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tolerated in the Republic as a passive subject； if he is content to be
taxed and taxed when they please； and if he is not sent to join the
〃suspects〃 in prison； whoever does not belong to the band does not
belong to the community。
Amongst themselves and in their popular club it is worse； for
〃the eagerness to get any office leads to every one denouncing each
other； 〃＇15＇
consequently； at the Jacobin club in the rue St。 Honoré； and in the
branch clubs of the quarter； there is constant purging； and always in
the same sense； until the faction is cleansed of all honest or
passable alloy and only a minority remains； which has its own way at
every balloting。 One of them announces that； in his club； eighty
doubtful members have already been gotten rid of； another that； in his
club； one hundred are going to be excluded。＇16＇ On Ventose 23； in the
〃Bon…Consei1〃 club； most of the members examined are rejected： 〃they
are so strict that a man who cannot show that he acted energetically
in critical times； cannot form part of the assembly； he is set aside
for a mere trifle。〃 On Vent？se 13； in the same club； 〃out of twenty…
six examined； seven only are admitted； one citizen； a tobacco dealer；
aged sixty…eight； who has always performed his duty； is rejected for
having called the president Monsieur； and for having spoken in the
tribune bareheaded； two members； after this； insisted on his being a
Moderate； which is enough to keep him out。〃 Those who remain； consist
of the most restless and most loquacious； the most eager for office；
the self…mutilated club being thus reduced to a nucleus of charlatans
and scoundrels。
To these spontaneous eliminations through which the club deteriorates；
add the constant pressure through which the Committee of Public Safety
frightens and degrades it。 The lower the revolutionary government
sinks； and the more it concentrates its power； the more servile and
sanguinary do its agents and employees become。 It strikes right and
left as a warning； it imprisons or decapitates the turbulent among its
own clients； the secondary demagogues who are impatient at not being
principal demagogues； the bold who think of striking a fresh blow in
the streets； Jacques Roux； Vincent； Momoro； Hébert； leaders of the
Cordeliers club and of the Commune。 After these； the indulgent who
are disposed to exercise some discernment or moderation in terrorism；
Camille Desmoulins； Danton and their adherents； and lastly； many
others who are more or less doubtful； compromised or compromising；
wearied or eccentric； from Maillard to Chaumette； from Antonelle to
Chabot； from Westermann to Clootz。 Each of the proscribed has a gang
of followers； and suddenly the whole gang are obliged to do a volte…
face； those who were able to show initiative； grovel； while those who
could show mercy； become hardened。 Henceforth； amongst the subaltern
Jacobins； the roots of independence； humanity； and loyalty； hard to
extirpate even in an ignoble and cruel nature； are eradicated even to
the last fiber； the revolutionary staff； already so debased； becoming
more and more degraded； until it is worthy of the office assigned to
it。 The confidants of Hébert； those who listen to Chaumette； the
comrades of Westermann； the officers of Ronsin； the faithful readers
of Camille； the admirers and devotees of Danton； all are bound to
publicly repudiate their incarcerated friend or leader and approve of
the decree which sends him to the scaffold； to applaud his
calumniators； to overwhelm him on trial： this or that judge or
juryman； who is one of Danton's partisans； is obliged to stifle a
defense of him； and； knowing him to be innocent； pronounce him guilty；
one who had often dined with Desmoulins is not only to guillotine him；
but； in addition to this； to guillotine his young widow。 Moreover； in
the revolutionary committees； at the Commune； in the offices of the
Committee of General Safety； in the bureau of the Central Police； at
the headquarters of the armed force； at the revolutionary Tribunal；
the service to which they are compelled to do becomes daily more
onerous and more repulsive。 To denounce neighbors； to arrest
colleagues； to go and seize innocent persons； known to be such； in
their beds； to select in the prisons the thirty or forty unfortunates
who form the daily food of the guillotine； to 〃amalgamate〃 them
haphazard； to try them and condemn them in a lot； to escort
