low heads to escape which will devise new horrors.
You are mere children; your enthusiasm is merely a straw bonfire! If the
National Assembly does not try two illustrious heads in regular form or
some generous Decius strike them down, you are all lost.--" Ibid.,, May
17, 1790: "Our rural districts are much dissatisfied with the decree on
feudal privileges... A reform is necessary, in which more chateaux must
be burnt. It would not be a serious evil were there not some danger of
the enemies of the Revolution profiting by these discontents to lessen
the confidence of the people in the National Assembly."--Sept. 27, 1790.
"The worst party is successful; it is forgotten that insurrection is
the most sacred of duties when the country is in danger."--Jan.24, 1791.
"The wise man shuts his eyes to the grievances or weaknesses of the
private individual; but the citizen should show no mercy, even to his
father, when the public welfare is at stake."]

[Footnote 3292: "Archives Nationales," F7, 3202. Report of the
commissary, member of the Cantal directory, Oct. 24. On the 16th of
October at Chaudesaigues the volunteers break open a door and then kill
one of their comrades who opposes them, whom the commissary tries to
save. The mayor of the place, in uniform, leads them to the dwellings of
aristocrats, urging them on to pillage; they enter a number of houses by
force and exact wine. The next day at Saint-Urcize they break into
the house of the former cure, devastate or pillage it, and "sell his
furniture to different persons in the neighborhood." The same treatment
is awarded to sieur Vaissier, mayor, and to lady Lavalette; their
cellars are forced open, barrels of wine are taken to the public square,
and drinking takes place from the tap. After this "the volunteers go in
squads into the neighboring parishes and compel the inhabitants to give
them money or effects." The commissary and municipal officers of St.
Urcize who tried to mediate were nearly killed and were saved only
through the efforts of a detachment of regular cavalry. As to the
Jacobin mayor of Chaudesaigues, it was natural that he should preach
pillage; on the sale of the effects of the nuns "he kept all bidders
away, and had things knocked down to him for almost nothing."]

[Footnote 3293: "Archives Nationales," F7, 3217. Letter or Castanet, an
old gendarme, Nimes, Aug.21.--Letter of M. Griolet, syndic-attorney of
the Gard, Sept. 8: "I beg, sir, that this letter may