EULLM LN A T LO N

OI TH I

P R I N C IP L E S

C I TE S

F R E NCH R E V O LUTIO JV
'

B! A LAT E D IGNIT A R! OF THE

G A LLIC A N C H UR C H .

L i n /
M 3 “ 4 h l
v g i ,

n u n -“
m c o w m , man s
axe s o mu mv s UNA
a m s so, n o r m s n o u n .

V IRG Georg
. . IV
.

mm mm
rn mn n B! E
G O RG E CA W TH O RN, a sn LIB RA R! ,
S TRA ND .

1 79 62

drama: at g amma -
mm]
 O F T H E PRINCIPLE S O F T H E

F R E N CH R E V O LUTIO JV
'

I n the lon g t rain o f rev olu tiohs whic h form the history of
e mpire s, t he re is n o t on e to be c o mpare d with t he F ren c h A ll .

fec t o fwhic h
O the rs we re on ly l oc al an d mo me n tary shoc k s, t he e f

was c on fin e d t o t he tran sfe r o fpower from on e han d to an o the r ;

o r, at most , form of a G ov e rn me n t In it
to a c han g e o f t he .

fo re ig n ers t ook no in tere st an y furthe r than as t he y we re c on

,

n e tt e d with t he l ead e rs o f on e part y o r t he O t he r ; an d what

e v e r was t he issu e , the agitation s o f o n e c oun try sh oo k n ot the

c o n st itu t ion o f other stat e s .

T he F ren ch Re v ol ution hath taken from 1 ts o rig in a difi er

'

a
, ,

e n t ch arac t er . W ithou t g riev an c e s witho u t pre tex ts wit ho u t

, ,

v isibl e l ead e rs in the mid st o f a p ro f

, oun d
p e ac e, a n d un d e r a

ov ernmen t the mo s t mil d a n ation h at h b ee n e n tire ly c an

g , .

v u lsed by a su dd en c han g e o f O pin ion s T he mo st po we rful

.

mon archy l n E u rope hath g iv en way to a phil osophical sy stem ,

t he princ iple s o f which b ein g appl ic abl e t o e v e ry p eo l e me

, p ,

n ac e ev e ry g ov e rn me n t . T he pl an o f this aston ishin g re v olu

t ion e mb race s the u n iv e rse . all nat ion s are in v ite d t o enj o y its

b le ssin g s o r t o partak e of 1 ts d isast ers

, .

H it he rto this sy stem hath n o t the suffrag e o f experience in

,
x

i t s fav ou r ; an d tho u g h it we re c e rtain that po ste rit y wou ld

re a t he fru it s o f t he c rime s a n d cal amit ie s o f the presen t g e ‘
p
n erat ioh t he ir re mo te s ucce ss w
, o u ld n ot ab sol v e t he in n o v ato rs

fro m t he d re ad ful e v il s to whic h t he y hav e c on demne d u s T he .

hope ho we v er o f su ch happin e ss t o c o me is fo rb idd e n t he re .

v o l u t io n pro mise s to o u r d esc e n d an t s o nly what it hat h iv e n

g
t o o u rse l v es. T he real state o f F ran c e is the n ec essary c o n se
q u e n c e o f it s s
p irit a n d i t s prin c ip l e s ; an d w h ils t t he se p rin c i
l e a nd th i s s irit re v ail t h l aws will c ontin u e w i tho u t forc e
p s p p , e ,

the p assion s w ithout con trol an d prope rt y without au g ht t o

,

B
 A N E X A M IN A T I
Q N 0? TH! P R IN C IP LI S

i it
sec u r : . W he rev e r the y pen etrate , the y will carr y withthem
an arc hy l un de r an d c rime s
, p , .

T hat t his impo rtan t t ru th may be

in its full l ig ht , I hav e seen

u n d ertak e n to e x o se t he s irit an d in c i l e s o f t he Fre n c h

p p p r
p
Re v olu tion T here are t hro u g hou t E uro pe , men o f u n d e r
.

s tan d in , wh d e te st t he c rime s of o u r rev ol ut io n , b u t im u t

g o p
ing the m t o acciden tal an d l oc al c au se s, are pe rsuaded that the
inc i l e s e x re sse d in t he declarat ion i t he ri ht : c m
‘
p r p p f g f an c on

t ain n o t hin g bu t what is c on formable to n at u re an d so u n d po

l ic y ; that t he y hav e b ec o me u n fortu n ate to Fran c e , o n ly by t he

ab u se arisin f om the v o lat il it y an d thou htle ssn ess o f the Na

‘

g r g ‘
t ion , an d t hat ot her e u l e mi ht e asily
p p g p io fi t by o u r l i hts
g
and our fau l t s to sto p in the rec ise oin t , whence l ibe rty de e
p p g
aerate s in to licen tiou sn ess .

