书城公版The Origins of Contemporary France
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第572章

-- " Un Séjour en France," p.29: "The primary assemblies have already begun in this department (Pas-de-Calais). We happened to enter a church, where we found young Robespierre haranguing an audience as small in point of number as it was in that of respectability. They applauded vigorously as if to make up for their other shortcomings."[17] Albert Babeau, I. 518. At Troyes, Aug.26, the revolutionaries in most of the sections have it decided that the relations of an émigré, designated as hostages and the signers of royalist addresses, shall not be entitled to vote: "The sovereign people in their primary assembly may admit among its members only pure citizens against whom there is not the slightest reproach" (resolution of the Madeleine section). -- Sauzay, III. 47, 49 and following pages. At Quinsy, Aug.

26, Lout, working the Chattily furnaces, along with a hundred of his men armed with clubs, keeps away from the ballot-box the electors of the commune of Courcelles, "suspected of incivisme. " -- " Archives Nationales," F7, 3217. Letters of Gilles, justice an the canton of Roquemaure (Gard), Oct. 31, 1792, and Jan. 23, 1793, on the electoral proceedings employed in this canton: Dutour, president of the club, left his chair to support the motion for "lanterning" the grumpy and all the false patriots. . . On the 4th of November "he forced contributions by threatening to cut off heads and destroy houses." He was elected juge-de-paix. -- Another, Magère, "approved of the motion for setting up a gallows, provided that it was not placed in front of his windows, and stated openly in the club that if people followed the law they would never accomplish anything to be remembered." He was elected member of the department directory. -- A third, Fournier, "wrote that the gifts which citizens made to save their lives were voluntary gifts." He is made a department councilor. "Peaceable citizens are storing their furniture in safe places in order to take to flight . . . There is no security in France; the epithet of aristocrat, of Feuillant, of moderate affixed to the most honest citizen's name is enough to make him an object of spoliation and to expose him to losing his life. . . I insist on regarding the false idea which is current in relation to popular sovereignty as the principal cause of the existing anarchy."[18] Schmidt, "Pariser Zustande," I. 50 and following pages. --Mortimer-Ternaux, V. 95. 109, 117, 129. (Ballot of Oct. 4, 14,137voters; Oct. 22, 14,006; Nov.19, 10,223, Dec. 6, 7062.)[19] Sauzay, III. 45, 46, 221. -- Albert Babeau, I. 517. -- Lallié, "Le district de Machecoul, 225. -- Cf. in the above the history of the elections 'of Saint-Affrique: out of more than 600 registered electors the mayor and syndic-attorney are elected by forty votes. -- The plebiscite of September, 1795, on the constitution of the year III.

calls out only 958,000 voters. Repugnance to voting still exists.

"Ninety times out of a hundred, on asking: 'Citizen, how did the Electoral Assembly of your canton go off?' they would reply (in patois): 'Me, citizen? why should I go there? They have a good deal of trouble in getting along together.' Or, 'What would you? Only a few will come; honest people will stay at home!'" (Meissner, "Voyage àParis," towards the end of 1795.)[20] Stalin easily found a remedy. He obliged all to vote and falsified the count so that 99% now voted for him and his men. (SR).

[21] " Archives Nationales," CII. 1 to 76, passim, especially the official reports of the assemblies of the Bouches-du-Rh?ne, Hérault and Paris. Speech by Barbaroux to the Electoral Assembly of the Bouches-du-Rh?ne: "Brothers and friends, liberty will perish if you do not elect men to the National Convention whose hearts are filled with hatred of royalty. . . Mine is the soul of a freeman; ever since my fourth year it has been nourished on hatred to kings. I will relieve France from this detestable race, or I will die in the attempt. Before I leave you I will sign my own death-warrant, I will designate what Ilove most, I will show you all my possessions, I will lay a dagger on the table which shall pierce my heart if ever for an instant I prove false to the cause of the people!" (session of Sept. 3). - Guillon de Montléon, I, 135.

[22] Durand-Maillane, I.33. In the Electoral Assembly of the Bouches-du-Rh?ne "there was a desire to kill an elector suspected of aristocracy."[23] Mortimer-Ternaux, IV. 52. "Archives Nationales," CII. I to 32. --Official report of the Electora1 Assembly of Bouches-du-Rh?ne. Speech by Pierre Bayle, Sept. 3: "That man is not free who tries to conceal his conscience in the shadow of a vote. The Romans openly elected their tribunes. . . Who amongst us would reject so wise a measure? The galleries of the National Assembly have had as much to do with fostering the Revolution as the bayonets of patriots. " -- In Seine-et-Marne the Assembly at first decided for the secret vote; at the request of the Paris commissaries, Ronsin and Lacroix, it rescinds its decision and adopts voting aloud and by call.

[24] Barbaroux, "Mémoires," 379: "One day, on proceeding to the elections, tumultuous shouts break out: 'That is an anti-revolutionary from Arles, hang him!' An Arlesian had, indeed, been arrested on the square, brought into the Assembly, and they were lowering the lantern to run him up."[25] Mortimer-Ternaux, III. 338. -- De Sybel, "Histoire de l'Europe pendant la Révolution Fran?aise" (Dosquet's translation), I. 525.

(Correspondence of the army of the South, letter by Charles de Hesse, commanding the regular troops at Lyons.)[26] Mortimer-Ternaux, V.101, 122 and following pages.

[27] Guillon de Montléon, I. 172, 196 and following pages.

[28] Sauzay, III. 220 and following pages. -- Albert Babeau, II. 15.

At Troyes, two mayors elected refuse in turn. At the third ballot in this town of from 32,000 to 35,000 souls, the mayor-elect obtains 400out of 555 votes.