Atthefirstsessionthemembersofthenobilityandtheclergywerecovered,accordingtotheprerogativesoftheirclass,beforetheking。ThoseoftheThirdEstatewishedtoimitatethem,buttheprivilegedmembersprotested。Onthefollowingdaymoreprotestsofwoundedself—lovewereheard。ThedeputiesoftheThirdEstateinvitedthoseofthenobilityandtheclergywhoweresittinginseparatehallstojointhemfortheverificationoftheirpowers。Thenoblesrefused。Thenegotiationslastedmorethanamonth。Finally,thedeputiesoftheThirdEstate,onthepropositionoftheAbbeSieyes,consideringthattheyrepresented95percent。ofthenation,declaredthemselvesconstitutedasaNationalAssembly。FromthatmomenttheRevolutionpursueditscourse。
3。TheConstituentAssembly。
Thepowerofapoliticalassemblyresides,aboveall,intheweaknessofitsadversaries。Astonishedbytheslightresistanceencountered,andcarriedawaybytheascendancyofahandfuloforators,theConstituentAssembly,fromitsearliestsessions,spokeandactedasasovereignbody。Notablyitarrogatedtoitselfthepowerofdecreeingimposts,aseriousencroachmentupontheprerogativesoftheroyalpower。
TheresistanceofLouisXVI。wasfeebleenough。HesimplyhadthehallinwhichtheStatesassembledclosed。Thedeputiesthenmetinthehallofthetennis—court,andtooktheoaththattheywouldnotseparateuntiltheConstitutionofthekingdomwasanestablishedfact。
Themajorityofthedeputiesoftheclergywentwiththem。ThekingrevokedthedecisionoftheAssembly,andorderedthedeputiestoretire。TheMarquisdeDreux—Breze,theGrandMasterofCeremonies,havinginvitedthemtoobeytheorderofthesovereign,thePresidentoftheAssemblydeclared``thatthenationassembledcannotreceiveorders,’’andMirabeaurepliedtotheenvoyofthesovereignthat,beingunitedbythewillofthepeople,theAssemblywouldonlywithdrawatthepointofthebayonet。Againthekinggaveway。
Onthe9thofJunethemeetingofdeputiestookthetitleoftheConstituentAssembly。Forthefirsttimeincenturiesthekingwasforcedtorecognisetheexistenceofanewpower,formerlyignored——thatofthepeople,representedbyitselectedrepresentatives。Theabsolutemonarchywasnomore。
Feelinghimselfmoreandmoreseriouslythreatened,LouisXVI。
summonedtoVersaillesanumberofregimentscomposedofforeignmercenaries。TheAssemblydemandedthewithdrawalofthetroops。
Thekingrefused,anddismissedNecker,replacinghimbytheMarshaldeBroglie,reputedtobeanextremelyauthoritativeperson。
ButtheAssemblyhadablesupporters。CamilleDesmoulinsandothersharanguedthecrowdinalldirections,callingittothedefenceofliberty。Theysoundedthetocsin,organisedamilitiaof12,000men,tookmusketsandcannonfromtheInvalides,andonthe14thofJulythearmedbandsmarchedupontheBastille。Thefortress,barelydefended,capitulatedinafewhours。Sevenprisonerswerefoundwithinit,ofwhomonewasanidiotandfourwereaccusedofforgery。
TheBastille,theprisonofmanyvictimsofarbitrarypower,symbolisedtheroyalpowertomanyminds;butthepeoplewhodemolishedithadnotsufferedbyit。Scarcelyanybutmembersofthenobilitywereimprisonedthere。
Theinfluenceexercisedbythetakingofthisfortresshascontinuedtoourdays。SerioushistorianslikeM。Rambaudassureusthat``thetakingoftheBastilleisaculminatingfactinthehistory,notofFranceonlybutofallEurope,andinauguratesanewepochinthehistoryoftheworld。’’
Suchcredulityisalittleexcessive。Theimportanceoftheeventlaysimplyinthepsychologicalfactthatforthefirsttimethepeoplereceivedanobviousproofoftheweaknessofanauthoritywhichhadlatelybeenformidable。
Whentheprincipleofauthorityisinjuredinthepublicminditdissolvesveryrapidly。Whatmightnotonedemandofakingwhocouldnotdefendhisprincipalfortressagainstpopularattacks?