T o t he se su
pe rfi c ia l o b serv ers I will p rov e that the re v o lu
t ion an d all its horro rs hav e fl owed from t he false no tion s an d

se d itious maxims whic h t he peo ple hav e d rawn from this fa

mo u s d ec l arat ion ; t hat l icen tiousn ess an d anarc hy are n o t
s im l e ab u ses b t th m n d n ece ssary c onse q ue n ce s o f
p u e e,ans a
t he rev ol ut ionary s stem ; that the re can be n o c ompo un d in g
y
withthe Fren c h Re v o l ution whic hmust either be rec eiv ed wit h
, .

all t he d iso rd ers and all t he c rime s that hav e de l u ed Fran c e

g
with bl ood ; or that the de stru étiv e prin c ipl es must be repe ll
'

e d in f av o u r o f whic h t he ir re v o l u tion has b ee n e stabl is h ed I .

will g o back to t he e phe meral c o n stitu t ion o fthe fi rst Nat io n al

A sse mbly an d con c l u d e this e xamin ation o f the princ iples o f
,

t he re v o l u tion wit h a t ran sie n t v ie w o f t his re pu blic witho u t

, ,

c on st itu tion without l aws witho u t v e rn men t an d wh ich a

p
, g o , ,

p ears to main tain it se l f n o l on e r t h

g a n w h ilst u n d e r a c on tin u e d ,

ch an e of its fo rms anarc hy c an rsist in re tainin g the n am e

g p e,
.

H appy ! if t his weak e fl o rt may pre se rv e from c on tag io n

'

t hose hos itable c oun t rie s whe re I hav e fo un d an asyl u m fro m

p
e rsecut ion ; if it mi ht c on v in c e all who hav e a co un try a
p g , .

family prope rt y that the ir happine ss is in se parab le from pu b

, ,

lic t ran q uil it y the st ab il ity of g o v ern me n t su b missio n to law

, ,

fu l au t ho rity an d abov e all re spec t fo r re l ig ion

, , ,
Mo re hap .

l if t he Frenc h at l ast d isab used afte r so l on g an e rro r

py , , ,

mig ht one day ad mit the doétrin e an d the se n time n ts t ran s

mit red by the ir fathe rs an d whic h fo r fou rt een centu rie s
, , ,

c on stitu te d the ha i e ss an d the g lory of th eir nation

pp n .
 C H A PT E R I .

P RE LIMINA R! RE Fi E C T IO NS O N GO V E RNME NTS .

M anwas n ot de sig n ed for a wan de rin g an d so litary l ife .

T he d u ratio n an d t he wan ts o f his in fanc y the gift o f spe ec h ,

whic h d ist in g u ishe s him from o the r animal s his c apac it y fo r ,

u n limite d imp ro v e me n t whic h c an o ly be de v el o ed by in t er

,
n p
c o urse wit h his fe llo ws his pas sio n s and e v e n his v ice s, in d i
, ,

c a te he w as b o rn fo r so c ie t y T hat state so inlpmpe rly calle d

. ,

t he state o f n atu re , is man

n ot In sav ag e l ife he
n at u ra l to .

liv e s in pe rpe tu al in fan c y : the c iv il ize d man o n ly attain s t he

m at urit y o f his b ein g Do me st ic so c iet y is t he primary d e
.

s ire o f n at u re bu t it is t o o st raite n e d an d we ak fi ce
t o su f fo r
t he p ro
p en s it ie s o f man , his wan ts d a n e rs
g ,. an d
T h his
e t ye .

o f families is re l axe d in p ropo rtion as it is e xte n d e d : the au

t ho rit y t hat ou g ht t o c on st rain the m t he fo rce t hat sho u ld p ro

,

t e ét the m s oon d isappe ars at l e ast when n at u ral famil ie s whic h

, ,

hav in g a con stan t t e n d e n cy to se parate u n ite on ly t o fo rm a

. ,

p o l itic al fam ily D o.m e st ic s oc ie t y is t he e l e me n t o f c iv il so

c ie t y . T o the forme r i n d iv id u al s o we t heir pre se rv at ion an d ,

wit hou t the l atter fami l ies c ou ld no t be co n t in u e d .

