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until the end of Fructidor。〃 … Such are the exclamations everywhere。
The object now； indeed； is to cross the narrowest and most terrible
defile； a fortnight more of absolute fasting and hundreds of thousands
of lives would be sacrificed。＇130＇ At this moment the government half
opens the doors of its storehouses； it lends a few sacks of flour on
condition of re…payment； … for example； at Cherbourg a few hundreds of
quintals of oats； by means of oat bread； the poor can subsist until
the coming harvest。 But above all； it doubles its guard and shows its
bayonets。 At Nancy； a traveler sees＇131＇ 〃more than three thousand
persons soliciting in vain for a few pounds of flour。〃 They are
dispersed with the butt…ends of muskets。 … Thus are the peasantry
taught patriotism and the townspeople patience。 Physical constraint
exercised on all in the name of all； this is the only procedure which
an arbitrary socialism can resort to for the distribution of food and
to discipline starvation。
VII。 Misery at Paris。
Famine and misery at Paris。 … Steps taken by the government to feed
the capital。 … Monthly cost to the Treasury。 … Cold and hunger in
the winter of 1794…1795。 … Quality of the bread。 … Daily rations
diminished。 … Suffering； especially of the populace。 … Excessive
physical suffering； despair； suicides； and deaths from exhaustion in
1795。 … Government dinners and suppers。 … Number of lives lost
through want and war。 … Socialism as applied； and its effects on
comfort； well…being and mortality。
Anything that a totalitarian government may do to ensure that the
capital is supplied with food is undertaken and carried out by this
one； for here is its seat； and one more degree of dearth in Paris
would overthrow it。 Each week； on reading the daily reports of its
agents；＇132＇ it finds itself on the verge of explosion； twice； in
Germinal and Prairial； a popular outbreak does overthrow it for a few
hours； and； if it maintains itself； it is on the condition of either
giving the needy a piece of bread or the hope of getting it。
Consequently； military posts are spaced out around Paris； up to
eighteen leagues off； on all the highways； permanent patrols in
correspondence with each other to urge on the wagoners and draft
relays of horses on the spot。 Escorts dispatched from Paris to meet
convoys；＇133＇ requisition 〃all the carts and all the horses whatever
to effect transportation in preference to any other work or service。〃
All communes traversed by a highway are ordered to put rubble and
manure on the bad spots and cover the whole way with a layer of soil；
so that the horses may drag their loads in spite of the slippery road。
The national agents are ordered to draft the necessary number of men
to break the ice around the water…mills。＇134＇ A requisition is made
for 〃all the barley throughout the length and breadth of the Republic；
〃 this must be utilized to produce 〃the mixture for making bread；〃
while the brewers are forbidden to use barley in the manufacture of
beer； the starch makers are forbidden to convert potatoes into starch；
with penalty of death against all offenders 〃as destroyers of
alimentary produce；〃 the breweries and starch…factories＇135＇ are to be
closed until further notice。 Paris must have grain； no matter of what
kind； no matter how； and at any cost； not merely in the following
week； but to…morrow； this very day； because hunger chews and swallows
everything； and it will not wait。 … Once the grain is obtained； a
price must be fixed which people can pay。 Now； the difference between
the selling and cost price is enormous； it keeps on increasing as the
assignat declines and it is the government which pays this。 〃You
furnish bread at three sous；〃 said Dubois…Crancé； Floréal 16； year
III；＇136＇ 〃and it costs you four francs。 Paris consumes 8；000
quintals of meal daily； which expenditure alone amounts to 1；200
millions per annum。〃 Seven months later； when a bag of flour brings
13；000 francs； the same expenditure reaches 546 millions per month。 …
Under the ancient régime； Paris； although overgrown； continued to be
an useful organism； if it absorbed much； it elaborated more； its
productiveness compensated for what it consumed； and； every year；
instead of exhausting the public treasury it poured 77 millions into
it。 The new régime has converted it into a monstrous canker in the
very heart of France； a devouring parasite which； through its six
