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poorly paid service but paid even when they botch the job or laze
about。 … This is what the Jacobins do by forcibly commanding the
services of all sorts of laborers；＇43＇ 〃all who help handle； transport
and retail produce and articles of prime necessity；〃 〃country people
who usually get in the crops；〃 and； more particularly； thrashers；
reapers； carters； rafts men； and also shoemakers； tailors； blacksmiths
and the rest。 … At every point of the social organism； the same
principle is applied with the same result。 Substitute everywhere an
external； artificial and mechanical constraint for the inward； natural
and animating stimulant； and you get nothing but an universal atrophy。
Deprive people of the fruits of their labor； and yet more； force them
to produce by fear； confiscate their time； their painstaking efforts
and their persons； reduce them to the condition of fellahs； create in
them the sentiments of fellahs； and you will have nothing but the
labor and productions of fellahs； that is to say； a minimum of labor
and production； and hence； insufficient supplies for sustaining a very
dense population； which； multiplied through a superior and more
productive civilization； will not long subsist under a barbarous；
inferior and unproductive régime。 When this systematic and complete
expropriation terminates we see the final result of the system； no
longer a dearth； but famine； famine on a large scale； and the
destruction of lives by millions。 … Among the Jacobins；＇44＇ some of
the maddest who are clear…sighted； on account of their fury； Guffroy；
Antonelle； Jean Bon Saint…André； Collot d'Herbois； foresee the
consequences and accept them along with the principle。 Others； who
avoid seeing it； are only the more determined in the application of
it。 However； they all work together with all their might to aggravate
the misery of which the lamentable spectacle is so vainly exposed
under their eyes。
IV。 Hunger。
Famine。 … In the provinces。 … At Paris。 … People standing in lines
under the Revolutionary government to obtain food。 … Its quality。 …
Distress and chagrin。
Collot d'Herbois wrote from Lyons on November 6； 1793： 〃There is not
two days' supply of provisions here。〃 On the following day： 〃The
present population of Lyons is one hundred and thirty thousand souls
at least； and there is not sufficient subsistence for three days。〃
Again the day after： 〃Our situation in relation to food is
deplorable。〃 Then； the next day： 〃Famine is beginning。〃＇45＇ … Near by；
in the Montbrison district； in February； 1794； 〃there is no food or
provisions left for the people；〃 all has been taken by requisition and
carried off； even seed for planting； so that the fields lie
fallow。＇46＇ … At Marseilles； 〃since the maximum； everything is
lacking； even the fishermen no longer go out （on the sea） so that
there is no supply of fish to live on。〃＇47＇ … At Cahors； in spite of
multiplied requisitions； the Directory of Lot and Representative
Taillefer＇48＇ state that 〃the inhabitants； for more than eight days；
are reduced wholly to maslin bread composed of one…fifth of wheat and
the rest of barley； barley…malt and millet。〃 … At N？mes；＇49＇ to make
the grain supply last； which is giving out； the bakers and all private
persons are ordered not to sift the meal； but to leave the bran in it
and knead and bake the 〃dough such as it is。〃 … At Grenoble；＇50＇ 〃the
bakers have stopped baking； the country people no longer bring wheat
in； the dealers hide away their goods； or put them in the hands of
neighborly officials； or send them off。〃 … 〃 It goes from bad to
worse；〃 write the agents of Huningue；＇51＇ one might say even； that
they would give this or that article to their cattle rather than sell
it in conformity with the tax。〃 … The inhabitants of towns are
everywhere put on rations； and so small a ration as to scarcely keep
them from dying with hunger。 〃Since my arrival in Tarbes；〃 writes
another agent；＇52＇ 〃every person is limited to half a pound of bread a
day； composed one…third of wheat and two…thirds of corn meal。〃 The
next day after the fête in honor of the tyrant's death there was
absolutely none at all。 〃A half…pound of bread is also allowed at
Evreux；＇53＇ 〃and even this is obtained with a good deal of trouble；
many being obliged to go into the country and get it from the farmers
with coin。〃 And even 〃they have got very little bread； flour or wheat；
