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！
to the Committee〃；＇81＇ or that his certificate of civism is less than
one month old；＇82＇ to make a delegate； accompanied by ten armed men；
search his house。 In the section of the Réunion alone； on the first
day； 57 denounced persons are thus disarmed for 〃acts of incivism or
expressions adverse to the Republic；〃 not merely lawyers； notaries；
architects； and other prominent men； but petty tradesmen and shop…
keepers； hatters； dyers； locksmiths； mechanics； gilders； and bar…
keepers。 One section； in defiance of the law； adds to these in block
the signers of the petition of the eight thousand and that of the
twenty thousand。 〃Through such schemes；〃 says an observer；＇83＇ 〃all
the guns in Paris； numbering more than a hundred thousand； pass into
the hands of the faction。 None remain for its adversaries； even in
the gunshops； for； through an ordinance of the Commune； no one may
purchase a gun without a certificate issued by the Committee of
Supervision of the section。＇84＇ On the other hand； owing to the
power of granting or refusing certificates of civism； each Committee；
on its own authority； interposes barriers as it pleases in all
directions； public or private； to every inhabitant within its bounds。
It is impossible for any person who has not obtained his
certificate＇85＇ to have a passport for traveling； although a
tradesman； no public employee； no clerk of the administration；
advocate or notary can keep his place without it； no one can go out of
Paris or return late at night。 If one goes out to take a walk； there
is danger of being arrested and brought back between two soldiers to
the committee of the section； if one stays at home； it is with the
chance of being inspected as a harbourer of priests or nobles。 Any
Parisian opening his windows in the morning may find his house
surrounded by a company of carmagnoles； if he has not the
indispensable certificate in his pocket。＇86＇ In the eyes of a Jacobin
committee； there is no civism but in Jacobinism； and we can imagine
whether this patent would be willingly conferred on opponents； or even
on the lukewarm； what examinations they would have to undergo； what
questions they would be obliged to answer； how many goings and
comings； solicitations； appearances and waitings would be imposed on
them； with what persistency it would excite delay； and with what
satisfaction it would be refused。 Buzot presented himself four times
at the Committee of Quatre…Nations to obtain a certificate for his
domestic； and failed to get it。＇87＇ There is another still more
effective expedient for keeping the ill…disposed in check The
committee of each section； aided by a member of the Commune；＇88＇
designates the twelve thousand men drafted for the expedition into La
Vendée； and picks them by name； one by one； as it may select them； the
effect of this is to purge Paris of twelve thousand anti…Jacobins； and
tranquilize the section assemblies； where opposition is often
objectionable。 To this end the committee selects first； and gives the
preference to； the clerks of lawyers and notaries； those of banking…
houses； the administration； and of merchants； the unmarried in all
offices and counting…rooms； in short； all the Parisian middle class
bachelors； of which there are more than twenty…five thousand。＇89＇ The
ordinance stipulates that one out of two should be taken； undoubtedly
those with the poorest reputation with the Committee； this proceeding
will silence the others and prevent them from speaking up in their
sections。＇90＇
While one hand clutches the collar； the other rummages the pocket。 The
Committee of Supervision of each section； always aided by a member of
the Commune；＇91＇ designates all persons in easy circumstances；
estimates their incomes as it pleases； or according to common report；
and sends them an order to pay a particular sum in proportion to their
surplus； and according to a progressive tax。 The allowance which is
exempt for the head of a family is 1；500 francs per annum； besides
1；000 francs for his wife and 1；000 francs for each child； if the
excess is over 15；000 or 20；000 francs； they assess it 5；000 francs；
if more than 40；000 or 50；000 francs； they assess it 20；000； in no
case may the surplus retained exceed 30；000 francs； all above this
amount goes to the State。 The first third of this sudden contribution
to the public funds is required in forty…eight hours； the second in a
