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because its seat is at the capital。 Its statutes； its regulations； its
spirit； are all imitated； it becomes the alma mater of other
associations and they its adopted daughters。 It publishes；
accordingly； a list of all clubs conspicuously in its journal；
together with their denunciations； it insists on their demands；
henceforth； every Jacobin in the remotest borough feels the support
and endorsement； not only of his local； club； but again of the great
club whose numerous offshoots reached the entire territory and which
extends its all…powerful protection to the least of its adherents。 In
return for this protection； each associated club obeys the word of
command given at Paris； and to and from； from the center to the
extremities； a constant correspondence maintains the established
harmony。 A vast political machine is thus set agoing； a machine with
thousands of arms； all working at once under one impulsion； and the
lever which the motions is in the hands of a few master spirits in the
Rue St。 Honoré。
No machine could be more effective； never was one seen so well
contrived for manufacturing artificial； violent public opinion； for
making this appear to be national； spontaneous sentiment； for
conferring the rights of the silent majority on a vociferous minority；
for forcing the surrender of the government。
〃Our tactics were very simple；〃 says Grégoire＇32＇。 〃It was
understood that one of us should take advantage of the first favorable
opportunity to propose some measure in the National Assembly that was
sure to be applauded by a small minority and cried down by the
majority。 But that made no difference。 The proposer demanded； which
was granted； that the measure should be referred to a committee in
which its opponents hoped to see it buried。 Then the Paris Jacobins
took hold of it。 A circular was issued； after which an article on the
measure was printed in their journal and discussed in three or four
hundred clubs that were leagued together。 Three weeks after this the
Assembly was flooded with petitions from every quarter； demanding a
decree of which the first proposal had been rejected； and which is now
passed by a great majority because a discussion of it had ripened
public opinion。〃
In other words； the Assembly must go ahead or it will be driven along；
in which process the worst expedients are the best。 Those who conduct
the club； whether fanatics or intriguers； are fully agreed on this
point。
At the head of the former class is Duport； once a counselor in the
parliament； who； after 1788； knew how to turn riots to account。 The
first revolutionary consultations were held in his house。 He wants to
plough deep； and his devices for burying the ploughshare are such that
Sieyès； a radical； if there ever was one； dubbed it a 〃cavernous
policy。〃＇33＇ Duport； on the 28th of July； 1789； is the organizer of
the Committee on Searches； by which all favorably disposed informers
or spies form in his hands a supervisory police； which fast becomes a
police of provocation。 He finds recruits in the lower hall of the
Jacobin club； where workmen come to be catechized every morning； while
his two lieutenants； the brothers Laurette； have only to draw on the
same source for a zealous staff in a choice selection of their
instruments。 〃Ten reliable men receive orders there daily；＇34＇ each of
these in turn gives his orders to ten more； belonging to different
battalions in Paris。 In this way each battalion and section receives
the same insurrectionary orders； the same denunciations of the
constituted authorities； of the mayor of Paris； of the president of
the department； and of the commander of the National Guard；〃
everything taking place secretly。 These are dark deeds： the leaders
themselves call it 'the Sabbath' and； along with fanatics they enlist
ruffians。 〃They spread the rumor that； on a certain day； there will be
a great commotion with assassinations and pillage； preceded by the
payment of money distributed from hand to hand by subaltern officers
among those that can be relied on； and that these bands are to
assemble； as advertised； within a radius of thirty or forty
leagues。〃＇35＇ One day； to provoke a riot； 〃half a dozen men； who
have arranged the thing； form a small group； in which one of them
holds forth vehemently； at once a crowd of about sixty others gathers
around them。 Then the six men move on from place to place；〃 to form
