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cavalry on the wings。 。 。 。 They live in the forests where they have
created a fortified and guarded area and paying exactly for what they
take to live on。〃 In 1777＇22＇； at Sens in Burgundy； the public
attorney； M。 Terray； hunting on his own property with two officers；
meets a gang of poachers who fire on the game under their eyes； and
soon afterwards fire on them。 Terray is wounded and one of the
officers has his coat pierced； guards arrive； but the poachers stand
firm and repel them； dragoons are sent for and the poachers kill of
these； along with three horses； and are attacked with sabers； four of
them are brought to the ground and seven are captured。…Reports of the
States…General show that every year； in each extensive forest； murders
occur； sometimes at the hands of a poacher； and again； and the most
frequently； by the shot of a gamekeeper。 … It is a continuous warfare
at home； every vast domain thus harbors its rebels； provided with
powder and ball and knowing how to use them。
Other recruits for rioting are found among smugglers and in
dealers in contraband salt＇23＇。 A tax； as soon as it becomes
exorbitant； invites fraud； and raises up a population of delinquents
against its army of clerks。 The number of such defrauders may be seen
when we consider the number of custom officers： twelve hundred leagues
of interior custom districts are guarded by 50；000 men； of which
23；000 are soldiers in civilian dress＇24＇。 〃In the principal provinces
of the salt…tax and in the provinces of the five great tax leasing
administrations （fermes）； for four leagues （ten miles） on either side
of the prohibited line；〃 cultivation is abandoned； everybody is either
a customs official or a smuggler＇25＇。 The more excessive the tax the
higher the premium offered to the violators of the law； at every place
on the boundaries of Brittany with Normandy； Maine and Anjou； four
pence per pound added to the salt…tax multiplies beyond any conception
the already enormous number of contraband dealers。 〃Numerous bands of
men；＇26＇ armed with frettes； or long sticks pointed with iron； and
often with pistols or guns； attempt to force a passage。 〃A multitude
of women and of children； quite young； cross the brigades boundaries
or； on the other side； troops of dogs are brought there； kept closed
up for a certain time without food or drink； then loaded with salt and
now turned loose so that they； driven by hunger； immediately bring
their cargo back to their masters。〃…Vagabonds； outlaws； the famished；
sniff this lucrative occupation from afar and run to it like so many
packs of hounds。 〃The outskirts of Brittany are filled with a
population of emigrants； mostly outcast from their own districts； who；
after a year's registered stay； may enjoy the privileges of the
Bretons： their occupation is limited to collecting piles of salt to
re…sell to the contraband dealers。〃 We might imagine them； as in a
flash of lightening； as a long line of restless nomads； nocturnal and
pursued； an entire tribe； male and female； of unsociable prowlers；
familiar with to underhand tricks； toughened by hard weather； ragged；
〃nearly all infected by persistent scabies；〃 and I find similar bodies
in the vicinity of Morlaix； Lorient； and other ports on the frontiers
of other provinces and on the frontiers of the kingdom。 From 1783 to
1787； in Quercy； two allied bands of smugglers； sixty and eighty each；
defraud the revenue of 40；000 of tobacco； kill two customs officers；
and； with their guns； defend their stores in the mountains； to
suppress them soldiers are needed； which their military commander will
not furnish。 In 1789；＇27＇ a large troop of smugglers carry on
operations permanently on the frontiers of Maine and Anjou； the
military commander writes that 〃their chief is an intelligent and
formidable bandit； who already has under him fifty…five men； he will；
due to misery and rebellion soon have a corps；〃 it would； as we are
unable to take him by force； be best； if some of his men could be
turned and made to hand him over to us。 These are the means resorted
to in regions where brigandage is endemic。 … Here； indeed； as in
Calabria； the people are on the side of the brigands against the
gendarmes。 The exploits of Mandrin in 1754；＇28＇ may be remembered： his
company of sixty men who bring in contraband goods and ransom only the
clerks； his expedition； lasting nearly a year； across Franche…Comté；
