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not been an insult。  It has not entered upon a deliberation which

has not been an outrage。〃



 〃If the regiment of Aunis is not ordered here immediately;〃 writes

the directory of Calvados; 〃if prompt and efficient measures are not

taken to provide us with an armed force; we shall abandon a post

which we can not longer hold due to insubordination; license;

contempt for all the authorities。 We shall in this case be unable to

perform the duties which were imposed upon us。〃



The directory of the Bouches…du…Rhone; on being attacked; flies

before the bayonets of Marseilles。  The members of the directory of

Gers; in conflict with the municipality of Auch; are almost beaten

to death。  As to the ministers; who are distrusted by virtue of

their office; they are still less respected than the directories;

They are constantly denounced to the Assembly; while the

municipalities send back their dispatches without deigning to open

them;'25' and; towards the end of 1791; their increasing

powerlessness ends in complete annihilation。  We can judge of this

by one example。  In the month of December 1791; Limoges is not

allowed to carry away the grain; which it had just purchased in

Indre; a force of sixty horsemen being necessary to protect its

transportation。  The directory of Indre at once calls upon the

ministers to furnish them with this small troop。'26' After trying

for three weeks; the minister replies that it is out of his power;

he has knocked at all doors in vain。  〃I have pointed out one way;〃

he says; 〃to the deputies of your department in the National

Assembly; namely; to withdraw the 20th regiment of cavalry from

Orleans; and I have recommended them to broach the matter to the

deputies of Loiret。〃 The answer is still delayed: the deputies of

the two departments have to come to an agreement; for; otherwise;

the minister dares not displace sixty men to protect a convoy of

grain。  It is plain enough that there is no longer any executive

power。  There is no longer a central authority。  There is no longer

a France; but merely so many disintegrated and independent communes;

like Orleans and Limoges; which; through their representatives;

carry on negotiations with each other; one to secure itself from a

deficiency of troops; and the other to secure itself from a want of

bread。



Let us consider this general dissolution on the spot; and take up a

case in detail。  On the 18th of January 1790; the new municipal

authorities of Marseilles enter upon their duties。  As is generally

the case; the majority of the electors have had nothing to do with

the balloting。  The mayor; Martin; having been elected by only an

eighth of the active citizens。'27'  If; however; the dominant

minority is a small one; it is resolute and not inclined to stop at

trifles。  〃Scarcely is it organized;〃'28' when it sends deputies to

the King to have him withdraw his troops from Marseilles。  The King;

always weak and accommodating; finally consents; and; the orders to

march being prepared; the municipality is duly advised of them。  But

the municipality will tolerate no delay; and immediately 〃draws up;

prints; and issues a denunciation to the National Assembly〃 against

the commandant and the two ministers who; according to it; are

guilty of having forged or suppressed the King's orders。  In the

meantime it equips and fortifies itself as for a combat。  At its

first establishment the municipality broke up the bourgeois guard;

which was too great a lover of order; and organized a National

Guard; in which those who have no property are soon to be admitted。

〃Daily additions are made to its military apparatus;'29'

entrenchments and barricades at the H?tel…de…Ville; are increasing;

the artillery is increased; the town is filled with the excitement

of a military camp in the immediate presence of an enemy。〃 Thus; in

possession of force; it makes use of it; and in the first place

against justice。   A popular insurrection had been suppressed in

the month of August 1789; and the three principal leaders; Rebecqui;

Pascal; and Granet; had been imprisoned in the Chateau d'If。  They

are the friends of the municipal authorities; and they must be set

free。  At the demand of this body the affair is taken out of the

hands of the grand…prév?t and put into those of the sénéchaussée;

the former; meanwhile; together with his councilors; undergoing

punishment for having performed their duty。  The municipality; on

its own authority; forbids them from further exercise of their

functions。  They are publicly denounced; 〃threatened with poniards;

the scaffold; and every species of assassination。〃 '30' No printer

dares publish their defense; for fear of 〃municipal annoyances。〃 It

is not long before the royal procureur and a councillor are reduced

to seeking refuge in Fort Saint…Jean; while the grand…prév?t after

having resisted a little longer; leaves Marseilles in order to save

his life。  As to the three imprisoned men; the municipal authorities

visit them in a body and demand their provisional release。  One of

them having made his escape; they refuse to give the commandant the

order for his re…arrest。  The other two triumphantly leave the

chateau on the 11th of April; escorted by eight hundred National

Guards。  They go; for form's sake; to the prisons of the

sénéchaussée but the next day are set at liberty; and further

prosecution ceases。  As an offset to this; M。  d'Ambert; colonel in

the Royal Marine; guilty of expressing himself too warmly against

the National Guard; although acquitted by the tribunal before which

he was brought; can be set at liberty only in secret and under the

protection of two thousand soldiers。  The populace want to burn the

house of the criminal lieutenant that dared absolve him。  The

magistrate himself is in danger; and is forced to take refuge in the

house of the military commander。'31'  Meanwhile; printed and written

papers; insulting libels by the municipal body and the club; the

seditious or violent discussions of the district assemblies; and a

lot of pamphlets; are freely distributed among the people and the

soldiers: the latter are purposely stirred up in advance against

their chiefs。 …  … In vain are the officers mild; conciliatory; and

cautious。  In vain does the commander…in…chief depart with a portion

of the troops。  The object now is to dislodge the regiment occupying

the three forts。  The club sets the ball in motion; and; forcibly or

otherwise; the will of the people must be carried out。  On the 29th

of April; two actors; supported by fifty volunteers; surprise a

sentinel and get possession of Notre…Dame de la Garde。  On the same

day; six thousand National Guards invest the forts of Saint…Jean and

Saint…Nicolas。  The municipal authorities; summoned to respect the

fortresses; reply by demanding the opening of the gates to the

National Guard; that it may do duty jointly with the soldiers。  The

commandants hesitate; refer to the law; and demand time to consult

their superiors。  A second requisition; more urgent; is made; the

commandants are held responsible for the disturbances they provoke

by their refusal。  If they resist they are declared promoters of

civil war。'32'  They accordingly yield and sign  a capitulation。

One among them; the Chevalier de Beausset; major in Fort Saint…Jean;

is opposed to this; and refuses his signature。  On the following day

he is seized as he is about to enter the H?tel…de…Ville; and

massacred; his head being borne about on the end of a pike; while

the band of assassins; the soldiers; and the rabble dance about and

shout over his remains。 … 〃 It is a sad accident;〃 writes the

municipality。'33'  How does it happen that; 〃after having thus far

merited and obtained all praise; a Beausset; whom we were unable to

protect against the decrees of Providence; should sully our laurels?

Having had nothing to do with this tragic affair; it is not for us

to prosecute the authors of it。〃 Moreover; he was 〃culpable 。  。  。。

rebellious; condemned by public opinion; and Providence itself seems

to have abandoned him to the irrevocable decrees of its vengeance。〃

… As to the taking of the forts; nothing is more legitimate。  〃These

places were in the hands of the enemies of the State; while now they

are in the hands of the defenders of the Constitution of the empire。

Woe to whoever would take them from us again; to convert them into a

focus of counter…revolution 〃  … M。  de Miran; commandant of the

province; has; it is true; made a demand for them。  But; 〃is it not

somewhat pitiable to see the requisition of a Sieur de Miran; made

in the name of the King he betrays; to surrender to his Majesty's

troops places which; henceforth in our hands; guarantee public

security to the nation; to the law; and to the King?〃 In vain does

the King; at the request of the National Assembly;'34' order the

municipality to restore the forts to the commandants; and to make

th

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