fresh groups making their apparent excitement pass for popular
irritation。 Another day； 〃about forty fanatics； with powerful
lungs； and four or five hundred paid men；〃 scatter themselves around
the Tuileries； 〃yelling furiously；〃 and； gathering under the windows
of the Assembly； 〃move resolutions to assassinate。〃 〃Our ushers；〃
says a deputy to the Assembly； 〃whom you ordered to suppress this
tumult； heard reiterated threats of bringing you the heads of those
the crowd wished to proscribe。 That very evening； in the Palais…Royal；
〃I heard a subordinate leader of this factious band boast of having
charged your ushers to take this answer back； adding that there was
time enough yet for all good citizens to follow his advice。〃 The
watchword of these agitators is； are you true and the response is； a
true man。 Their pay is twelve francs a day； and when in action they
make engagements on the spot at that rate。 〃From several depositions
taken by officers of the National Guard and at the mayoralty；〃 it is
ascertained that twelve francs a day were tendered to 〃honest people
to join in with those you may have heard shouting； and some of them
actually had the twelve francs put into their hands。〃 The money
comes from the coffers of the Duke of Orleans； and they are freely
drawn upon； at his death； with a property amounting to 114；000；000
francs； his debts amount to 74；000；000。＇36＇ Being one of the faction；
he contributes to its expenses； and； being the richest man in the
kingdom； he contributes proportionately to his wealth。 Not because he
is a party leader； for he is too effeminate； too nervous； but 〃his
petty council；〃＇37＇ and especially one of his private secretaries；
Laclos； cherishes great designs for him； their object being to make
him lieutenant…general of the kingdom； afterwards regent； and even
king；＇38＇ so that they may rule in his name and 〃share the profits。〃 …
… In the mean time they turn his whims to the best account；
particularly Laclos； who is a kind of subordinate Macchiavelli；
capable of anything； profound； depraved； and long indulging his
fondness for monstrous combinations； nobody ever so coolly delighted
in indescribable compounds of human wickedness and debauchery。 In
politics； as in romance； his department is 〃Les Liaisons Dangereuses。〃
Formerly he maneuvered as an amateur with prostitutes and ruffians in
the fashionable world； now he maneuvers in earnest with the
prostitutes and ruffians of the sidewalks。 On the 5th of October
1789； he is seen； 〃dressed in a brown coat；〃＇39＇ foremost among the
women starting for Versailles； while his hand＇40＇ is visible 〃in the
Réveillon affair； also in the burning of barriers and Chateaux；〃 and
in the widespread panic which aroused all France against imaginary
bandits。 His operations； says Malouet； 〃were all paid for by the Duke
of Orleans〃； he entered into them 〃for his own account； and the
Jacobins for theirs。〃 At this time their alliance is plain to
everybody。 On the 21st of November； 1790； Laclos becomes secretary of
the club； chief of the department of correspondence； titular editor of
its journal； and the invisible； active； and permanent director of all
its enterprises。 Whether actual demagogues or prompted by ambition；
whether paid agents or earnest revolutionaries； each group works on
its own account； both in concert； both in the same direction； and both
devoted to the same undertaking； which is the conquest of power by
every possible means。
V。
Small number of Jacobins。 … Sources of their power。 … They form a
league。 … They have faith。 … Their unscrupulousness。 … The power of
the party vested in the group which best fulfills these conditions。
At first sight their success seems doubtful； for they are in a
minority； and a very small one。 At Besan？on； in November； 1791； the
revolutionaries of every shade of opinion and degree； whether
Girondists or Montagnards； consist of about 500 or 600 out of 3；000
electors； and； in November； 1792； of not more than the same number out
of 6；000 and 7；000。＇41＇ At Paris； in November； 1791； there are 6；700
out of more than 81；000 on the rolls； in October； 1792； there are less
than 14；000 out of 160；000。＇42＇ At Troyes； in 1792； there are found
only 400 or 500 out of 7；000 electors； and at Strasbourg the same
number out of 8；000 electors。＇43＇ Accordingly only about one…tenth of
the electoral population are revolutionaries； and if we leave out the
Girondists and the semi…conservatives； the number is reduced by