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revolutionary Sabbat rage so furiously； and nowhere was there such a
traffic in human lives。 With such band…leaders as Carrier and his
tools on the Committee； one may be sure that the instrumentalists will
be worthy。
Accordingly； several members of the Committee themselves oversee
executions and lend a hand in the massacres。 … One of these； Goullin；
a creole from St。 Domingo； sensual and nervous； accustomed to
treating a Negro as an animal and a Frenchman as a white Negro； a
Septembriseur on principle； chief instigator and director of the
〃drownings；〃 goes in person to empty the prison of Bouffay； and；
verifying that death； the hospital or releases； had removed the
imprisoned for him； adds； of his own authority； fifteen names； taken
haphazard； to reach his figures。 … Joly； a commissioner on the
Committee； very expert in the art of garroting； ties the hands of
prisoners together two and two and conducts them to the river。＇162＇ …
Grand…maison； another member of the Committee； a former dancing…
master； convicted of two murders and pardoned before the Revolution；
strikes down with his saber the imploring hands stretched out to him
over the planks of the lighter。＇163＇ … Pinard； another Committee…
commissioner； ransoms； steals off into the country and himself kills；
through preference； women and children。＇164＇ Naturally； the three
bands which operate along with them； or under their orders； comprise
only men of their species。 In the first one； called the Marat
company； each of the sixty members swears； on joining it； to adopt
Marat's principles and carry out Marat's doctrine。 Goullin；＇165＇ one
of the founders； demands in relation to each member； 〃Isn't there some
one still more rascally？ For we must have that sort to bring the
aristocrats to reason！〃＇166＇ After Frimaire 5 〃the Maratists〃 boast
of their arms being 〃tired out〃 with striking prisoners with the flat
of their sabers to make them march to the Loire；＇167＇ and we see that；
notwithstanding this fatigue； the business suited them； as their
officers tried to influence Carrier to be detailed on the 〃drowning〃
service and because it was lucrative。 The men and women sentenced to
death； were first stripped of their clothes down to the shirt； and
even the shift； it would be a pity to let valuable objects go to the
bottom with their owners； and therefore the drowners divide these
amongst themselves； a wardrobe in the house of the adjutant Richard is
found full of jewelry and watches。＇168＇ This company of sixty must
have made handsome profits out of the four or five thousand drowned。…
The second band； called 〃the American Hussars；〃 and who operated in
the outskirts； was composed of blacks and mulattos； numerous enough in
this town of privateers。 It is their business to shoot women； whom
they first violate； 〃they are our slaves；〃 they say； 〃we have won them
by the sweat of our brows。〃 〃Those who have the misfortune to be
spared； become in their hands mad in a couple of days； in any event
they are re…arrested shortly afterwards and shot。 … The last band；
which is styled 〃The German Legion；〃 is formed out of German deserters
and mercenaries speaking little or no French。 They are employed by
the Military Commission to dispatch the Vendeans picked up along the
highways； and who are usually shot in groups of twenty five。 〃I
came；〃 says an eye…witness；＇169＇ 〃to a sort of gorge where there was a
semi…circular quarry； there； I noticed the corpses of seventy…five
women naked and lying on their backs。〃 The victims of that day
consisted of girls from sixteen to eighteen years of age。 One of them
says to her conductor； 〃I am sure you are taking us to die；〃 and the
German replies in his broken jargon； probably with a coarse laugh；〃
No； it is for a change of air。 They are placed in a row in front of
the bodies of the previous day and shot。 Those who do not fall； see
the guns reloaded； these are again shot and the wounded dispatched
with the butt ends of the muskets。 Some of the Germans then rifle the
bodies； while others strip them and 〃place them on their backs。〃 … To
find workmen for this task； it is necessary to descend； not only to
the lowest wretches in France but； again； to the brutes of a foreign
race and tongue； and yet lower still； to an inferior race degraded by
slavery and perverted by license。
Such； from the top to the bottom of the ladder； at every stage of