Themasterregardedasall—powerfulhadceasedtobeso。
ThetakingoftheBastillewasthebeginningofoneofthosephenomenaofmentalcontagionwhichaboundinthehistoryoftheRevolution。Theforeignmercenarytroops,althoughtheycouldscarcelybeinterestedinthemovement,begantoshowsymptomsofmutiny。LouisXVI。wasreducedtoacceptingtheirdisbandment。
HerecalledNecker,wenttotheHoteldeVille,sanctionedbyhispresencetheaccomplishedfacts,andacceptedfromLaFayette,commandantoftheNationalGuard,thenewcockadeofred,white,andbluewhichalliedthecoloursofParistothoseoftheking。
AlthoughtheriotwhichendedinthetakingoftheBastillecanbynomeansberegardedas``aculminatingfactinhistory,’’itdoesmarktheprecisemomentofthecommencementofpopulargovernment。ThearmedpeoplethenceforthinterveneddailyinthedeliberationsoftherevolutionaryAssemblies,andseriouslyinfluencedtheirconduct。
ThisinterventionofthepeopleinconformitywiththedogmaofitssovereigntyhasprovokedtherespectfuladmirationofmanyhistoriansoftheRevolution。Evenasuperficialstudyofthepsychologyofcrowdswouldspeedilyhaveshownthemthatthemysticentitywhichtheycallthepeoplewasmerelytranslatingthewillofafewleaders。ItisnotcorrecttosaythatthepeopletooktheBastille,attackedtheTuileries,invadedtheConvention,&c。,butthatcertainleaders——generallybymeansoftheclubs——unitedarmedbandsofthepopulace,whichtheyledagainsttheBastille,theTuileries,&c。DuringtheRevolutionthesamecrowdsattackedordefendedthemostcontraryparties,accordingtotheleaderswhohappenedtobeattheirheads。Acrowdneverhasanyopinionbutthatofitsleaders。
Exampleconstitutingoneofthemostpotentformsofsuggestion,thetakingoftheBastillewasinevitablyfollowedbythedestructionofotherfortresses。ManychateauxwereregardedassomanylittleBastilles,andinordertoimitatetheParisianswhohaddestroyedtheirsthepeasantsbegantoburnthem。Theydidsowiththegreaterfurybecausetheseigneurialhomescontainedthetitlesoffeudaldues。ItwasaspeciesofJacquerie。
TheConstituentAssembly,soproudandhaughtytowardstheking,was,likealltherevolutionaryassemblieswhichfollowedit,extremelypusillanimousbeforethepeople。
HopingtoputanendtothedisordersofthenightofAugust4th,itvoted,onthepropositionofamemberofthenobility,theComtedeNoailles,theabolitionofseigneurialrights。Althoughthismeasuresuppressedatonestroketheprivilegesofthenobles,itwasvotedwithtearsandembracings。Suchaccessesofsentimentalenthusiasmarereadilyexplainedwhenwerecallhowcontagiousemotionisinacrowd,aboveallinanassemblyoppressedbyfear。
Iftherenunciationoftheirrightshadbeeneffectedbythenobilityafewyearsearlier,theRevolutionwoulddoubtlesshavebeenavoided,butitwasnowtoolate。Togivewayonlywhenoneisforcedtodosomerelyincreasesthedemandsofthosetowhomoneyields。Inpoliticsoneshouldalwayslookaheadandgivewaylongbeforeoneisforcedtodoso。
LouisXVI。hesitatedfortwomonthstoratifythedecisionsvotedbytheAssemblyonthenightofthe4thofAugust。HehadretiredtoVersailles。Theleaderssentthitherabandof7,000
