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〃treason against the nation。〃＇48＇ What could be more vague than
such a term？ What could be more mischievous than such an
institution？ Renewed every month； deprived of special agents；
composed of credulous and inexperienced deputies； this committee；
set to perform the work of a Lenoir or a Fouché； makes up for its
incapacity by violence； and its proceedings anticipate those of the
Jacobine inquisition。＇49＇ Alarmist and suspicious； it encourages
accusations； and； for lack of plots to discover； it invents them。
Inclinations； in its eyes； stand for actions； and floating projects
become accomplished outrages。 On the denunciation of a domestic
who has listened at a door； on the gossip of a washerwoman who has
found a scrap of paper in a dressing…gown； on the false
interpretation of a letter； on vague indications which it completes
and patches together by the strength of its imagination； it forges a
coup d'état； makes examinations； domiciliary visits； nocturnal
surprises and arrests；＇50＇ it exaggerates； blackens； and comes in
public session to denounce the whole affair to the National
Assembly。 First comes the plot of the Breton nobles to deliver
Brest to the English；＇51＇ then the plot for hiring brigands to
destroy the crops； then the plot of 14th of July to burn Paris； then
the plot of Favras to murder Lafayette； Necker； and Bailly； then the
plot of Augeard to carry off the King； and many others； week after
week； not counting those which swarm in the brains of the
journalists； and which Desmoulins； Fréron； and Marat reveal with a
flourish of trumpets in each of their publications。
〃All these alarms are cried daily in the streets like cabbages and
turnips； the good people of Paris inhaling them along with the
pestilential vapors of our mud。〃＇52＇
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。Now； in this aspect； as well as in a good many others； the
Assembly is the people； satisfied that it is in danger；＇53＇ it makes
laws as the former make their insurrections； and protects itself by
strokes of legislation as the former protects itself by blows with
pikes。 Failing to take hold of the motor spring by which it might
direct the government machine； it distrusts all the old and all the
new wheels。 The old ones seem to it an obstacle； and； instead of
utilizing them； it breaks them one by one parliaments； provincial
states； religious orders； the church； the nobles； and royalty。 The
new ones are suspicious； and instead of harmonizing them； it puts
them out of gear in advance the executive power； administrative
powers； judicial powers； the police； the gendarmerie； and the
army。＇54＇ Thanks to these precautions it is impossible for any of
them to be turned against itself； but； also； thanks to these
precautions； none of them can perform their functions。＇55＇
In building； as well as in destroying； the Assembly had two bad
counselors； on the one hand fear； on the other hand theory； and on
the ruins of the old machine which it had demolished without
discernment； the new machine； which it has constructed without
forecast； will work only to its own ruin。
__________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Arthur Young； June 15； 1789。 … Bailly； passim； Moniteur；
IV。 522 （June 2； 1790）。 … Mercure de France （Feb。 11 1792）。
＇2＇ Moniteur； v。 631 （Sep。 12； 1790）； and September 8th （what is
said by the Abbé Maury）。 … Marmontel； book XIII。 237。 …
Malouet； I。 261。 … Bailly； I。 227。
＇3＇ Sir Samuel Romilly； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。 102； 354。 … Dumont； 158。
（The official rules bear are dated July 29； 1789。）
＇4＇ Cf。 Ferrières； I。 3。 His repentance is affecting。
＇5＇ Letter from Morris to Washington； January 24； 1790 See page 382；
〃A diary of the French revolution〃； Greenwood Press； Westport； Conn。
1972。 … Dumont 125 … Garat； letter to Condorcet。
＇6＇ Arthur Young； I。 46。 〃Tame and elegant； uninteresting and
polite； the mingled mass of communicated ideas has power neither to
offend nor instruct。 。 。 。 。 All vigor of thought seems excluded
from expression。 。 。 。 。 Where there is much polish of character
there is little argument。〃 Cabinet des Estampes。 See
engravings of the day by Moreau； Prieur； Monet； representing the
opening of the States…General。 All the figures have a graceful；
elegant； and genteel air。
＇7＇ Marmontel； book XIII。 237。 … Malouet； I。 261。 … Ferrières； I。
19。
＇8＇ Gouverneur Morris； January 24； 1790。 … Likewise （De Ferrières；
I。71） the decree on the abolition of nobility was not the order of
the day； and was carried by surprise。
＇9＇ Ferrières； I。 189。 … Dumont； 146。
＇10＇ Letter of Mirabeau to Sieyès； June 11； 1790。 〃Our nation of
monkeys with the throats of parrots。〃 Dumont； 146。 〃Sieyès and
Mirabeau always entertained a contemptible opinion of the
Constituent Assembly。〃
＇11＇ Moniteur； I； 256； 431 （July 16 and 31； 1789）。 … Journal des
Débats et Décrets； 105； July 16th 〃A member demands that M。 de Lally
should put his speech in writing。 〃The whole Assembly has repeated
this request。〃
＇12＇ Moniteur。 （March 11； 1790）。 〃A nun of St。 Mandé； brought to the
bar of the house； thanks the Assembly for the decree by which the
cloisters are opened； and denounces the tricks； intrigues； and even
violence exercised in the convents to prevent the execution of the
decree。〃 Ibid。 March 29； 1790。 See the various addresses which
are read。 〃 At Lagnon； the mother of a family assembled her ten
children； and swore with them and for them to be loyal to the nation
and to the King。〃 Ibid。 June 5； 1790。 〃M。 Chambroud reads the
letter of the collector of customs of Lannion； in Brittany； to a
priest； a member of the National Assembly。 He implores his
influence to secure the acceptance of his civic oath and that of all
his family； ready to wield either the censer； the cart； the scales；
the sword； or the pen。 On reading a number of these addresses the
Assembly appears to be a supplement of the Petites Affiches （a small
advertising journal in Paris）。
＇13＇ Moniteur； October 23； 1789。
＇14＇ A well…known writer of children's stories。…＇Tr。＇
＇15＇ Ferrières； II。 65 （June 10；1790）。 … De Montlosier； I。
402。 〃One of these puppets came the following day to get his money
of the Comte de Billancourt； mistaking him for the Duc de Liancourt。
'Monsieur；' says he； 'I am the man who played the Chaldean
yesterday。'
＇16＇ Buchez and Roux； X。 118 （June 16； 1791）。
＇17＇ See the printed list of deputies； with the indication of their
baillage or sénéchaussée； quality； condition； and profession。
＇18＇ De Bouillé； 75。 … When the King first saw the list of the
deputies； he exclaimed；〃 What would the nation have said if I had
made up my council or the Notables in this way？〃 （Buchez and Roux；
IV。 39。）
＇19＇ Gouverneur Morris； July 31； 1789。
＇20＇ Gouverneur Morris； February 25； 1789。 … Lafayette；