authority and obedience； is the ruling staff of the revolutionary
government。＇170＇ Through its recruits and its work； through its morals
and modes of proceeding； it evokes the almost forgotten image of its
predecessors； for there is an image of it in the period from the
fourteenth to the seventeenth century。 At that time also； society was
frequently overcome and ravaged by barbarians； dangerous nomads；
malevolent outcasts； bandits turned into soldiers suddenly pounced
down on an industrious and peaceful population。 Such was the case in
France with the 〃Routiers〃 and the 〃Tard…venus；〃 at Rome with the army
of the Constable of Bourbon； in Flanders with the bands of the Duke of
Alba and the Duke of Parma； in Westphalia and in Alsace； with
Wallenstein's veterans； and those of Bernard of Saxe…Weimar。 They
lived upon a town or province for six months； fifteen months； two
years； until the town or province was exhausted。 They alone were
armed； master of the inhabitants； using and abusing things and persons
according to their caprices。 But they were declared bandits； calling
themselves scorchers； （ecorcheurs） riders and adventurers； and not
pretending to be humanitarian philosophers。 Moreover； beyond an
immediate and personal enjoyment； they demanded nothing； they employed
brutal force only to satiate their greed； their cruelty； their lust。
… The latter add to private appetites a far greater devastation； the
systematic and gratuitous ravages enforced upon them by the
superficial theory with which they are imbued。
________________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ 〃The Revolution；〃 II。； pp。 298…304； and p。 351。
＇2＇ 〃The Revolution；〃 II。； pp。298…304； and p。 351。 Should the
foregoing testimony be deemed insufficient； the following； by those
foreigners who had good opportunities for judging； may be added：
（Gouverneur Morris； letter of December 3； 1794。） 〃The French are
plunged into an abyss of poverty and slavery； a slavery all the more
degrading because the men who have plunged them into it merit the
utmost contempt。〃… Meissner； 〃Voyage à Paris；〃 （at the end of 1795；）
p。 160。 〃The （revolutionary） army and the revolutionary committees
were really associations organized by crime for committing every
species of injustice； murder； rapine； and brigandage with impunity。
The government had deprived all men of any talent or integrity of
their places and given these to its creatures； that is to say； to the
dregs of humanity。〃 … Baron Brinckmann； Chargé d'Affaires from Sweden。
（Letter of July 11； 1799。） 〃I do not believe that the different
classes of society in France are more corrupt than elsewhere； but I
trust that no people may ever be ruled by as imbecile and cruel
scoundrels as those that have ruled France since the advent of its new
state of freedom。 。 。 The dregs of the people； stimulated from
above by sudden and violent excitement； have everywhere brought to the
surface the scum of immorality。〃
＇3＇ Fleury； 〃Babeuf；〃 139； 150。 … Granier de Cassagnac； 〃Histoire du
Directoire；〃 II。； 24…170。 … （Trial of Babeuf； passim。） The above
quotations are from documents seized in Babeuf's house； also from
affidavits made by witnesses； and especially by captain Grizel。
＇4＇ Moniteur； session of September 5； 1793。 〃Since our virtue； our
moderation； our philosophic ideas； are of no use to us； let us be
brigands for the good of the people； let us be brigands！〃
＇5＇ Babeuf； 〃Le Tribun du Peuple；〃 No。40。 Apologia for the men of
September； 〃who have only been the priests； the sacrificers of a just
immolation for public security。 If anything is to be regretted it is
that a larger and more general Second of September did not sweep away
all starvers and all despoilers。〃
＇6＇ Granier de Cassagnac； II。； 90。 （Deposition of Grisel。） Rossignol
said； 〃That snuff…box is all I have left； here it is so that I may
exist。〃 … 〃Massard owned a pair of boots which he could not collect
because he had no money with which to pay the shoemaker。〃
＇7＇ Archives Nationales； Cf。 31167。 （Report of Robin； Niv？se 9。）：
〃The women always had a deliberative voice in the popular assemblies
of the Pantheon section；〃 and in all the other clubs they attended the
meetings。
＇8＇ Moniteur； XIX。； 103。 （Meeting of the Jacobin club； Dec。 28；
1793。） Dubois…Crancé introduces the following question to each member
who is subjected to the weeding…out vote： 〃What have you done that
would get you hung in case