or8,000menandwomenofthepeople,assuringthemthattheroyalresidencecontainedgreatstoresofbread。Therailingsofthepalacewereforced,someofthebodyguardwerekilled,andthekingandallhisfamilywereledbacktoParisinthemidstofashriekingcrowd,manyofwhomboreontheendsoftheirpikestheheadsofthesoldiersmassacred。Thedreadfuljourneylastedsixhours。Theseeventsconstitutedwhatareknownasthe``days’’ofOctober。
Thepopularpowerincreased,andinrealitytheking,likethewholeassembly,washenceforthinthehandsofthepeople——thatis,atthemercyoftheclubsandtheirleaders。Thispopularpowerwastoprevailfornearlytenyears,andtheRevolutionwastobealmostentirelyitswork。
Whileproclaimingthatthepeopleconstitutedtheonlysovereign,theAssemblywasgreatlyembarrassedbyriotswhichwentfarbeyonditstheoreticalexpectations。IthadsupposedthatorderwouldberestoredwhileitfabricatedaConstitutiondestinedtoassuretheeternalhappinessofmankind。
WeknowthatduringthewholedurationoftheRevolutiononeofthechiefoccupationsoftheassemblieswastomake,unmake,andremakeConstitutions。Thetheoristsattributedtothemthen,astheydoto—day,thepoweroftransformingsociety;theAssembly,therefore,couldnotneglectitstask。InthemeantimeitpublishedasolemnDeclarationoftheRightsofManwhichsummariseditsprinciples。
TheConstitution,proclamations,declarations,andspeecheshadnottheslightesteffectonthepopularmovements,noronthedissentientswhodailyincreasedinnumberintheheartoftheAssembly。Thelatterbecamemoreandmoresubjectedtotheascendancyoftheadvancedparty,whichwassupportedbytheclubs。Danton,CamilleDesmoulins,andlaterMaratandHebert,violentlyexcitedthepopulacebytheirharanguesandtheirjournals。TheAssemblywasrapidlygoingdowntheslopethatleadstoextremes。
Duringallthesedisordersthefinancesofthecountrywerenotimproving。Finallyconvincedthatphilanthropicspeecheswouldnotaltertheirlamentablecondition,andseeingthatbankruptcythreatened,theAssemblydecreed,onthe2ndofNovember,1789,theconfiscationofthegoodsoftheChurch。Theirrevenues,consistingofthetithescollectedfromthefaithful,amountedtosomeL8,000,000,andtheirvaluewasestimatedataboutL120,000,000。Theyweredividedamongsomehundredsofprelates,Courtabbes,&c。,whoownedaquarterofallFrance。
Thesegoods,henceforthentitledis``nationaldomains,’’formedtheguaranteeoftheassignats,thefirstissueofwhichwasfor400,000,000francs(L16,000,000sterling)。Thepublicacceptedthemattheoutset,buttheymultipliedsoundertheDirectoryandtheConvention,whichissued45,000,000,000francsinthisform(L1,800,000,000sterling),thatanassignatof100livreswasfinallyworthonlyafewhalfpence。
Stimulatedbyhisadvisers,thefeebleLouisattemptedinvaintostruggleagainstthedecreesoftheAssemblybyrefusingtosanctionthem。
UndertheinfluenceofthedailysuggestionsoftheleadersandthepowerofmentalcontagiontherevolutionarymovementwasspreadingeverywhereindependentlyoftheAssemblyandoftenevenagainstit。
Inthetownsandvillagesrevolutionarymunicipalitieswereinstituted,protectedbythelocalNationalGuards。Thoseofneighbouringtownscommencedtomakemutualarrangementstodefendthemselvesshouldneedarise。Thusfederationswereformed,whichweresoonrolledintoone;thissent14,000
NationalGuardstoParis,whoassembledontheChamp—de—Marsonthe14thofJuly,1790。TherethekingsworetomaintaintheConstitutiondecreedbytheNationalAssembly。
DespitethisvainoathitbecamemoreevidenteverydaythatnoagreementwaspossiblebetweenthehereditaryprinciplesofthemonarchyandthoseproclaimedbytheAssembly。
Feelinghimselfcompletelypowerless,thekingthoughtonlyofflight。ArrestedatVarennesandbroughtbackaprisonertoParis,hewasshutupintheTuileries。TheAssembly,althoughstillextremelyroyalist,suspendedhimfrompower,anddecidedtoassumethesolechargeofthegovernment。
NeverdidsovereignfindhimselfinapositionsodifficultasthatofLouisatthetimeofhisflight。ThegeniusofaRichelieuwouldhardlyhaveextricatedhim。Theonlyelementofdefenceonwhichhecouldhavereliedhadfromthebeginningabsolutelyfailedhim。
DuringthewholedurationoftheConstituentAssemblytheimmensemajorityofFrenchmenandoftheAssemblyremainedroyalist,sothathadthesovereignacceptedaliberalmonarchyhecouldperhapshaveremainedinpower。ItwouldseemthatLouishadlittletopromiseinordertocometoanagreementwiththeAssembly。
Little,perhaps,butwithhisstructureofmindthatlittlewasstrictlyimpossible。Alltheshadesofhisforbearswouldhaverisenupinfrontofhimhadheconsentedtomodifythemechanismofthemonarchyinheritedfromsomanyancestors。Andevenhadheattemptedtodoso,theoppositionofhisfamily,theclergy,thenobles,andtheCourtcouldneverhavebeensurmounted。Theancientcastesonwhichthemonarchyrested,thenobilityandtheclergy,werethenalmostaspowerfulasthemonarchhimself。
EverytimeitseemedasthoughhemightyieldtotheinjunctionsoftheAssemblyitwasbecausehewasconstrainedtodosobyforce,andtoattempttogaintime。HisappealstoalienPowersrepresentedtheresolutionofadesperatemanwhohadseenallhisnaturaldefencesfailhim。
He,andespeciallythequeen,entertainedthestrangestillusionsastothepossibleassistanceofAustria,forcenturiestherivalofFrance。IfAustriaindolentlyconsentedtocometohisaid,itwasonlyinthehopeofreceivingagreatreward。MercygavehimtounderstandthatthepaymentexpectedconsistedofAlsace,theAlps,andNavarre。
Theleadersoftheclubs,findingtheAssemblytooroyalist,sentthepeopleagainstit。Apetitionwassigned,invitingtheAssemblytoconvokeanewconstituentpowertoproceedtothetrialofLouisXVI。
Monarchicalinspiteofall,andfindingthattheRevolutionwasassumingacharacterfartoodemagogic,theAssemblyresolvedtodefenditselfagainsttheactionsofthepeople。AbattalionoftheNationalGuard,commandedbyLaFayette,wassenttotheChamp—de—Mars,wherethecrowdwasassembled,todisperseit。
Fiftyofthosepresentwerekilled。
TheAssemblydidnotlongpersistinitsfeebleresistance。
Extremelyfearfulofthepeople,itincreaseditsarrogancetowardstheking,deprivinghimeverydayofsomepartofhisprerogativesandauthority。Hewasnowscarcelymorethanamereofficialobligedtoexecutethewishesofothers。
TheAssemblyhadimaginedthatitwouldbeabletoexercisetheauthorityofwhichithaddeprivedtheking,butsuchataskwasinfinitelyaboveitsresources。Apowersodividedisalwaysweak。``Iknownothingmoreterrible,’’saidMirabeau,``thanthesovereignauthorityofsixhundredpersons。’’
HavingflattereditselfthatitcouldcombineinitselfallthepowersoftheState,andexercisethemasLouisXVI。haddone,theAssemblyverysoonexercisednonewhatever。
