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members； one of whom is thrown down； has his head shaved； and is
promenaded through the village in derision。 … When the small tax…
payer defends himself in this manner； it is a warning that he must
be humored。 The assessment； accordingly； in the village councils is
made amongst a knot of cronies。 Each relieves himself of the burden
by shoving it off on somebody else。 〃They tax the large
proprietors； whom they want to make pay the whole tax。〃 The noble；
the old seigneur； is the most taxed； and to such an extent that in
many places his income does not suffice to pay his quota。 … In the
next place they make themselves out poor； and falsify or elude the
prescriptions of the law。 〃In most of the municipalities； houses；
tenements； and factories＇52＇ are estimated according to the value of
the area they cover； and considered as land of the first class；
which reduces the quota to almost nothing。〃 And this fraud is not
practiced in the villages alone。 〃Communes of eight or ten thousand
souls might be cited which have arranged matters so well amongst
themselves in this respect that not a house is to be found worth
more than fifty sous。〃 … Last expedient of all； the commune defers
as long as it can the preparation of its tax…rolls。 On the 30th of
January； 1792； out of 40；211； there are only 2；560 which are
complete； on the 5th of October； 1792； the schedules are not made
out in 4；800 municipalities； and it must be noted that all this
relates to a term of administration which has been finished for more
than nine months。 At the same date； there are more than six
thousand communes which have not yet begun to collect the land…tax
of 1791； and more than fifteen thousand communes which have not yet
begun to collect the personal tax； the Treasury and the departments
have not yet received 152；000；000 francs； there being still
222；000；000 to collect。 On the 1st February； 1793； there still
remains due on the same period 161；000；000 francs； while of the
50；000；000 assessed in 1790； to replace the salt…tax and other
suppressed duties； only 2；000；000 have been collected。 Finally； at
the same date； out of the two direct taxes of 1792； which should
produce 300；000；000； less than 4；000；000 have been received。 … It
is a maxim of the debtor that he must put off payment as long as
possible。 Whoever the creditor may be； the State or a private
individual； a leg or a wing may be saved by dint of procrastination。
The maxim is true； and； on this occasion； success once more
demonstrates its soundness。 During the year 1792； the peasant
begins to discharge a portion of his arrears； but it is with
assignats。 In January； February； and March； 1792； the assignats
diminish thirty…four； forty…four； and forty…five per cent。 in
value； in January； February； and March； 1793； forty…seven and fifty
percent。； in May； June； and July； 1793； fifty…four； sixty； and
sixty…seven per cent。 Thus has the old credit of the State melted
away in its hands； those who have held on to their crowns gain fifty
per cent。 and more。 Again； the greater their delay the more their
debts diminish； and already； on the strength of this； the way to
release themselves at half…price is found。
Meanwhile； hands are laid on the badly defended landed property of
this feeble creditor。 … It is always difficult for rude brains to
form any conception of the vague； invisible； abstract entity called
the State； to regard it as a veritable personage and a legitimate
proprietor； especially when they are persistently told that the
State is everybody。 The property of all is the property of each；
and as the forests belong to the public； the first…comer has a right
to profit by them。 In the month of December； 1789；＇53＇ bands of
sixty men or more chop down the trees in the Bois de Boulogne and at
Vincennes。 In April； 1790； in the forest of Saint…Germain； 〃the
patrols arrest all kinds of delinquents day and night：〃 handed over
to the National Guards and municipalities in the vicinity； these are
〃almost immediately released； even with the wood which they have cut
down against the law。〃 iii There is no means of repressing 〃the
reiterated threats and insults of the low class of people。〃 A mob of
women； urged on by an old French guardsman； come and pillage under
the nose of the escort a load of faggots confiscated for the benefit
of a hospital； and in the forest itself； bands of marauders fire
upon the patrols。 … At Chantilly； three game…keepers are mortally
wounded；＇54＇ both parks are devastated for eighteen consecutive
days； the game is all killed； transported to Paris and sold。 … At
Chambord the lieutenant of the constabulary writes to announce his
powerlessness； the woods are ravaged and even burnt； the poachers
are now masters of the situation； breaches in the wall are made by
them； and the water from the pond is drawn off to enable them to
catch the fish。 … At Claix； in Dauphiny； an officer of the
jurisdiction of woods and forests； who has secured an injunction
against the inhabitants for cutting down trees on leased ground； is
seized； tortured during five hours； and then stoned to death。 … In
vain does the National Assembly issue three decrees and regulations；
placing the forests under the supervision and protection of
administrative bodies； … he latter are too much afraid of their
charge。 Between the central power； which is weak and remote； and
the people； present and strong； they always decide in favor of the
latter。 Not one of the five municipalities surrounding Chantilly is
disposed to assist in the execution of the laws； while the
directories of the district and department respectively； sanction
their inertia。 … Similarly； near Toulouse；＇55＇ where the
magnificent forest of Larramet is devastated in open day and by an
armed force； where the wanton destruction by the populace leaves
nothing of the underwood and shrubbery but 〃a few scattered trees
and the remains of trunks cut at different heights；〃 the
municipalities of Toulouse and of Tournefeuille refuse all aid。 And
worse still； in other provinces； as for instance in Alsace； 〃whole
municipalities； with their mayors at the head； cut down woods which
are confided to them； and carry them off。〃＇56＇ If some tribunal is
disposed to enforce the law； it is to no purpose； it takes the risk；
either of not being allowed to give judgment； or of being
constrained to reverse its decision。 At Paris the judgment prepared
against the incendiaries of the tax…offices could not be given。 At
Montargis； the sentence pronounced against the marauders who had
stolen cartloads of wood in the national forests had to be revised；
and by the judges themselves。 The moment the tribunal announced the
confiscation of the carts and horses which had been seized； there
arose a furious outcry against it； the court was insulted by those
present； the condemned parties openly declared that they would have
their carts and horses back by force。 Upon this 〃the judges
withdrew into the council…chamber； and when soon after they resumed
their seats； that part of their decision which related to the
confiscation was canceled。〃
And yet this administration of justice； ludicrous and flouted as it
may be； is still a sort of barrier。 When it falls； along with the
Government； everything is exposed to plunder； and there is no such
thing as public property。 … After August 10； 1792； each commune or
individual appropriates whatever comes in its way； either products
or the soil itself。 Some of the plunderers go so far as to say
that； since the Government no longer represses them； they act under
its authority。＇57＇ 〃They have destroyed even the recent plantation
of young trees。〃 〃One of the villages near Fontainebleau cleared off
and divided an entire grove。 At Rambouillet； from August 10th to
the end of October；〃 the loss is more than 100；000 crowns； the rural
agitators demand with threats the partition of the forest among the
inhabitants。 〃The destruction is enormous〃 everywhere； prolonged
for entire months； and of such a kind； says the minister； as to dry
up this source of public revenue for a long time to come。 …
Communal property is no more respected than national property。 In
each commune； these bold and needy folk； the rural populace； are
privileged to enjoy and make the most of it。 Not content with
enjoying it； they desire to acquire ownership of it； and； for days
after the King's fall； the Legislative Assembly； losing its footing
in the universal breaking up； empowers the indigent to put in force
the agrarian law。 Henceforth it suffices in any commune for one…
third of its inhabitants of both sexes； servants； common laborers；
shepherds； farm…hands or cowherds； and even paupers； to demand a
partition of the communal possessions。 All that the commune owns；
save public edifices and woods； is to be cut up into as many equal
lots as there are heads； the lots to be drawn