the origins of contemporary france-2- 第30部分

October。　　Correspondence　of　Mirabeau　and　M。　de　la　Marck；　I。　116；

126；　364。



＇47＇　Correspondence　of　Mirabeau　and　M。　de　la　Marck；　I。175。　（The

words　of　Monsieur　to　M。　de　la　Marck。）









BOOK　SECOND。　　　THE　CONSTITUENT　ASSEMBLY；　AND　THE　RESULT　OF　ITS

LABORS。



CHAPTER　I。



THE　CONSTITUENT　ASSEMBLY。　…　CONDITIONS　REQUIRED　FOR　THE　FRAMING　OF

GOOD　LAWS。



Among　the　most　difficult　undertakings　in　this　world　is　the

formulation　of　a　national　constitution；　especially　if　this　is　to　be

a　complete　and　comprehensive　work。　　　To　replace　the　old　structures

inside　which　a　great　people　has　lived　by　a　new；　different；

appropriate　and　durable　set　of　laws；　to　apply　a　mold　of　one　hundred

thousand　compartments　on　to　the　life　of　twenty…six　million　people；

to　construct　it　so　harmoniously；　adapt　it　so　well；　so　closely；　with

such　an　exact　appreciation　of　their　needs　and　their　faculties；　that

they　enter　it　of　themselves　and　move　about　it　without　collisions；

and　that　their　spontaneous　activity　should　at　once　find　the　ease　of

familiar　routine；　…　is　an　extraordinary　undertaking　and　probably

beyond　the　powers　of　the　human　mind。　　　In　any　event；　the　mind

requires　all　its　powers　to　carry　the　undertaking　out；　and　it　cannot

protect　itself　carefully　enough　against　all　sources　of　disturbance

and　error。　　　An　Assembly；　especially　a　Constituent　Assembly；

requires；　outwardly；　security　and　independence；　inwardly；　silence

and　order；　and　generally；　calmness；　good　sense；　practical　ability

and　discipline　under　competent　and　recognized　leaders。　　　Do　we　find

anything　of　all　this　in　the　Constituent　Assembly？



　I。





These　conditions　absent　in　the　Assembly　…　Causes　of　disorder　and

irrationality　…　The　place　of　meeting　…　The　large　number　of　deputies

…　Interference　of　the　galleries　…　Rules　of　procedure　wanting；

defective；　or　disregarded。…　The　parliamentary　leaders　…

Susceptibility　and　over…excitement　of　the　Assembly　…　Its　paroxysms

of　enthusiasm。　…　Its　tendency　to　emotion。　　　…It　encourages

theatrical　display　…　Changes　which　these　displays　introduce　in　its

good　intentions。



　We　have　only　to　look　at　it　outwardly　to　have　some　doubts　about　it。

At　Versailles；　and　then　at　Paris；　the　sessions　are　held　in　an

immense　hall　capable　of　seating　2；000　persons；　in　which　the　most

powerful　voice　must　be　strained　in　order　to　be　heard。　　　It　is　not

calculated　for　the　moderate　tone　suitable　for　the　discussion　of

business；　the　speaker　is　obliged　to　shout；　and　the　strain　on　the

voice　communicates　itself　to　the　mind；　the　place　itself　suggests

declamation；　and　this　all　the　more　readily　because　the　assemblage

consists　of　1；200；　that　is　to　say；　a　crowd；　and　almost　a　mob。　　　'At

the　present　day　（1877）；　in　our　assemblies　of　five　or　six　hundred

deputies；　there　are　constant　interruptions　and　an　incessant　buzz；

there　is　nothing　so　rare　as　self…control；　and　the　firm　resolve　to

give　an　hour's　attention　to　a　discourse　opposed　to　the　opinions　of

the　hearers。　　What　can　be　done　here　to　compel　silence　and

patience？　Arthur　Young　on　different　occasions　sees　〃a　hundred

members　on　the　floor　at　once；〃　shouting　and　gesticulating。

〃Gentlemen；　you　are　killing　me！〃　says　Bailly；　one　day；　sinking　with

exhaustion。　Another　president　exclaims　in　despair；　〃Two　hundred

