheons。 They enter the cellars； stave in the casks； and
carry away everything that can be carried； 〃the transportation
taking two days；〃 all of which cause damages of a hundred thousand
crowns to the marquis。 At Riez they surround the episcopal
palace with fagots； threatening to burn it； 〃and compromise with the
bishop on a promise of fifty thousand livres；〃 and want him to burn
his archives。 In short； the sedition is social for it singles
out for attack all that profit by； or stand at the head of； the
established order of things。
Seeing them act in this way； one would say that the theory of the
Contrat…Social had been instilled into them。 They treat magistrates
as domestics； promulgate laws； and conduct themselves like
sovereigns。 They exercise public power； and establish； summarily；
arbitrarily； and brutally； whatever they think to be in conformity
with natural right。 At Peinier they exact a second electoral
assembly； and； for themselves； the right of suffrage。 At Saint…
Maximin they themselves elect new consuls and officers of justice。
At Solliez they oblige the judge's lieutenant to give in his
resignation； and they break his staff of office。 At Barjols
〃they use consuls and judges as their town servants； announcing that
they are masters and that they will themselves administer justice。〃
In fact； they do administer it； as they understand it that is
to say； through many exactions and robberies！ One man has wheat； he
must share it with him who has none。 Another has money； he must
give it to him who has not enough to buy bread with。 On this
principle； at Barjols； they tax the Ursulin nuns 1；800 livres； carry
off fifty loads of wheat from the Chapter； eighteen from one poor
artisan； and forty from another； and constrain canons and
beneficiaries to give acquittances to their farmers。 Then； from
house to house； with club in hand； they oblige some to hand over
money； others to abandon their claims on their debtors； 〃one to
desist from criminal proceedings； another to nullify a decree
obtained； a third to reimburse the expenses of a lawsuit gained
years before； a father to give his consent to the marriage of his
son。〃 All their grievances are brought to mind； and we all know
the tenacity of a peasant's memory。 Having become the master； he
redresses wrongs； and especially those of which he thinks himself
the object。 There must be a general restitution； and first； of the
feudal dues which have been collected。 They take of M。 de
Montmeyan's business agent all the money he has as compensation for
that received by him during fifteen years as a notary。 A former
consul of Brignolles had； in 1775； inflicted penalties to the amount
of 1；500 or 1；800 francs； which had been given to the poor； this sum
is taken from his strong box。 Moreover； if consuls and law officers
are wrongdoers； the title deeds； rent…rolls； and other documents by
which they do their business are still worse。 To the fire with all
old writings not only office registers； but also； at Hyères； all
the papers in the town hall and those of the principal notary。
In the matter of papers none are good but new ones those which
convey some discharge； quittance； or obligation to the advantage of
the people。 At Brignolles the owners of the gristmills are
constrained to execute a contract of sale by which they convey their
mills to the commune in consideration of 5；000 francs per annum；
payable in ten years without interest an arrangement which ruins
them。 On seeing the contract signed the peasants shout and cheer；
and so great is their faith in this piece of stamped paper that they
at once cause a mass of thanksgiving to be celebrated in the
Cordeliers。 Formidable omens these！ Which mark the inward purpose；
the determined will； and the coming deeds of this rising power。 If
it prevails； its first work will be to destroy all ancient
documents； all title deeds； rent…rolls； contracts； and claims to
which force compels it to submit。 By force likewise it will draw up
