the origins of contemporary france-2- 第4部分

merchants；　who　have　built　labor…saving　mills。〃　Restrained　by　the

soldiers；　they　confine　themselves　to　breaking　windows；　but　other

〃groups　come　to　destroy　or　plunder　the　houses　of　two　or　three

persons　whom　they　suspect　of　being　monopolists。〃　At　Nantes；　a　sieur

Geslin；　being　deputized　by　the　people　to　inspect　a　house；　and

finding　no　wheat；　a　shout　is　set　up　that　he　is　a　receiver；　an

accomplice！　The　crowd　rush　at　him；　and　he　is　wounded　and　almost　cut

in　pieces。　　　It　is　very　evident　that　there　is　no　more　security　in

France；　property；　even　life；　is　in　danger。　　The　primary　possession；

food；　is　violated　in　hundreds　of　places；　and　is　everywhere　menaced

and　precarious。　　The　local　officials　everywhere　call　for　aid；

declare　the　constabulary　incompetent；　and　demand　regular　troops。

And　mark　how　public　authority；　everywhere　inadequate；　disorganized；

and　tottering；　finds　stirred　up　against　it　not　only　the　blind

madness　of　hunger；　but；　in　addition；　the　evil　instincts　which　profit

by　every　disorder　and　the　inveterate　lusts　which　every　political

commotion　frees　from　restraint。





IV。



Intervention　of　ruffians　and　vagabonds。



We　have　seen　how　numerous　the　smugglers；　dealers　in　contraband　salt；

poachers；　vagabonds；　beggars；　and　escaped　convicts＇22＇　have　become；

and　how　a　year　of　famine　increases　the　number。　　All　are　so　many

recruits　for　the　mobs；　and　whether　in　a　disturbance　or　by　means　of　a

disturbance　each　one　of　them　fills　his　pouch。　　Around　Caux；＇23＇　even

up　to　the　environs　of　Rouen；　at　Roncherolles；　Quévrevilly；　Préaux；

Saint…Jacques；　and　in　the　entire　surrounding　neighborhood　bands　of

armed　bandits　force　their　way　into　the　houses；　particularly　the

parsonages；　and　lay　their　hands　on　whatever　they　please。　　To　the

south　of　Chartres　〃three　or　four　hundred　woodcutters；　from　the

forests　of　Bellème；　chop　away　everything　that　opposes　them；　and

force　grain　to　be　given　up　to　them　at　their　own　price。〃　In　the

vicinity　of　étampes；　fifteen　bandits　enter　the　farmhouses　at　night

and　put　the　farmer　to　ransom；　threatening　him　with　a　conflagration。

In　Cambrésis　they　pillage　the　abbeys　of　Vauchelles；　of　Verger；　and

of　Guillemans；　the　chateau　of　the　Marquis　de　Besselard；　the　estate

of　M。　Doisy；　two　farms；　the　wagons　of　wheat　passing　along　the　road

to　Saint…Quentin；　and；　besides　this；　seven　farms　in　Picardy。　　〃The

seat　of　this　revolt　is　in　some　villages　bordering　on　Picardy　and

Cambrésis；　familiar　with　smuggling　operations　and　to　the　license　of

that　pursuit。〃　The　peasants　allow　themselves　to　be　enticed　away　by

the　bandits。　　Man　slips　rapidly　down　the　incline　of　dishonesty；　one

who　is　half…honest；　and　takes　part　in　a　riot　inadvertently　or　in

spite　of　himself；　repeats　the　act；　allured　on　by　impunity　or　by

gain。　　In　fact；　〃it　is　not　dire　necessity　which　impels　them；〃　they

make　a　speculation　of　cupidity；　a　new　sort　of　illicit　trade。　　An　old

soldier；　saber　in　hand；　a　forest…keeper；　and　〃about　eight　persons

sufficiently　lax；　put　themselves　at　the　head　of　four　or　five　hundred

men；　go　off　each　day　to　three　or　four　villages。　　Here　they　force

everybody　who　has　any　wheat　to　give　it　to　them　at　24　livres；〃　and

even　at　18　livres；　the　sack。　　Those　among　the　band；　who　say　that

they　have　no　money；　carry　away　their　portion　without　payment。