Asitsauthorityfailedanarchyincreased。Thepopularleaderscontinuallystirredupthepeople。Riotandinsurrectionbecamethesolepower。EverydaytheAssemblywasinvadedbyrowdyandimperiousdelegationswhichoperatedbymeansofthreatsanddemands。
Allthesepopularmovements,whichtheAssembly,underthestressoffear,invariablyobeyed,hadnothingspontaneousaboutthem。
Theysimplyrepresentedthemanifestationsofnewpowers——theclubsandtheCommune——whichhadbeensetupbesidetheAssembly。
ThemostpowerfuloftheseclubswastheJacobin,whichhadquicklycreatedmorethanfivehundredbranchesinthecountry,allofwhichwereundertheordersofthecentralbody。ItsinfluenceremainedpreponderantduringthewholedurationoftheRevolution。ItwasthemasteroftheAssembly,andthenofFrance,itsonlyrivaltheinsurrectionaryCommune,whosepowerwasexercisedonlyinParis。
TheweaknessofthenationalAssemblyandallitsfailureshadmadeitextremelyunpopular。Itbecameconsciousofthis,and,feelingthatitwaseverydaymorepowerless,decidedtohastenthecreationofthenewConstitutioninorderthatitmightdissolve。Itslastaction,whichwastactlessenough,wastodecreethatnomemberoftheConstituentAssemblyshouldbeelectedtotheLegislativeAssembly。Themembersofthelatterwerethusdeprivedoftheexperienceacquiredbytheirpredecessors。
TheConstitutionwascompletedonthe3rdofSeptember,1791,andacceptedonthe13thbytheking,towhomtheAssemblyhadrestoredhispowers。
ThisConstitutionorganisedarepresentativeGovernment,delegatingthelegislativepowertodeputieselectedbythepeople,andtheexecutivepowertotheking,whoserightofvetooverthedecreesoftheAssemblywasrecognised。Newdepartmentaldivisionsweresubstitutedfortheoldprovinces。
Theimpostswereabolished,andreplacedbydirectandindirecttaxes,whicharestillinforce。
TheAssembly,whichhadjustalteredtheterritorialdivisionsandoverthrownalltheoldsocialorganisation,thoughtitselfpowerfulenoughtotransformthereligiousorganisationofthecountryalso。Itclaimednotablythatthemembersoftheclergyshouldbeelectedbythepeople,andshouldbethuswithdrawnfromtheinfluenceoftheirsupremehead,thePope。
ThiscivilconstitutionoftheclergywastheoriginofreligiousstrugglesandpersecutionswhichlasteduntilthedaysoftheConsulate。Two—thirdsofthepriestsrefusedtheoathdemandedofthem。
DuringthethreeyearswhichrepresentedthelifeoftheConstituentAssemblytheRevolutionhadproducedconsiderableresults。TheprincipalresultwasperhapsthebeginningofthetransferencetotheThirdEstateoftherichesoftheprivilegedclasses。Inthiswaywhileinterestswerecreatedtobedefendedferventadherentswereraiseduptothenewregime。A
Revolutionsupportedbythegratificationofacquiredappetitesisboundtobepowerful。TheThirdEstate,whichhadsupplantedthenobles,andthepeasants,whohadboughtthenationaldomains,wouldreadilyunderstandthattherestorationoftheancienregimewoulddespoilthemofalltheiradvantages。
TheenergeticdefenceoftheRevolutionwasmerelythedefenceoftheirownfortunes。
Thisiswhywesee,duringpartoftheRevolution,nearlyhalfthedepartmentsvainlyrisingagainstthedespotismthatcrushedthem。TheRepublicanstriumphedoverallopposition。Theywereextremelypowerfulinthattheyhadtodefend,notonlyanewideal,butnewmaterialinterests。WeshallseethattheinfluenceofthesetwofactorslastedduringthewholeoftheRevolution,andcontributedpowerfullytotheestablishmentoftheEmpire。
