the origins of contemporary france-2-第70部分

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disturbances　arising　from　the　uncertainty　of　basic　food　supplies

begin　again；　to　cease　no　more。　　We　will　consider　but　one　group　in

this　universal　state　of　disorder　　…　　　that　of　the　eight　or　ten

departments　which　surround　Paris　and　furnish　it　with　supplies。

These　districts；　Brie　and　Beauce；　are　rich　wheat　regions；　and　not

only　was　the　crop　of　1790　good；　but　that　of　1791　is　ample。

Information　is　sent　to　the　minister　from　Laon＇16＇　that；　in　the

department　of　Aisne；　〃there　is　a　supply　of　wheat　for　two　years　。　　。

。　　that　the　barns；　generally　empty　by　the　month　of　April；　will　not

be　so　this　season　before　July；〃　and；　consequently；　〃subsistence　is

assured。〃　But　this　does　not　suffice；　for　the　source　of　the　evil　is

not　in　a　scarcity　of　wheat。　　In　order　that　everybody；　in　a　vast　and

populous　country；　where　the　soil；　cultivation；　and　occupations

differ；　may　eat；　it　is　essential　that　food　should　be　attainable　by

the　non…producers；　and　for　it　to　reach　them　freely；　without　delay；

solely　by　the　natural　operation　of　supply　and　demand；　it　is

essential　that　there　should　be　a　police　able　to　protect　property；

transactions；　and　transport。　　Just　in　proportion　as　the　authority　of

a　State　becomes　weakened；　and　in　proportion　as　security　diminishes；

the　distribution　of　subsistence　becomes　more　and　more　difficult：　a

gendarmerie；　therefore；　is　an　indispensable　wheel　in　the　machine　by

which　we　are　able　to　secure　our　daily　bread。　　Hence　it　is　that；　in

1791；　daily　bread　is　wanting　to　a　large　number　of　men。　　Simply

through　the　working　of　the　Constitution；　all　restraints；　already

slackened　both　at　the　extremities　and　at　the　center；　are　becoming

looser　and　more　loose　each　day。　　The　municipalities；　which　are

really　sovereign；　repress　the　people　more　feebly；　some　because　the

latter　are　the　bolder　and　themselves　more　timid；　and　others　because

they　are　more　radical　and　always　consider　them　in　the　right。　　The

National　Guard　is　wearied；　never　comes　forward；　or　refuses　to　use

its　arms。　　The　active　citizens　are　disgusted；　and　remain　at　home。

At　étampes；＇17＇　where　they　are　convoked　by　the　commissioners　of　the

department　to　take　steps　to　re…establish　some　kind　of　order；　only

twenty　assemble；　the　others　excuse　themselves　by　saying　that；　if　the

populace　knew　that　they　opposed　its　will；　〃their　houses　would　be

burnt；〃　and　they　accordingly　stay　away。　　〃Thus；〃　write　the

commissioners；　〃the　common…weal　is　given　up　to　artisans　and　laborers

whose　views　are　limited　to　their　own　existence。〃　　…　　　It　is；

accordingly；　the　lower　class　which　rules；　and　the　information　upon

which　it　bases　its　decrees　consists　of　rumors　which　it　accepts　or

manufactures；　to　hide　by　an　appearance　of　right　the　outrages　which

are　due　to　its　cupidity　or　to　the　brutalities　of　its　hunger。　　At

étampes；　〃they　have　been　made　to　believe　that　the　grain　which　had

been　sold　for　supplying　the　departments　below　the　Loire；　is　shipped

at　Paimb？uf　and　taken　out　of　the　kingdom　from　there　to　be　sold

abroad。〃　In　the　suburbs　of　Rouen　they　imagine　that　grain　is

purposely　〃　engulfed　in　the　swamps；　ponds；　and　clay…pits。〃　At　Laon；

imbecile　and　Jacobin　committees　attribute　the　dearness　of　provisions

to　the　avidity　of　the　rich　and　the　malevolence　of　the　aristocrats

