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supplied to Paris scant and poor； but the regular consumers of it；
those who take their turn to get it； obtain but a small portion； and
that the worst。＇76＇ A certain inspector； on going to the corn market
for a sample of flour； writes 〃that it cannot be called flour；＇77＇ it
is ground bran；〃 and not a nutritive substance； the bakers are forced
to take it； the markets containing for the most part no other supply
than this flour。〃 … Again； three weeks later； 〃Food is still very
scarce and poor in quality。 The bread is disagreeable to the taste
and produces maladies with which many citizens are suffering； like
dysentery and other inflammatory ailments。〃 The same report； three
months later during the month of Niv？se： 〃Complaints are constantly
made of the poor quality of flour； which； it is said； makes a good
many people ill ； it causes severe pain in the intestines； accompanied
with a slow fever。 … During Vent？se； 〃the scarcity of every article
is extremely great；〃＇78＇ especially of meat。 Some women in the Place
Maubert； pass six hours in a line waiting for it； and do not get the
quarter of a pound； in many stalls there is none at all； not 〃an
ounce〃 being obtainable to make broth for the sick。 Workmen do not
get it in their shops and do without their soup； they live on 〃bread
and salted herrings。〃 A great many people groan over 〃not having eaten
bread for a fortnight；〃 women say that 〃they have not had a dish of
meat and vegetables （pot au feu） for a month。〃 Meanwhile 〃vegetables
are astonishingly scarce and excessively dear。 。 。 。 two sous for
a miserable carrot； and as much for two small leeks。〃 Out of two
thousand women who wait at the central market for a distribution of
beans； only six hundred receive any。 Potatoes increase in price in
one week from two to three francs a bushel； and oatmeal and ground
peas triple in price。 〃The grocers have no more brown sugar； even for
the sick；〃 and sell candles and soap only by the half pound。 … A
fortnight later candles are wholly wanting in certain quarters； except
in the section storehouse； which is almost empty； each person being
allowed only one。 A good many households go to rest at sundown for
lack of lights and do not cook any dinner for lack of coal。 Eggs；
especially； are 〃honored as invisible divinities；〃 while the absent
butter 〃is a god。〃＇79＇ 〃If this lasts；〃 say the workmen； 〃we shall
have to cut each other's throats； since there is nothing left to live
on。〃＇80＇ 〃Sick women；＇81＇ children in their cradles； lie outstretched
in the sun；〃 in the very heart of Paris； in rue Vivienne； on the Pont…
Royal； and remain there 〃late in the night； demanding alms of the
passers…by。〃 〃One is constantly stopped by beggars of both sexes； most
of them healthy and strong；〃 begging； they say； for lack of work。
Without counting the feeble and the infirm who are unable to stand in
a line； whose sufferings are visible； who gradually waste away and die
without a murmur at home； 〃one encounters in the streets and markets〃
only famished and eager visages； 〃an immense crowd of citizens running
and dashing against each other；〃 crying out and weeping； 〃everywhere
presenting an image of despair。〃＇82＇
V。 Revolutionary Remedies。
Revolutionary remedies。 … Rigor against the refractory。 … Decrees
and orders rendering the State the only depositary and distributor of
food。 … Efforts made to establish a conscription of labor。 …
Discouragement of the Peasant。 … He refuses to cultivate。 … Decrees
and orders compelling him to harvest。 … His stubbornness。 …
Cultivators imprisoned by thousands。 … The Convention is obliged to
set them at liberty。 … Fortunate circumstances which save France from
extreme famine。
This penury only exists； say the Jacobins； because the laws against
monopoly； and sales above the 〃maximum〃 prices are not being obeyed to
the letter of the law。 The egoism of the cultivator and the cupidity
of dealers are not restrained by fear and delinquents escape too
frequently from the legal penalty。 Let us enforce this penalty
rigorously； let us increase the punishment against them and their
instruments； let us screw up the machine and give them a new wrench。
A new estimate and verification of the food supply takes place；
domiciliary searches； seizures of special stores regarded as too
ample；＇83＇ limited rations for each consumer； a common and obligatory
