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composed of citizens belonging one way or another to the eighty…three
departments； that is has a better chance than any other place to
appreciate ministerial conduct； that it is the first sentinel of the
nation；〃 which makes them confident of being right。＇23＇ It is of
no use to tell them that there are better…informed and more competent
authorities than themselves。 Robespierre assures them that 〃in the
matter of genius and public…spiritedness the people are infallible；
whilst every one else is subject to mistakes；〃＇24＇ and here they are
sure of their capacity。 In their own eyes they are the legitimate；
competent authorities for all France； and； during three years； the
sole theme their courtiers of the press； tribune； and club； vie with
each other in repeating to them； is the expression of the Duc de
Villeroy to Louis XIV。 when a child： 〃Look my master； behold this
great kingdom！ It is all for you； it belongs to you； you are its
master！〃 Undoubtedly； to swallow and digest such gross irony people
must be half…fools or half…brutes； but it is exactly their capacity
for self…deception which makes them different from the sensible or
passive crowd and casts them into a band whose ascendancy is
irresistible。 Convinced that a street mob is entitled to absolute rule
and that the nation expresses its sovereignty through its gatherings；
they alone assemble the street mobs； they alone； by virtue of their
conceit and lack of judgment； believe themselves kings 。
Such is the new power which； in the early months of the year 1792；
starts up alongside of the legal powers。 It is not foreseen by the
Constitution； nevertheless it exists and declares itself； it is
visible and its recruits can be counted。＇25＇ On the 29th of April；
with the Assembly consenting； and contrary to the law； three
battalions from the suburb of St。 Antoine； about 1500 men；＇26＇ march
in three columns into the hall； one of which is composed of fusiliers
and the other two of pikemen； 〃their pikes being from eight to ten
feet long；〃 of formidable aspect and of all sorts； 〃pikes with laurel
leaves； pikes with clover leaves； pikes à carlet； pikes with turn…
spits； pikes with hearts； pikes with serpents tongues； pikes with
forks； pikes with daggers； pikes with three prongs； pikes with battle…
axes； pikes with claws； pikes with sickles； lance…pikes covered with
iron prongs。〃 On the other side of the Seine three battalions from
the suburb of St。 Marcel are composed and armed in the same fashion。
This constitutes a kernel of 3；000 more in other quarters of Paris。
Add to these in each of the sixty battalions of the National guard the
gunners； almost all of them blacksmiths； locksmiths and horse…shoers；
also the majority of the gendarmes； old soldiers discharged for
insubordination and naturally inclined to rioting； in all an army of
about 9；000 men； not counting the usual accompaniment of vagabonds and
mere bandits； ignorant and eager； but men who do their work； well
armed； formed into companies； ready to march and ready to strike。
Alongside of the talking authorities we have the veritable force that
acts； for it is the only one which does act。 As formerly the
praetorian guard of the Caesars in Rome； or the Turkish guards of the
Caliphs of Baghdad； it is henceforth master of the capital； and
through the capital； of the Nation。
III。
Its leaders。 … Their committee。 …。 Methods for arousing the crowd。
As the troops are so are their leaders。 Bulls must have drovers to
conduct them； one degree superior to the brute but only one degree；
dressed； talking and acting in accordance with his occupation； without
dislikes or scruples； naturally or willfully hardened； fertile in
jockeying and in the expedients of the slaughterhouse； themselves
belonging to the people or pretending to belong to them。 Santerre is a
brewer of the Faubourg St。 Antoine； commander of the battalion of 〃
Enfants Trouvés；〃 tall； stout and ostentatious； with stentorian lungs；
shaking the hand of everybody he meets in the street； and when at home
treating everybody to a drink paid for by the Duke of Orleans。
Legendre is a choleric butcher； who even in the Convention maintains
his butchering traits。 There are three or four foreign adventurers；
experienced in all kinds of deadly operations； using the saber or the
bayonet without warning people to get out of the way。 Rotonde； the
first one； is an Italian； a teacher of English and professional
