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risks the gallows。＇24＇ Nothing could more surely convert hesitation
and indecision into good sense； while； in many a place； still more
powerful machinery is violently opposed to the elections。 At Paris the
elections are carried on in the midst of atrocities； under the pikes
of the butchers； and con ducted by their instigators。 At Meaux and at
Rheims the electors in session were within hearing of the screeches of
the murdered priests。 At Rheims the butchers themselves ordered the
electoral assembly to elect their candidates； Drouet； the famous post…
master； and Armonville； a tipsy wool…carder； upon which one…half of
the assembly withdrew； while the two candidates of the assassins are
elected。 At Lyons； two days after the massacre； the Jacobin commander
writes to the Minister： 〃Yesterday's catastrophe puts the aristocrats
to flight； and ensures us the majority in Lyons。〃＇25＇ From universal
suffrage thus subjected to so much sifting； submitted to such heavy
pressure； heated and refined in the revolutionary alembic； those who
control it obtain all they want； a concentrated extract； the
quintessence of the Jacobin spirit。
And yet； should this extract not seem to them sufficiently strong；
wherever they are sovereign； they throw it away and begin over again。
At Paris；＇26＇ by means of a purifying and surplus ballot； the new
Council of the Commune undertakes the expulsion of its lukewarm
members； while d'Ormesson； the mayor elect of the moderates； is
assailed with so many threats that； on the verge of his installation；
he resigns。 At Lyons；＇27＇ another moderate； Nivière…Chol； twice
elected； and； by 9；000 out of 11；000 votes； is twice compelled to
abandon his place； after him； Gilibert； the physician； who； supported
by the same voters； is about to obtain the majority； is seized
suddenly and cast into prison； even in prison； he is elected； the
clubbists confine him there more rigidly； and do not let him out even
after extorting his resignation。 Elsewhere in the rural cantons；
for example； in Franche…Comté；＇28＇ a number of elections are canceled
when the person elected happens to be a Catholic。 The Jacobin
minority frequently secede； meet in a tavern； elect their mayor or
justice of the peace； and the validity of his election is secured
because he is a patriot； so much the worse for that of the majority；
whose more numerous votes are null because given by 〃fanatics。〃 The
response of universal suffrage thus appealed to cannot be other than
that which is framed for it。 Indisputable facts are to show to what
extent this response is compulsive or perverted； what a distance there
is between an official choice and public opinion； how the elections
give a contrary meaning to popular sentiment。 The departments of
Deux…Sèvres； Maine…et…Loire； la Vendée； Loire…Infèrieure； Morbihan；
and Finistère； send only anti…Catholic republicans to the Convention；
while these same departments are to become the inexhaustible nursery
of the great catholic and royalist insurrection。 Three regicides out
of four deputies represent Lozère； where； six months later； thirty
thousand peasants are to march under the Royal white banner。 Six
regicides out of nine deputies represent la Vendée； which is going to
rise from one end of it to the other in the name of the King。＇29＇
IV。
Composition of the National Convention。 … Number of Montagnards at the
start。 … Opinions and sentiments of the deputies of the Plain。 … The
Gironde。 … Ascendancy of the Girondins in the Convention。 … Their
intellectual character。 … Their principles。 … The plan of their
Constitution。 … Their fanaticism。 … Their sincerity； culture and
tastes。 … How they differ from pure Jacobins。 … How they comprehend
popular sovereignty。 … Their stipulations with regard to the
initiative of individuals and of groups。 … Weakness of philosophic
thought and of parliamentary authority in times of anarchy。
However vigorous the electoral pressure may have been； the voting
machine has not provided the expected results。 At the opening of the
session； out of 749 deputies； only about fifty＇30＇ are found to
approve of the Commune； nearly all of the elected in places where； as
at Rheims and Paris； terror has the elector by the throat； 〃under the
clubs； axes； daggers； and bludgeons of the butchers。〃＇31＇ But where
the physical impressions of murder have not been so tangible and
impressive； some sense of decency has prevented too glaring elections。
The inclination to vote for well…known names could not wholly be
arrested； seventy…seven former members of the Constituent Assembly；
and one hundred and eighty…six of the previous Legislative Assembly
enter the Convention； and the practical knowledge which many of these
have of government business has given them some insights。 In short；
the consciences of six hundred and fifty deputies are only in part
perverted。
They are all； unquestionably； decided republicans； enemies of
tradition； apostles of reason； and trained in deductive politics；
only on these conditions could they be elected。 Every candidate is
supposed to possess the Jacobin faith； or； at least； to recite the
revolutionary creed。 The Convention； consequently； at its opening
session votes unanimously； with cheers and enthusiasm； the abolition
of royalty； and three months later it pronounces； by a large majority；
Louis XVI。；
〃guilty of conspiring against the liberty of the nation； and of
assaults on
the general welfare of the State。〃＇32＇
Nevertheless； social habitudes still subsist under political
prejudices。 A man who is born in and lives for a long time in an old
community； is； through this alone； marked with its imprint； the
customs to which he conforms have crystallized in him in the shape of
sentiments： if it is well…regulated and civilized； he has
involuntarily arrived at respect for property and for human life； and；
in most characters； this respect has taken very deep root。 A theory；
even if adopted； does not wholly succeed in destroying this respect；
only in rare instances is it successful； when it encounters coarse and
defective natures； to take full hold； it is necessary that it should
fall on the scattered inheritors of former destructive appetites； on
those hopelessly degenerate souls in which the passions of an anterior
date are slumbering； then only does its malevolence fully appear； for
it rouses the ferocious or plundering instincts of the barbarian； the
raider； the inquisitor； and the pasha。 On the contrary； with the
greatest number； do what it will； integrity and humanity always remain
powerful motives。 Nearly all these legislators； who originate in the
middle class； are at bottom； irrespective of a momentary delusion；
what they always have been up to now； advocates； attorneys； merchants；
priests； or physicians of the ancient regime； and what they will
become later on； docile administrators or zealous functionaries of
Napoleon's empire；＇33＇ that is to say； ordinary civilized persons
belonging to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries； sufficiently
honest in private life to have a desire to be equally so in public
life。 Hence their horror of anarchy； of Marat；＇34＇ and of the
September butchers and robbers。 Three days after their assembling
together they vote； 〃almost unanimously；〃 the preparation of a law
〃against the instigators of murder and assassination。〃 〃Almost
unanimously；〃 they desire to raise a guard； recruited in the 83
departments； against the armed bands of Paris and the Commune。
Pétition is elected as their first president by 〃almost the totality
of suffrages。〃 Roland who has just read his report to them； is greeted
with the 〃loudest〃 applause from nearly the 〃entire〃 Assembly。 In
short they are for the ideal republic against actual brigands。 This
accounts for their ranging themselves around those upright and sincere
deputies； who； in the two preceding Assemblies or alongside of them；
were the