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Multiplication and increasing decline of Assignats。 The classes who
have to bear the burden。 … Famine and misery during year III； and the
first half of year IV。 … In the country。… In the small towns。 … In
large towns and cities。
But； if the Jacobin system； in spite of its surviving founders；
gradually relaxes after Thermidor； if the main ligature tied around
the man's neck； broke just as the man was strangling； the others that
still bind him hold him tight； except as they are loosened in places；
and； as it is； some of the straps； terribly stiffened； sink deeper and
deeper into his flesh。 … In the first place； the requisitions
continue there is no other way of provisioning the armies and the
cities； the gendarme is always on the road； compelling each village to
contribute its portion of grain； and at the legal rate。 The
refractory are subject to keepers； confiscations； fines and
imprisonment； they are confined and kept in the district lock ups 〃at
their own expense；〃 men and women； twenty two on Pluvi？se 17； year
III。； in the district of Bar…sur…Aube ； forty five； Germinal 7； in the
district of Troyes ； forty…five； the same day； in the district of
Nogent…sur…Seine； and twenty others； eight days later； in the same
district； in the commune of Traine alone。＇99＇ … The condition of the
cultivator is certainly not an easy one； while public authority； aided
by the public force； extorts from him all it can at a rate of its own；
moreover； it will soon exact from him one half of his contributions in
kind； and； it must be noted； that at this time； the direct
contributions alone absorb twelve and thirteen sous on the franc of
the revenue。 Nevertheless； under this condition； which is that of
laborers in a Muslim country； the French peasant； like the Syrian or
Tunisian peasant； can keep himself alive； for； through the abolition
of the 〃maximum；〃 private transactions are now free； and； to indemnify
himself on this side； he sells to private individuals and even to
towns；＇100＇ by agreement； on understood terms； and as dear as he
pleases； all the dearer because through the legal requisitions the
towns are half empty； and there are fewer sacks of grain for a larger
number of purchasers ； hence his losses by the government are more
than made up by his gains on private parties； he gains in the end； and
that is why he persists in farming。
The weight； however； of which he relieves himself falls upon the
overburdened buyer； and this weight； already excessive； goes on
increasing； through another effect of the revolutionary institution；
until it becomes ten…fold and even a hundred…fold。 … The only money；
in fact； which private individuals possess melts away in their hands；
and； so to say； destroys itself。 When the guillotine stops working；
the assignat； losing its official value； falls to its real value。 In
August； 1794； the loss on it is sixty six per cent。； in October；
seventy two per cent。； in December； seventy eight per cent。； in
January； 1795； eighty one per cent。； and after that date the constant
issues of enormous amounts； five hundred millions； then a billion； a
billion and a half； and； finally； two billions a month； hastens its
depreciation。＇101＇ The greater the depreciation of the assignats the
greater the amount the government is obliged to issue to provide for
its expenses； and the more it issues the more it causes their
depreciation； so that the decline which increases the issue increases
the depreciation； until； finally； the assignat comes down to nothing。
On March II； 1795； the louis d'or brings two hundred and five francs
in assignats； May 11； four hundred francs； June 12； one thousand
francs； in the month of October； one thousand seven hundred francs；
November 13； two thousand eight hundred and fifty francs； November 21
three thousand francs； and six months later； nineteen thousand francs。
Accordingly； an assignat of one hundred francs is worth in June； 1795；
four francs； in August three francs； in November fifteen sous； in
December ten sous； and then five sous。 Naturally； all provisions rise
proportionately in price。 A pound of bread in Paris； January 2； 1796；
costs fifty francs； a pound of meat sixty francs； a pound of candles
one hundred and eighty francs； a bushel of potatoes two hundred
francs； a bottle of wine one hundred francs。 The reader may imagine；
if he can； the distress of people with small incomes； pensioners and