Others；　after　having　paid　what　they　please；　re…sell　at　a　profit；

which　amounts　to　even　45　livres　the　sack。　　This　is　a　good　business；

and　one　in　which　greed　takes　poverty　for　its　accomplice。　　At　the

next　harvest　the　temptation　will　be　similar：　〃they　have　threatened

to　come　and　do　our　harvesting　for　us；　and　also　to　take　our　cattle

and　sell　the　meat　in　the　villages　at　the　rate　of　two　sous　the

pound。〃　　In　every　important　insurrection　there　are　similar　evil…

does　and　vagabonds；　enemies　to　the　law；　savage；　prowling

desperadoes；　who；　like　wolves；　roam　about　wherever　they　scent　a

prey。　　It　is　they　who　serve　as　the　directors　and　executioners　of

public　or　private　malice。　　Near　Uzès　twenty…five　masked　men；　with

guns　and　clubs；　enter　the　house　of　a　notary；　fire　a　pistol　at　him；

beat　him；　wreck　the　premises；　and　burn　his　registers　along　with　the

title…deeds　and　papers　which　be　has　in　keeping　for　the　Count　de

Rouvres。　　Seven　of　them　are　arrested；　but　the　people　are　on　their

side；　and　fall　on　the　constabulary　and　free　them。＇24＇　　　They　are

known　by　their　acts；　by　their　love　of　destruction　for　the　sake　of

destruction；　by　their　foreign　accent；　by　their　savage　faces　and

their　rags。　　Some　of　them　come　from　Paris　to　Rouen；　and；　for　four

days；　the　town　is　at　their　mercy。＇25＇　　The　stores　are　forced　open；

train　wagons　are　discharged；　wheat　is　wasted；　and　convents　and

seminaries　are　put　to　ransom。　　They　invade　the　dwelling　of　the

attorney…general；　who　has　begun　proceedings　against　them；　and　want

to　tear　him　to　pieces。　　They　break　his　mirrors　and　his　furniture；

leave　the　premises　laden　with　booty；　and　go　into　the　town　and　its

outskirts　to　pillage　the　manufactories　and　break　up　or　burn　all　the

machinery。　　　Henceforth　these　constitute　the　new　leaders：　for　in

every　mob　it　is　the　boldest　and　least　scrupulous　who　march　ahead　and

set　the　example　in　destruction。　　The　example　is　contagious：　the

beginning　was　the　craving　for　bread；　the　end　is　murder　and　arson；

the　savagery　which　is　unchained　adding　its　unlimited　violence　to　the

limited　revolt　of　necessity。





V。



Effect　on　the　Population　of　the　New　Ideas。



Bad　as　it　is；　this　savagery　might；　perhaps；　have　been　overcome；　in

spite　of　the　dearth　and　of　the　brigands；　but　what　renders　it

irresistible　is　the　belief　of　its　being　authorized；　and　that　by

those　whose　duty　it　is　to　repress　it。　　Here　and　there　words　and

actions　of　a　brutal　frankness　break　forth；　and　reveal　beyond　the

somber　present　a　more　threatening　future　　After　the　9th　of

January；　1789；　among　the　mob　which　attacks　the　H？tel…de…Ville　and

besieges　the　bakers'　shops　of　Nantes；　〃shouts　of　Vive　la

Liberté！＇26＇　。mingled　with　those　of　Vive　le　Roi！　are　heard。〃　A　few

months　later；　around　Plo？rmel；　the　peasants　refuse　to　pay　tithes；

alleging　that　the　memorial　of　their　seneschal's　court　demands　their

abolition。　　In　Alsace；　after　March；　there　is　the　same　refusal　〃in

many　places；〃　many　of　the　communities　even　maintain　that　they　will

pay　no　more　taxes　until　their　deputies　to　the　States…General　shall

have　fixed　the　precise　amount　of　the　public　contributions。　　In　Isère

it　is　decided；　by　proceedings；　printed　and　published；　that　〃personal

dues〃　shall　no　longer　be　paid；　while　the　landowners　who　are　affected

by　this　dare　not　prosecute　in　the　tribunals。　　At　Lyons；　the　people

