the origins of contemporary france-2-第62部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



National　Guard；　for　never　before　has　such　supreme　authority　and　such

great　dignity　fallen　upon　men　previously　so　submissive　and　so

insignificant。　…　Formerly　the　subordinates　of　an　intendant　or　sub…

delegate；　appointed；　maintained；　and　ill…used　by　him；　kept　aloof

from　transactions　of　any　importance；　unable　to　defend　themselves

except　by　humble　protestations　against　the　aggravation　of　taxation；

concerned　with　precedence　and　the　conflicts　of　etiquette；＇16＇　plain

townspeople　or　peasants　who　never　dreamt　of　interfering　in　military

matters；　henceforth　become　sovereigns　in　all　military　and　civil

affairs。　　This　or　that　mayor　or　syndic　of　a　little　town　or　parish；　a

petty　bourgeois　or　villager　in　a　blouse；　whom　the　intendant　or

military　commander　could　imprison　at　will；　now　orders　a　gentleman；　a

captain　of　dragoons；　to　march　or　stand　still；　and　the　captain　stands

still　or　marches　at　his　command。　　On　the　same　bourgeois　or　villager

depends　the　safety　of　the　neighboring　chateau；　of　the　large　land…

owner　and　his　family；　of　the　prelate；　and　of　all　the　prominent

personages　of　the　district。　　in　order　that　they　may　be　out　of　harm's

way　he　must　protect　them；　they　will　be　pillaged　if；　in　case　of

insurrection；　he　does　not　send　troops　and　the　National　Guard　to

their　assistance。　　It　is　he　who；　lending　or　refusing　public　force　to

the　collection　of　their　rents；　gives　them　or　deprives　them　of　the

means　of　living。　　He　accordingly　rules；　and　on　the　sole　condition　of

ruling　according　to　the　wishes　of　his　equals；　the　vociferous

multitude；　the　restless；　dominant　mob　which　has　elected　him。　…　In

the　towns；　especially；　and　notably　in　the　large　towns；　the　contrast

between　what　he　was　and　what　he　is　immense；　since　to　the　plenitude

of　his　power　is　added　the　extent　of　his　jurisdiction。　　Judge　of　the

effect　on　his　brain　in　cities　like　those　of　Marseilles；　Bordeaux；

Nantes；　Rouen　and　Lyons；　where　he　holds　in　his　hand　the　lives　and

property　of　eighty　or　a　hundred　thousand　men。　　And　the　more　as；　amid

the　municipal　officers　of　the　towns；　three…quarters　of　them；

prosecutors　or　lawyers；　are　imbued　with　the　new　dogmas；　and　are

persuaded　that　in　themselves　alone；　the　directly　elected　of　the

people；　is　vested　all　legitimate　authority。　　Bewildered　by　their

recent　elevation；　distrustful　as　upstarts；　in　revolt　against　all

ancient　or　rival　powers；　they　are　additionally　alarmed　by　their

imagination　and　ignorance；　their　minds　being　vaguely　disturbed　by

the　contrast　between　their　role　in　the　past　and　their　present　role：

anxious　on　their　own　account；　they　find　no　security　but　in　abuse　and

use　of　power。　　The　municipalities；　on　the　strength　of　the　reports

emanating　from　the　coffee…houses；　decide　that　the　ministry　are

traitors。　　With　an　obstinacy　of　conviction　and　a　boldness　of

presumption　alike　extraordinary；　they　believe　that　they　have　the

right　to　act　without　and　against　their　orders；　and　against　the

orders　of　the　National　Assembly　itself；　as　if；　in　the　now

disintegrated　France；　each　municipality　constituted　the　nation。



Thus；　if　the　armed　force　of　the　country　is　now　obedient　to　any　body；

it　is　to　them　and　to　them　alone；　and　not　only　the　National　Guard；

but　also　the　regular　troops　which；　placed　under　the　orders　of

