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blow too many。 Should all these restraints； inward as well as
outward； be wanting； the man plunges into insurrection。 He is a
novice in the acts of violence； which he carries out。 He has no
fear of the law； because he abolishes it。 The action begun carries
him further than he intended to go。 Peril and resistance exasperate
his anger。 He catches the fever from contact with those who are
fevered； and follows robbers who have become his comrades。＇1＇ Add
to this the clamors； the drunkenness； the spectacle of destruction；
the nervous tremor of the body strained beyond its powers of
endurance； and we can comprehend how； from the peasant； the laborer；
and the bourgeois； pacified and tamed by an old civilization； we see
all of a sudden spring forth the barbarian。 Or still worse； the
primitive animal； the grinning； sanguinary； wanton baboon； who
giggles while he slays； and gambols over the ruin he has
accomplished。 Such is the actual government to which France is
given up； and after eighteen months' experience； the best qualified；
most judicious and profoundest observer of the Revolution will find
nothing to compare it to but the invasion of the Roman Empire in the
fourth century。＇2＇ 〃The Huns； the Heruli； the Vandals； and the Goths
will come neither from the north nor from the Black Sea； they are in
our very midst。〃
II。
The provinces。 … Destruction of old Authorities。 … Inadequacy of
new Authorities
When in a building the principal beam gives way； cracks follow and
multiply； and the secondary joists fall in one by one for lack of
the prop； which supported them。 In a similar manner the authority
of the King being broken； all the powers； which he delegated； fall
to the ground。＇3＇ Intendants； parliaments； military commands； grand
provosts； administrative； judicial； and police functionaries in
every province； and of every branch of the service； who maintain
order and protect property； taught by the murder of M。 de Launey；
the imprisonment of M。 de Besenval； the flight of Marshal de
Broglie； the assassinations of Foullon and Bertier； know what it
costs should they try to perform their duties。 Should it be
forgotten local insurrections intervene； and keep them in mind of
it。
The officer in command in Burgundy is a prisoner at Dijon； with a
guard at his door； and he is not allowed to speak with any one
without permission； and without the presence of witnesses。＇4＇ The
Commandant of Caen is besieged in the old palace and capitulates。
The Commandant of Bordeaux surrenders Chateau…Trompette with its
guns and equipment。 The Commandant at Metz； who remains firm；
suffers the insults and the orders of the populace。 The Commandant
of Brittany wanders about his province 〃like a vagabond；〃 while at
Rennes his people； furniture； and plate are kept as pledges。 As
soon as he sets foot in Normandy he is surrounded； and a sentinel is
placed at his door。 The Intendant of Besan？on takes to flight；
that of Rouen sees his dwelling sacked from top to bottom； and
escapes amid the shouts of a mob demanding his head。 … At Rennes；
the Dean of the Parliament is arrested； maltreated； kept in his room
with a guard over him； and then； although ill； sent out of the town
under an escort。 At Strasbourg 〃thirty…six houses of magistrates
are marked for pillage。〃＇5＇ At Besan？on； the President of the
Parliament is constrained to let out of prison the insurgents
arrested in a late out…break； and to publicly burn the whole of the
papers belonging to the prosecution。 … In Alsace； since the
beginning of the troubles； the provosts were obliged to fly； the
bailiffs and manorial judges hid themselves； the forest…inspectors
ran away； and the houses of the guards were demolished。 One man；
sixty years of age； is outrageously beaten and marched about the
village； the people； meanwhile； pulling out his hair； nothing
remains of his dwelling but the walls and a portion of the roof。
All his furniture and effects are broken up； burnt or stolen。 He is
forced to sign； along with his wife； an act by which he binds
himself to refund all penalties inflicted by him； and to abandon all
claims for damages for the injuries to which he has just been
subjected。 In Franche…Comté the authorities dare not condemn
delinquents； and the police do not arrest them； the military
commandant writes that 〃crimes of every kind are on the increase；
and that he has no means of punishing them。〃 Insubordination is
permanent in all the provinces； one of the provincial commissions
states with sadness：
〃When all powers are in confusion and annihilated； when public
force no longer exists； when all ties are sundered； when every
individual considers himself relieved from all kinds of obligation；
when public authority no longer dares make itself felt； and it is a
crime to have been clothed with it； what can be expected of our
efforts to restore order？ 〃＇6＇
All that remains of this great demolished State is forty thousand
groups of people； each separated and isolated； in towns and small
market villages where municipal bodies； elected committees； and
improvised National Guards strive to prevent the worst excesses。
But these local chiefs are novices； they are human； and they are
timid。 Chosen by acclamation they believe in popular rights； in the
midst of riots they feel themselves in danger。 Hence； they
generally obey the crowd。
〃Rarely；〃 says one of the provincial commissions reports； 〃do the
municipal authorities issue a summons； they allow the greatest
excesses rather than enter upon prosecutions for which； sooner or
later； they may be held responsible by their fellow…citizens。 。 。
。 Municipal bodies have no longer the power to resist anything。〃
Especially in the rural districts the mayor or syndic； who is a
farmer； makes it his first aim to make no enemies； and would resign
his place if it were to bring him any 〃unpleasantness〃 with it。 His
rule in the towns； and especially in large cities； is almost as lax
and more precarious； because explosive material is accumulated here
to a much larger extent； and the municipal officers； in their arm…
chairs at the town…hall； sit over a mine which may explode at any
time。 To…morrow； perhaps； some resolution passed at a tavern in the
suburbs； or some incendiary newspaper just received from Paris； will
furnish the spark。 … No other defense against the populace is at
hand than the sentimental proclamations of the National Assembly；
the useless presence of troops who stand by and look on； and the
uncertain help of a National Guard which will arrive too late。
Occasionally these townspeople； who are now the rulers； utter a cry
of distress from under the hands of the sovereigns of the street who
grasp them by the throat。 At Puy…en…Velay；＇7＇ a town of twenty
thousand inhabitants； the présidial；＇8＇ the committee of twenty…four
commissioners； a body of two hundred dragoons； and eight hundred men