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gentlemen； assembled together at the house of M。 d'Escayrac； in
Castel； appeal to all good citizens to march to the assistance of
the proprietors who may be attacked in this jacquerie； which is
spreading everywhere；＇72＇ but there are too few proprietors in the
country； and none of the towns have too many of them for their own
protection。 M。 d'Escayrac； after a few skirmishes； abandoned by the
municipal officers of his village； and wounded； withdraws to the
house of the Comte de Clarac； a major…general； in Languedoc。 Here；
too； the chateau； is surrounded；＇73＇ blockaded； and besieged by the
local National Guard。 M。 de Clarac descends and tries to hold a
parley with the attacking party； and is fired upon。 He goes back
inside and throws money out of the window； the money is gathered up；
and he is again fired upon。 The chateau is set on fire； and M。
d'Escayrac receives five shots； and is killed。 M。 de Clarac； with
another person； having taken refuge in a subterranean vault； are
taken out almost stifled the next morning but one by the National
Guard of the vicinity； who conduct them to Toulouse； where they are
kept in prison and where the public prosecutor takes proceedings
against them。 The chateau of Bagat； near Montcuq； is demolished at
the same time。 The abbey of Espagnac； near Figeac； is assaulted
with fire…arms； the abbess is forced to refund all rents she has
collected； and to restore four thousand livres for the expenses of a
trial which the convent had gained twenty years before。
After such successes； the extension of the revolt is inevitable； and
at the end of some weeks and months it becomes permanent in the
three neighboring departments。 … In Creuse；＇74＇ the judges are
threatened with death if they order the payment of seignorial dues；
and the same fate awaits all proprietors who claim their rents。 In
many places； and especially in the mountains； the peasants；
〃considering that they form the nation； and that clerical
possessions are national；〃 want to have these divided amongst
themselves； instead of their being sold。 Fifty parishes around La
Souterraine receive incendiary letters inviting them to come in arms
to the town； in order to secure by force； and by staking their
lives； the production of all titles to rentals。 The peasants； in a
circle of eight leagues； are all stirred up by the sound of the
tocsin； and preceded by the municipal officers in their scarves；
there are four thousand of them； and they drag with them a wagon
full of arms： this is for the revision and re…constitution of the
ownership of the soil。 … In Dordogne；＇75＇ self…appointed
arbitrators interpose imperiously between the proprietor and the
small farmer； at the time of harvest； to prevent the proprietor from
claiming； and the farmer from paying； the tithes or the réve；＇76＇
any agreement to this end is forbidden； whoever shall transgress the
new order of things； proprietor or farmer； shall be hung。
Accordingly； the rural militia in the districts of Bergerac；
Excideuil； Ribérac； Mucidan； Montignac； and Perigueux； led by the
municipal officers； go from commune to commune in order to force the
proprietors to sign an act of withdrawal； and these visits 〃are
always accompanied with robberies； outrages； and ill…treatment from
which there is no escape but in absolute submission。〃 Moreover；
〃they demand the abolition of every species of tax and the partition
of the soil。 〃 … It is impossible for 〃proprietors moderately
rich 〃 to remain in the country； on all sides they take refuge in
Perigueux； and there； organizing in companies； along with the
gendarmerie and the National Guard of the town； overrun the cantons
to restore order。 But there is no way of persuading the peasantry
that it is order which they wish to restore。 With that stubbornness
of the imagination which no obstacle arrests； and which； like a
vigorous spring； always finds some outlet； the people declare that
〃the gendarmes and National Guard〃 who come to restrain them 〃are
priests and gentlemen in disguise。〃 … The new theories； moreover；
have struck down to the lowest depths； and nothing is easier than to
draw from them the abolition of debts； and even the agrarian law。
At Ribérac； which is invaded by the people of the neighboring
parishes； a village tailor； taking the catechism of the Constitution
from his pocket； argues with the procureur…syndic； and proves to him
that the insurgents are only exercising the rights of man。 The book
states； in the first place； 〃that Frenchmen are equals and brethren；
and that they should give each other aid；〃 and that 〃the masters
should share with their fellows； especially this year； which is one
of scarcity。〃 In the next place； it is written that 〃all property
belongs to the nation；〃 and that is the reason why 〃it has taken the
possessions of the Church。〃 Now； all Frenchmen compose the nation；
and the conclusion is clearly apparent。 Since； in the eyes of the
tailor； the property of individual Frenchmen belongs to all the
French； he； the tailor； has a right to at least the quota which
belongs to him。 … One travels fast and far on this downhill road；
for every mob considers that this means immediate enjoyment； and
enjoyment according to its own ideas。 There is no care for
neighbors or for consequences； even when imminent and physical； and
in twenty places the confiscated property perishes in the hands of
the usurpers。
This voluntary destruction of property can be best observed in the
third department； that of Corrèze。＇77＇ Not only have the peasants
here refused to pay rents from the beginning of the Revolution； not
only have they 〃planted maypoles； supplied with iron hooks； to hang
〃 the first one that dared to claim or to pay them； not only are
violent acts of every description committed 〃by entire communes；〃
〃the National Guards of the small communes participating in them；〃
not only do the culprits； whose arrest is ordered； remain at
liberty； while 〃nothing is spoken of but the hanging of the
constables who serve writs；〃 but farther； together with the
ownership of the water…sources； the power of collecting； directing；
and distributing the water is overthrown； and； in a country of in a
country of steep slopes； the consequences of such an operation may
be imagined。 Three leagues from Tulle； in a forming a semi…circle； a
pond twenty feet in depth； and covering an area of three hundred
acres； was enclosed by a broad embankment on the side of a very deep
gorge； which was completely covered with houses； mills； and
cultivation。 On the 17th of April； 1791； a troop of five hundred
armed men assembled by the beat of a drum； and collected from three
villages in the vicinity； set themselves to demolish the dike。 The
proprietor； M。 de Sedières； a substitute…deputy in the National
Assembly； is not advised of it until eleven o'clock in the evening。
Mounting his horse； along with his guests and domestics； he makes a
charge