n, also the later domain of the civil list.
More than three-fifths[2107] of the soil thus falls into our hands,
which three-fifths are much the best stocked; they comprise almost
all the large and fine edifices, chateaux, abbeys, mansions, houses of
superintendents and nearly all the royal, episcopal, seigniorial and
bourgeois stock of rich and elegant furniture; all plate, libraries,
pictures and artistic objects accumulated for centuries.--Remark, again,
the seizure of specie and all other articles of gold and silver; in the
months alone of November and December, 1793, this swoop puts into our
coffers three or four hundred millions,[2108] not assignats, but ringing
coin. In short, whatever the form of established capital may be we take
all we can get hold of, probably more than three-fourths of it.--There
remains the portion which is not fixed capital, that which disappears
in use, namely, all that is consumed, all the fruits of the soil, every
description of provision, all the products of human art and labor
which contribute the maintenance of existence. Through "the right of
pre-emption" and through the right of "requisition," "the Republic
becomes temporary proprietor of whatever commerce, manufacture and
agriculture have produced and added to the soil of France: "all food and
merchandise is ours before being owned by their holder. We carry out of
his house whatever suits us; we pay him for this with worthless paper;
we frequently do not pay him at all. For greater convenience, we seize
objects directly and wherever we find them, grain in the farmer's barn,
hay in the reaper's shed, cattle in the fold, wine in the vats, hides
at the butcher's, leather in the tanneries, soap, tallow, sugar, brandy,
cloths, linens and the rest, in stores, depots and ware-houses. We stop
vehicles and the horses in the street. We enter the premises of mail
or coach contractors and empty their stables. We carry away kitchen
utensils to obtain the copper; we turn people out of their rooms to get
their beds; we strip them of their coats and shirts; in one day, we make
ten thousand individuals in one town go barefoot.[2109]

"When public needs require it," says representative Isore, "all belongs
to the people and nothing to individuals."

By virtue of the same right we dispose of persons as we do of things. We
decree the levy en masse and, stranger still, we carry it out, at least
in many parts of the country, and we keep it up for months: