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municipality； all doubtful men are excluded； discharged； or
incarcerated； if a few weak ones are retained provisionally； or by
favor； they are berated and taught their duty very summarily：
〃They will strive； by a more energetic and assiduous patriotism； to
atone for the evil committed by them in not doing all the good they
could do。〃
Sometimes； through a sudden change of scene； the entire administrative
staff is kicked out so as to give place to a no less complete staff；
which the same kick brings up out of the ground。 Considering that
〃everything stagnates in Vaucluse； and that a frightful moderation
paralyses the most revolutionary measures；〃 Maignet； in one order＇83＇
appoints the administrators and secretary of the department； the
national agent； the administrators and council…general of the
district； the administrators； council…general and national agent of
Avignon； the president； public prosecutor and recorder of the criminal
court； members of the Tribunal de Commerce； the collector of the
district； the post…master and the head of the squadron of gendarmerie。
And the new functionaries will certainly go to work at once； each in
his office。 The summary process； which has brusquely swept away the
first set of puppets； is going to brusquely install the second one。
〃Each citizen appointed to any of the above mentioned offices； shall
betake himself immediately to his post； under penalty of being
declared suspect；〃 on the simple notification of his appointment。
Universal and passive obedience of governors； as well as of the
governed！ There are no more elected and independent functionaries； all
the authorities； confirmed or created by the representative； are in
his hands； there is not one among them who does not subsist or survive
solely through his favor； there is not one of them who acts otherwise
than according to his approval or by his order。 Directly； or through
them； he makes requisitions； sequestrates or confiscates as he sees
fit； taxes； imprisons； transports or decapitates as he see fit； and；
in his circumscription； he is the pasha。
But he is a pasha with a chain around his neck； and at short tether。
… From and after December； 1793； he is directed 〃to conform to the
orders of the Committee of Public Safety and report to it every ten
days。〃＇84＇ The circumscription in which he commands is rigorously
〃limited；〃 〃he is reputed to be without power in the other
departments；〃＇85＇ while he is not allowed to grow old on his post。
〃In every magistrature the grandeur and extent of power is compensated
by the shortness of its duration。 Over…prolonged missions would soon
be considered as birthrights。〃＇86＇ Therefore； at the end of two or
three months； often at the end of a month； the incumbent is recalled
to Paris or dispatched elsewhere； at short notice； on the day named；
in a prompt； absolute and sometimes threatening tone； not as a
colleague one humors； but as a subordinate who is suddenly and
arbitrarily revoked or displaced because he is deemed inadequate； or
〃used up。〃 For greater security； oftentimes a member of the Committee；
Couthon； Collot； Saint…Just； or some near relation of a member of the
Committee； a Lebas or young Robespierre； goes personally to the spot
to give the needed impulsion； sometimes； agents simply of the
Committee； taken from outside the Convention； and without any personal
standing； quite young men； Rousselin； Julien de la Dr？me； replace or
watch the representative with powers equal to his。 … At the same
time； from the top and from the center； he is pushed on and directed：
his local counselors are chosen for him； and the directors of his
conscience；＇87＇ they rate him soundly on the choice of his agents or
of his lodgings；＇88＇ they force dismissals on him； appointments；
arrests； executions； they spur him on in the path of terror and
suffering。 … Around him are paid emissaries；＇89＇ while others watch
him gratis and constantly write to the Committees of Public Safety and
General Security； often to denounce him； always to report on his
conduct； to judge his measures and to provoke the measures which he
does not take。＇90＇
Whatever he may have done or may do； he cannot turn his eyes toward
Paris without seeing danger ahead； a mortal danger which； on the
Committee； in the Convention； at the Jacobin Club； increases or will
increase against him； like a tempest。 … Briez； who； in Valenciennes