'

In the fo rmat ion of

p o l itical soc ie t ies , t he o b e ét j is to un ite
t he will s an d t he in t e re st s whic h t he passions hav e de n c y
a t en

to d iv ide to rep re ss in d iv id u al d e sire s by t he e n e ral will t o

,
g ,

b rin g b ac k an d su bj efl pe rson al in te re sts to the c ommo n T he .

e n eral will is e x re sse d by l aws : bu t the will wo u ld be ia

g p
effi c ie n t witho u t a po we r in soc ie t y to mak e it re sp e c te d T he .

a g re g ate o f in d iv id u al e n e rg ie s says G a a v m a c ite d by

g , ,

M o n r s s o y r a u fo rms what is c alle d t he Stat e Polzt ze : t he

'

a g re g at e o f in d iv id u al will s
g t he C im l St a te
, W it ho u t go .

v e rn me n t so c ie t y c an n ot su b sis t n or c an o v e rn me n t w i th ou t
g ,

a sov ereig n .

I call t hat n atu ra l or moral perso n sov erei n ,

g to whom t he

co n stit ution hath c on sig n e d the ri

g ht ofc o mman d in g an d con
 E X A M I N A T IO N

Ol f fl l

P R I N C IP L E S

O F TH E

F R E N CH R E V O LUTIO N .

IN A LA T E D IGNIT A R! at THE

G A LLIC A N C H UR C H .

Si t u c i a w
t ,
M 3 1
? t t
A , “

-
n ao e ru c o wu r, ME NS o n n sao s UNA
A m sso, n u rr n e “ DE M .

—. o —w m q t o

Low ON .

P R IN TE D av GE O RGE CA W TH O RN , n arr xsn L IB RA R! , s r nan o .

1 79 6=

(rattan at Q tationtrs ball -

6 a n r x a ss r n a r so rs o r r u n r n s wc rr t ss

T he con stit ution of a state may c han ge in t wo ways , either

b y v io len t in n o v ation s, o r by g radual alteration s whic h time
in se nsibly cause s V io len t inn ov at io n s brin g on t he m in o f
.

g o v e rn men t insen sible a lte rat io n t en d s almo s t alwa y s to

st re n t h e n , an d o ft en t o ren d e r it pe rfe fi T ill t he e oc h o f

g p .

t he rev o ut on , t h
l i c o ns t it u tio n of t h
e e Fren c h mo narchy had

e xpe rien ce d al teration s o n ly o f th e latt er kin d Un d e r t he .

t hird race , an d espe c ially sin ce the re ig n o f L o u is le G ro s , t he

au t horit y o f t he k in g s had in c reased at the e xpe n c e o f t h e

p wer
o of t he
g ran dee s ; an d t his in cre ase o f t he roy al p rer o

g at iv e had d t o the ad v an tag e o f the people who u n d er

t urn e , ,

Philip le Be l ac q u ired t he appe llation o f the States G e n e ral

, .

T he wise po l ic y o f o u r kin g s seco n de d by t he n atio n al c har

,

aac r by t he spirit o f re l ig ion

, by the prog ress o f c omme rce
,

an d o f in d ust ry acc omp lished t he des truc tio n o f whate v e r in

,

t he feudal g ov e rn me n t was O ppressiv e Sc arce ly did an y v e s

.

t ig e s re main in the q
mode rate fi ne s whic h fo r t he
u it - ren ts o r , ,

most part we re bu t a j u st ac k n o wl e dg me n t o fc onc e ssion s made

,

by the Lo rds o f fi e fs t o t he ir v assals T he pe op le was bec o me

.

free b ecause ! in g s we re re n de re d abso l u te Far fro m c o rru p t

, .

ing t he c on st it u tio n suc h c han g e s imp ro v e d it G ov e rn me n ts,

, .