octogenarian women and girls of sixteen to the scaffold； even under
the knife…blade； to see heads dropping and bodies swinging； to
contrive means for getting rid of a multitude of corpses； and for
removing the too…visible stains of blood。 Of what species do the
beings consist； who can accept such a task； and perform it day after
day； with the prospect of doing it indefinitely？ Fouquier…Tinville
himself succumbs。 One evening； on his way to the Committee of Public
Safety； 〃he feels unwell〃 on the Pont…Neuf and exclaims： 〃I think I
see the ghosts of the dead following us； especially those of the
patriots I have had guillotined！〃＇17＇ And at another time： 〃I would
rather plow the ground than be public prosecutor。 If I could； I would
resign。〃 The government； as the system becomes aggravated； is
forced to descend lower still that it may find suitable instruments；
it finds them now only in the lowest depths： in Germinal； to renew the
Commune； in Floréal； to renew the ministries； in Prairial； to re…
compose the revolutionary Tribunal； month after month； purging and re…
constituting the committees of each quarter＇18＇ of the city。 In vain
does Robespierre； writing and re…writing his secret lists； try to find
men able to maintain the system； he always falls back on the same
names； those of unknown persons； illiterate； about a hundred knaves or
fools with four or five second…class despots or fanatics among them；
as malevolent and as narrow as himself。 … The purifying crucible has
been used too often and for too long a time； it has overheated； what
was sound； or nearly so； in the elements of the primitive fluid has
been forcibly evaporated； the rest has fermented and become acid；
nothing remains in the bottom of the vessel but the lees of stupidity
and wickedness； their concentrated and corrosive dregs。
II。 Subaltern Jacobins。
Quality of subaltern leaders。 … How they rule in the section
assemblies。 … How they seize and hold office。
Such are the subordinate sovereigns＇19＇ who in Paris； during 14 months
dispose as they please； of fortunes； liberties and lives。 … And
first； in the section assemblies； which still maintain a semblance of
popular sovereignty； they rule despotically and uncontested。 …
〃A dozen or fifteen men wearing a red cap；＇20＇ well…informed or not；
claim the exclusive right of speaking and acting； and if any other
citizen with honest motives happens to propose measures which he
thinks proper； and which really are so； no attention is paid to these
measures； or； if it is； it is only to show the members composing the
assemblage of how little account they are。 These measures are
accordingly rejected； solely because they are not presented by one of
the men in a red cap； or by somebody like themselves； initiated in the
mysteries of the section。〃
〃 Sometimes；〃 says one of the leaders；＇21＇ 〃we find only ten members
of the club at the general assembly of the section； but there are
enough of us to intimidate the rest。 Should any citizen of the
section make a proposition we do not like； we rise and shout that he
is an schemer； or a signer （of former constitutional petitions）。 In
this way we impose silence on those who are not in line with the
club。〃 …
Since September； 1793； operation is all the easier because the
majority； is now composed of beasts of burden； ruled with an iron
hand。
〃When something has to be effected that depends on intrigue or on
private interest；＇22＇ the motion is always put by one of the members
of the Revolutionary Committee of the section； or by one of those
fanatical patriots who join in with the Committee； and otherwise act
as its spies。 Immediately the ignorant men； to whom Danton has
allowed forty sous for each meeting； and who； from now on crowd an
assembly； where they never came before； welcome the proposition with
loud applause； shouting and demanding a vote； and the act is passed
unanimously； notwithstanding the contrary opinions of all well…
informed and honest citizens。 Should any one dare make an objection；
he would run the risk of imprisonment as a suspect；＇23＇ after being
treated as an aristocrat or federalist； or at least； refused a
certificate of civism； （ a serious matter） if he had the misfortune to
need one； did his survival depend on this； either as employee or
pensioner。〃 … In the Maison…Commune section； most of the auditory are
masons； 〃excellent patriots；〃 says one of the clubbists of the
quarter：＇24＇ they always