Hippolyte Taine - The French Revolution (Vol.1-3)

Those who are in high places are not alarmed; they even find that there is some good in the revolt, inasmuch as it compels the towns to suppress unjust taxation. 1132The new Marseilles guard, formed of young men, is allowed to march to Aubagne, "to insist that M. le lieutenant criminel and M. l'avocat du Roi release the prisoners." The disobedience of Marseilles, which refuses to receive the magistrates sent under letters patent to take testimony, is tolerated. And better still, in spite of the remonstrances of the parliament of Aix, a general amnesty is proclaimed; "no one is excepted but a few of the leaders, to whom is allowed the liberty of leaving the kingdom." The mildness of the King and of the military authorities is admirable. It is admitted that the people are children, that they err only through ignorance, that faith must be had in their repentance, and, as soon as they return to order, they must be received with paternal effusions.—The truth is, that the child is a blind Colossus, exasperated by sufferings. hence whatever it takes hold of is shattered—not only the local wheels of the provinces, which, if temporarily deranged, may be repaired, but even the incentive at the center which puts the rest in motion, and the destruction of which will throw the whole machinery into confusion.

1101 ( return) [ Marmontel, "Mémoires," II. 221.—Albert Babeau, "Histoire de la Révolution Française," I. 91, 187. (Letter by Huez Mayor of Troyes, July 30, 1788.)—Archives Nationales, H. 1274. (Letter by M. de Caraman, April 22, 1789.) H. 942 (Cahier des demandes des Etats de Languedoc).—Buchez et Roux, "Histoire Parlementaire," I. 283.]

1102 ( return) [ See "The Ancient Régime," p.34. Albert Babeau, I. 91. (The Bishop of Troyes gives 12,000 francs, and the chapter 6,000, for the relief workshops.)]

1103 ( return) [ "The Ancient Regime," 350, 387.—Floquet, "Histoire du Parlement de Normandie," VII. 505–518. (Reports of the Parliament of Normandy, May 3,1788. Letter from the Parliament to the King, July 15, 1789.)]

1104 ( return) [ Arthur Young, "Voyages in France," June 29th, July 2nd and 18th—" Journal de Paris," January 2, 1789. Letter of the curé of Sainte-Marguerite.]

1105 ( return) [ Buchez and Roux, IV. 79–82. (Letter from the intermediary bureau of Montereau, July 9, 1789; from the maire of Villeneuve-le-Roi, July 10th; from M. Baudry, July 10th; from M. Prioreau, July 11th, etc.)—Montjoie, "Histoire de la Révolution de France," 2nd part, ch. XXI, p. 5.]

1106 ( return) [ Roux et Buchez, ibid. "It is very unfortunate," writes the Marquis d'Autichamp, "to be obliged to cut down the standing crops ready to be gathered in; but it is dangerous to let the troops die of hunger."]

1107 ( return) [ Montjoie, "Histoire de la Révolution de France," ch. XXXIX, V, 37.—De Goncourt, "La Société Française pendant la Révolution," p. 5l3.—Deposition of Maillard (Criminal Inquiry of the Châtelet concerning the events of October 5th and 6th).]

1108 ( return) [ De Tocqueville, "L'Ancien Régime et la Révolution," 272–290. De Lavergne, "Les Assemblées provinciales," 109. Procès-verbaux des assemblées provinciales, passim.]

1109 ( return) [ A magistrate who gives judgment in a lower court in cases relative to taxation. These terms are retained because there are no equivalents in English. (Tr.)]

1110 ( return) [ "Laboureurs,"—this term, at this epoch, is applied to those who till their own land. (Tr.)]

1111 ( return) [ Duvergier. "Collection des lois et décrets," I. 1 to 23, and particularly p. 15.]

1112 ( return) [ Parish priests. (SR.)]

1113 ( return) [ Arthur Young, July 12th, 1789 (in Champagne).]

1114 ( return) [ Montjoie, 1st part, 102.]

1115 ( return) [ Floquet, "Histoire du Parlement de Normandie," VII. 508.—" Archives Nationales," H. 1453.]

1116 ( return) [ Arthur Young, June 29th (at Nangis).]