have　come　to　the　conclusion　〃that　all　levies　of　taxes　are　to　cease；〃

and；　on　the　29th　of　June；　on　hearing　of　the　meeting　of　the　three

orders；　〃astonished　by　the　illuminations　and　signs　of　public

rejoicing；〃　they　believe　that　the　good　time　has　come。〃　They　think　of

forcing　the　delivery　of　meat　to　them　at　four　sous　the　pound；　and

wine　at　the　same　rate。　　The　publicans　insinuate　to　them　the

prospective　abolition　of　octrois。＇27＇　　and　that；　meanwhile；　the

King；　in　favor　of　the　re…assembling　of　the　three　orders；　has　granted

three　days'　freedom　from　all　duties　at　Paris；　and　that　Lyons　ought

to　enjoy　the　same　privilege。〃　Upon　this　the　crowd；　rushing　off　to

the　barriers；　to　the　gates　of　Sainte…Claire　and　Perrache；　and　to　the

Guillotière　bridge；　burn　or　demolish　the　bureaux；　destroy　the

registers；　sack　the　lodgings　of　the　clerks；　carry　off　the　money　and

pillage　the　wine　on　hand　in　the　depot。　　　In　the　mean　time　a　rumor

has　circulated　all　round　through　the　country　that　there　is　free

entrance　into　the　town　for　all　provisions。　　During　the　following

days　the　peasantry　stream　in　with　enormous　files　of　wagons　loaded

with　wine　and　drawn　by　several　oxen；　so　that；　in　spite　of　the　re…

established　guard；　it　is　necessary　to　let　them　enter　all　day　without

paying　the　dues。　　It　is　only　on　the　7th　of　July　that　these　can　again

be　collected。　　　The　same　thing　occurs　in　the　southern　provinces；

where　the　principal　imposts　are　levied　on　provisions。　　There　also

the　collections　are　suspended　in　the　name　of　public　authority。　　At

Agde；＇28＇　〃the　people；　considering　the　so…called　will　of　the　King　as

to　equality　of　classes；　are　foolish　enough　to　think　that　they　are

everything　and　can　do　everything。〃　Thus　do　they　interpret　in　their

own　way　and　in　their　own　terms　the　double　representation　accorded　to

the　Third…Estate。　　They　threaten　the　town；　consequently；　with

general　pillage　if　the　prices　of　all　provisions　are　not　reduced；　and

if　the　duties　of　the　province　on　wine；　fish；　and　meat　are　not

suppressed。　　They　also　wish　to　nominate　consuls　who　have　sprung　up

out　of　their　body。〃　The　bishop；　the　lord　of　the　manor；　the　mayor　and

the　notables；　against　whom　they　forcibly　stir　up　the　peasantry　in

the　country；　are　obliged　to　proclaim　by　sound　of　trumpet　that　their

demands　shall　be　granted。　　Three　days　afterwards　they　exact　a

diminution　of　one…half　of　the　tax　on　grinding；　and　go　in　quest　of

the　bishop　who　owns　the　mills。　　The　prelate；　who　is　ill；　sinks　down

in　the　street　and　seats　himself　on　a　stone；　they　compel　him

forthwith　to　sign　an　act　of　renunciation；　and　hence　〃his　mill；

valued　at　15；000　livres；　is　reduced　to　7；500　livres。〃　　At　Limoux；

under　the　pretext　of　searching　for　grain；　they　enter　the　houses　of

the　comptroller　and　tax　contractors；　carry　off　their　registers；　and

throw　them　into　the　water　along　with　the　furniture　of　their　clerks。

　In　Provence　it　is　worse；　for　most　unjustly；　and　through

inconceivable　imprudence；　the　taxes　of　the　towns　are　all　levied　on

flour。　　It　is　therefore　to　this　impost　that　the　dearness　of　bread　is

directly　attributed。　　Hence　the　fiscal　agent　becomes　a　manifest

enemy；　and　revolts　on　account　of　hunger　are　transformed　into

insurrections　against　the　State。



　VI。



The　first　jacquerie　in　Province。　　…　Feebleness　or　ineffectiveness　of

repressive　measures。



Here；　again