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personal insults and the abbey of Saint…Germain； between shouts of
laughter celebrating the burning of their chateaux and the clamors
which； thirty times in a quarter of an hour； cry down their
opinions；〃 they are given over and denounced 〃to the ten thousand
Cerberuses 〃 of the journals and of the streets； who pursue them
with their yells and 〃cover them with their slaver。〃 Any expedient
is good enough for putting down their opposition； and； at the end of
the session； in full Assembly； they are threatened with 〃a
recommendation to the departments；〃 which means the excitement of
riots and of the permanent jacquerie of the provinces against them
in their own houses。 … Parliamentary strategy of this sort；
employed uninterruptedly for twenty…nine months； finally produces
its effect。 Many of the weak are gained over；＇45＇ even on
characters of firm temper fear has a hold； he who would march under
fire with head erect shuddered at the idea of being dragged in the
gutter by the rabble ； the brutality of the populace always
exercises a material ascendancy over finely strung nerves。 On the
12th of July； 1791；＇46＇ the call of the house decreed against the
absentees proves that one hundred and thirty…two deputies no longer
appear in their places。 Eleven days before； among those who take
no further part in the proceedings。 Thus； before the completion of
the Constitution； the whole of the opposition； more than four
hundred members； over one…third of the Assembly； is reduced to
flight or to silence。 By dint of oppression； the revolutionary
party has got rid of all resistance； while the violence which gave
to it ascendancy in the streets； now gives to it equal ascendance
within the walls of Parliament。
IV。
Refusal to supply the ministry … Effects of this mistake …
Misconception of the situation … The committee of investigation …
Constant alarms … Effects of ignorance and fear on the work of the
Constituent Assembly。
Generally in an omnipotent assembly； when a party takes the lead
and forms a majority； it furnishes the Ministry； and this fact
suffices to give； or to bring back to it； some glimpse of common
sense。 For its leaders； with the Government in their own hands；
become responsible for it； and when they propose or pass a law； they
are obliged to anticipate its effect。 Rarely will a Secretary of
War or of the Navy adopt a military code which goes to establish
permanent disobedience in the army or in the navy。 Rarely will a
Secretary of the Treasury propose an expenditure for which there is
not a sufficient revenue； or a system of taxation that provides no
returns。 Placed where full information can be procured； daily
advised of every details； surrounded by skillful counselors and
expert clerks； the chiefs of the majority； who thus become heads of
the administration； immediately drop theory for practice； and the
fumes of political speculation must be pretty dense in their minds
if they exclude the multiplied rays of light which experience
constantly sheds upon them。 Let the most stubborn of theorists
take his stand at the helm of a ship； and； whatever be the obstinacy
of his principles or his prejudices； he will never； unless he is
blind or led by the blind； persist in steering always to the right
or always to the left。 Just so after the flight to Varennes； when
the Assembly； in full possession of the executive power； directly
controls the Ministry； it comes to recognize for itself that its
constitutional machine will not work； except in the way of
destruction； and it is the principal revolutionaries； Barnave；
Duport； the Lameths； Chapelier； and Thouret；＇47＇ who undertake to
make alterations in the mechanisms so as to lessen its friction。
But this source of knowledge and reason； however； to which they are
momentarily induced to draw； in spite of themselves and too late；
has been turned off by themselves from the very beginning。 On the
6th of November； 1789； in deference to principle and in dread of
corruption； the Assembly had declared that none of its members
should hold ministerial office。 We see it in consequence deprived
of all the instruction which comes from direct contact with affairs；
surrendered without any counterpoise to the seductions of theory；
reduced by its own decision to become a mere academy of legislation
only。
Nay； still worse； through another effect of the same error； it
condemns itself by its own act to constant fits of panic。 For；
having allowed the power which it was not willing to assume to slip
into indifferent or suspect hands； it is always uneasy； and all its
decrees bear an uniform stamp； not only of the willful ignorance
within which it confines itself； but also of the exaggerated or
chimerical fears in which its life is passed。 … Imagine a ship
conveying a company of lawyers； literary men； and other passengers；
who； supported by a mutinous and poorly fed crew； take full command；
but refuse to select one of their own number for a pilot or for the
officer of the watch。 The former captain continues to nominate
them； through very shame； and because he is a good sort of man； his
title is left to him； and he is retained for the transmission of
orders。 If these orders are absurd； so much the worse for him； if
he resists them； a fresh mutiny forces him to yield； and even when
they cannot be executed； he has to answer for their being carried
out。 In the meantime； in a room between decks； far away from the
helm and the compass； our club of amateurs discuss the equilibrium
of floating bodies； decree a new system of navigation； have the
ballast thrown overboard； crowd on all sail； and are astonished to
find that the ship heels over on its side。 The officer of the
watch and the pilot must； evidently； have managed the maneuver
badly。 They are accordingly dismissed and others put in their
place； while the ship heels over farther yet and begins to leak in
every joint。 Enough： it is the fault of the captain and the old
staff of officers； They are not well…disposed； for a beautiful
system of navigation like this ought to work well； and if it fails
to do so； it is because some one interferes with it。 It is
positively certain that some of those people belonging to the former
régime must be traitors； who would rather have the ship go down than
submit； they are public enemies and monsters。 They must be seized；
disarmed； put under surveillance； and punished。 … Such is the
reasoning of the Assembly。 Evidently； to reassure it； a message
from the Minister of the Interior chosen by the Assembly； to the
lieutenant of police whom he had appointed； to come to his office
every morning； would be all that was necessary。 But it is deprived
of this simple resource by its own act； and has no other expedient
than to appoint a committee of investigation to discover crimes of
〃treason against the nation。〃＇48＇ What could be more vague than
such a t