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distrustful bodies； and before the final day it has commenced and
recommenced twenty times； through mutual provocations and
denunciations； through insults； libels； scuffles； stone…throwing；
and gun…shots。 … On the 13th of June； 1790； the question is which
party shall furnish administrators for the district and department；
and the conflict begins in relation to the elections。 The Electoral
Assembly is held at the guard…house of the bishop's palace； where
the Protestant dragoons and patriots have come 〃three times as many
as usual； with loaded muskets and pistols； and with full cartridge…
boxes；〃 and they patrol the surrounding neighborhood。 On their
side； the red rosettes； royalists and Catholics； complain of being
threatened and 〃treated contemptuously〃 （nargués）。 They give notice
to the gate…keeper 〃not to let any dragoon enter the town either on
foot or mounted； at the peril of his life；〃 and declare that 〃the
bishop's quarters were not made for a guard…house。〃 … A mob
forms； and shouting takes place under the windows； stones are
thrown； the bugle of a dragoon； who sounds the roll…call； is broken
and two shots are fired。＇7＇ The dragoons immediately fire a volley；
which wounds a good many people and kills seven。 From this moment；
firing goes on during the evening and all night； in every quarter of
the town； each party believing that the other wants to exterminate
it； the Protestants satisfied that it is another St。 Bartholomew；
and the Catholics that it is 〃a Michelade。〃＇8＇ There is no one to
act between them。 The municipality authorities； far from issuing
orders； receive them： they are roughly handled； hustled and jostled
about； and made to march about like servants。 The patriots seize
the Abbé de Belmont； a municipal officer； at the H？tel…de…Ville；
order him； on pain of death； to proclaim martial …law； and place the
red flag in his hand。 〃March； rascal； you bastard！ Hold up your
flag … higher up still … you are big enough to do that！〃 Blows
follow with the but…ends of their muskets。 The poor man spits
blood； but this is of no consequence； he must be in full sight at
the head of the crowd； like a target； whilst his conductors
prudently remain behind。 Thus does he advance； exposed to bullets；
holding the flag； and finally becomes the prisoner of the red
rosettes； who release him； but keep his flag。 There is a second
march with a red flag held by a town valet； and fresh gunshots； the
red rosettes capture this flag also； as well as another municipal
officer。 The rest of the municipal body； with a royal commissioner；
take refuge in the barracks and order out the troops。 Meanwhile
Froment； with his three companies； posted in their towers and in the
houses on the ramparts； resist to the last extremity。 Daylight
comes； the tocsin is sounded； the drums beat to arms； and the
patriot militia of the neighborhood； the Protestants from the
mountains； the rude Cévenols； arrive in crowds。 The red rosettes
are besieged； a Capuchin convent； from which it is pretended that
they have fired； is sacked； and five of the monks are killed。
Froment's tower is demolished with cannon and taken by assault。 His
brother is massacred and thrown from the walls； while a Jacobin
convent next to the ramparts is sacked。 Towards night； all the red
rosettes who have fought are slain or have fled； and there is no
longer any resistance。 But the fury still lasts； the fifteen
thousand rustics who have flooded the town think that they have not
yet done enough。 In vain are they told that the other fifteen
companies of red rosettes have not moved； that the pretended
aggressors 〃did not even put themselves in a state of defense；〃 that
during the battle they remained at home； and that afterwards；
through extra precaution； the municipal authorities had made them
give up their arms。 In vain does the Electoral Assembly； preceded
by a white flag； march to the public square and exhort the people to
keep the peace。 〃Under the pretext of searching suspicious houses；
they pillage or destroy； and what…ever cannot be carried away is
broken。〃 One hundred and twenty houses are sacked in N？mes alone；
while the same ravages are committed in the environs； the damage； at
the end of three days； amounting to seven or eight hundred thousand
livres。 A number of poor creatures； workmen； merchants； old and
infirm men； are massacred in their houses； some； 〃who have been
bedridden for many years； are dragged to the sills of their doors to
be shot。〃 Others are hung on the esplanade and at the Cours Neuf；
while others have their noses； ears； feet； and hands cut off； and
are hacked to pieces with sabers and scythes。 Horrible stories； as
is commonly the case； provoke the most atrocious acts。
A publican； who refuses to distribute anti…Catholic lists； is
supposed to have a mine in his cellar filled with kegs of gunpowder
and with sulfur matches all ready； he is hacked to pieces with a
saber； and twenty guns are discharged into his corpse： they expose
the body before his house with a long loaf of bread on his breast；
and they again stab him with bayonets； saying to him： 〃Eat； you
bastard； eat〃 … More than five hundred Catholics were
assassinated； and many others； covered with blood； 〃are crowded
together in the prisons； while the search for the proscribed is
continued； whenever they are seen； they are fired upon like so many
wolves。〃 Thousands of the inhabitants； accordingly； demand their
passports and leave the town。 The rural Catholics； meanwhile； on
their side； massacre six Protestants in the environs … an old man
of eighty…two years； a youth of fifteen； and a husband and his wife
in their farm…house。 In order to put a stop to the murderous acts；
the National Guard of Montpellier have to be summoned。 But the
restoration of order is for the benefit of the victorious party。
Three…fifths of the electors have fled； one…third of the district
and departmental administrators have been appointed in their
absence； and the majority of the new directories is taken from the
club of patriots。 It is for this reason that the prisoners are
prejudged as guilty。 〃No bailiff of the court dares give them the
benefit of his services； they are not allowed to bring forward
justifying facts in evidence； while everybody knows that the judges
are not impartial。〃＇9＇
Thus do the violent measures of political and religious discord come
to an end。 The victor stops the mouth of the law when it is about
to speak in his adversary's behalf； and； under the legal iniquity of
an administration which he has himself established； he crushes those
whom the illegal force of his own strong hand has stricken down。
II。
Passion Supreme。 … Dread of hunger its most acute form。 … The
non…circulation of grain。 … Intervention and usurpations of the
electoral assemblies。 … The rural code in Nivernais。 … The four
central provinces in 1790。 … Why high prices a