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their booty。 This is a willful restoration of the vermin to the social
body； and； in this feverish body； nothing is overlooked that will
increase the fever。 The most anarchical and deleterious maxims
emanate； like miasma； from the Assembly benches。 The reduction of
things to an absolute level is adopted as a principle； 〃equality of
rights；〃 says Lamarque；＇34＇ 〃is to be maintained only by tending
steadily to an equality of fortunes；〃 this theory is practically
applied on all sides since the proletariat is pillaging all who own
property。 〃Let the communal possessions be partitioned among the
citizens of the surrounding villages；〃 says Fran？ois de Nantes； 〃in an
inverse ratio to their fortunes； and let him who has the least
inheritance take the largest share in the divisions。〃＇35＇ Conceive the
effect of this motion read at evening to peasants who are at this very
moment claiming their lord's forest for their commune。 M。 Corneille
prohibits any tax to be levied for the public treasury on the wages of
manual labor； because nature； and not society； gives us the 〃right to
live。〃＇36＇ On the other hand； he confers on the public treasury the
right of taking the whole of an income； because it is society； and not
nature； which institutes public funds； hence； according to him； the
poor majority must be relieved of all taxation； and all taxes must
fall on the rich minority。 The system is well…timed and the argument
apt for convincing indigent or straitened tax…payers； namely； the
refractory majority； that its taxes are just； and that it should not
refuse to be taxed。 …
〃Under the reign of liberty；〃 says President Daverhoult；＇37＇ 〃the
people have the right to insist not merely on subsistence； but again
on plenty and happiness。〃＇38＇
Accordingly； being in a state of poverty they have been betrayed。
〃Elevated to the height achieved by the French people；〃 says another
president； 〃it looks down upon the tempests under its feet。〃＇39＇ The
tempest is at hand and bursts over its head。 War； like a black cloud；
rises above the horizon； overspreads the sky； thunders and wraps
France filled with explosive materials in a circle of lightening； and
it is the Assembly which； through the greatest of its mistakes； draws
down the bolt on the nation's head。
III。
War。 … …Disposition of foreign powers。 … … The King's dislikes。
Provocation of the Girondins。 Dates and causes of the rupture。
It might have been turned aside with a little prudence。 Two principal
grievances were alleged； one by France and the other by the Empire。
On the one hand； and very justly； France complained of the gathering
of émigré's； which the Emperor and Electors tolerated against it on
the frontier。 In the first place； however； a few thousand gentlemen；
without troops or stores； and nearly without money；＇40＇ were hardly to
be feared； and； besides this； long before the decisive hour came these
troops were dispersed； at once by the Emperor in his own dominions；
and； fifteen days afterwards； by the Elector of Trèves in his
electorate。＇41＇ On the other hand； according to treaties； the
German princes； who owned estates in Alsace； made claims for the
feudal rights abolished on their French possessions and the Diet
forbade them to accept the offered indemnity。 But； as far as the Diet
is concerned； nothing was easier nor more customary than to let
negotiations drag along； there being no risk or inconvenience
attending the suit as； during the delay； the claimants remained empty…
handed。 If； now； behind the ostensible motives； the real intentions
are sought for； it is certain that； up to January； 1792； the
intentions of Austria were pacific。 The grants made to the Comte
d'Artois； in the Declaration of Pilnitz； were merely a court…
sprinkling of holy…water； the semblance of an illusory promise and
subject to a European concert of action； that is to say； annulled
beforehand by an indefinite postponement； while this pretended league
of sovereigns is at once 〃placed by the politicians in the class of
august comedies。＇42＇〃 Far from taking up arms against 〃New France〃 in
the name of old France； the emperor Leopold and his prime minister
Kaunitz； were delighted to see the constitution completed and accepted
by the King； it 〃got them out of an embarrassing position；〃＇43＇ and
Prussia as well。 In the running of governments； political advantage
is the great incentive and both powers needed all their forces in