speaking　at　the　same　time　cannot　be　heard；　will　you　make　it

impossible　then　to　restore　order　in　the　Assembly？〃　The　rumbling；

discordant　din　is　further　increased　by　the　uproar　of　the

galleries。＇1＇



　〃In　the　British　Parliament；〃　writes　Mallet　du　Pan；　〃I　saw　the

galleries　cleared　in　a　trice　because　the　Duchess　of　Gordon　happened

unintentionally　to　laugh　too　loud。〃



Here；　the　thronging　crowd　of　spectators；　stringers；　delegates　from

the　Palais…Royal；　soldiers　disguised　as　citizens；　and　prostitutes

collected　and　marshaled；　applaud；　clap　their　hands；　stamp　and　hoot；

at　their　pleasure。　　　This　is　carried　to　so　great　an　extent　that　M。

de　Montlosier　ironically　proposes　〃to　give　the　galleries　a　voice　in

the　deliberations。〃＇2＇　Another　member　wishes　to　know　whether　the

representatives　are　so　many　actors；　whom　the　nation　sends　there　to

endure　the　hisses　of　the　Paris　public。　　Interruptions；　in　fact；　take

place　as　in　a　theater；　and；　frequently；　if　the　members　do　not　give

satisfaction；　they　are　forced　to　desist。　　On　the　other　hand；　the

deputies　who　are　popular　with　this　energetic　audience；　on　which　they

keep　and　eye；　are　actors　before　the　footlights：　they　involuntarily

yield　to　its　influence；　and　exaggerate　their　ideas　as　well　as　their

words　to　be　in　unison　with　it。　　　Tumult　and　violence；　under　such

circumstances；　become　a　matter　of　course；　and　the　chances　of　an

Assembly　acting　wisely　are　diminished　by　one…half；　on　becoming　a

club　of　agitators；　it　ceases　to　be　a　conclave　of　legislators。





Let　us　enter　and　see　how　this　one　proceeds。　　　Thus　encumbered；　thus

surrounded　and　agitated；　does　it　take　at　least　those　precautions

without　which　no　assembly　of　men　can　govern　itself。　　　When　several

hundred　persons　assemble　together　for　deliberation；　it　is　evident

that　some　sort　of　an　internal　police　is　necessary；　first　of　all；

some　code　of　accepted　usage；　some　written　precedents；　by　which　its

acts　may　be　prepared　and　defined；　considered　in　detail；　and　properly

passed。　　　The　best　of　these　codes　it　ready　to　hand：　at　the　request

of　Mirabeau；　Romilly　has　sent　over　the　standing　orders　of　the

English　House　of　Commons。＇3｝　But　with　the　presumption　of　novices；

they　pay　no　attention　to　this　code；　they　imagine　it　is　needless　for

them；　they　will　borrow　nothing　from　foreigners；　they　accord　no

authority　to　experience；　and；　not　content　with　rejecting　the　forms

it　prescribes；　〃it　is　with　difficulty　they　can　be　made　to　follow　any

rule　whatever。〃　They　leave　the　field　open　to　the　impulsiveness　of

individuals；　any　kind　of　influence；　even　that　of　a　deputy；　even　of

one　elected　by　themselves；　is　suspected　by　them；　hence　their　choice

of　a　new　president　every　fortnight。　　…　　They　submit　to　no　constraint

or　control；　neither　to　the　legal　authority　of　a　parliamentary　code；

nor　to　the　moral　authority　of　parliamentary　chiefs。　　　They　are

without　any　such；　they　are　not　organized　in　parties；　neither　on　one

side　nor　on　the　other　is　a　recognized　leader　found　who　fixes　the

time；　arranges　the　debate；　draws　up　the　motion；　assigns　parts；　and

gives　the　rein　to　or　restrains　his　supporters。　　　Mirabeau　is　the

only　one　capable　of　obtaining　this　ascendancy；　but；　on　the　opening

of　the　Assembly；　he　is　discredited　by　the　notoriety　of　his　vices；

and；　towards　the　last；　is　compromised　by　his　connections　with　the