Lyonnais； Bourbonnais； Auvergne and Burgundy； the twenty…seven towns
he enters making no resistance； delivering prisoners and making sale
of his merchandise。 To overcome him a camp had to be formed at Valance
and 2；000 men sent against him； he was taken through treachery； and
still at the present day certain families are proud of their
relationship to him； declaring him a liberator。 … No symptom is more
alarming： on the enemies of the law being preferred by the people to
its defenders； society disintegrates and the worms begin to work。 …
Add to these the veritable brigands； assassins and robbers。 〃In
1782；＇29＇ the provost's court of Montargis is engaged on the trial of
Hulin and two hundred of his accomplices who； for ten years； by means
of joint enterprises； have desolated a portion of the kingdom。〃 …
Mercier enumerates in France 〃an army of more than 10；000 brigands and
vagabonds〃 against which the police； composed of 3；756 men； is always
on the march。 〃Complaints are daily made；〃 says the provincial
assembly of Haute…Guyenne； 〃that there is no police in the country。〃
The absentee seignior pays no attention to this matter； his judges and
officials take good care not to operate gratuitously against an
insolvent criminal； the result is that 〃his estates become the refuge
of all the rascals of the area。〃＇30＇ … Every abuse thus carries with
it a risk； both due to misplaced carelessness as well as excessive
rigor； to relaxed feudalism as well as to harsh monarchy。 All the
institutions appear to work together to breed and or tolerate the
troublemakers； preparing； outside the social defenses； the men of
action who will carry it by storm。
But the total effect of all this is yet more damaging； for； out of
the vast numbers of workers it ruins it forms beggars unwilling to
work； dangerous sluggards going about begging and extorting bread from
peasants who have not too much for themselves。 〃The vagabonds about
the country；〃 says Letrosne；＇31＇ 〃are a terrible pest； they are like
an enemy's force which； distributed over the territory； obtains a
living as it pleases； levying veritable contributions。 。 。 。 They are
constantly roving around the country； examining the approaches to
houses； and informing themselves about their inmates and of their
habits。… Woe to those supposed to have money！ 。 。 。 What numbers of
highway robberies and what burglaries！ What numbers of travelers
assassinated； and houses and doors broken into！ What assassinations of
curates； farmers and widows； tormented to discover money and
afterwards killed！ Twenty…five years anterior （page 384/284） to the
Revolution it was not infrequent to see fifteen or twenty of these
〃invade a farm…house to sleep there； intimidating the farmers and
exacting whatever they pleased。〃 In 1764； the government takes
measures against them which indicate the magnitude of the evil＇32＇。
〃Are held to be vagabonds and vagrants； and condemned as such；
those who； for a preceding term of six months； shall have exercised no
trade or profession； and who； having no occupation or means of
subsistence； can procure no persons worthy of confidence to attest and
verify their habits and mode of life。 。 。 。 The intent of His Majesty
is not merely to arrest vagabonds traversing the country but； again；
all mendicants whatsoever who； without occupations； may be regarded as
suspected of vagabondage。〃
The penalty for able…bodied men is three years in the galleys； in
case of a second conviction； nine years； and for a third； imprisonment
for life。 Under the age of sixteen； they are put in an institution。 〃A
mendicant who has made himself liable to arrest by the police；〃 says
the circular； 〃is not to be released except under the most positive
assurance that he will no longer beg； this course will be followed
only in case of persons worthy of confidence and solvent guaranteeing
the mendicant； and engaging to provide him with employment or to
support him； and they shall indicate the means by which they are to
prevent him from begging。〃 This being furnished； the special
authorization of the intendant must be obtained in addition。 By virtue
of this law； 50；000 beggars are said to have been arrested at once；
and； as the ordinary hospitals and prisons were not large enough to
contain them； jails had to be constructed。 Up to the end of the
ancient régime this measure is carried out with occasional
intermissions： in Languedoc； in 1768； arrests were still made of 433
in s