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members。〃
The State； as omnipotent sovereign and universal proprietor； exercises
at discretion； its boundless rights over persons and things；
consequently we； its representatives； take all things and persons into
our hands； as they belong to it； so do they belong to us。
We have confiscated the possessions of the clergy； amounting to about
four billion livres； we confiscate the property of the emigrés；
amounting to three billion livres；＇3＇ we confiscate the property of
the guillotined and deported： all this amounts to some hundreds of
millions； later on； the count will be made； because the list remains
open and is being daily added to。 We will sequestrate the property of
〃suspects；〃 which gives us the right to use it： here are many hundred
millions more； after the war and the banishment of 〃suspects；〃 we
shall seize the property along with its income： here； again； are
billions of capital。＇4＇ Meanwhile we take the property of hospitals
and of other benevolent institutions； about eight hundred million
livres ； we take the property of factories； of endowments； of
educational institutions； and of literary and scientific associations：
another lot of millions。＇5＇ We take back the domains rented or
surrendered by the State for the past three centuries and more； which
gives again about a couple of billions。＇6＇ We take the possessions of
the communes up to the amount of their indebtedness。 We have already
received as inheritance the ancient domains of the crown； also the
later domain of the civil list。 More than three…fifths＇7＇ of the soil
thus falls into our hands； which three…fifths are much the best
stocked； they comprise almost all the large and fine edifices；
chateaux； abbeys； mansions； houses of superintendents and nearly all
the royal； episcopal； seigniorial and bourgeois stock of rich and
elegant furniture； all plate； libraries； pictures and artistic objects
accumulated for centuries。 Remark； again； the seizure of specie
and all other articles of gold and silver； in the months alone of
November and December； 1793； this swoop puts into our coffers three or
four hundred millions；＇8＇ not assignats； but ringing coin。 In short；
whatever the form of established capital may be we take all we can get
hold of； probably more than three…fourths of it。 There remains the
portion which is not fixed capital； that which disappears in use；
namely； all that is consumed； all the fruits of the soil； every
description of provision； all the products of human art and labor
which contribute the maintenance of existence。 Through 〃the right of
pre…emption〃 and through the right of 〃requisition；〃 〃the Republic
becomes temporary proprietor of whatever commerce； manufacture and
agriculture have produced and added to the soil of France： 〃all food
and merchandise is ours before being owned by their holder。 We carry
out of his house whatever suits us； we pay him for this with worthless
paper； we frequently do not pay him at all。 For greater convenience；
we seize objects directly and wherever we find them； grain in the
farmer's barn； hay in the reaper's shed； cattle in the fold； wine in
the vats； hides at the butcher's； leather in the tanneries； soap；
tallow； sugar； brandy； cloths； linens and the rest； in stores； depots
and ware…houses。 We stop vehicles and the horses in the street。 We
enter the premises of mail or coach contractors and empty their
stables。 We carry away kitchen utensils to obtain the copper ； we
turn people out of their rooms to get their beds； we strip them of
their coats and shirts； in one day； we make ten thousand individuals
in one town go barefoot。＇9＇
〃When public needs require it；〃 says representative Isoré； 〃all
belongs to the people and nothing to individuals。〃
By virtue of the same right we dispose of persons as we do of things。
We decree the levy en masse and； stranger still； we carry it out； at
least in many parts of the country； and we keep it up for months： in
Vendée； and in the northern and eastern departments； it is the entire
male； able…bodied population； up to fifty years of age； which we drive
in herds against the enemy。＇10＇ We afterwards sign an entire
generation on； all young men between eighteen and twenty…five； almost
a million of men：＇11＇ whoever fails to appear is put in irons for ten
years； he is regarded as a deserter； his property is confiscated； and
his family is punished as well； later he is classed with the
emigrants； condemned to death； and his father； mother and progenitors；
treated as 〃suspects；〃 imprisoned and their possessions taken。 To
clothe； shoe and equip our recruits； we must have workmen； we summon
to head…quarters all gunsmiths； blacksmiths and locksmiths； all the
tailors and shoemakers of the district； 〃foremen； apprentices and
boys；〃＇12＇ we imprison those who do not come ； we install the rest in
squads in public buildings and assign them their tasks ； they are
forbidden to furnish anything to private individuals。 Henceforth；
French shoemakers must work only for us； and each must deliver to us；
under penalty； so many pairs of shoes per decade。＇13＇ But； the
civil service is no less important than the military service； and to
feed the people is as urgent as it is to defend them。 Hence we put
〃in requisition all who have anything to do with handling；
transporting or selling provisions and articles of prime
necessity；〃＇14＇ especially combustibles and food wood…choppers；
carters； raftsmen； millers； reapers； threshers； wine…growers； movers；
field…hands； 〃country people〃 of every kind and degree。 Their hands
belong to us： we make them bestir themselves and work under the
penalty of fine and imprisonment。 There shall be no idlers；
especially in crop time： we take the entire population of a commune or
canton into the fields； comprising 〃the lazy of both sexes；〃＇15＇
willingly or not； they shall do the harvesting under our eyes； banded
together in fields belonging to others as well as in their own； and
they shall put the sheaves indiscriminately into the public granary。
But in labor all hangs together； from the initial undertaking to the
final result； from the raw material to the most finished production；
from the great manufacturer down to the pettiest jobber； grasping the
first link of the chain involves grasping the last one。 The
requisition here again answers the purpose： we apply it to all
pursuits； each is bound to continue his own； the manufacturer to
manufacture； the trader to trade； even to his own detriment； because；
if he works at a loss； the public profits； and every good citizen
ought to prefer public profit to his own profit。＇16＇ In effect； let
his office be what it will； he is an employee of the community；
therefore； the community may not only prescribe task…work to him； but
select his task； it need not consult him in the matter； for he has no
right to refuse。 Hence it is that we appoint or maintain people in
spite of themselves； in the magistracy； in the army and in every other
species of employment。 In vain may they excuse themselves or try get
out of the way； they must remain or become generals； judges； mayors；
national agents； town councilors； commissioners of public welfare or
administration；＇17＇ even against their will。 Too bad for them if the
responsibility is expensive or dangerous； if they have no time for
leisure； if they do not feel themselves qualified for it； if the rank
or services seems to them to lead to a prison or the guillotine； when
they declare that the work is forced labor we reply that they liable
to work for the State。 Such is； henceforth； the condition of all
Frenchmen； and likewise of all French women。 We force mothers to take
their daughters to the meetings of popular clubs。 We oblige women to
parade in companies； and march in procession at republican festivals；
we invade the family and select the most beautiful to be draped as
antique goddesses； and publicly promenaded on a chariot； we sometimes
even designate those among the rich who must wed patriots＇18＇： there
is no reason why marriage； which is the most important of all
services； should not be put in requisition like the others。
Accordingly； we enter families； we carry of the child； we subject him
to a civic education。 We are schoolmasters； philanthropists；
theologians； and moralists。 We impose by force our religion and our
ritual； our morality and our social customs。 We lord it over private
lives and consciences； we dictate ideas； we scrutinize and punish
secret inclinations； we tax； imprison and guillotine not only the
evil…disposed； but again 〃the indifferent； the moderate and the
egoists。〃＇19＇ Over and above his visible acts we dictate to the
individual his ideas and his deepest feelings； we prescribe to him his
affections as well as his beliefs； and； according to a preconceived
type； we refashion his intellect； his conscience and his
sensibilities。
III。
Th