Court。　　　No　other　is　of　sufficient　eminence　to　have　any　influence；

there　is　too　much　of　average　and　too　little　of　superior　talent。　　…

Their　self…esteem　is；　moreover；　as　yet　too　strong　to　allow　any

concessions。　　　Each　of　these　improvised　legislators　has　come

satisfied　with　his　own　system；　and　to　submit　to　a　leader　to　whom　he

would　entrust　his　political　conscience；　to　make　of　him　what　three

out　of　four　of　these　deputies　should　be；　a　voting　machine；　would

require　an　apprehension　of　danger；　some　painful　experience；　an

enforced　surrender　which　he　is　far　from　realizing。＇4＇　　For　this

reason；　save　in　the　violent　party；　each　acts　as　his　own　chief；

according　to　the　impulse　of　the　moment；　and　the　confusion　may　be

imagined。　　　Strangers　who　witness　it；　lift　their　hands　in　pity　and

astonishment。　　　〃They　discuss　nothing　in　their　Assembly；〃　writes

Gouverneur　Morris；＇5＇　　〃One　large　half　of　the　time　is　spent　in

hallowing　and　bawling。。。。　　　Each　Man　permitted　to　speak　delivers　the

Result　of　his　Lubrications；〃　amidst　this　noise；　taking　his　turn　as

inscribed；　without　replying　to　his　predecessor；　or　being　replied　to

by　his　　successor；　without　ever　meeting　argument　by　argument；　so

that　while　the　firing　is　interminable；　〃all　their　shots　are　fired　in

the　air。〃　Before　this　〃frightful　clatter〃　can　be　reported；　the

papers　of　the　day　are　obliged　to　make　all　sorts　of　excisions；　to

prune　away　〃nonsense；〃　and　reduce　the　〃inflated　and　bombastic

style。〃　Chatter　and　clamor；　that　is　the　whole　substance　of　most　of

these　famous　sittings。



　〃You　would　hear；〃　says　a　journalist；　〃more　yells　than　speeches；　the

sittings　seemed　more　likely　to　end　in　fights　than　in　decrees。　。　。　　。

Twenty　times　I　said　to　myself；　on　leaving；　that　if　anything　could

arrest　and　turn　the　tide　of　the　Revolution；　it　would　be　a　picture　of

these　meetings　traced　without　caution　or　adaptation。　。　。　　All　my

efforts　were　therefore　directed　to　represent　the　truth；　without

rendering　it　repulsive。　　　Out　of　what　had　been　merely　a　row；　I

concocted　a　scene。　。　。　　I　gave　all　the　sentiments；　but　not　always　in

the　same　words。　　　I　translated　their　yells　into　words；　their　furious

gestures　into　attitudes；　and　when　I　could　not　inspire　esteem；　I

endeavored　to　rouse　the　emotions。〃



　There　is　no　remedy　for　this　evil；　for；　besides　the　absence　of

discipline；　there　is　an　inward　and　fundamental　cause　for　the

disorder。　　　These　people　are　too　susceptible。　　　They　are　Frenchmen；

and　Frenchmen　of　the　eighteenth　century；　brought　up　in　the　amenities

of　the　utmost　refinement；　accustomed　to　deferential　manners；　to

constant　kind　attentions　and　mutual　obligations；　so　thoroughly

imbued　with　the　instinct　of　good　breeding　that　their　conversation

seems　almost　insipid　to　strangers。＇6＇　　　And　suddenly　they　find

themselves　on　the　thorny　soil　of　politics；　exposed　to　insulting

debates；　flat　contradictions；　venomous　denunciation；　constant

detraction　and　open　invective；　engaged　in　a　battle　in　which　every

species　of　weapon　peculiar　to　a　parliamentary　life　is　employed；　and

in　which　the　hardiest　veterans　are　scarcely　able　to　keep　cool。

Judge　of　the　effect　of　all　this　on　inexperienced；　highly　strung

nerves；　on　men　of　the　world　accustomed　to　the　accommodations　and

amiabilities　of　universal　urbanity。　　　They　are　at　once　beside

themselves。　　…　　And　all　the　more　so　because　they　never