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Fatal progress of their concessions。 Withdrawal of the departments
one by one。 Retraction of the compromised authorities。 Effect
of administrative habits。 Failings and illusions of the Moderates。
Opposite character of the Jacobins。
With the same blow； and amongst the same playacting； they have nearly
disarmed their adversaries。 On learning the events of May 31 and
June 2； a loud cry of indignation arose among republicans of the
cultivated class in this generation； who； educated by the
philosophers； sincerely believed in the rights of man。＇48＇ Sixty…nine
department administrations had protested；＇49＇ and； in almost all the
towns of the west； the south； the east and the center of France； at
Caen； Alen？on； Evreux； Rennes； Brest； Lorient； Nantes and Limoges； at
Bordeaux； Toulouse； Montpellier； N？mes and Marseilles； at Grenoble；
Lyons； Clermont； Lons…le…Saunier； Besan？on； Macon and Dijon；＇50＇ the
citizens； assembled in their sections； had provoked； or maintained by
cheering them on； the acts of their administrators。 Rulers and
citizens； all declared that； the Convention not being free； its
decrees after the 31st of May； no longer had the force of law； that
the troops of the departments should march on Paris to deliver that
city from its oppressors； and that their substitutes should be called
out and assemble at Bourges。 In many places words were converted into
acts。 Already before the end of May； Marseilles and Lyons had taken
up arms and checkmated their local Jacobins。 After the 2nd of June；
Normandy； Brittany； Gard； Jura； Toulouse and Bordeaux； had also raised
troops。 At Marseilles； Bordeaux and Caen representatives on mission；
arrested or under guard； were retained as hostages。＇51＇ At Nantes； the
national Guard and popular magistrates who； a week before； had so
bravely repulsed the great Vendéan army； dared to more than this； they
limited the powers of the Convention and condemned all meddling：
according to them； the sending of representatives on mission was 〃an
usurpation； an attack on national sovereignty；〃 representatives had
been elected
〃to make and not to execute laws； to prepare a constitution and
regulate all public powers； and not to confound these together and
exercise them all at once； to protect and maintain intermediary powers
which the people have delegated； and not to encroach upon and
annihilate them。〃＇52＇
With still greater boldness； Montpellier enjoined all representatives
everywhere to meet at the headquarters of their respective
departments； and await the verdict of a national jury。 In short； in
accordance with the very democratic creed； 〃nothing was visible amid
the ruins of the Convention；〃 mutilated and degraded； but interloping
〃attorneys。〃 〃The people's workmen〃 are summoned 〃to return to
obedience and do justice to the reproaches addressed to them by their
legitimate master；〃＇53＇ the nation canceled the pay of its clerks at
the capital； withdrew the mandate they had misused； and declared them
usurpers if they persisted in not yielding up their borrowed
sovereignty 〃to its inalienable sovereignty。〃 To this stroke； which
strikes deep； the 〃Mountain〃 replies by a similar stroke； it also
renders homage to principles and falls back on the popular will。
Through the sudden manufacture of an ultra…democratic constitution；
through a convocation of the primary assemblies； and a ratification of
its work by the people in these assemblies； through the summoning of
delegates to Paris； through the assent of these converted； fascinated；
or constrained delegates； it exonerates and justifies itself； and thus
deprives the Girondins of the grievances to which they had given
currency； of the axioms they had displayed on their standards； and of
the popularity they thought they had acquired。＇54＇ Henceforth； the
ground their opponents had built on sinks under their feet； the
materials collected by them disintegrate in their hands； their league
dissolves before it is completed； and the incurable weakness of the
party appears in full daylight。
Firstly； in the departments； as at Paris；＇55＇ the party has no roots。
For the past three years all the sensible and orderly people； occupied
with their own affairs； who has no taste or interest in politics；
nine…tenths of the electors； abstain from voting and in this large
mass the Girondins have no adherents。 As they themselves admit；＇56＇
this class remains attached to the institutions of 1791； which they