for they have been obliged to bring what they had to Evreux for the
armies and for Paris。〃
It is worse at Rouen and at Bordeaux： at Rouen； in Brumaire； the
inhabitants have only one quarter of a pound per head per diem of
bread； at Bordeaux； 〃 for the past three months；〃 says the agent；＇54＇
〃 the people sleep at the doors of the bakeries； to pay high for bread
which they often do not get 。 。 。 There has been no baking done to…
day； and to…morrow only half a loaf will be given to each person。
This bread is made of oats and beans 。 。 。 On days that there is
none； beans； chestnuts and rice are distributed in very small
quantities；〃 four ounces of bread； five of rice or chestnuts。 〃I； who
tell you this； have already eaten eight or ten meals without bread； I
would gladly do without it if I could get potatoes in place of it； but
these； too； cannot be had。〃 Five months later； fasting still
continues； and it lasts until after the reign of Terror； not alone in
the town； but throughout the department。 〃In the district of
Cadillac； says Tallien；＇55＇ 〃absolute dearth prevails； the citizens of
the rural districts contend with each other for the grass in the
fields； I have eaten bread made of dog…grass。〃 Haggard and worn out；
the peasant； with his pallid wife and children； resorts to the marsh
to dig roots； while there is scarcely enough strength in his arms to
hold the plough。 … The same spectacle is visible in places which
produce but little grain； or where the granaries have been emptied by
the revolutionary drafts。 〃In many of the Indre districts；〃 writes
the representative on missions；＇56＇ 〃food is wanting absolutely。 Even
in some of the communes； many of the inhabitants are reduced to a
frightful state of want； feeding on acorns； bran and other unhealthy
food。 。 。 。 The districts of Chatre and Argenton； especially； will
be reduced to starvation unless they are promptly relieved。 。 。 。
The cultivation of the ground is abandoned； most of the persons in the
jurisdiction wander about the neighboring departments in search of
food。〃 … And it is doubtful whether they find it。 In the department
of Cher； 〃the butchers can no longer slaughter； the dealers' stores
are all empty。〃 In Allier； 〃the slaughterhouses and markets are
deserted； every species of vegetable and aliment having disappeared；
the inns are closed。〃 In one of the Lozère districts； composed of five
cantons； of which one produces an extra quantity of rye； the people
live on requisitions imposed on Gard and the Upper Loire； the
extortions of the representatives in these two departments 〃were
distributed among the municipalities； and by these to the most
indigent： many entire families； many of the poor and even of the rich；
suffered for want of bread during six or eight days； and this
frequently。〃＇57＇ Nevertheless they do not riot； they merely supplicate
and stretch forth their hands 〃with tears in their eyes。 〃 … Such is
the diet and submission of the stomach in the provinces。 Paris is
less patient。 For this reason； all the rest is sacrificed to it；＇58＇
not merely the public funds； the Treasury from which it gets one or
two millions per week；＇59＇ but whole districts are starved for its
benefit； six departments providing grain； twenty six departments
providing pork；＇60＇ at the rate of the maximum； through requisitions；
through the prospect of imprisonment and of the scaffold in case of
refusal or concealment； under the predatory bayonets of the
revolutionary army。 The capital； above all； has to be fed。 Let us
see； under this system of partiality； how people live in Paris and
what they feed on。
〃Frightful crowds〃 at the doors of the bakeries； then at the doors of
the butchers and grocers； then at the markets for butter； eggs； fish
and vegetables； and then on the quay for wine； firewood and charcoal …
such is the steady refrain of the police reports。＇61＇ … And this lasts
uninterruptedly during the fourteen months of revolutionary
government： long lines of people waiting in turn for bread； meat； oil；
soap and candles； 〃queues for milk； for butter； for wood； for
charcoal； queues everywhere！ 〃＇62＇ 〃There was one queue beginning at
the door of a grocery in the Petit Carreau stretching half way up the
rue Montorgueil。〃＇63＇ These queues form at three o'clock in the
morning； one o'clock and at midnight； increasing from hour to hour。
Picture to yourself； reader； the file of wretched men and women
sleeping on the pavement when the weather is fin