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the origins of contemporary france-3-第18章

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other hand; by virtue of the constitution; the civic oath; which

includes the ecclesiastical oath; is imposed on all electors; for; if

any one takes the former and reserves the latter; his vote is thrown

out: in November; in the Doubs; the municipal elections of thirty…

three communes are invalidated solely on this pretext。'6'  Not only

forty thousand ecclesiastics are thus rendered unsworn (insermentés);

but again; all scrupulous Catholics lose the right of suffrage; these

being by far the most numerous in Artois; Doubs and the Jura; in the

Lower and Upper Rhine district;'7' in the two Sévres and la Vendée; in

the Lower Loire; Morbihan; Finisterre and C?tes du Nord; in Lozère and

Ardèche; without mentioning the southern departments。'8'   Thus; aided

by the law which they have rendered impracticable; the Jacobins; on

the one hand; are rid of all sensible voters in advance; counting by

millions; and; on the other;  aided by a law which they have rendered

intolerant; they are rid of the Catholic vote which counts by hundreds

of thousands。 On entering the electoral lists; consequently; thanks to

this double exclusion; they find themselves confronted by only the

smallest number of electors。



II。



Annoyances and dangers of public elections。 … The constituents

excluded from the Legislative body。



Operations must now be commenced against these; and a first expedient

consists in depriving them of their candidates。 The obligation of

taking the oath has already partly provided for this; in Lozère all

the officials send in their resignations rather than take the oath;'9'

here are men who will not be candidates at the coming elections; for

nobody covets a place which he was forced to abandon; in general; the

suppression of all party candidatures is effected in no other way than

by making the post of a magistrate distasteful。  The Jacobins have

successfully adhered to this principle by promoting and taking the

lead in innumerable riots against the King; the officials and the

clerks; against nobles; ecclesiastics; corn…dealers and land…owners;

against every species of public authority whatever its origin。

Everywhere the authorities are constrained to tolerate or excuse

murders; pillage and arson; or; at the very least; insurrections and

disobedience。 For two years a mayor runs the risk of being hung on

proclaiming martial law; a captain is not sure of his men on marching

to protect a tax levy; a judge on the bench is threatened if he

condemns the marauders who devastate the national forests。 The

magistrate; whose duty it is to see that the law is respected; is

constantly obliged to strain the law; or allow it to be strained; if

refractory; a summary blow dealt by the local Jacobins forces his

legal authority to yield to their illegal dictate; so that he has to

resign himself to being either their accomplice or their puppet。 Such

a r?le is intolerable to a man of feeling or conscience。 Hence; in

1790 and 1791; nearly all the prominent and reputable men who; in

1789; had seats in the H?tels…de…villes; or held command in the

National Guard; all country…gentlemen; chevaliers of St。 Louis; old

parliamentarians; the upper bourgeoisie and large landed…proprietors;

retire into private life and renounce public functions which are no

longer tenable。 Instead of offering themselves to public suffrage they

avoid it; and the party of order; far from electing the magistracy; no

longer even finds candidates for it。



Through an excess of precaution; its natural leaders have been legally

disqualified; the principal offices; especially those of deputy and

minister; being interdicted beforehand to the influential men in whom

we find the little common sense gained by the French people during the

past two years。…In the month of June; 1779; even after the

irreconcilables had parted company with the 〃Right;〃 there still

remained in the Assembly about 700 members who; adhering to the

constitution but determined to repress disorder; would have formed a

sensible legislature had they been re…elected。 All of these; except a

very small group of revolutionaries; had learned something by

experience; and; in the last days of their session; two serious

events; the king's flight and the riot in the Champ de Mars; had made

them acquainted with the defects of their machinery。 With this

executive instrument in their hands for three months; they see that it

is racked; that things are tottering; and that they themselves are

being run over by fanatics and the crowd。 They accordingly attempt to

put on a drag; and several even think of retracing their steps。'10'

They cut loose from the Jacobins; of the three or four hundred

deputies on the club list in the Rue St。 Honoré'11' but seven remain;

the rest form at the Feuillants a distinct opposition club; and at

their head are the first founders; Duport; the two Lameths; Barnave;

the authors of the constitution; all the fathers of the new

régime。'12'   In the last decree of the Constituent Assembly they

loudly condemn the usurpations of popular associations; and not only

interdict to these all meddling in administrative or political

matters; but likewise any collective petition or deputation。'13' 

Here may the friends of order find candidates whose chances are good;

for; during two years and more; each in his own district is the most

conspicuous; the best accredited; and the most influential man there;

he stands well with his electors on account of the popularity of the

constitution he has made; and it is very probable that his name would

rally to it a majority of votes。…The Jacobins; however; have foreseen

this danger:  Four months earlier;'14' with the aid of the Court;

which never missed an opportunity to ruin itself and everything

else;'15' they made the most of the grudges of the conservatives and

the wearyness of the Assembly。 Tired and disgusted; in a fit of

mistaken selflessness; the Assembly; through enthusiasm and taken by

surprise; passes an act declaring all its members ineligible for

election to the next Assembly dismissing in advance the leaders of the

gentlemen's party。



III。



The friends of order deprived of the right of free assemblage。 

Violent treatment of their clubs in Paris and the provinces。  Legal

prevention of conservative associations。



If the latter (the honest men of the Right); in spite of so many

drawbacks; attempt a struggle; they are arrested at the very first

step。 For; to enter upon an electoral campaign; requires preliminary

meetings for conference and to understand each other; while the

faculty of forming an association; which the law grants them as a

right; is actually withheld from them by their adversaries。 As a

beginning; the Jacobins hooted at and 〃stone〃 the members of the

〃Right〃'16' holding their meetings in the Salon fran?ais of the Rue

Royale; and; according to the prevailing rule; the police tribunal;

〃considering that this assemblage is a cause of disturbance; that it

produces gatherings in the street; that only violent means can be

employed to protect it;〃 orders its dissolution。'17'  Towards the

month of August; 1790; a second club is organized; and; this time;

composed of the wisest and most liberal men。 Malouet and Count

Clermont…Tonnerre are at the head of it。  It takes the name of

〃Friends of a Monarchical Constitution;〃 and is desirous of restoring

public order by maintaining the reforms which have been reached。 All

formalities on its part have been complied with。 There are already

about 800 members in Paris。 Subscriptions flow into its treasury。 The

provinces send in numerous adhesions; and; what is worse than all;

bread is distributed by them at a reduced price; by which the people;

probably; will be conciliated。  Here is a center of opinion and

influence; analogous to that of the Jacobin club; which the Jacobins

cannot tolerate。'18'  M。 de Clermont…Tonnerre having leased the summer

Vauxhall; a captain in the National Guard notifies the proprietor of

it that if he rents it; the patriots of the Palais…Royal will march to

it in a body; and close it; fearing that the building will be damaged;

he cancels the lease; while the municipality; which fears skirmishes;

orders a suspension of the meetings。 The club makes a complaint and

follows it up; while the letter of the law is so plain that an

official authorization of the club is finally granted。 Thereupon the

Jacobin newspapers and stump… speakers let loose their fury against a

future rival that threatens to dispute their empire。  On the 23rd of

January; 1791; Barnave; in the National Assembly; employing

metaphorical language apt to be used as a death…shout; accuses the

members of the new club 〃of giving the people bread that carries

poison with it。〃 Four days after this; M。 Clermont…Tonnerre's dwelling

is assailed by an armed throng。  Malouet; on leaving it; is almost

dragged from his carriage; and the crowd around him
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