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candidates have passed the purifying scrutiny of the clubs； it
comprises none but ultra…Jacobins。 Naturally； the pay being forty
sous a day； it comprises none but the very lowest class。 Naturally；
as the work is as loathsome as it is atrocious； it comprises but few
others＇150＇ than those out of employment and reduced to an enlistment
to get a living； 〃hairdressers without customers； lackeys without
places； vagabonds； wretches unable to earn a living by honest labor；〃
〃thick and hard hitters〃 who have acquired the habit of bullying；
knocking down and keeping honest folks under their pikes； a gang of
confirmed scoundrels making public brigandage a cloak for private
brigandage； inhabitants of the slums glad to bring down their former
superiors into the mud； and themselves take precedence and strut about
in order to prove by their arrogance and self…display that they； in
their turn； are princes。 … 〃Take a horse； the nation pays for
it！〃＇151＇ said the sans…culottes of Bordeaux to their comrades in the
street； who； 〃in a splendid procession；〃 of three carriages； each
drawn by six horses； escorted by a body on horseback； behind； in
front； and each side； conducting Riouffe and two other 〃suspects〃 to
the Réole prison。 The commander of the squad who guards prisoners on
the way to Paris； and who 〃starves them along the road to speculate on
them；〃 is an ex…cook of Agen； having become a gendarme； he makes them
travel forty leagues extra； 〃purposely to glorify himself；〃 and 〃let
all Agen see that he has government money to spend； and that he can
put citizens in irons。〃 Accordingly； in Agen； 〃he keeps constantly and
needlessly inspecting the vehicle；〃 winking at the spectators； 〃more
triumphant than if he had made a dozen Austrians prisoners and brought
them along himself。〃 At last； to show the crowd in the street the
importance of his capture； he summons two blacksmiths to come out and
rivet； on the legs of each prisoner； a cross…bar cannon…ball weighing
eighty pounds。＇152＇ The more display these henchmen make of their
brutality； the greater they think themselves。 At Belfort； a patriot
of the club dies； and a civic interment takes place； a detachment of
the revolutionary army joins the procession； the men are armed with
axes； on reaching the cemetery； the better to celebrate the funeral；
〃they cut down all the crosses （over the graves） and make a bonfire of
them； while the carmagnole ends this ever memorable day。〃＇153＇ …
Sometimes the scene； theatrical and played by the light of flambeaux；
makes the actors think that they have performed an extraordinary and
meritorious action； 〃that they have saved the country。〃 〃This very
night；〃 writes the agent at Bordeaux；＇154＇ nearly three thousand men
have been engaged in an important undertaking； with the members of the
Revolutionary Committee and of the municipality at the head of it。
They visited every wholesale dealer's store in town and in the
Faubourg des Chartrons； taking possession of their letter…books；
sealing up their desks； arresting the merchants and putting them in
the Seminiare。 。 。 。 Woe to the guilty ！ 〃 … If the prompt
confinement of an entire class of individuals is a fine thing for a
town； the seizure of a whole town itself is still more imposing。
Leaving Marseilles with a small army；＇155＇ commanded by two sans…
culottes； they surround Martigne and enter it as if it were a mill。
The catch is superb； in this town of five thousand souls there are
only seventeen patriots； the rest are Federalists or Moderates。 Hence
a general disarmament and domiciliary visits。 The conquerors depart；
carrying off every able…bodied boy； 〃five hundred lads subject to the
conscription； and leave in the town a company of sans…culottes to
enforce obedience。〃 It is certain that obedience will be maintained
and that the garrison； joined to the seventeen patriots； will do as
they like with their conquest。
In effect； all； both bodies and goods； are at their disposal； and they
consequently begin with the surrounding countryside； entering private
houses to get at their stores； also the farmhouses to have the grain
threshed； in order to verify the declarations of their owners and see
if these are correct： if the grain is not threshed out at once it will
be done summarily and confiscated； while the owner will be sentenced
to twelve months in irons； if the declaration is not correct； he is