fortnight； and the remaining third in a month； under serious
penalties。 If the tax happens to be exaggerated； if an income is
uncertain or imaginary； if receipts are yet to come in； if there is no
ready money； if； like Franc？ur； the opera manager； a man 〃has nothing
but debts；〃 so much the worse。 〃In case of refusal；〃 writes the
section of Bon…Conseil； 〃his personal and real property shall be sold
by the revolutionary committee； and his person declared
suspected。〃＇92＇ Even this is simply an installment on account：
〃There is no desire on the part of the Committee at the present moment
to demand more than a portion of your surplus；〃 that which rest will
be taken later。 Desfieux； the bankrupt；＇93＇ has already； in the
tribune of the Jacobin club； estimated the fortunes of one hundred of
the wealthiest notaries and financiers in Paris at 640；000；000 francs；
the municipality sent a list of their names to the sections to have it
completed； if only one…tenth was taken from them； it would amount to
64；000；000； which 〃big sponges；〃 thoroughly squeezed； would disgorge a
much larger amount。
〃The richest of Frenchmen；〃 says Robespierre； 〃should not have more
than 3；000 francs a year。〃＇94＇
The contributions of 〃these gentlemen〃 suffice to arm the sans…
culottes； 〃remunerate artisans for their attendance in the section
meetings； and support laborers without work。〃＇95＇ Already through the
sovereign virtue of summary requisitions； everything is spoil；
carriage…horses are seized in their stables； while vehicles belonging
to aged ladies； mostly widows； and the last of the berlins and elegant
carriages still remaining in Paris； are taken out of the livery…
stables。＇96＇
With such powers used in this way； the section makes the most of the
old deep…seated enmity of the poor against the rich；＇97＇ it secures
the firm loyalty of the needy and of vagabonds； thanks to the vigorous
arms of its active clients； it completely overcomes the feeble；
transient； poorly…contrived resistance which the National Convention
and the Parisian population still oppose to its rule。
On the 13th of April Marat； accused three months before and daily
becoming bolder in his fractiousness； is finally indicted through a
decree of the incensed majority；＇98＇ on the 24th he appears before the
revolutionary tribunal。 But the revolutionary tribunal； like other
newly organized institutions； is composed of pure Jacobins； and；
moreover； the party has taken its precautions。 Marat； for his escort
to the court…room has 〃the municipal commissaries； envoys from the
various sections； delegates from all the patriotic clubs〃； besides
these； 〃a multitude of good patriots〃 fill the hall beforehand； 〃early
in the morning the other chambers of the Palais de Justice； the
corridors； the courts and adjacent streets〃 overflow with 〃sans…
culottes ready to avenge any outrage that may be perpetrated on their
favorite defender。〃＇99＇ Naturally； excessively conceited； he speaks
not like an accused； but 〃as an apostle and martyr。〃 He is overwhelmed
with applause； unanimously acquitted； crowned with laurel； borne in
triumph to the Convention； where he thunders a song of victory； while
the Girondist majority is obliged to suffer his presence awaiting to
be subjected to their banishments。 Equally as impotent as the
moderates of the Legislative Assembly are the moderates in the street
who recover themselves only again to be felled to the ground。 On the
4th and 5th of May； five or six hundred young fellows； well…dressed
and without arms； have assembled in the Champs…Elysées and at the
Luxembourg to protest against the ordinance of the Commune； which
drafts them for the expedition to La Vendée；＇100＇ they shout； 〃Vive la
Republique！ Vive la Loi！ Down with anarchists！ Send Marat； Danton and
Robespierre to the Devil！〃 Naturally； Santerre's paid guard disperses
these young sparks； about a thousand are arrested； and henceforth the
rest will be careful not to make any open demonstration on the public
thoroughfares。 Again； for lack of something better to do； we see
them frequently returning to the section assemblies； especially early
in May； they find themselves in a majority； and enter on discussions
against Jacobin tyranny； at the Bon…Conseil section； and at those of
Marseilles and l'Unité； Lhuillier is hooted at； Marat threatened； and
Chaumette denounced。＇101＇ But these are only flashes in the pan； to
be firmly in charge in these permanent assemblies； the moderates； like
the sans…culot