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dragged from his carriage； and the crowd around him cry out； 〃There
goes the bastard who denounced the people！ 〃… At length； its
founders； who； out of consideration for the municipality； have waited
two months； hire another hall in the Rue des Petites…Ecuries； and on
the 28th of March begin their sessions。 〃On reaching it；〃 writes one
of them； 〃we found a mob composed of drunkards； screaming boys； ragged
women； soldiers exciting them on； and especially those frightful
hounds； armed with stout； knotty cudgels； two feet long； which are
excellent skull…crackers。〃＇19＇ The thing was made up beforehand。 At
first there were only three or four hundred of them； and； ten minutes
after； five or six hundred； in a quarter of an hour； there are perhaps
four thousand flocking in from all sides； in short； the usual make…up
of an insurrection。 〃The people of the quarter certified that they
did not recognize one of the faces。〃 Jokes； insults； cuffs；
clubbings； and saber…cuts； the members of the club 〃who agreed to
come unarmed〃 being dispersed； while several are knocked down； dragged
by the hair； and a dozen or fifteen more are wounded。 To justify the
attack； white cockades are shown； which； it is pretended； were found
in their pockets。 Mayor Bailly arrives only when it is all over； and；
as a measure of 〃public order；〃 the municipal authorities have the
club of Constitutional Monarchists closed for good。
Owing to these outrages by the faction； with the connivance of the
authorities； other similar clubs are suppressed in the same way。 There
are a good many of them； and in the principal towns 〃Friends of
Peace；〃 〃Friends of the Country；〃 〃Friends of the King； of Peace； and
of Religion；〃 〃Defenders of Religion； Persons； and Property〃。
Magistrates and officers； the most cultivated and polished people； are
generally members； in short； the élite of the place。 Formerly；
meetings took place for conversation and debate； and； being long…
established； the club naturally passes over from literature to
politics。 The watch…word against all these provincial clubs is
given from the Rue St。 Honoré。＇20＇ 〃They are centers of conspiracy；
and must be looked after〃 forthwith； and be at once trodden out。
At one time； as at Cahors；＇21＇ a squad of the National Guard； on its
return from an expedition against the neighboring gentry； and to
finish its task breaks in on the club； 〃throws its furniture out of
the windows and demolishes the house。〃 At another time； as at
Perpignan； the excited mob surrounds the club； dancing a fandango； and
yell out； to the lantern！ The club…house is sacked； while eighty of
its members； covered with bruises； are shut up in the citadel for
their safety。＇22＇ At another time； as at Aix； the Jacobin club
insults its adversaries on their own premises and provokes a scuffle；
whereupon the municipality causes the doors of the assailed club to be
walled up and issues warrants of arrest against its members。
Always punishment awaits them for whatever violence they have to
submit to。 Their mere existence seems an offense。 At Grenoble； they
scarcely assemble before they are dispersed。 The fact is； they are
suspected of 〃incivism；〃 their intentions may not be right； in any
event； they cause a division of the place into two camps； and that is
enough。 In the department of Gard； their clubs are all broken up； by
order of the department； because 〃they are centers of malevolence。〃 At
Bordeaux； the municipality； considering that 〃alarming reports are
current of priests and privileged persons returning to town；〃
prohibits all reunions； except that of the Jacobin club。 Thus；
〃under a system of liberty of the most exalted kind； in the presence
of the famous Declaration of the Rights of Man which legitimates
whatever is not unlawful；〃 and which postulates equality as the
principle of the French constitution； whoever is not a Jacobin is
excluded from common rights。 An intolerant club sets itself up as a
holy church； and proscribes others which have not received from it
〃orthodox baptism； civic inspiration； and the aptitude of languages。〃
To her alone belongs the right of assemblage； and the right of making
proselytes。 Conservative； thoughtful men in all towns throughout the
kingdom are forbidden to form electoral committees； to possess a
tribune； a fund； subscribers and adherents； to cast the weight of
their names and common strength into the scale of public opinion； to