municipalities　by　a　decree　of　the　National　Assembly；＇17＇　will　comply

with　no　other。　　Military　commanders　in　the　provinces；　after

September；　1787；　declare　themselves　powerless；　when　they　and　the

municipality　give　orders；　it　is　only　those　of　the　municipality　which

the　troops　recognize。　　〃However　pressing　may　be　the　necessity　for

moving　the　troops　where　their　presence　is　required；　they　are　stopped

by　the　resistance　of　the　village　committee。〃＇18＇　〃Without　any

reasonable　motive；〃　writes　the　commander　of　the　forces　in　Brittany；

〃Vannes　and　Auray　made　opposition　to　the　detachment　which　I　thought

it　prudent　to　send　to　Belle…Ile；　to　replace　another　one　。　　。　　。　　The

Government　cannot　move　without　encountering　obstacles。　　。　　。　　。　　The

Minister　of　War　no　longer　has　the　direction　of　the　army。　　。　　。　　。

No　orders　are　executed。　　。　　。　　Every　one　wants　to　command；　and　no

one　to　obey。　　。　　。　　How　could　the　King；　the　Government；　or　the

Minister　of　War　send　troops　where　they　are　wanted　if　the　towns

believe　that　they　have　the　right　to　countermand　the　orders　given　to

the　regiments　and　change　their　destination？　〃…And　it　is　still　worse；

for；　〃on　the　false　supposition　of　brigands　and　conspiracies　which　do

not　exist；＇19＇　the　towns　and　villages　make　demands　on　me　for　arms

and　even　cannon。　　。　　。　　The　whole　of　Brittany　will　soon　be　in　a

frightful　　belligerent　state　on　this　account；　for；　having　no　real

enemies；　they　will　turn　their　arms　against　each　other。〃　　…　This　is

of　no　consequence。　　The　panic　is　an　〃epidemic。〃　People　are

determined　to　believe　in　〃brigands　and　enemies。〃　At　Nantes；　the

assertion　is　constantly　repeated　that　the　Spaniards　are　going　to

land；　that　the　French　regiments　are　going　to　make　an　attack；　that　an

army　of　brigands　is　approaching；　that　the　castle　is　threatened；　that

it　is　threatening；　and　that　it　contains　too　many　engines　of　war。

The　commandant　of　the　province　writes　in　vain　to　the　mayor　to

reassure　him；　and　to　explain　to　him　that　〃the　municipality；　being

master　of　the　chateau；　is　likewise　master　of　its　magazine。　　Why　then

should　it　entertain　fear　about　that　which　is　in　its　own　possession？

Why　should　any　surprise　be　manifested　at　an　arsenal　containing　arms

and　gunpowder？　〃　…　Nothing　is　of　any　effect。　　The　chateau　is

invaded；　two　hundred　workmen　set　to　work　to　demolish　the

fortifications；　they　listen　only　to　their　fears；　and　cannot　exercise

too　great　precaution。　　However　inoffensive　the　citadels　may　be；　they

are　held　to　be　dangerous；　however　accommodating　the　commanders　may

be；　they　are　regarded　with　suspicion。　　The　people　chafe　against　the

bridle；　relaxed　and　slack　as　it　is。　　It　is　broken　and　cast　aside；

that　it　may　not　be　used　again　when　occasion　requires。　　Each

municipal　body；　each　company　of　the　National　Guard；　wants　to　reign

on　its　own　plot　of　ground　out　of　the　way　of　any　foreign　control；　and

this　is　what　is　called　liberty。　　Its　adversary；　therefore；　is　the

central　power。　　This　must　be　disarmed　for　fear　that　it　may

interpose。　　On　all　sides；　with　a　sure　and　persistent　instinct；

through　the　capture　of　fortresses；　the　pillage　of　arsenals；　the

seduction　of　the　soldiery；　and　the　expulsion　of　generals；　the

municipality　ensures　its　omnipotence　by　guaranteeing　itself

beforehand　against　all　repression。



At　Brest　the　municipal　authorities　insist　that　a　naval　officer　shall

