ub of a sounder-minded city sends its delegates
there, to bring it into line; thus, four deputies of the Metz club
arrive without notice in Belfort, catechize their brethren, associate
with them on the local Revolutionary Committee, and, suddenly, without
consulting the municipality, or any other legal authority, draw up
a list of "moderates, fanatics and egoists," on whom they impose an
extraordinary tax of one hundred and thirty-six thousand six hundred and
seventeen livres;[3371] in like manner, sixty delegates from the club
of Cote-d'Or, Haute-Marne, Vosges, Moselle, Saone-et-Loire and
Mont-Terrible, all "tempered by the white heat of Pere Duchesne,"
proceed to Strasbourg at the summons of the representatives, where,
under the title of "propagandists," they are to regenerate the town.--At
the same time, in each department, the Jacobins of the principal town
are found scattered along the high ways, that they may inspect their
domain and govern their subjects. Sometimes, it is the representative
on mission, who, personally, along with twenty "hairy devils," makes
his round and shows off his traveling dictatorship; again, it is his
secretary or delegate who, in his place and in his name, comes to a
second-class town and draws up his documents.[3372] At another time, it
is "a committee of investigation and propaganda" which, "chosen by
the club and provided with full powers," comes, in the name of the
representatives, to work up for a month all the communes of the
district.[3373] Again, finally, it is the revolutionary committee of
the principal town, which," declared central for the whole
department,"[3374] delegates one or the other of its members to
go outside the walls, and purge and recompose suspected
municipalities.--Thus does Jacobinism descend and spread itself, story
after story, from the Parisian center to the smallest and remotest
commune: throughout provincial France, whether colorless or of uncertain
color, the imposed or imported administration imposes its red stigma.

But the stamp is only superficial; for the sans-culottes, naturally, are
not disposed to confer offices on any but men of their sort, while in
the provinces, especially in the rural districts, such men are rare. As
one of the representatives says: there is a "dearth of subjects."--At
Macon, Javogues tries in vain;[3375] he finds in the club only
"disguised federalists;" the people, he says, "will not open their
eyes it seems to me that this