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source with the Puritan is the anxieties of a disturbed conscience
which； forming for itself some idea of perfect justice； becomes rigid
and multiplies the commandments it believes that God has promulgated；
on being constrained to disobey these it rebels； and； to impose them
on others； it becomes tyrannical even to despotism。 The first effort
of the Puritan； however； wholly internal； is self…control； before
becoming political he becomes moral。 With the Jacobin； on the
contrary； the first precept is not moral； political； it is not his
duties which he exaggerates but his rights； while his doctrine；
instead of being a prick to his conscience； flatters his pride。＇21＇
However vast and insatiate human pride may be； now it is satisfied；
for never before has it had so much to feed upon。 In the program of
the sect； do not look for the restricted prerogatives growing out of
self…respect which the proud…spirited man claims for himself； such as
civil rights accompanied by those liberties that serve as sentinels
and guardians of these rights … security for life and property； the
stability of the law； the integrity of courts； equality of citizens
before the law and under taxation； the abolition of privileges and
arbitrary proceedings； the election of representatives and the
administration of public funds。 Summing it up； the precious
guarantees which render each citizen an inviolable sovereign on his
limited domain； which protect his person and property against all
species of public or private oppression and exaction； which maintain
him calm and erect before competitors as well as adversaries； upright
and respectful in the presence of magistrates and in the presence of
the government。
A Malouet； a Mounier； a Mallet du Pan； partisans of the English
Constitution and Parliament； may be content with such trifling gifts；
but the Jacobin theory holds them all cheap； and； if need be； will
trample them in the dust。 Independence and security for the private
citizen is not what it promises； not the right to vote every two
years； not a moderate exercise of influence； not an indirect； limited
and intermittent control of the commonwealth； but political dominion
in the full and complete possession of France and the French people。
There is no doubt on this point。 In Rousseau's own words； the 〃Contrat
Social〃 prescribes 〃the complete alienation to the community of each
associate and all his rights；〃 every individual surrendering himself
wholly； 〃just as he may actually be； he himself and all his powers of
which his possessions form a part；〃 so that the state not only the
recognized owner of property； but of minds and bodies as well； may
forcibly and legitimately impose on every member of it such education；
form of worship； religious faith； opinions and sympathies as it deems
best。＇22＇ Now each man； solely because he is a man； is by right a
member of this despotic sovereignty。 Whatever； accordingly； my
condition may be； my incompetence； my ignorance； my insignificance in
the career in which I have plodded along； I have full control over the
fortunes； lives； and consciences of twenty…six million French people；
being accordingly Czar and Pope； according to my share of authority。 …
… But if I adhere strictly to this doctrine； I am yet more so than my
quota warrants。 This royal prerogative with which I am endowed is only
conferred on those who； like myself； sign the Social Contract in full；
others； merely because they reject some clause of it； incur a
forfeiture； no one must enjoy the advantages of a pact of which some
of the conditions are repudiated。 … Even better； as this pact is based
on natural right and is obligatory； he who rejects it or withdraws
from it； becomes by that act a miscreant； a public wrong…doer and an
enemy of the people。 There were once crimes of royal lèse…majesty； now
there are crimes of popular lèse…majesty。 Such crimes are committed
when by deed； word； or thought； any portion whatever of the more than
royal authority belonging to the people is denied or contested。 The
dogma through which popular sovereignty is proclaimed thus actually
ends in a dictatorship of the few； and a proscription of the many。
Outside of the sect you are outside of the laws。 We； the five or six
thousand Jacobins of Paris； are the legitimate monarch； the infallible
Pontiff； and woe betide the refractory and the lukewarm； all
government agents； all private persons； the clergy； the nobles； the
rich； merchants； traders； the indifferent among all classes； who；
steadily opposing or yielding uncertain adhesion； dare to throw doubt
on our unquestionable right。
One by one these consequences are to come into light； and it is
evident that； let the logical machinery by which they unfold
themselves be what it may； no ordinary person； unless of consummate
vanity； will fully adopt them。 He must have an exalted opinion of
himself to consider himself sovereign otherwise than by his vote； to
conduct public business with no more misgivings than his private
business； to directly and forcibly interfere with this； to set himself
up； he and his clique； as guides； censors and rulers of his
government； to persuade himself that； with his mediocre education and
average intellect； with his few scraps of Latin and such information
as is obtained in reading…rooms； coffee…houses； and newspapers； with
no other experience than that of a club； or a municipal council； he
could discourse wisely and well on the vast； complex questions which
superior men； specially devoted to them； hesitate to take up。 At first
this presumption existed in him only in germ； and； in ordinary times；
it would have remained； for lack of nourishment； as dry…rot or
creeping mold； But the heart knows not what strange seeds it contains！
Any of these； feeble and seemingly inoffensive； needs only air and
sunshine to become a noxious excrescence and a colossal plant。 Whether
third or fourth rate attorney； counselor； surgeon； journalist； curé；
artist； or author； the Jacobin is like the shepherd that has just
found； in one corner of his hut； a lot of old parchments which entitle
him to the throne。 What a contrasts between the meanness of his
calling and the importance with which the theory invests him！ With
what rapture he accepts a dogma that raises him so high in his own
estimation！ Diligently conning the Declaration of Rights； the
Constitution； all the official documents that confer on him such
glorious prerogatives； charging his imagination with them； he
immediately assumes a tone befitting his new position。＇23＇ Nothing
surpasses the haughtiness and arrogance of this tone。 It declares
itself at the outset in the harangues of the clubs and in the
petitions to the Constituent Assembly。 Loustalot； Fréron； Danton；
Marat； Robespierre； St。 Just； always employ dictatorial language； that
of the sect； and which finally becomes the jargon of their meanest
valets。 Courtesy or toleration； anything that denotes regard or
respect for others； find no place in their utterances nor in their
acts； a swaggering； tyrannical conceit creates for itself a language
in its own image； and we see not only the foremost actors； but their
minor associates； enthroned on their grandiloquent platform。 Each in
his own eyes is Roman； savior； hero； and great man。
〃I stood in the tribune of the palace；〃 writes Anarcharsis
Clootz；＇24＇ 〃at the head of the foreigners； acting as ambassador of
the human species； while the ministers of the tyrants regarded me with
a jealous and disconcerted air。〃
A schoolmaster at Troyes； on the opening of the club in that town；
advises the women 〃to teach their children； as soon as they can utter
a word； that they are free and have equal rights with the mightiest
potentates of the universe。〃＇25＇ Pétion's account of the journey in
the king's carriage； on the return from Varennes； must be read to see
how far self…importance of a pedant and the self…conceit of a lout can
be carried。＇26＇ In their memoirs and even down to their epitaphs；
Barbaroux； Buzot； Pétion； Roland； and Madame Roland＇27＇ give
themselves certificates of virtue and； if we could take their word for
it； they would pass for Plutarch's model characters。 This
infatuation； from the Girondins to the Montagnards； continues to grow。
St。 Just； at the age of twenty…four； and merely a private individual；
is already consumed with suppressed ambition。 Marat says：
〃I believe that I have exhausted every combination of the human
intellect in relation to morality； philosophy and political science。〃
Robespierre； from the beginning to the end of the Revolution； is
always； in his own eyes； Robespierre the unique； the one pure man； the
infallible and the impeccable； no man ever burnt to himself the
incense of his own praise so constantly and so directly。 … At this
level； conceit may drink the theory to the bottom； however revolting
the dregs and however fatal its po