be　surrendered　to　the　people；　and　on　the　refusal　of　the　King's

lieutenant　to　give　him　up；　the　permanent　committee　orders　the

National　Guard　to　load　its　guns。＇20＇　　At　Nantes　the　municipal　body

refuses　to　recognize　M。　　d'Hervilly；　sent　to　take　command　of　a　camp；

and　the　towns　of　the　province　write　to　declare　that　they　will　suffer

no　other　than　the　federated　troops　on　their　territory。　　At　Lille　the

permanent　committee　insists　that　the　military　authorities　shall

place　the　keys　of　the　town　in　its　keeping　every　evening；　and；　a　few

months　after　this；　the　National　Guard；　joined　by　mutinous　soldiers；

seize　the　citadel　and　the　person　of　Livarot；　its　commander。　　At

Toulon　the　commander　of　the　arsenal；　M。　　de　Rioms；　and　several　naval

officers；　are　put　in　the　dungeon。　　At　Montpellier　the　citadel　is

surprised；　and　the　club　writes　to　the　National　Assembly　to　demand

its　demolition。　　At　Valence；　the　commandant；　M。　　de　Voisin；　on

taking　measures　of　defense；　is　massacred；　and　henceforth　the

municipality　issues　all　orders　to　the　garrison。　　At　Bastia；　Colonel

de　Rully　falls　under　a　shower　of　bullets；　and　the　National　Guard

takes　possession　of　the　citadel　and　the　powder　magazine。　　These　are

not　passing　outbursts：　at　the　end　of　two　years　the　same

insubordinate　spirit　is　apparent　everywhere。＇21＇　　In　vain　do　the

commissioners　of　the　National　Assembly　seek　to　transfer　the　Nassau

regiment　from　Metz。　　Sedan　refuses　to　receive　it；　while　Thionville

declares　that；　if　it　comes；　she　will　blow　up　the　bridges；　and

Sarrebuis　threatens；　if　it　approaches；　that　it　will　open　fire　on　it。

At　Caen　neither　the　municipality　nor　the　directory　dares　enforce　the

law　which　assigns　the　castle　to　the　troops　of　the　line；　the　National

Guard　refuses　to　leave　it；　and　forbids　the　director　of　the　artillery

to　inspect　the　munitions。　…　In　this　state　of　things　a　Government

subsists　in　name　but　not　in　fact；　for　it　no　longer　possesses　the

means　of　enforcing　obedience。　　Each　commune　arrogates　to　itself　the

right　of　suspending　or　preventing　the　execution　of　the　simplest　and

most　urgent　orders。　　Arnay…le…Duc；　in　spite　of　passports　and　legal

injunctions；　persists　in　retaining　Mesdames；　Arcis…sur…Aube　retains

Necker；　and　Montigny　is　about　to　retain　M。　　Caillard；　Ambassador　of

France。＇22＇　　…　　In　the　month　of　June；　1791；　a　convoy　of　eighty

thousand　crowns　of　six　livres　sets　out　from　Paris　for　Switzerland；

this　is　a　repayment　by　the　French　Government　to　that　of　Soleure；　the

date　of　payment　is　fixed；　the　itinerary　marked　out；　all　the

necessary　documents　are　provided；　it　is　important　that　it　should

arrive　on　the　day　when　the　bill　falls　due。　　But　they　have　counted

without　the　municipalities　and　the　National　Guards。　　Arrested　at

Bar…sur…Aube；　it　is　only　at　the　end　of　a　month；　and　on　a　decree　of

the　National　Assembly；　that　the　convoy　can　resume。　　its　march。　　At

Belfort　it　is　seized　again；　and　it　still　remains　there　in　the　month

of　November。　　In　vain　has　the　directory　of　the　Bas…Rhin　ordered　its

release；　the　Belfort　municipality　paid　no　attention　to　the　order。

In　vain　the　same　directory　dispatches　a　commissioner；　who　is　near

being　cut　to　pieces。　　The　personal　interference　of　General　Luckner；

with　the　strong　arm；　is　necessary；　before　the　convoy　can　pass　the

frontier；　after　five　months　of　delay。＇23＇　In　the　month　of　July　1791；

a　French　vessel　on　the　way　from　Rouen