in uniform, receive him
wearing oak-leaf crowns; they listen in silence to "his astounding
and outrageous discourse;" they suffer him to tear off their crowns,
cockades and epaulettes; the battalions allow themselves to be disbanded
on the spot; on returning to their quarters they listen with downcast
eyes to the proclamation which "orders all inhabitants without
distinction to bring their arms within thirty-six hours, under the
penalty of death, to the glacis of the Chateau-Trompette; before
the time elapses thirty thousand guns, swords, pistols and even
pocket-knives are given up."

Here, as at Paris, on the 20th of June, 10th of August, 2nd of
September, 3rd of May and 2nd of June, as at every critical moment of
the Revolution in Paris and the provinces, habits of subordination
and of amiability, stamped on a people by a provident monarchy and a
time-honored civilization, have blunted in man the foresight of danger,
his aggressive instinct, his independence and the faculty of depending
upon himself only, the willingness to help one another and of saving
himself. Inevitably, when anarchy brings a nation back to the state of
nature, the tame animals will be eaten by the savage ones,--these are
now let loose and immediately they show their true nature.

VIII. The Reasons for the Terror.

The last local resistance.--Political orthodoxy of the
insurgent towns.--They stipulate but one condition.--Reasons
of State for granting this.--Party arguments against it.

If the men of the "Mountain" had been statesmen, or even sensible
men, they would have shown themselves humane, if not for the sake of
humanity, at least through calculation; for in this France, so little
republican, all the republican strength is not too great for the
founding of the Republic, while, through their principles, their
culture, their social position and their number, the Girondins form the
elite and the force, the flower and the sap of the party.--The death-cry
of the "Mountain" against the insurgents of Lozere[1169] and Vendee
can be understood: they had raised the king's white flag; they accepted
leaders and instructions from Coblentz and London. But neither Bordeaux,
Marseilles nor Lyons are royalist, or in alliance with the foreigner.

"We, rebels!" write the Lyonnese;[1170] "Why we see no other than the
tri-color flag waving; the white cockade, the symbol of rebellion, has
never been raised within our walls. We, royalist