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retain them； this common dogma； like a concealed weight； causes them
to sink lower and lower down； even into the bottomless pit； where the
State； according to the formula of Jean Jacques； omnipotent；
philosophic； anti…Catholic； anti…Christian； despotic； leveling；
intolerant； and propagandist； seizes education； levels fortunes；
persecutes the Church； oppresses consciences； crushes out the
individual； and； by military foice； imposes its structures abroad。＇59＇
Basically； apart from the Jacobin excess of brutality and of
precipitation； the Girondists； setting out from the same principles as
the Jacobin 〃Mountain；〃 march forward to the same end along with them。
Hence the effect of ideological prejudice on them in weakening their
moral attitudes。 Secretly； in their hearts； revolutionary desires
conspire with those of their enemies； and； on many occasions； make
them betray themselves。 Through these devices and multiplied
weaknesses； on the one hand； the majority diminishes so as to present
but 279 votes against 228。＇60＇ And； on the other hand； through
frequent failures； it surrenders to the besiegers one by one every
commanding post of the public citadel。 Now； at the first attack；
nothing remains but to fly； or to beg for mercy。
IV。 Jacobin victory over Girondin majority。
Principal decrees of the Girondist majority。 Arms and means of
attack surrendered by it to its adversaries。
The Convention had voted； on principle； for the establishment of a
military departmental guard； but； owing to the opposition of the
Montagnards； it fails to put the principle into operation。 For six
months it is protected； and； on the 10th of March； saved； through the
spontaneous aid of provincial federates； but； far from organizing
these passing auxiliaries into a permanent body of faithful defenders；
it allows them to be dispersed or corrupted by Pache and the Jacobins。
It passes decrees frequently for the punishment of the abettors of
the September crime； but； on their menacing petition； the trials are
indefinitely postponed。＇61＇ It has summoned to its bar Fournier；
Lazowski； Deffieux； and other leaders； who； on the 10th of March； were
disposed to throw it out of the windows； but； on making their impudent
apology； it sends them away acquitted； free； and ready to begin over
again。＇62＇ At the War Department it raises up in turn two cunning
Jacobins； Pache and Bouchotte； who are to work against it unceasingly。
At the Department of the Interior it allows the fall of its firmest
support； Roland； and appoints Garat in his place； an ideologist； whose
mind； composed of glittering generalities； with a character made up of
contradictory inclinations； fritters itself away in reticences； in
falsehoods and in half…way treachery； under the burden of his too
onerous duties。 It votes the murder of the King； which places an
insurmountable barrier of blood between it and all honest persons。
It plunges the nation into a war in behalf of principles；＇63＇ and
excites an European league against France； which league； in
transferring the perils arising from the September crime to the
frontier； permanently establishes the September régime in the
interior。 It forges in advance the vilest instruments of the
forthcoming Reign of Terror；
* through the decree which establishes the revolutionary tribune； with
Fouquier…Tinville as public prosecutor； and the obligation for each
juryman to utter his verdict aloud；＇64＇
* through the decree condemning every émigré to civil death； and the
confiscation of his property 〃of either sex；〃 even a simple fugitive；
even returned within six months；＇65＇
* through the decree which 〃outlaws aristocrats and enemies of the
Revolution〃；＇66＇
* through the decree which； in each commune； establishes a tax on the
wealth of the commune in order to adapt the price of bread to
wages；＇67＇
* through the decree which subjects every bag of grain to declaration
and to the maximum （price conrol）；＇68＇
* through the decree which awards six years in irons for any traffic
in the currency；＇69＇
* through the decree which orders a forced loan of a billion；
extorted from the rich；＇70＇
* through the decree which raises in each town a paid army of sans…
culottes 〃to hold aristocrats under their pikes 〃＇71＇ and at last；
* through the decree which； instituting the Committee of Public
Safety；＇72＇ fashions a central motor to set these sharp scythes agoing
and mow down fortunes and lives with the utmost rapidity。 …
To these engines of general destruction it adds one more； which is
special and operates against itself。 Not only does it furnish its
rivals of the Commune with the millions they need to pay their bands；
not only does it advance to the different sections；＇73＇ in the form of
a loan； the hundreds of thousands of francs which are needed to
satisfy the thirst of their yelpers； but again； at the end of March；
just at the moment when it happens to escape the first Jacobin
invasion； it provides for the election by each section of a Committee
of Supervision； authorized to make domiciliary visits and to disarm
the suspected；＇74＇ it allows this committee to make arrests and
inflict special taxes； to facilitate its operations it orders a list
of the inmates of each house； legibly 〃stating names； surnames； ages
and professions；〃 to be affixed to the entrance；＇75＇ a copy of which
must be left with the committee； and which is subject to its control。
To end the matter； it submits itself； and； 〃regardless of the
inviolability of a representative of the French nation；〃＇76＇ it
decides that； in case of political denunciation； its own members may
be brought to trial。
V。 Jacobin violence against the people。
Committees of Supervision after March 28； 1793。 … The régime of August
and September； 1792； revived。 … Disarmament。 … Certificates of civism。
… Forced enlistment。 … Forced loans。 … Use made of the sums raised。 …
Vain resistance of the population。 … Manifestations by young men
repressed。 … Violence and victory of the Jacobins in the assemblies of
the sections。
〃I seem to hear you；〃 writes a sarcastic observer；＇77＇ 〃addressing the
（Jacobin） faction in these terms：
'Now； look here； we have the means； but we are not disposed to make
use of them against you； it would be unfair to attack you unarmed。
Public power emanates from two sources； legal authority and armed
force。 Now we will at once create committees of supervision； of which
you shall appoint the heads； for the reason that； with a whip of this
kind； you can lash every honest man in Paris； and thus regulate public
opinion。 We will do more than this； because our sacrifice is not yet
complete； we are disposed to make you a present of our armed force；
with authority to disarm anybody that you may suspect。 As far as we
are concerned； we are ready to surrender even our pocketknives；＇78＇
and remain apart； content with our virtues and talents。 But mind
what you are about。 Should you be so ungrateful as to attack our
sacred persons； we shall find avengers in the departments。'
'What good will the departments do you； let loose against each other；
after you are out of the way？' 〃 （was the imaginary Jacobin reply！）
No summary could be more exact nor any prediction more accurately
based。 Henceforth； and by virtue of the Convention's own decrees； not
only have the Jacobins the whole of the executive power in their
hands； as this is found in civilized countries； but likewise the
discretionary power of the antique tyrant or modern pasha； that
arbitrary； strong arm which； singling out the individual； falls upon
him and takes from him his arms； his freedom； and his money。 After the
28th of March； we see in Paris a resumption of the system which；
instituted by the 10th of August； was completed by the 2nd of
September。 In the morning； drums beat to arms； at noon； the barriers
are shut； the bridges and passages guarded； and sentinels stand on the
corners of the streets； no one is allowed 〃to pass outside the limits
of his section；〃 or circulate within them without showing his
certificate of civism； houses are invested； numbers of persons are
arrested；＇79＇ and； during the succeeding months； this operation is
carried on under the sway of the Committee of Supervision。 Now； this
Committee； in almost all the sections； 〃is made up of sans…culottes；〃
not fathers of families； men of judgment and experience； people living
a long time in the quarter； but 〃strangers； or young men trying to be
something；〃＇80＇ ambitious underlings； ignorant daredevils； despotic
intruders； fierce； touchy and inexperienced inquisitors〃。
The first thing is the disarmament of the suspected。 〃It is enough
that any citizen shall be denounced； and that the case is made known
to the Committee〃；＇81＇ or that his certificate of civism is less than
one month old；＇82＇ to make a del