1117 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H.1453. Letter of the Duc de Mortemart, Seigneur of Bray, May 4th; of M. de Ballainvilliers, intendant of Languedoc, April 15th.]

1118 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H.1453. Letter of the intendant, M. d'Agay, April 30th; of the municipal officers of Nantes, January 9th; of the intendant, M. Meulan d'Ablois, June 22nd; of M. de Ballainvilliers, April 15th.]

1119 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H. 1453. Letter of the Count de Langeron, July 4th; of M. de Meulan d'Ablois, June 5th; "Minutes of the meeting of la Maréchaussée de Bost," April 29th. Letters of M. de Chazerat, May 29th; of M. de Bezenval, June 2nd; of the intendant, M. Amelot, April 25th.]

1120 ( return) [ '"Archives Nationales," H.1453. Letter of M. de Bezenval, May 27th; of M. de Ballainvilliers, April 25th; of M. de Foullonde, April 19th.]

1121 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H.1453. Letter of the intendant, M. d'Aine, March 12th; of M. d'Agay, April 30th; of M. Amelot, April 25th; of the municipal authorities of Nantes, January 9th, etc.]

1122 ( return) [ "The Ancient Régime," pp. 380–389.]

1123 ( return) [ Floquet, VII. 508, (Report of February 27th).—Hippeau, "La Gouvernement de Normandie," IV. 377. (Letter of M. Perrot, June 23rd.)—" Archives Nationales," H. 1453. Letter of M. de Sainte-Suzanne, April 29th. Ibid. F7, 3250. Letter of M. de Rochambeau, May 16th Ibid. F7, 3250. Letter of the Abbé Duplaquet, Deputy of the Third Estate of Saint-Quentin, May 17th. Letter of three husbandmen in the environs of Saint-Quentin, May 14th.]

1124 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H. 1453. Letter of the Count de Perigord, military commandant of Languedoc, April 22nd.]

1125 ( return) [ Floquet, VII. 511 (from the 11th to the 14th July).]

1126 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H. 1453. Letter of the municipal authorities of Nantes, January 9th; of the sub-delegate of Ploërmel, July 4th; ibid. F7, 2353. Letter of the intermediary commission of Alsace, September 8th ibid. F7, 3227. Letter of the intendant, Caze de la Bove, June 16th; ibid. H. 1453. Letter of Terray, intendant of Lyons, July 4th; of the prévot des échevins, July 5th and 7th.]

1127 ( return) [ (A tax on all goods entering a town. SR.)]

1128 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H. 1453. Letter of the mayor and councils of Agde, April 21st; of M. de Perigord, April 19th, May 5th.]

1129 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H. 1453. Letters of M. de Caraman, March 23rd, 26th 27th 28th; of the seneschal Missiessy, March 24th; of the mayor of Hyères, March 25th, etc.; ibid. H. 1274; of M. de Montmayran, April 2nd; of M. de Caraman, March 18th, April 12th; of the intendant, M. de la Tour, April 2nd; of the procureur-géneral, M. d'Antheman, April 17th, and the report of June 15th; of the municipal authorities of Toulon, April 11th; of the sub-delegate of Manosque, March 14th; of M. de Saint-Tropez, March 21st.—Minutes of the meeting, signed by 119 witnesses, of the insurrection at Aix, March 5th, etc.]

1130 ( return) [ An uprising of the peasants. The term is used to indicate a country mob in contradistinction to a city or town mob.-Tr.]

1131 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H.1274. Letter of M. de la Tour, April 2nd (with a detailed memorandum and depositions).]

1132 ( return) [ "Archives Nationales," H. 1274. Letter of M. de Caraman, April 22nd:—"One real benefit results from this misfortune … The well-to-do class is brought to sustain that which exceeded the strength of the poor daily laborers. We see the nobles and people in good circumstances a little more attentive to the poor peasants: they are now habituated to speaking to them with more gentleness." M. de Caraman was wounded, as well as his Son, at Aix, and if the Soldiery, who were stoned, at length fired on the crowd, he did not give the order.—Ibid, letter of M. d'Anthéman, April 17th; of M. de Barentin, June 11th.]