another direction； in Poland。 One for retarding； and the other for
accelerating the division of this country； and both； when the
partition took place； to get enough for themselves and prevent Russia
from getting too much。 The sovereigns of Prussia and Austria；
accordingly； did not have any idea of saving Louis XVI； nor of
conducting the émigrés back； nor of conquering French provinces。 If
anything was to be expected from them on account of personal ill…will；
there was no fear of their armed intervention。 In France it is not
the King who urges a rupture； he knows too well that the hazards of
war will place him and his dependents in mortal danger。 Secretly as
well as publicly； in writing to the émigrés； his wishes are to bring
them back or to restrain them。 In his private correspondence he asks
of the European powers not physical but moral aid； the external
support of a congress which will permit moderate men； the partisans of
order； all owners of property； to raise their heads and rally around
the throne and the laws against anarchy。 In his ministerial
correspondence every precaution is taken not to touch off or let
someone touch off an explosion。 At the critical moment of the
discussion＇44＇ he entreats the deputies； through M。 Delessart； his
Minister of Foreign Affairs； to weigh their words and especially not
to send a demand containing a 〃dead line。〃 He resists； as far as his
passive nature allows him； to the very last。 On being forced to
declare war he requires beforehand the signed advice of all his
ministers。 He does not utter the fatal words； until he； 〃with tears in
his eyes〃 and in the most dire straits； is dragged on by an Assembly
qualifying all caution as treason and which has just dispatched M。
Delessart to appear； under a capital charge； before the supreme court
at Orléans。
It is the Assembly then which launches the disabled ship on the
roaring abysses of an unknown sea； without a rudder and leaking at
every seam。 It alone slips the cable which held it in port and which
the foreign powers neither dared nor desired to sever。 Here； again；
the Girondists are the leaders and hold the axe； since the last of
October they have grasped it and struck repeated blows。＇45＇ As an
exception； the extreme Jacobins； Couthon； Collot d'Herbois； Danton；
Robespierre； do not side with them。 Robespierre； who at first proposed
to confine the Emperor 〃within the circle of Popilius；〃＇46＇ fears the
placing of too great a power in the King's hands； and； growing
mistrustful； preaches distrust。 But the great mass of the party；
led by clamorous public opinion； impels on the timid marching in
front。 Of the many things of which knowledge is necessary to conduct
successfully such a complex and delicate affair； they know nothing。
They are ignorant about cabinets； courts； populations； treaties；
precedents； timely forms and requisite style。 Their guide and
counselor in foreign relations is Brissot whose pre…eminence is based
on their ignorance and who； exalted into a statesman； becomes for a
few months the most conspicuous figure in Europe。＇47＇ To whatever
extent a European calamity may be attributed to any one man； this one
is to be attributed to him。 It is this wretch； born in a pastry…cook's
shop； brought up in an attorney's office； formerly a police agent at
150 francs per month； once in league with scandal…mongers and black…
mailers；＇48＇ a penny…a…liner； busybody； and meddler； who； with the
half…information of a nomad； scraps of newspaper ideas and reading…
room lore；＇49＇ added to his scribblings as a writer and his club
declamation； directs the destinies of France and starts a war in
Europe which is to destroy six millions of lives。 In the attic where
his wife is washing his shirts； he enjoys rebuking rulers and； on the
20th of October； in the tribune；＇50＇ he begins by insulting thirty
foreign sovereigns。 Such keen； intense enjoyment is the stuff on which
the new fanaticism daily feeds itself。 Madame Roland herself delights；
with evident complacency； in it； something which can be seen in the
two famous letters in which； with a supercilious tone； she first
instructs the King and next the Pope。＇51＇ Brissot； at bottom； regards
himself as a Louis XIV； and expressly invites the Jacobins to imitate
the haughty ways of the Great Monarch。＇52＇ To the tactlessness of
the intruder； and the touchiness of the parvenu； we can add the
rigidity of the sectarian。 The Jacobins； in the name