gather around their permanent nucleus the scattered multitude of
sensible people； who would like to escape from the Revolution without
falling back into the ancient régime。 Let them whisper amongst
themselves in corners； and they may still be tolerated； but woe to
them if they would leave their lonely retreat to act in concert； to
canvass voters； and support a candidate。 Up to the day of voting they
must remain in the presence of their combined； active； and
obstreperous adversaries； scattered； inert； and mute。
IV。
Turmoil of the elections of 1790。 Elections in 1791。 Effect of
the King's flight。 Domiciliary visits。 Montagne during the
electoral period。
Will they at least be able to vote freely on that day？ They are not
sure of it； and； judging by occurrences during the past year； it is
doubtful。 In April； 1790； at Bois d'Aisy； in Burgundy； M。 de Bois
d'Aisy； a deputy； who had returned from Paris to deposit his vote；＇23＇
was publicly menaced。 He was informed that nobles and priests must
take no part m the elections； while many were heard to say； in his
hearing； that in order to prevent this it would be better to hang him。
Not far off； at Ste。 Colombe； M。 de Viteaux was driven out of the
electoral assembly； and then put to death after three hours of
torture。 The same thing occurred at Semur； two gentlemen were knocked
down with clubs and stones； another saved himself with difficulty； and
a curé died after being stabbed six times。 A warning for priests
and for gentlemen： they had better not vote； and the same good advice
may be given to dealers in grain； to land…owners； and every other
suspected person。 For this is the day on which the people recover
their sovereignty； the violent believe that they have the right to do
exactly what suits them； nothing being more natural than to exclude
candidates in advance who are distrusted； or electors who do not vote
as they ought to。 At Villeneuve…St。…Georges； near Paris；＇24＇ a
barrister； a man of austere and energetic character； is about to be
elected judge by the district electors； the proletariat； however；
mistrust a judge likely to condemn marauders； and forty or fifty
vagabonds collect together under the windows and cry out： 〃We don't
want him elected。〃 The curé of Crosne； president of the electoral
assembly； informs them in vain that the assembled electors represent
90 communes； nearly 100；000 inhabitants； and that 〃40 persons should
not prevail against 100；000。 Shouts redouble and the electors
renounce their candidate。… At Pau； patriots among the militia＇25＇
forcibly release one of their imprisoned leaders； circulate a list for
proscriptions； attack a poll…teller with their fists and afterwards
with sabers； until the proscribed hide themselves away； on the
following day 〃nobody is disposed to attend the electoral assembly。〃 …
… Things are much worse in 1791。 In the month of June； just at the
time of the opening of the primary meetings； the king has fled to
Varennes； the Revolution seems compromised； civil war and a foreign
war loom up on the horizon like two ghosts； the National Guard had
everywhere taken up arms； and the Jacobins were making the most of the
universal panic for their own advantage。 To dispute their votes is no
longer the question； it is not well to be visible： among so many
turbulent gatherings a popular execution is soon over。 The best thing
now for royalists； constitutionalists； conservatives and moderates of
every kind； for the friends of law and of order； is to stay at home
too happy if they may be allowed to remain there； to which the armed
rabble agrees； on the condition of frequently paying them visits。
Consider their situation during the whole of the electoral period； in
a calm district； and judge of the rest of France by this corner of it。
At Mortagne；＇26＇ a small town of 6；000 souls； the laudable spirit of
1789 still existed up to the journey to Varennes。 Among the forty or
fifty noble families were a good many liberals。 Here； as elsewhere
among the gentry； the clergy and the middle class； the philosophic
education of the eighteenth century had revived the old provincial
spirit of initiative； and the entire upper class had zealously and
gratuitously undertaken the public duties which it alone could perform
well。 District presidents； mayors； and municipal officers； were all
chosen from among ecclesiastics and the nobles； the three principal
officers of the National Guard were chevaliers of St。 Lou