condemned as a monopolist and punished with death。 Armed with this
order；＇156＇ each band takes the field and gathers together not only
grain； but supplies of every description。 〃That of Grenoble； the
agent writes；＇157＇ does wonderfully； in one little commune alone； four
hundred measures of wheat； twelve hundred eggs； and six hundred pounds
of butter had been found。 All this was quickly on the way to
Grenoble。〃 In the vicinity of Paris； the forerunners of the throng；
provided 〃with pitchforks and bayonets； rush to the farms； take oxen
out of their stalls； grab sheep and chickens； burn the barns； and sell
their booty to speculators。〃＇158＇ 〃Bacon； eggs； butter and chickens …
the peasants surrender whatever is demanded of them； and thenceforth
have nothing that they can take to market。 They curse the Republic
which has brought war and famine on them； and nevertheless they do
what they are told： on being addressed； 'Citizen peasant； I require of
you on peril of your head；' 。 。 。 it is not possible to
refuse。〃＇159＇ … Accordingly； they are only too glad to be let off so
cheaply。 On Brumaire 19； about seven o'clock in the evening； at
Tigery； near Corbeil； twenty…five men 〃with sabers and pistols in
their belts； most of them in the uniform of the National Guards and
calling themselves the revolutionary army；〃 enter the house of Gibbon；
an old ploughman； seventy…one years of age； while fifty others guard
all egress from it； so that the expedition may not be interfered with。
Turlot； captain； and aid…de…camp to General Henriot； wants to know
where the master of the house is。 … 〃In his bed；〃 is the reply。 …
〃Wake him up。〃 … The old man rises。 … Give up your arms。〃 … His wife
hands over a fowling…piece； the only arm on the premises。 The band
immediately falls on the poor man； 〃strikes him down； ties his hands；
and puts a sack over his head；〃 and the same thing is done to his wife
and to eight male and two female servants。 〃Now； give us the keys of
your closets；〃 they want to be sure that there are no fleur…de…lys or
other illegal articles。 They search the old man's pockets； take his
keys； and； to dispatch business； break into the chests and seize or
carry off all the plate； 〃twenty…six table…dishes； three soup…ladles；
three goblets； two snuff…boxes； forty counters； two watches； another
gold watch and a gold cross。〃 〃We will draw up a procès…verbal of all
this at our leisure in Meaux。 Now； where's your silver？ If you don't
say where it is； the guillotine is outside and I will be your
executioner。〃 The old man yields and merely requests to be untied。
But it is better to keep him bound； 〃so as to make him 'sing。' 〃 They
carry him into the kitchen and 〃put his feet into a heated brazier。〃
He shouts with pain； and indicates another chest which they break open
and then carry off what they find there； 〃seventy…two francs in coin
and five or six thousand livres in assignats； which Gibbon had just
received for the requisitions made on him for corn。〃 Next； they break
open the cellar doors； set a cask of vinegar running； carry wine
upstairs； eat the family meal； get drunk and； at last； clear out；
leaving Gibbon with his feet burnt； and garroted； as well as the other
eleven members of his household； quite certain that there will be no
pursuit。＇160＇ … In the towns； especially in federalist districts；
however； these robberies are complicated with other assaults。 At
Lyons； whilst the regular troops are lodged in barracks； the
revolutionary army is billeted on the householders； two thousand vile；
sanguinary blackguards from Paris； and whom their general； Ronsin
himself； calls 〃scoundrels and brigands；〃 alleging； in excuse for
this； that 〃honest folks cannot be found for such business。〃 How they
treat their host； his wife and his daughters may be imagined；
contemporaries glide over these occurrences and； through decency or
disgust； avoid giving details。＇161＇ Some simply use brutal force；
others get rid of a troublesome husband by the guillotine； in the most
exceptional cases they bring their wenches along with them； while the
housekeeper has to arouse herself at one o'clock at night and light a
fire for the officer who comes in with the jolly company。 … And yet；
there are others still worse； for the worst attract each other。 We
have seen the revolutionary committee at Nantes； also the
representative on mission in the same city； nowhere did the
revolutionary Sabbat rage so furiously； and nowhere was there such a
traffic in human lives。 With such b