mess table for all prisoners； brown； égalité bread； mostly of bran；
for every mouth that can chew； prohibition of the making of any other
kind； confiscation of boulters and sieves；＇84＇ the 〃individual；〃
personal responsibility of every administrator who allows the people
he directs to resist or escape providing the demanded supplies； the
sequestration of his property； imprisonment； fines； the pillory and
the guillotine to hurry up requisitions； or stop free trading； … every
terrifying method is driven to the utmost against the farmers and
cultivators of the soil。
After April； 1794；＇85＇ crowds of this class are found filling the
prisons to overflowing； the Revolution has struck them also。 They
stroll about in the court yard； and wander through the corridors with
a sad； stupefied expression； no longer comprehending the way things
are going on in the world。 In vain are efforts made to explain to
them that 〃their crops are national property and that they are simply
its depositaries；〃＇86＇ never had this new principle entered into； nor
will it enter； their rude brains； always； through habit and instinct；
will they work against it。 … Let them be spared the temptation。 Let
us （the Jacobins） relieve them from； and； in fact； take their crops；
let the State in France become the sole depositary and distributor of
grain； let it solely buy and sell grain at a fixed rate。
Consequently； at Paris；＇87＇ the Committee of Public Safety first puts
〃in requisition all the oats that can be found in the Republic； every
holder of oats is required to deposit his stock on hand within eight
days； in the storehouse indicated by the district administration 〃 at
the maximum 〃 price； otherwise he is 〃 a 'suspect' and must be
punished as such。〃 In the meantime； through still more comprehensive
orders issued in the provinces； Paganel in the department of Tarn； and
Dartigoyte in those of Gers and the Upper…Garonne；＇88＇ enjoin each
commune to establish public granaries。 〃All citizens are ordered to
bring in whatever produce they possess in grain； flour； wheat； maslin；
rye； barley； oats； millet； buckwheat〃 at the 〃maximum〃 rate。 Nobody
shall keep on hand more than one month's supply； fifty pounds of flour
or wheat for each person； in this way； the State； which holds in its
hands the keys of the storehouses； may 〃carry out the salutary
equalization of provisions〃 between department and department；
district and district； commune and commune； individual and individual。
A storekeeper will look after each of these well filled granaries； the
municipality will itself deliver rations and； moreover； 〃take suitable
steps to see that beans and vegetables； as they mature； be
economically distributed under its supervision；〃 at so much per head；
and always at the rate of the 〃maximum。〃 Otherwise； dismissal；
imprisonment and prosecution 〃in the extraordinary criminal tribunal。
〃…This being accomplished； and the fruits of labor duly allotted；
there remains only the allotment of labor itself。 To effect this；
Maignet；＇89＇ in Vaucluse； and in the Bouches du Rh？ne； prescribes for
each municipality the immediate formation of two lists； one of day
laborers and the other of proprietors。 〃All proprietors in need of a
cultivator by the day；〃 are to appear and ask for one at the
municipality； which will assign the applicant as many as he wants； 〃in
order on the list；〃 with a card for himself and numbers for the
designated parties。 The laborer who does not enter his name on the
list； or who exacts more than the 〃maximum 〃 wages； is to be sentenced
to the pillory with two years in irons。 The same sentence with the
addition of a fine of three hundred livres； is for every proprietor
who employs any laborer not on the list or who pays more than the
〃maximum rate of wages。
After this； nothing more is necessary； in practice； than to
* draw up and keep in sight the new registries of names and figures
made by the members of thirty thousand municipal boards； who cannot
keep accounts and who scarcely know how to read and write；
* build a vast public granary； or put in requisition three or four
barns in each commune； in which half dried and mixed grain may rot；
* pay two hundred thousand incorruptible storekeepers and measurers
who will not divert anything from the depots for their friends or
themselves；
* add to the thirty five thousand employees of the Committee on
Provisions；＇90＇ five hundred thousand municipal scribes disposed to
quit their trades or ploughs for