rioter； who； convicted of murder and robbery； is to end his days in
Piedmont on the gallows。 The second； Lazowski； is a Pole； a former
dandy； a conceited fop； who； with Slave facility； becomes the barest
of naked sans…culottes； former enjoying a sinecure； then suddenly
turned out in the street； and shouting in the clubs against his
protectors who he sees put down； he is elected captain of the gunners
of the battalion St。 Marcel； and is to be one of the September
slaughterers。 His drawing…room temperament； however； is not rigorous
enough for the part he plays in the streets； and at the end of a year
he is to die； consumed by a fever and by brandy。 The third is another
chief slaughterer at the September massacres。 Fournier； known as the
American； a former planter； who has brought with him from St。 Domingo
a contempt for human life； 〃with his livid and sinister countenance；
his mustache； his triple belt of pistols； his coarse language； his
oaths； he looks like a pirate。〃 By their side we encounter a little
hump…backed lawyer named Cuirette…Verrières； an unceasing speaker；
who； on the 6th of October； 1789； paraded the city on a large white
horse and afterwards pleaded for Marat； which two qualifications with
his Punch figure； fully establish him in the popular imagination； the
rugged guys； moreover； who hold nocturnal meetings at Santerre's
needed a writer and he probably met their requirements。 … This secret
society can count on other faithfuls。 〃Brière； wine…dealer； Nicolas；
a sapper in the 'Enfants Trouvés' battalion； Gonor； claiming to be one
of the victors of the Bastille；〃＇27＇ Rossignol； an old soldier and
afterwards a journeyman…jeweler； who； after presiding at the massacres
of La Force； is to become an improvised general and display his
incapacity； debauchery； and thievery throughout La Vendée。 〃There are
yet more of them；〃 Huguenin undoubtedly； a ruined ex…lawyer；
afterwards carabineer； then a deserter； next a barrier…clerk； now
serving as spokesman for the Faubourg St。 Honoré and finally president
of the September commune； there was also； doubtless； St。 Huruge alias
Père Adam； the great barker of the Palais…Royal； a marquis fallen
into the gutter； drinking with and dressing like a common porter；
always flourishing an enormous club and followed by the riffraff。＇28＇
These are all the leaders。 The Jacobins of the municipality and of
the Assembly confine their support of the enterprise to conniving at
it and to giving it their encouragement。＇29＇ It is better for the
insurrection to seem spontaneous。 Through caution or shyness the
Girondins； Pétion； Manual and Danton himself； keep in the background …
… there is not reason for their coming forward。 The rest；
affiliated with the people and lost in the crowd； are better qualified
to fabricate the story which their flock will like。 This tale； adapted
to the crowd's intellectual limits； form and activity； is both simple
and somber； such as children like； or rather a melodrama taken from an
alien stage in which the good appear on one side； and the wicked on
the other with an ogre or tyrant in the center； some infamous traitor
who is sure to be unmasked at the end of the piece and punished
according to his deserts； the whole grandiloquent terms and； as a
finale； winding up with a grand chorus。 In the raw brain of an over…
excited workman politics find their way only in the shape of rough…
hewn； highly…colored imagery； such as is furnished by the
Marseillaise； the Carmagnole； and the ？a ira。 The requisite motto is
adapted to his use； through this misshapen magnifying glass the most
gracious figure appears under a diabolical aspect。 Louis XVI。 is
represented here 〃as a monster using his power and treasure to oppose
the regeneration of the French。 A new Charles IX。； he desires to bring
on France death and desolation。 Be gone； cruel man； your crimes must
end！ Damiens was less guilty than thou art！ He was punished with the
most horrible torture for having tried to rid France of a monster；
while you； attempting twenty…five million times more； are allowed full
immunity！＇30＇ Let us trample under our feet this simulacra of royalty
！ Tremble tyrants； Sc？volas are still amongst you！〃
All this is pronounced； declaimed or rather shouted； publicly； in full
daylight； under the King's windows； by stump…speakers mounted on
chairs； while similar provocations daily flow from the committee
installed in Santerre's establishment； now in