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the origins of contemporary france-3-第96部分

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satisfy the thirst of their yelpers; but again; at the end of March;

just at the moment when it happens to escape the first Jacobin

invasion; it provides for the election by each section of a Committee

of Supervision; authorized to make domiciliary visits and to disarm

the suspected;'74' it allows this committee to make arrests and

inflict special taxes; to facilitate its operations it orders a list

of the inmates of each house; legibly 〃stating names; surnames; ages

and professions;〃 to be affixed to the entrance;'75' a copy of which

must be left with the committee; and which is subject to its control。



To end the matter; it submits itself; and; 〃regardless of the

inviolability of a representative of the French nation;〃'76' it

decides that; in case of political denunciation; its own members may

be brought to trial。







V。    Jacobin violence against the people。



Committees of Supervision after March 28; 1793。 … The régime of August

and September; 1792; revived。 … Disarmament。 … Certificates of civism。

… Forced enlistment。 … Forced loans。 … Use made of the sums raised。 …

Vain resistance of the population。 … Manifestations by young men

repressed。 … Violence and victory of the Jacobins in the assemblies of

the sections。



〃I seem to hear you;〃 writes a sarcastic observer;'77' 〃addressing the

(Jacobin) faction in these terms:



 'Now; look here; we have the means; but we are not disposed to make

use of them against you; it would be unfair to attack you unarmed。

Public power emanates from two sources; legal authority and armed

force。 Now we will at once create committees of supervision; of which

you shall appoint the heads; for the reason that; with a whip of this

kind; you can lash every honest man in Paris; and thus regulate public

opinion。  We will do more than this; because our sacrifice is not yet

complete; we are disposed to make you a present of our armed force;

with authority to disarm anybody that you may suspect。 As far as we

are concerned; we are ready to surrender even our pocketknives;'78'

and remain apart; content with our virtues and talents。  But mind

what you are about。 Should you be so ungrateful as to attack our

sacred persons; we shall find avengers in the departments。'



 'What good will the departments do you; let loose against each other;

after you are out of the way?' 〃 (was the imaginary Jacobin reply!)



No summary could be more exact nor any prediction more accurately

based。  Henceforth; and by virtue of the Convention's own decrees; not

only have the Jacobins the whole of the executive power in their

hands; as this is found in civilized countries; but likewise the

discretionary power of the antique tyrant or modern pasha; that

arbitrary; strong arm which; singling out the individual; falls upon

him and takes from him his arms; his freedom; and his money。 After the

28th of March; we see in Paris a resumption of the system which;

instituted by the 10th of August; was completed by the 2nd  of

September。  In the morning; drums beat to arms; at noon; the barriers

are shut; the bridges and passages guarded; and sentinels stand on the

corners of the streets; no one is allowed 〃to pass outside the limits

of his section;〃 or circulate within them without showing his

certificate of civism; houses are invested; numbers of persons are

arrested;'79' and; during the succeeding months; this operation is

carried on under the sway of the Committee of Supervision。 Now; this

Committee; in almost all the sections; 〃is made up of sans…culottes;〃

not fathers of families; men of judgment and experience; people living

a long time in the quarter; but 〃strangers; or young men trying to be

something;〃'80' ambitious underlings; ignorant daredevils; despotic

intruders; fierce; touchy and inexperienced inquisitors〃。



The first thing is the disarmament of the suspected。  〃It is enough

that any citizen shall be denounced; and that the case is made known

to the Committee〃;'81' or that his certificate of civism is less than

one month old;'82' to make a delegate; accompanied by ten armed men;

search his house。  In the section of the Réunion alone; on the first

day; 57 denounced persons are thus disarmed for 〃acts of incivism or

expressions adverse to the Republic;〃 not merely lawyers; notaries;

architects; and other prominent men; but petty tradesmen and shop…

keepers; hatters; dyers; locksmiths; mechanics; gilders; and bar…

keepers。  One section; in defiance of the law; adds to these in block

the signers of the petition of the eight thousand and that of the

twenty thousand。 〃Through such schemes;〃 says an observer;'83' 〃all

the guns in Paris; numbering more than a hundred thousand; pass into

the hands of the faction。  None remain for its adversaries; even in

the gunshops; for; through an ordinance of the Commune; no one may

purchase a gun without a certificate issued by the Committee of

Supervision of the section。'84'  On the other hand; owing to the

power of granting or refusing certificates of civism; each Committee;