hundred thousand leeches； drains its surroundings for a distance of
forty leagues； consumes one…half the annual revenue of the State； and
yet still remains emaciated in spite of the sacrifices made by the
treasury it depletes and the exhaustion of the provinces which supply
it with food。
Always the same alimentary system； the same long lines of people
waiting at； and before； dawn in every quarter of Paris； in the dark；
for a long time； and often to no purpose； subject to the brutalities
of the strong and the outrages of the licentious！ On the 9th of
Thermidor； the daily trot of the multitude in quest of food has lasted
uninterruptedly for seventeen months； accompanied with outrages of the
worst kind because there is less terror and less submissiveness； with
more obstinacy because provisions at free sale are dearer； with
greater privation because the ration distributed is smaller； and with
more sombre despair because each household； having consumed its
stores； has nothing of its own to make up for the insufficiencies of
public charity。 … And to cap it all； the winter of 1794…1795 is so
cold＇137＇ that the Seine freezes and people cross the Loire on foot。
Rafts no longer arrive and； to obtain fire…wood； it is necessary 〃to
cut down trees at Boulogne； Vincennes； Verrières； St。 Cloud； Meudon
and two other forests in the vicinity。〃 Fuel costs 〃four hundred
francs per cord of wood； forty sous for a bushel of charcoal； twenty
sous for a small basket。 The needy are seen in the streets sawing the
wood of their bedsteads to cook with and to keep from freezing。〃 On
the resumption of transportation by water amongst the cakes of ice
〃rafts are sold as fast as the raftsmen can haul the wood out of the
water； the people being obliged to pass three nights at the landing to
get it； each in turn according to his number。〃 〃On Pluvi？se 3 at least
two thousand persons are at the Louviers landing；〃 each with his card
allowing him four sticks at fifteen sous each。 Naturally； there is
pulling； hauling； tumult and a rush； 〃the dealers take to flight for
fear； and the inspectors come near being murdered；〃 they get away
along with the police commissioner and 〃the public helps itself。〃
Likewise； the following day； there is 〃an abominable pillage；〃 the
gendarmes and soldiers placed there to maintain order； 〃make a rush
for the wood and carry it away together with the crowd。〃 Bear in mind
that on this day the thermometer is sixteen degrees below zero； that
one hundred； two hundred other lines of people likewise stand waiting
at the doors of bakers and butchers； enduring the same cold； and that
they have already endured it and will yet endure it a month and more。
Words are wanting to describe the sufferings of these long lines of
motionless beings； during the night； at daybreak； standing there five
or six hours； with the blast driving through their rags and their feet
freezing。 … Vent？se is beginning； and the ration of bread is reduced
to a pound and a half；＇138＇ Vent？se ends； and the ration of bread；
kept at a pound and a half for the three hundred and twenty…four
laborers； falls to one pound； in fact； a great many get none at all；
many only a half and a quarter of a pound。 Germinal follows and the
Committee of Public Safety； finding that its magazines are giving out；
limits all rations to a quarter of a pound。 Thereupon； on the 12th of
Germinal； an insurrection of workmen and women breaks out； the
Convention is invaded and liberated by military force。 Paris is
declared in a state of siege and the government； again in the saddle；
tightens the reins。 Thenceforth； the ration of meat served out every
four or five days； is a quarter of a pound； bread averages every day；
sometimes five； sometimes six and sometimes seven ounces； at long
intervals eight ounces； often three； two and one ounce and a half； or
even none at all； while this bread； black and 〃making mischief；〃
becomes more and more worthless and detestable。＇139＇ People who are
well off live on potatoes； but only for them； for； in the middle of
Germinal； these cost fifteen francs the bushel and； towards the end；
twenty francs； towards the end of Messidor； forty…five francs； in the
first month of the Directory； one hundred and eighty francs； and then
two hundred and eighty…four francs； whilst other produce goes up at
the same rates。 … After the abolition of the 〃maximum 〃 the evil
springs not from a lack of provisions； but from their dearness： the