employees； mechanics and artisans in the towns out of work；＇102＇ in
brief； all who have nothing but a small package of assignats to live
on； and who have nothing to do； whose indispensable wants are not
directly supplied by the labor of their own hands in producing wine；
candles； meat； potatoes and bread。
Immediately after the abolition of the 〃maximum；〃＇103＇ the cry of
hunger increases。 From month to month its accents become more painful
and vehement in proportion to the increased dearness of provisions；
especially in the summer of 1795； as the harvesting draws near； when
the granaries； filled by the crop of 1794； are getting empty。 And
these hungering cries go up by millions： for a good many of the
departments in France do not produce sufficient grain for home
consumption； this being the case in fertile wheat departments； and
likewise in certain districts； cries also go up from the large and
small towns； while in each village numbers of peasants fast because
they have no land to provide them with food； or because they lack
strength； health； employment and wages。 〃For a fortnight past；〃
writes a municipal body in Seine…et…Marne；＇104＇ 〃at least two hundred
citizens in our commune are without bread； grain and flour； they have
had no other food than bran and vegetables。 We see with sorrow
children deprived of nourishment； their nurses without milk； unable to
suckle them； old men falling down through inanition； and young men in
the fields too weak to stand up to their work。〃 And other communes in
the district 〃are about in the same condition。〃 The same spectacle is
visible throughout the Ile…de…France； Normandy； and in Picardy。
Around Dieppe； in the country；＇105＇ entire communes support themselves
on herbs and bran。 〃Citizen representatives；〃 write the
administrators； 〃we can no longer maintain ourselves。 Our fellow
citizens reproach us with having despoiled them of their grain in
favor of the large communes。〃 … 〃All means of subsistence are
exhausted；〃 writes the district of Louviers；＇106＇ 〃we are reduced here
for a month past to eating bran bread and boiled herbs； and even this
rude food is getting scarce。 Bear in mind that we have seventy…one
thousand people to govern； at this very time subject to all the
horrors of famine； a large number of them having already perished；
some with hunger and others with diseases engendered by the poor food
they live on。 〃 … In the Caen district；＇107＇ 〃the unripe peas； horse
peas； beans； and green barley and rye are attacked；〃 mothers and
children go after these in the fields in default of other food； 〃other
vegetables in the gardens are already consumed； furniture； the
comforts of the well to do class； have become the prey of the farming
egoist； having nothing more to sell they consequently have nothing
with which to obtain a morsel of bread。〃
〃 It is impossible；〃 writes the representative on mission； 〃to wait
for the crop without further aid。 As long as bran lasted the people
ate that； none can now be found and despair is at its height。 I have
not seen the sun since I came。 The harvest will be a month behind。
What shall we do？ What will become of us？〃 … 〃In Picardy；〃 writes the
Beauvais district； 〃the great majority of people in the rural communes
search the woods〃 to find mushrooms； berries and wild fruits。＇108＇
〃They think themselves lucky；〃 says the Bapaume district； 〃if they can
get a share of the food of animals。〃 〃In many communes；〃 the district
of Vervier reports； 〃the inhabitants are reduced to living on
herbage。〃 〃Many families； entire communes；〃 reports the Laon
commissary； 〃have been without bread two or three months and live on
bran or herbs。 。 。 。 Mothers of families； children； old men；
pregnant women； come to the （members of the） Directory for bread and
often faint in their arms。
And yet； great as the famine is in the country it is worse in the
towns； and the proof of it is that the starving people flock into the
country to find whatever they can to live on； no matter how； and；
generally speaking； in vain。 … 〃Three quarters of our fellow
citizens；〃 writes the Rozoy municipality；＇109＇ 〃are forced to quit
work and overrun the country here and there； among the farmers； to
obtain bread for specie； and with more entreaty than the poorest
wretches； for the most part； they return with tears in their eyes at
not being able to find； not merely a bushel of wheat； but a pound of
bread。〃 〃Yesterday；〃 writes the Montreuil…sur…Mer municipality；＇110