on its own authority; interposes barriers as it pleases in all

directions; public or private; to every inhabitant within its bounds。

It is impossible for any person who has not obtained his

certificate'85' to have a passport for traveling; although a

tradesman; no public employee; no clerk of the administration;

advocate or notary can keep his place without it; no one can go out of

Paris or return late at night。  If one goes out to take a walk; there

is danger of being arrested and brought back between two soldiers to

the committee of the section; if one stays at home; it is with the

chance of being inspected as a harbourer of priests or nobles。 Any

Parisian opening his windows in the morning may find his house

surrounded by a company of carmagnoles; if he has not the

indispensable certificate in his pocket。'86'  In the eyes of a Jacobin

committee; there is no civism but in Jacobinism; and we can imagine

whether this patent would be willingly conferred on opponents; or even

on the lukewarm; what examinations they would have to undergo; what

questions they would be obliged to answer; how many goings and

comings; solicitations; appearances and waitings would be imposed on

them; with what persistency it would excite delay; and with what

satisfaction it would be refused。 Buzot presented himself four times

at the Committee of Quatre…Nations to obtain a certificate for his

domestic; and failed to get it。'87'  There is another still more

effective expedient for keeping the ill…disposed in check The

committee of each section; aided by a member of the Commune;'88'

designates the twelve thousand men drafted for the expedition into La

Vendée; and picks them by name; one by one; as it may select them; the

effect of this is to purge Paris of twelve thousand anti…Jacobins; and

tranquilize the section assemblies; where opposition is often

objectionable。  To this end the committee selects first; and gives the

preference to; the clerks of lawyers and notaries; those of banking…

houses; the administration; and of merchants; the unmarried in all

offices and counting…rooms; in short; all the Parisian middle class

bachelors; of which there are more than twenty…five thousand。'89' The

ordinance stipulates that one out of two should be taken; undoubtedly

those with the poorest reputation with the Committee; this proceeding

will silence the others and prevent them from speaking up in their

sections。'90'



While one hand clutches the collar; the other rummages the pocket。 The

Committee of Supervision of each section; always aided by a member of

the Commune;'91' designates all persons in easy circumstances;

estimates their incomes as it pleases; or according to common report;

and sends them an order to pay a particular sum in proportion to their

surplus; and according to a progressive tax。 The allowance which is

exempt for the head of a family is 1;500 francs per annum; besides

1;000 francs for his wife and 1;000 francs for each child; if the

excess is over 15;000 or 20;000 francs; they assess it 5;000 francs;

if more than 40;000 or 50;000 francs; they assess it 20;000; in no

case may the surplus retained exceed 30;000 francs; all above this

amount goes to the State。 The first third of this sudden contribution

to the public funds is required in forty…eight hours; the second in a

fortnight; and the remaining third in a month; under serious

penalties。  If the tax happens to be exaggerated; if an income is

uncertain or imaginary; if receipts are yet to come in; if there is no

ready money; if; like Franc?ur; the opera manager; a man 〃has nothing

but debts;〃 so much the worse。  〃In case of refusal;〃 writes the

section of Bon…Conseil; 〃his personal and real property shall be sold

by the revolutionary committee; and his person declared

suspected。〃'92'  Even this is simply an installment on account:



〃There is no desire on the part of the Committee at the present moment

to demand more than a portion of your surplus;〃 that which rest will

be taken later。 Desfieux; the bankrupt;'93' has already; in the

tribune of the Jacobin club; estimated the fortunes of one hundred of

the wealthiest notaries and financiers in Paris at 640;000;000 francs;

the municipality sent a list of their names to the sections to have it

completed; if only one…tenth was taken from them; it would amount to

64;000;000; which 〃big sponges;〃 thoroughly squeezed; would disgorge a

much larger amount。



〃The richest of Frenchmen;〃 says Robespierre; 〃should not have more

than 3;000 francs a year。〃'94'



The contributions of 〃these gentlemen〃 suffice to arm the sans…

culottes; 〃remunerate artisans for their attendance in the section

meetings; and support laborers without work。〃'95'  Already through the

sovereign virtue of summary requisitions; everything is spoil;

carriage…horses are seized in their stables; while vehicles belonging
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