CHAPTERII
THEPSYCHOLOGYOFTHELEGISLATIVEASSEMBLY
1。PoliticalEventsduringtheLifeoftheLegislativeAssembly。
BeforeexaminingthementalcharacteristicsoftheLegislativeAssemblyletusbrieflysumuptheconsiderablepoliticaleventswhichmarkeditsshortyear’slife。Theynaturallyplayedanimportantpartinrespectofitspsychologicalmanifestations。
Extremelymonarchical,theLegislativeAssemblyhadnomoreideathanitspredecessorofdestroyingthemonarchy。Thekingappearedtoittobeslightlysuspect,butitstillhopedtobeabletoretainhimonthethrone。
Unhappilyforhim,Louiswasincessantlybeggingforinterventionfromabroad。ShutupintheTuileries,defendedonlybyhisSwissGuards,thetimidsovereignwasdriftingamongcontraryinfluences。Hesubsidisedjournalsintendedtomodifypublicopinion,buttheobscure``penny—a—liners’’whoeditedthemknewnothingofactingonthemindofthecrowd。TheironlymeansofpersuasionwastomenacewiththegallowsallthepartisansoftheRevolution,andtopredicttheinvasionofFrancebyanarmywhichwouldrescuetheking。
RoyaltynolongercountedonanythingbuttheforeignCourts。Thenobleswereemigrating。Prussia,Austria,andRussiawerethreateningFrancewithawarofinvasion。TheCourtfavouredtheirlead。TothecoalitionofthethreekingsagainstFrancetheJacobinClubproposedtoopposealeagueofpeoples。
TheGirondistswerethen,withtheJacobins,attheheadoftherevolutionarymovement。Theyincitedthemassestoarmthemselves——600,000volunteerswereequipped。TheCourtacceptedaGirondistminister。Dominatedbyhim,LouisXVI。wasobligedtoproposetotheAssemblyawaragainstAustria。Itwasimmediatelyagreedto。
Indeclaringwarthekingwasnotsincere。ThequeenrevealedtheFrenchplansofcampaignandthesecretdeliberationsoftheCounciltotheAustrians。
Thebeginningsofthestruggleweredisastrous。Severalcolumnsoftroops,attackedbypanic,disbanded。Stimulatedbytheclubs,andpersuaded——justly,forthatmatter——thatthekingwasconspiringwiththeenemiesofFrance,thepopulationofthefaubourgsroseininsurrection。Itsleaders,theJacobins,andaboveallDanton,senttotheTuileriesonthe20thofJuneapetitionthreateningthekingwithrevocation。IttheninvadedtheTuileries,heapinginvectivesonthesovereign。
FatalityimpelledLouistowardhistragicdestiny。WhilethethreatsoftheJacobinsagainstroyaltyhadrousedmanyofthedepartmentstoindignation,itwaslearnedthataPrussianarmyhadarrivedonthefrontiersofLorraine。
Thehopeofthekingandqueenrespectingthehelptobeobtainedfromabroadwashighlychimerical。Marie—AntoinettesufferedfromanabsoluteillusionastothepsychologyoftheAustrianandtheFrenchpeoples。SeeingFranceterrorisedbyafewenergumens,shesupposedthatitwouldbeequallyeasytoterrifytheParisians,andbymeansofthreatstoleadthembackundertheking’sauthority。Inspiredbyher,FersenundertooktopublishthemanifestooftheDukeofBrunswick,threateningPariswith``totalsubversioniftheroyalfamilyweremolested。’’
Theeffectproducedwasdiametricallyoppositetothatintended。
Themanifestoarousedindignationagainstthemonarch,whowasregardedasanaccomplice,andincreasedhisunpopularity。Fromthatdayhewasmarkedforthescaffold。
