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were imprisoned； and by the sixteen who were proscribed before their
proscription。 Excepting ten or a dozen who stayed away； the
Convention； in a mass； pronounced judgment against the King and
declared him guilty； more than one…half of the Convention； the
Girondists at the head of them； voted his death。 The hall does not
contain fifty honorable men in whom character sustains conscience； and
who had a right to carry their heads erect。＇8＇ In no law they
passed； good or bad； did the other seven hundred have in view the
interests of their constituents。 In all their laws； good or bad； they
solely regarded their own interests。 So long as the attacks of the
〃Mountain〃 and of the rabble affected the public only； they lauded
them； decreed them and had them executed。 If they finally rebelled
against the 〃Mountain；〃 and against the rabble； it was at the last
moment； and solely to save their lives。 Before； as after the 9th of
Thermidor； before； as after the 1st of Prairial； the incentives of the
conduct of these pusillanimous oppressors or involuntary liberators
were baseness and egoism。 Hence； 〃the contempt and horror universally
poured out against them； only Jacobins could be still more odious！〃＇9＇
If further support is given to these faithless mandatories； it is
because they are soon to be put out。 On the premature report that the
Convention is going to break up； people accost each other in the
street； exclaiming； 〃We are rid of these brigands； they are going at
last 。 。 。 People caper and dance about as if they could not
repress their joy； they talk of nothing but the boy； （Louis XVIII。
confined in the Temple）； and the new elections。 Everybody agrees on
excluding the present deputies 。 。 。 。 There is less discussion on
the crimes which each has committed than on the insignificance of the
entire assemblage； while the epithets of vicious； used up and corrupt
have almost wholly given way to thieves and scoundrels。〃＇10＇ Even in
Paris； during the closing months of their rule； they hardly dare
appear in public： 〃in the dirtiest and most careless costume which the
tricolor scarf and gold fringe makes more apparent； they try to escape
notice in the crowd＇11＇ and； in spite of their modesty； do not always
avoid insult and still less the maledictions of those who pass them。〃
… In the provinces； at home； it would be worse for them； their lives
would be in danger； in any event； they would be dragged through the
gutter； and this they know。 Save about 〃twenty of them；〃 all who are
not to succeed in entering the new Corps Legislatif； will intrigue for
offices in Paris and become 〃state messengers； employees in bureaux；
and ushers to ministers；〃 in default of other places they would accept
those of 〃hall…sweeps。〃 Any refuge for them is good against the
reprobation of the public； which is already rising and submerging them
under its tide。
II。 Re…election of the Two…thirds。
Decrees for the re…election of the Two…thirds。 … Small number of
Voters。 … Maneuvers for preventing electors from voting on the
decrees。 … Frauds in the returns of votes。 … Maintenance of the
decrees by force。 … Recruiting of the Roughs。 … The military
employed。 … The 13th of Vendémaire。
There is no other refuge for them except in supreme power； and no
other means for maintaining this but in the excesses of despotism；
dishonesty； mendacity and violence。 In the Constitution they
manufacture； they desire to remain the sovereigns of France and they
decree＇12＇ at once that； willingly or not； France must select two…
thirds of its new representatives from amongst them； and； that she may
make a good selection； it is prudent to impose the selection upon her。
There is a show； indeed； of consulting her in the special decrees
which deprive her of two…thirds of her elective rights but； as in 1792
and in 1793； it is so contrived that she consents； or seems to
consent； to this arrangement。＇13＇ … In the first place； they relied on
the majority of electors abstaining from a response。 Experience
indeed； had shown that； for a long time； the masses were disgusted
with the plebiscite farces； moreover； terror has stifled in
individuals all sentiment of a common interest；＇14＇ each cares for
himself alone。 Since Thermidor； electors and mayors in the boroughs
and in the rural districts are found with a good deal of difficulty；
even electors of the second degree； people saw that it was useless and
even dangerous to perform the duties of a citizen； they would have
nothing to do with public functions。 A foreigner writes；＇15＇ after
traversing France from Bourg…en…Bresse to Paris： 〃Ninety times out of
a hundred that I have asked the question；
'Citizen； what was done in the primary meeting of your canton？'
the answer would be：
'Me； citizen； what have I to do with it？ I' faith； they had hard work
to agree！'
Or；
'What's the use？ There were not many there！ Honest folks stayed at
home。'〃
In fact； out of at least six million electors convoked； five millions
do not come near the ballot…box； there being no embarrassment in this
matter as they do not vote。＇16＇
In the second place； precautions have been taken to prevent those who
come to vote on the Constitution from entertaining the idea of voting
on the decrees。 No article of the Constitution； nor in the decrees；
calls upon them to do so； slight inducement is held out to them to
come； in a vague style； through an oratorical interrogation； or in a
tardy address。＇17＇ … In addition to this； on the printed blanks sent
to them from Paris； they find but three columns； one for the number of
votes accepting the Constitution； another for the number rejecting it；
and the third for 〃written observations〃 in case there are any。 There
are no special columns for marking the number of votes accepting or
rejecting the decrees。 Thereupon； many illiterate or ill…informed
electors might think that they were convoked to vote solely on the
Constitution and not at all on the decrees； which is just what
happened； and especially in the remote departments； and in the rural
assemblies。 Moreover； many assemblies； nearer Paris and in the towns；
comprehend that if the Convention consults them it is only for form's
sake； to give a negative answer is useless and perilous； it is better
to keep silent； as soon as the decrees are mentioned they very
prudently 〃unanimously〃 demand the order of the day。＇18＇ Hence out of
five primary assemblies on the average which vote for or against the
Constitution； there is only one which votes for or against the
decrees。＇19＇ … Such is the mode of getting at the voice of the
nation。 Apparently； it is induced to speak； in practice； its silence
is ensured。
The last and most ingenious expedient of all： when a primary assembly
speaks too loudly it is taken for granted that it kept silent。 In
Paris； where the electors are more clear sighted and more decided than
in the provinces； in eighteen well…known departments； and probably in
many others； the electors who voted on the decrees almost all voted
against them； in many cases； even their minutes state that the
negative vote was 〃unanimous；〃 but the minutes fail to state the exact
number of the noes。 On this； in the total of noes hostile to the
decrees； these noes are not counted。＇20＇ Through this trickery； the
Convention； in Paris alone； reduced the number of negatives by 50；000
and the same in the provinces； after the fashion of a dishonest
steward who； obliged to hand in an account； falsifies the figures by
substituting subtractions for additions。…Such is the way； in relation
to the decrees； in which； out of the 300；000 votes which it accepts；
it is able to announce 200；000 yeas and 100；000 noes and thus proclaim
that its master； the sovereign people； after giving it a general
acquittance； a discharge in full； invests it anew with its confidence
and expressly continues its mandate。
It now remains to keep by force this power usurped by fraud。 …
Immediately after the suppression of the Jacobin riots the Convention；
menaced on the right； turns over to the left； it requires allies；
persons of executive ability。 It takes them wherever it can find
them； from the faction which decimated it before Thermidor and which；
since Thermidor； it decimates。 Consequently； its executive committee
suspends all proceedings begun against the principal 〃Montagnards ；〃 a
number of terrorists； former presidents of the sections； 〃the matadors
of the quarter；〃 arrested after Prairial 1； are set free at the end of
a month。 They have good arms； are accustomed to vigorous striking
without giving warning； especially when honest folks are to be knocked
down or ripped open。 The stronger public opinion is against the
government the more does the government rely on men with bludgeons and
pikes； on the strikers 〃 turned out of the primary assemblies；〃 on th