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chosen from among ecclesiastics and the nobles； the three principal
officers of the National Guard were chevaliers of St。 Louis； while
other grades were filled by the leading people of the community。 Thus
had the free elections placed authority in the hands of the socially
superior； the new order of things resting on the legitimate hierarchy
of conditions； educations； and capacities。 … But for six months the
club； formed out of 〃a dozen hot…headed； turbulent fellows； under the
presidency and in the hands of a certain Rattier； formerly a cook；〃
worked upon the population and the rural districts。 Immediately on
the receipt of the news of the King's flight； the Jacobins 〃give out
that nobles and priests had supplied him with money for his departure；
to bring about a counter…revolution。〃 One family had given such an
amount； and another so much； there was no doubt about it； the precise
figures are given； and given for each family according to its known
resources。 Forthwith； 〃the principal clubbists； associated with the
dubious part of the National Guard；〃 spread through the streets in
squads： the houses of the nobles and of other suspected persons are
invaded。 All the arms； 〃guns； pistols； swords； hunting…knives； and
sword…canes；〃 are carried off。 Every hole and corner is ransacked；
they make the inmates open； or they force open； secretaries and
clothes…presses in search of ammunition； the search extending 〃even to
the ladies' toilette…tables〃。 By way of precaution 〃they break sticks
of pomatum in two； presuming that musket…balls are concealed in them；
and they take away hair…powder under the pretext that it is either
colored or masked gunpowder。〃 Then； without disbanding； the troop
betakes itself to the environs and into the country； where it operates
with the same promptness in the chateaux； so that 〃in one day all
honest citizens； those with the most property and furniture to
protect； are left without arms at the mercy of the first robber that
comes along。〃 All reputed aristocrats are disarmed。 As such are
considered those who 〃disapprove of the enthusiasm of the day； or who
do not attend the club； or who harbor any unsworn ecclesiastic；〃 and；
first of all； 〃the officers of the National Guard who are nobles；
beginning with the commander and his entire staff。〃 The latter
allow their swords to be taken without resistance； and with a
forbearance and patriotic spirit of which their brethren everywhere
furnish an example 〃they are obliging enough to remain at their posts
so as not to disorganize the army； hoping that this frenzy will soon
come to an end；〃 contenting themselves with making their complaint to
the department。 But in vain the department orders their arms to be
restored to them。 The clubbists refuse to give them up so long as the
king refuses to accept the Constitution； meanwhile they do not
hesitate to say that 〃at the very first gun on the frontier； they will
cut the throats of all the nobles and unsworn priests。〃 After the
royal oath to the Constitution is taken； the department again insists；
but no attention is paid to it。 On the contrary； the National Guard；
dragging cannons along with them； purposely station themselves before
the mansions of the unarmed gentry； the ladies of their families are
followed in the streets by urchins who sing ？A IRA＇27＇ in their faces；
and； in the final refrain； they mention them by name and promise them
the lantern； 〃not one of them could invite a dozen of his friends to
supper without incurring the risk of an uproar。〃 On the strength of
this； the old chiefs of the National Guard resign； and the Jacobins
turn the opportunity to account。 In contempt of the law the whole body
of officers is renewed； and； as peaceable folks dare not deposit their
votes； the new staff 〃is composed of maniacs； taken for the most part；
from the lowest class。〃 With this purged militia the club expels nuns；
drives off unsworn priests； organizes expeditions in the neighborhood；
and goes so far as to purify suspected municipalities。＇28＇ So many
acts of violence committed in town and country； render town and
country uninhabitable； and for the élite of the propriety owners； or
for well…bred persons； there is no longer any asylum but Paris。 After
the first disarmament seven or eight families take refuge there； and a
dozen or fifteen more join them after a threat of having their throats