according　to　them；　〃jealous　millionaires　grow　rich　at　the　expense　of

the　people。　　They　know　the　popular　strength；〃　and；　not　daring　to

measure　their　forces　with　it；　〃in　an　honorable　fight；〃　have　recourse

〃to　treachery。〃　To　conquer　the　people　easily　they　have　determined　to

reduce　them　in　advance　by　extreme　suffering　and　by　the　length　of

their　fast；　and　hence　they　monopolize　〃wheat；　rye；　and　meal；　soap；

sugar；　and　brandy。〃＇18＇　　…　　　Similar　reports　suffice　to　excite　a

suffering　crowd　to　acts　of　violence；　and　it　must　inevitably　accept

for　its　leaders　and　advisers　those　who　urge　it　forward　on　the　side

to　which　it　is　inclined。　　The　people　always　require　leaders；　and

they　are　chosen　wherever　they　can　be　found；　at　one　time　amongst　the

elite；　and　at　another　amongst　the　dregs。　　Now　that　the　nobles　are

driven　out；　the　bourgeoisie　in　retirement；　the　large　cultivators

under　suspicion；　while　animal　necessities　exercise　their　blind　and

intermittent　despotism；　the　appropriate　popular　ministers　consist　of

adventurers　and　of　bandits。　　They　need　not　be　very　numerous；　for　in

a　place　full　of　combustible　matter　a　few　firebrands　suffice　to　start

the　conflagration。　　〃About　twenty；　at　most；　can　be　counted　in　the

towns　of　étampes　and　Dourdan；　men　with　nothing　to　lose　and

everything　to　gain　by　disturbances；　they　are　those　who　always

produce　excitement　and　disorder；　while　other　citizens　afford　them

the　means　through　their　indifference。〃　Those　whose　names　are　known

among　the　new　guides　of　the　crowd　are　almost　all　escaped　convicts

whose　previous　habits　have　accustomed　them　to　blows；　violence；

frequently　to　murder；　and　always　to　contempt　for　the　law。　　At

Brunoy；＇19＇　the　leaders　of　the　outbreak　are　〃two　deserters　of　the

18th　regiment；　sentenced　and　unpunished；　who；　in　company　with　the

vilest　and　most　desperate　of　the　parish；　always　go　about　armed　and

threatening。〃　At　étampes；　〃the　two　principal　assassins　of　the　mayor

are　a　poacher　repeatedly　condemned　for　poaching；　and　an　old

carabiniere　dismissed　from　his　regiment　with　a　bad　record　against

him。〃＇20＇　　Around　these　are　artisans　〃without　a　known　residence；〃

wandering　workmen；　journeymen　and　apprentices；　vagrants　and　highway

rovers；　who　flock　into　the　towns　on　market…days　and　are　always　　…

ready　for　mischief　when　an　opportunity　occurs。　　Vagabonds；　indeed；

now　roam　about　the　country　everywhere；　all　restrictions　against　them

having　ceased。



〃For　a　year　past；〃　write　several　parishes　in　the　neighborhood　of

Versailles；　〃we　have　seen　no　gendarmes　except　those　who　come　with

decrees；〃　and　hence　the　multiplication　of　〃murders　and　brigandage　〃

between　étampes　and　Versailles；　on　the　highways　and　in　the　country。

Bands　of　thirteen；　fifteen；　twenty　and　twenty…two　beggars　rob　the

vineyards；　enter　farm…houses　at　night；　and　compel　their　inmates　to

lodge　and　feed　them；　returning　in　the　same　way　every　fortnight；　all

farms　or　isolated　dwellings　being　their　prey。　　An　ecclesiastic　is

killed　in　his　own　house　in　the　suburbs　of　Versailles；　on　the　26th　of

September；　1791；　and；　on　the　same　day；　a　bourgeois　and　his　wife　are

garroted　and　robbed。　　On　the　22nd　of　September；　near　Saint…Rémi…

Honoré；　eight　bandits　ransack　the　dwelling　of　a　farmer。　　On　the　25th

of　September；　at　Villers…le…Sec；　thirteen　others　strip　another

farmer；　and　then　add　with　much　politeness；　〃It　is　lucky　for　your

