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walls。 At Marseilles the home of the slaughter…house contractor and
at Brignolles that of the director of the leather excise； are
sacked。 The determination is 〃to purge the land of excise…men。 〃 …
… This is only a beginning； bread and other provisions must become
cheap； and that without delay。 At Arles； the Corporation of
sailors； presided over by M。 de Barras； consul； had just elected its
representatives。 By way of conclusion to the meeting； they pass a
resolution insisting that M。 de Barras should reduce the price of
all comestibles。 On his refusal； they 〃open the window； exclaiming；
'We hold him； and we have only to throw him into the street for the
rest to pick him up。'〃 Compliance is inevitable。 The resolution is
proclaimed by the town…criers； and at each article which is reduced
in price the crowd shout； 〃Vive le Roi； vive M。 Barras ！〃 One
must yield to brute force。 But the inconvenience is great for；
through the suppression of the flour…tax； the towns have no longer a
revenue。 On the other hand； as they are obliged to indemnify the
butchers and bakers； Toulon； for instance； incurs a debt of 2；500
livres a day。
In this state of disorder； woe to those who are under suspicion of
having contributed； directly or indirectly； to the evils； which the
people endure！ At Toulon a demand is made for the head of the mayor；
who signs the tax…list； and of the keeper of the records。 They are
trodden under foot； and their houses are ransacked。 At Manosque；
the Bishop of Sisteron； who is visiting the seminary； is accused of
favoring a monopolist。 On his way to his carriage； on foot； he is
hooted and menaced。 He is first pelted with mud； and then with
stones。 The consuls in attendance； and the sub…delegate； who come
to his assistance； are mauled and repulsed。 Meanwhile； some of the
most furious begin； before his eyes； 〃to dig a ditch to bury him
in。〃 Protected by five or six brave fellows； amidst a volley of
stones； and wounded on the head and on many parts of his body； he
succeeds in reaching his carriage。 He is finally only saved because
the horses； which are likewise stoned； run away。 Foreigners；
Italians； bandits； are mingled with the peasants and artisans； and
expressions are heard and acts are seen which indicate a
jacquerie。＇30＇ 〃The most excited said to the bishop； 'we are poor
and you are rich； and we mean to have all your property。'〃＇31＇
Elsewhere； 〃the seditious mob exacts contributions from all people
in good circumstances。 At Brignolles； thirteen houses are pillaged
from top to bottom； and thirty others partly half。 At Aupt； M。
de Montferrat； in defending himself； is killed and 〃hacked to
pieces。〃 At La Seyne； the mob； led by a peasant； assembles by
beat of drum。 Some women fetch a bier； and set it down before the
house of a leading bourgeois； telling him to prepare for death； and
that 〃they will have the honor of burying him。〃 He escapes； his
house is pillaged； as well as the bureau of the flour…tax。 The
following day； the chief of the band 〃obliges the principal
inhabitants to give him a sum of money to indemnify； as he states
it； the peasants who have abandoned their work；〃 and devoted the day
to serving the public。 At Peinier； the Président de Peinier； an
octogenarian； is 〃besieged in his chateau by a band of a hundred and
fifty artisans and peasants；〃 who bring with them a consul and a
notary。 Aided by these two functionaries； they force the president
〃to pass an act by which he renounces his seignorial rights of every
description 〃 At Sollier they destroy the mills belonging to M。
de Forbin…Janson。 They sack the house of his business agent；
pillage the chateau； and demolish the roof； chapel； altar； railings；
and escutcheons。 They enter the cellars； stave in the casks； and
carry away everything that can be carried； 〃the transportation
taking two days；〃 all of which cause damages of a hundred thousand
crowns to the marquis。 At Riez they surround the episcopal
palace with fagots； threatening to burn it； 〃and compromise with the
bishop on a promise of fifty thousand livres；〃 and want him to burn
his archives。 In short； the sedition is social for it singles
out for attack all that profit by； or stand at the head of； the
established order of things。
Seeing them act in this way； one would say that the theory of the
Contrat…Social had been instilled into them。 They treat magistrates
as domestics； promulgate laws； and conduct themselves like
sovereigns。 They exercise public power； and establish； summarily；
arbitrarily； and brutally； whatever they think to be in conformity
with natural right。 At Peinier they exact a second electoral
assembly； and； for themselves； the right of suffrage。 At Saint…
Maximin they themselves elect new consuls and officers of justice。
At Solliez they oblige the judge's lieutenant to give in his
resignation； and they break his staff of office。 At Barjols
〃they use consuls and judges as their town servants； announcing that
they are masters and that they will themselves administer justice。〃
In fact； they do administer it； as they understand it that is
to say； through many exactions and robberies！ One man has wheat； he
must share it with him who has none。 Another has money； he must
give it to him who has not enough to buy bread with。 On this
principle； at Barjols； they tax the Ursulin nuns 1；800 livres； carry
off fifty loads of wheat from the Chapter； eighteen from one poor
artisan； and forty from another； and constrain canons and
beneficiaries to give acquittances to their farmers。 Then； from
house to house； with club in hand； they oblige some to hand over
money； others to abandon their claims on their debtors； 〃one to
desist from criminal proceedings； another to nullify a decree
obtained； a third to reimburse the expenses of a lawsuit gained
years before； a father to give his consent to the marriage of his
son。〃 All their grievances are brought to mind； and we all know
the tenacity of a peasant's memory。 Having become the master； he
redresses wrongs； and especially those of which he thinks himself
the object。 There must be a general restitution； and first； of the
feudal dues which have been collected。 They take of M。 de
Montmeyan's business agent all the money he has as compensation for
that received by him during fifteen years as a notary。 A former
consul of Brignolles had； in 1775； inflicted penalties to the amount
of 1；500 or 1；800 francs； which had been given to the poor； this sum
is taken from his strong box。 Moreover； if consuls and law officers
are wrongdoers； the title deeds； rent…rolls； and other documents by
which they do their business are still worse。 To the fire with all
old writings not only office registers； but also； at Hyères； all
the papers in the town hall and those of the principal notary。
In the matter of papers none are good but new ones those which
convey some discharge； quittance； or obligation to the a