cut； after the religious persecution； unsworn ecclesiastics； the rest
of the nobles； and countless other townspeople； 〃even with little
means；〃 betake themselves there in a mass。 There； at least； one is
lost in the crowd； one is protected by an incognito against the
outrages of the commonalty； one can live there as a private
individual。 In the provinces even civil rights do not exist； how
could any one there exercise political rights？ 〃All honest citizens
are kept away from the primary meetings by threats or maltreatment 。 。
。 The electoral battlefield is left for those who pay forty…five sous
of taxes； more than one…half of them being registered on the poor
list。〃 … Thus the elections are decided beforehand！ The former cook is
the one who authorizes or creates candidatures； and on the election of
the department deputies at the county town； the electors elected are；
like himself； true Jacobins。＇29＇
V。
Intimidation and withdrawal of the Conservatives。 Popular outbreaks
in Burgundy； Lyonnais； Provence； and the large cities。 Electoral
proceedings of the Jacobins； examples at Aix； Dax； and Montpellier。
Agitators go unpunishes Denunciations by name。 Manoeuvres with
the peasantry。 General tactics of the Jacobins。
Such is the pressure under which voting takes place in France during
the summer and fall of 1791。 Domiciliary visits＇30＇ and disarmament
everywhere force nobles and ecclesiastics； landed proprietors and
people of culture； to abandon their homes； to seek refuge in the large
towns and to emigrate；＇31＇ or； at least； confine themselves strictly
to private life； to abstain from all propaganda； from every
candidature； and from all voting。 It would be madness to be seen in
so many cantons where searches end in a riot； in Burgundy and the
Lyonnais； where castles are sacked； where aged gentlemen are mauled
and left for dead； where M。 de Guillin has just been assassinated and
cut to pieces； at Marseilles； where conservative party leaders are
imprisoned； where a regiment of Swiss guards under arms scarcely
suffices to enforce the verdict of the court which sets them at
liberty； where； if any indiscreet person opposes Jacobin resolutions
his mouth is closed by being notified that he will be buried alive； at
Toulon； where the Jacobins shoot down all conservatives and the
regular troops； where M。 de Beaucaire； captain in the navy； is killed
by a shot in the back； where the club； supported by the needy； by
sailors； by navvies； and 〃vagabond peddlers；〃 maintains a dictatorship
by right of conquest； at Brest； at Tulle； at Cahors； where at this
very moment gentlemen and officers are massacred in the street。 It is
not surprising that honest people turn away from the ballot…box as
from a center of cut…throats。 Nevertheless； let them come if they
like； it will be easy to get rid of them。 At Aix； the assessor whose
duty it is to read the electors' names is informed that 〃the names
should be called out by an unsullied mouth； that； being an aristocrat
and fanatical； he could neither speak nor vote；〃 and； without further
ceremony； they put him out of the room。＇32＇ The process is an
admirable one for converting a minority into a majority and yet here
is another； still more effective。 At Dax； the Feuillants； taking
the title of 〃Friends of the French Constitution；〃 have split up with
the Jacobins；＇33＇ and； moreover； they insist on excluding from the
National Guard 〃foreigners without property or position；〃 the passive
citizens who are admitted into it in spite of the law； who usurp the
right of voting and who 〃daily affront tranquil inhabitants。〃
Consequently； on election day； in the church where the primary meeting
is held； two of the Feuillants； Laurède； formerly collector of the
vingtièmes；； and Brunache； a glazier； propose to exclude an intruder；
a servant on wages。 The Jacobins at once rush forward。 Laurède is
pressed back on the holy…water basin and wounded on the head； on
trying to escape he is seized by the hair； thrown down； pierced in the
arm with a bayonet； put in prison； and Brunache along with him。 Eight
days afterwards； at the second meeting none are present but Jacobins；
naturally； 〃they are all elected〃。 They form the new municipality；
which； notwithstanding the orders of the department； not only refuses
to liberate the two prisoners； but throws them into a dungeon。 At
Montpellier； the delay in the operation is greater； but it is only the
more complete。 The votes are deposited； the ballot…boxes closed and
sealed up