masters　that　they　are　not　here；　for　we　would　have　roasted　them　at

yonder　fire。〃　Six　similar　outrages　are　committed　by　armed　ruffians

in　dwelling…places；　within　a　radius　of　from　three　to　four　leagues；

accompanied　with　the　threats　of　the　chauffeurs。＇21＇　〃After

enterprises　of　such　force　and　boldness；〃　write　the　people　of　this

region；　〃there　is　not　a　well…to…do　man　in　the　country　who　can　rely

upon　an　hour's　security　in　his　house。　　Already　many　of　our　best

cultivators　are　giving　up　their　business；　while　others　threaten　to

do　the　same　in　case　these　disorders　continue。〃　　…　　What　is　worse

still　is　the　fact　that　in　these　outrages　most　of　the　bandits　were

〃in　the　national　uniform。〃　The　most　ignorant；　the　poorest；　and　most

fanatical　of　the　National　Guard　thus　enlist　for　the　sake　of　plunder。

It　is　so　natural　for　men　to　believe　in　their　right　to　that　of　which

they　feel　the　need；　that　the　possessors　of　wheat　thus　become　its

monopolists；　and　the　superfluity　of　the　rich　the　property　of　the

poor！　This　is　what　the　peasants　say　who　devastate　the　forest　of

Bruyères…le…Chatel：　〃We　have　neither　wood；　bread；　nor　work　　…

necessity　knows　no　law。〃



The　necessaries　of　life　are　not　to　be　had　cheap　under　such　a　system。

There　is　too　much　anxiety；　and　property　is　too　precarious；　there　are

too　many　obstacles　to　commerce　；　purchases；　sales；　shipments；

arrivals　and　payments　are　too　uncertain。　　How　are　goods　to　be　stored

and　transported　in　a　country　where　neither　the　central　government；

the　local　authorities；　the　National　Guard；　nor　the　regular　troops

perform　their　duties；　and　where　every　transaction　in　produce；　even

the　most　legal　and　the　most　serviceable；　is　subject　to　the　caprice

of　a　dozen　villains　whom　the　populace　obey。　…　　Wheat　remains　in　the

barn；　or　is　secreted；　or　is　kept　waiting；　and　only　reaches　by

stealth　the　hands　of　those　who　are　rich　enough　to　pay；　not　only　its

price；　but　the　extra　cost　of　the　risk。　　Thus　forced　into　a　narrow

channel；　it　rises　to　a　rate　which　the　depreciation　of　the　assignats

augments；　its　dearness　being　not　only　maintained；　but　ever　on　the

increase。　　　Thereupon　popular　instinct　invents　for　the　cure　of　the

evil　a　remedy　which　serves　to　aggravate　it：　henceforth；　wheat　must

not　travel；　it　is　impounded　in　the　canton　in　which　it　is　gathered。

At　Laon；　〃the　people　have　sworn　to　die　rather　than　let　their　food　be

carried　off。〃　At　étampes；　to　which　the　municipality　of　Angers

dispatches　an　administrator　of　its　hospital　to　buy　two　hundred　and

fifty　sacks　of　flour；　the　commission　cannot　be　executed；　the

delegate　not　even　daring　to　avow　for　several　days　the　object　of　his

coming；　all　he　can　do　is　〃to　visit　incognito；　and　at　night；　the

different　flour…dealers　in　the　valley；　who　would　offer　to　furnish

the　supply；　but　fear　for　their　lives　and　dare　not　even　leave　their

houses。〃　…　The　same　violence　is　shown　in　the　more　distant　circle　of

departments　which　surround　the　first　circle。　　At　Aubigny；　in

Cher；＇22＇　grain…wagons　are　stopped；　the　district　administrators　are

menaced；　two　have　a　price　set　on　their　heads；　a　portion　of　the

National　Guard　sides　with　the　mutineers。　　At　Chaumont；　in　Haute…

Marne；　the　whole　of　the　National　Guard　is　in　a　state　of　mutiny；　a

convoy　of　over　three　hundred　sacks　is　stopped；　the　H？tel…de…Ville

forced；　and　the　insurrection　lasts　four　days；　the　directory　of　the

d