CarriedawaybyDanton,thedelegatesofthesectionsinstalledthemselvesattheHoteldeVilleasaninsurrectionaryCommune,whicharrestedthecommandantoftheNationalGuard,whowasdevotedtotheking,soundedthetocsin,equippedtheNationalGuard,andonthe10thofAugusthurledthem,withthepopulace,againsttheTuileries。TheregimentscalledinbyLouisdisbandedthemselves。SoonnonewerelefttodefendhimbuthisSwissandafewgentlemen。Nearlyallwerekilled。Leftalone,thekingtookrefugewiththeAssembly。Thecrowdsdemandedhisdenouncement。TheLegislativeAssemblydecreedhissuspensionandleftafutureAssembly,theConvention,todecideuponhisfate。
2。MentalCharacteristicsoftheLegislativeAssembly。
TheLegislativeAssembly,formedofnewmen,presentedquiteaspecialinterestfromthepsychologicalpointofview。
Fewassemblieshaveofferedinsuchadegreethecharacteristicsofthepoliticalcollectivity。
Itcomprisedsevenhundredandfiftydeputies,dividedintopureroyalists,constitutionalroyalists,republicans,Girondists,andMontagnards。Advocatesandmenoflettersformedthemajority。
Italsocontained,butinsmallernumbers,superiorofficers,priests,andaveryfewscientists。
ThephilosophicalconceptionsofthemembersofthisAssemblyseemrudimentaryenough。ManywereimbuedwithRousseau’sideaofareturntoastateofnature。Butall,liketheirpredecessors,weredominatedmoreespeciallybyrecollectionsofGreekandLatinantiquity。Cato,Brutus,Gracchus,Plutarch,MarcusAurelius,andPlato,continuallyevoked,furnishedtheimagesoftheirspeech。WhentheoratorwishedtoinsultLouisXVI。hecalledhimCaligula。
Inhopingtodestroytraditiontheywererevolutionaries,butinclaimingtoreturntoaremotepasttheyshowedthemselvesextremelyreactionary。
Fortherest,allthesetheorieshadverylittleinfluenceontheirconduct。Reasonwascontinuallyfiguringintheirspeeches,butneverintheiractions。Thesewerealwaysdominatedbythoseaffectiveandmysticelementswhosepotencywehavesooftendemonstrated。
ThepsychologicalcharacteristicsoftheLegislativeAssemblywerethoseoftheConstituentAssembly,butweregreatlyaccentuated。Theymaybesummedupinfourwords:
impressionability,mobility,timidity,andweakness。
Thismobilityandimpressionabilityarerevealedintheconstantvariabilityoftheirconduct。Onedaytheyexchangenoisyinvectiveandblows。Onthefollowingdayweseethem``throwingthemselvesintooneanother’sarmswithtorrentsoftears。’’
Theyeagerlyapplaudanaddressdemandingthepunishmentofthosewhohavepetitionedfortheking’sdethronement,andthesamedayaccordthehonoursofthesessiontoadelegationwhichhascometodemandhisdownfall。
ThepusillanimityandweaknessoftheAssemblyinthefaceofthreatswasextreme。Althoughroyalistitvotedthesuspensionoftheking,andonthedemandoftheCommunedeliveredhim,withhisfamily,tobeimprisonedintheTemple,Thankstoitsweakness,itwasasincapableastheConstituentAssemblyofexercisinganypower,andalloweditselftobedominatedbytheCommuneandtheclubs,whichweredirectedbysuchinfluentialleadersasHebert,Tallien,Rossignol,Marat,Robespierre,&c。
UntilThermidor,1794,theinsurrectionaryCommuneconstitutedthechiefpowerintheState,andbehavedpreciselyasifithadbeenchargedwiththegovernmentofParis。