others to its own advantage； and the scribes who do it will be its
own deputies and administrators whom it holds in its rude grasp。
Those who are in high places are not alarmed； they even find that
there is some good in the revolt； inasmuch as it compels the towns
to suppress unjust taxation。＇32＇ The new Marseilles guard； formed
of young men； is allowed to march to Aubagne； 〃to insist that M。 le
lieutenant criminel and M。 l'avocat du Roi release the prisoners。〃
The disobedience of Marseilles； which refuses to receive the
magistrates sent under letters patent to take testimony； is
tolerated。 And better still； in spite of the remonstrances of the
parliament of Aix； a general amnesty is proclaimed； 〃no one is
excepted but a few of the leaders； to whom is allowed the liberty of
leaving the kingdom。〃 The mildness of the King and of the military
authorities is admirable。 It is admitted that the people are
children； that they err only through ignorance； that faith must be
had in their repentance； and； as soon as they return to order； they
must be received with paternal effusions。 The truth is； that
the child is a blind Colossus； exasperated by sufferings。 hence
whatever it takes hold of is shattered not only the local wheels
of the provinces； which； if temporarily deranged； may be repaired；
but even the incentive at the center which puts the rest in motion；
and the destruction of which will throw the whole machinery into
confusion。
__________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Marmontel； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 221。 Albert Babeau； 〃Histoire
de la Révolution Fran？aise；〃 I。 91； 187。 （Letter by Huez Mayor of
Troyes； July 30； 1788。）… Archives Nationales； H。 1274。 （Letter
by M。 de Caraman； April 22； 1789。） H。 942 （Cahier des demandes des
Etats de Languedoc）。 … Buchez et Roux； 〃Histoire Parlementaire；〃
I。 283。
＇2＇ See 〃 The Ancient Régime；〃 p。34。 Albert Babeau； I。 91。 （The
Bishop of Troyes gives 12；000 francs； and the chapter 6；000； for the
relief workshops。）
＇3＇ 〃The Ancient Regime；〃 350； 387。Floquet； 〃Histoire du Parlement
de Normandie；〃 VII。 505…518。 （Reports of the Parliament of
Normandy； May 3；1788。 Letter from the Parliament to the King； July
15； 1789。）
＇4＇ Arthur Young； 〃Voyages in France；〃 June 29th； July 2nd and 18th
〃 Journal de Paris；〃 January 2； 1789。 Letter of the curé of
Sainte…Marguerite。
＇5＇ Buchez and Roux； IV。 79…82。 （Letter from the intermediary
bureau of Montereau； July 9； 1789； from the maire of Villeneuve…le…
Roi； July 10th； from M。 Baudry； July 10th； from M。 Prioreau； July
11th； etc。） Montjoie； 〃Histoire de la Révolution de France；〃 2nd
part； ch。 XXI； p。 5。
＇6＇ Roux et Buchez； ibid。 〃It is very unfortunate；〃 writes the
Marquis d'Autichamp； 〃to be obliged to cut down the standing crops
ready to be gathered in； but it is dangerous to let the troops die
of hunger。〃
＇7＇ Montjoie； 〃Histoire de la Révolution de France；〃 ch。 XXXIX； V；
37。 De Goncourt； 〃La Société Fran？aise pendant la Révolution；〃
p。 5l3。 Deposition of Maillard （Criminal Inquiry of the
Chatelet concerning the events of October 5th and 6th）。
＇8＇ De Tocqueville； 〃L'Ancien Régime et la Révolution；〃 272…290。 De
Lavergne； 〃Les Assemblées provinciales；〃 109。 Procès…verbaux des
assemblées provinciales； passim。
＇9＇ A magistrate who gives judgment in a lower court in cases
relative to taxation。 These terms are retained because there are no
equivalents in English。 （Tr。）
＇10＇ 〃Laboureurs；〃 this term； at this epoch； is applied to those
who till their own land。 （Tr。）
＇11＇ Duvergier。 〃Collection des lois et décrets；〃 I。 1 to 23； and
particularly p。 15。
＇12＇ Parish priests。 （SR。）
＇13＇ Arthur Young； July 12th ； 1789 （in Champagne）。
＇14＇ Montjoie； 1st part； 102。
＇15＇ Floquet； 〃Histoire du Parlement de Normandie；〃 VII。 508。 〃
Archives Nationales；〃 H。 1453。
＇16＇ Arthur Young； June 29th （at Nangis）。
＇17＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 H。1453。 Letter of the Duc de Mortem