have overthrown； if it has any esteem for them； it is as 〃extremely
honest madmen。〃 Again； this esteem is mingled with aversion： it
reproaches them with the violent decrees they have passed in concert
with the 〃Mountain；〃 with persecutions； confiscations； every species
of injustice and cruelty； it always sees the King's blood on their
hands； they； too； are regicides； anti…Catholics； anti…Christians；
demolishers and levelers。＇57＇ Undoubtedly they are less so than the
〃Mountain；〃 hence； when the provincial insurrection breaks out； many
Feuillants and even Royalists follow them to the section assemblies
and join in their protests。 But the majority goes no further； and
soon falls back into is accustomed inertia。 It is not in harmony with
its leaders：＇58＇ its latent preferences are opposed to their avowed
program； it does not wholly trust them； it has only a half…way
affection for them； its recent sympathies are deadened by old
animosities： everywhere； instead of firmness there is only caprice。
All this affords no assurance of steadfast loyalty and practical
adhesion。 The Girondin deputies scattered through the provinces
relied upon each department arousing itself at their summons and
forming a republican Vendée against the 〃Mountain：〃 nowhere do they
find anything beyond mild approval and speculative hopes。
There remains to support them the élite of the republican party； the
scholars and lovers of literature； who are honest and sincere
thinkers； who； worked upon by the current dogmas； have accepted the
philosophical catechism literally and seriously。 Elected judges； or
department； district； and city administrators； commanders and officers
of the National Guard； presidents and secretaries of sections； they
occupy most of the places conferred by local authority； and hence
their almost unanimous protest seems at first to be the voice of
France。 In reality； it is only the despairing cry of a group of
staff…officers without an army。 Chosen under the electoral pressure
with which we are familiar； they possess rank； office and titles； but
no credit or influence； they are supported only by those whom they
really represent； that is to say； those who elected them； a tenth of
the population； and forming a sectarian minority。 Again； in this
minority there are a good many who are lukewarm； with most men the
distance is great between conviction and action； the interval is
filled up with acquired habits； indolence； fear and egoism。 One's
belief in the abstractions of the 〃Contrat…social〃 is of little
account； no one readily bestirs oneself for an abstract end。
Uncertainties beset one at the outset； the road one has to follow is
found to be perilous and obscure； and one hesitates and postpones； one
feels himself a home…body and is afraid of engaging too deeply and of
going too far。 Having expended one's breath in words one is less
willing to give one's money； another may open his purse but he may not
be disposed to give himself； which is as true of the Girondins as it
is of the Feuillants。
〃At Marseilles；＇59＇ at Bordeaux；〃 says a deputy； 〃in nearly all the
principal towns； the proprietor； slow； indifferent and timid； could
not make up his mind to leave home for a moment； it was to mercenaries
that he entrusted his cause his arms。〃
Only the federates of Mayenne； Ile…et…Vilaine； and especially of
Finisterre； were 〃young men well brought up and well informed about
the cause they were going to support。〃 In Normandy； the Central
Committee； unable to do better； has to recruit its soldiers； and
especially gunners； from the band of Carabots； former Jacobins； a lot
of ruffians ready for anything； pillagers and runaways at the first
canon…shot。 At Caen； Wimpffen； having ordered the eight battalions of
the National Guard to assemble in the court； demands volunteers and
finds that only seventeen step forth； on the following day a formal
requisition brings out only one hundred and thirty combatants； other
towns； except Vire； which furnishes about twenty； refuse their
contingent。 In short； a marching army cannot be formed； or； if it
does march； it halts at the first station； that of Evreux before
reaching Vernon； and that of Marseilles at the walls of Avignon。
On the other hand； by virtue of being sincere and logical； those who
have rebelled entertain scruples and themselves define the limits of
their insurrection。 The fugitive deputies at their head would believe