under siege； showed courage； and whom the Convention had just
applauded and added to the Committee of Public Safety； hears himself
reproached for being still alive： 〃He who was at Valenciennes when the
enemy took it will never reply to this question … are you dead？〃＇91＇
He has nothing to do now but to declare himself incompetent； decline
the honor mistakenly conferred on him by the Convention； and
disappear。 … Dubois…Crancé took Lyons； and； as pay for this immense
service； he is stricken off the roll of the Jacobin Club； because he
did not take it quick enough； he is accused of treachery； two days
after the capitulation； the Committee of Public Safety withdraw his
powers； three days after the capitulation； the Committee of Public
Safety has him arrested and sent to Paris under escort。＇92＇ … If such
men after such services are thus treated； what is to become of the
others？ After the mission of young Julien； then Carrier at Nantes；
Ysabeau and Tallien at Bordeaux； feel their heads shake on their
shoulders； after the mission of Robespierre jr。 in the East and
South； Barras； Fréron and Bernard de Saintes believe themselves
lost。＇93＇ Fouché； Rovère； Javogue； and how many others； compromised by
the faction； Hébertists or Dantonists； of which they are； or were
belonging。 Sure of perishing if their patrons on the Committee
succumb； not sure of living if their patrons keep their place； not
knowing whether their heads will not be exchanged for others；
restricted to the narrowest； the most rigorous and most constant
orthodoxy； guilty and condemned should their orthodoxy of to…day
become the heterodoxy of to…morrow。 All of them menaced； at first the
hundred and eighty autocrats who； before the concentration of the
revolutionary government； ruled for eight months boundlessly in the
provinces； next； and above all； the fifty hard…fisted 〃Montagnards；〃
unscrupulous fanatics or authoritarian high livers； who； at this
moment； tread human flesh under foot and spread out in arbitrariness
like wild boars in a forest； or wallow in scandal； like swine in a
mud…pool。
There is no refuge for them； other than temporary； and temporary
refuge only in zealous and tried obedience； such as the Committee
demands proof of； that is to say； through rigor。 … 〃The Committees so
wanted it；〃 says later on Maignet； the arsonist of Bédouin； 〃The
Committees did everything。 。 。 。 。 Circumstances controlled me。
。 。 。 。 The patriotic agents conjured me not to give way。 。 。 。
。 I did not fully carry out the most imperative orders。〃＇94＇ Similarly；
the great exterminator of Nantes； Carrier； when urged to spare the
rebels who surrendered of their own accord：
〃Do you want me to be guillotined？ It is not in my power to save those
people。〃＇95＇
And another time：
〃I have my orders； I must observe them； I do not want to have
my head cut off！〃
Under penalty of death； the representative on mission is a Terrorist；
like his colleagues in the Convention and on the Committee of Public
Safety； but with a much more serious disturbance of his nervous and
his moral system； for he does not operate like them on paper； at a
distance； against categories of abstract； anonymous and vague beings；
his work is not merely an effort of the intellect； but also of the
senses and the imagination。 If he belongs to the region； like
Lecarpentier； Barras； Lebon； Javogue； Couthon； André Dumont and many
others； he is well acquainted with the families he proscribes； names
to him are not merely so many letters strung together； but they recall
personal souvenirs and evoke living forms。 At all events； he is the
spectator； artisan and beneficiary of his own dictatorship； the
silver…plate and money he confiscates passes under his eye； through
his hands； he sees the 〃suspects〃 he incarcerates march before him； he
is in the court…room on the rendering of the sentence of death；
frequently； the guillotine he has supplied with heads works under his
windows； he sleeps in the mansion of an emigré he makes requisitions
for the furniture； linen and wine belonging to the decapitated and the
imprisoned；＇96＇ lies in their beds； drinks their wine and revels with
plenty of company at their expense； and in their place。 In the same
way as a bandit chief who neither kills nor robs with his own hands；
but has murder and robbery committed in his presence； by which he
substantially profits； not by proxy； but personally； through the well…
directed blows ordered by him。 … To