lik e all human thin g s , may be p e rfeéte d by time ; n or are tho se

d isg u st e d patrio ts t o be l iste n e d to , who , reg ardless o f t he
wisd om and e xpe rie n c e o f p recedin g g e n e ration s , t hin k t o p u
rify g ov e rn me n t s by b rin g in g t he m bac k t o t he ir fi rs t o rig in .

q
It 1 s all o wable t o se e k wit h M o n r as p m u the fi rst e l eme n ts
o f o ur c o mmo n law 1 n t he fo re st s o f G e rman y : b ut it is a c a

lumo y o n o u r mo dern g ov e rn me n t to be co n s tan tly oppo sin g

,

to it afte r t he e xamp le o f t he C o u n t B o v t A n v u Le a s an d
,

t he Abbé MA B L ! , the u sag e s an d barbarous laws o f t he fi rst

race .

T he diffe re nt forms o f G ov e rn men t are n o t so d istin ct as t hat

t he o n e shou ld e xc l u d e e v e ry p roperty o f the rest D e mo c racy
.

w o u ld b e so o n d is so lv e d , if it w e re n o t ill u m i n a t e d b y t h e ar i a

t
s oc r a t ic b o dy . A ri s t oc ra c y by , t he c on c e n t ra t io n o f p o w e r ,

app r oa c h e s t o m o n ar c hy ; a n d m o n a r c h y by , a c k n o w l e d i
g gn

t he o r d e rs o r in t e rm e d ia te b o d ie s b e tw e e n t h e p p e o l e a n d t he

so v e reig n , is t empere d by aristocrac y D espo tism itsel f is

.
 o r r u n r a s n c n aav o t u r ro n .
7

c on strained to pi
y ield
n ion I t i
tos the o . re lig ion that in so me
measure c orreas the T urk ish con stitu tion .

Some hav e adopte d a mixe d g ov e rn me n t , where the

n ation s

rin c i l e s o f t he mon arc hy are b al an ce d by the rep ubl ic an

p p .

S uch we re t he c on stitut ion s of Sparta an d C arthag e, such is

t hat of E n gl an d B u t t hat which suit s some pe op l e , suits not
.

all T o in tro d uc e with su ccess the E n g l ishc on stit ution amon g st

.

u s, it wou ld n o t be sufiic ien t t o g iv e u s the c harac t er, Opin io n s,

'

an d hab it s of E n g l ishme n , but it wo u ld be re q uisite al so to

se e rat e Fran ce fro m the re st o f E urope , as is E n g l an d by t he

p
sea . Witho u t armie s, without g arrison s , F rance would be ex
‘

p o sed t o in v asion s w i t h g arriso n s an d an army , the ! in

g
wou ld be too po werfu l , the b al anc e be t we en the three powe rs
would be b ro k en , and the con stitu tion wou ld pe rish .

It 1s a
g en eral iple , fou n de d 1 n n atu re , and con firmed
p r nc i
b y histo ry , that a repu b lican g ov e rn men t , d e moc rac y e spe
c iall , is jit o n ly fo r a small st at e , b ec ause m t h i m
y s
g o v e rn e n t ,

t he sp rin g s n ec e ssarily mul tipl ie d , ro d uc e bu t a sl ow an d f

p e e

ble atli on , which can no t exten d itse l f t o t he e xtremitie s of a

v ast territory A p ure de moc rac y woul d sc arcely suit a small
.

c it y e specially i fco mme rce , luxu ry , an d the art s o f c o rru

p
t ion , we re kn o wn m it A p eopl e , at the same t ime bo th su b
.

j e él: an d o i hath d f re at sim l icity of man n e rs

s v e re
g n , n e e o g p
an d auste rit y of v irt u e , t o o b e y with c o n s tan c y the la w that 1 t
se l f impo se s . In a mo narc hy , a sin g e sp rin g aéts
l wit h t he
men t
‘ '

g re ate st ssi bl e le ét
ef t he o f a sin l
po g ov e rn g e
p e rson

be s t suits a g reat n at ion .

B ut, whatev er the men t may be, it is n e

fo rm of a
g ov e rn

c e ssary in e v e ry soc ie ty t o ac k n owl e dg e a sov e re ig n in who m

t he l e g islativ e p o wer an d t he p u bl ic forc e re sid e s T he se two .

c ann o t be d iv ide d T he law shou ld be arme d b ec ause it is

.
,

alway s at war with o f fen d ers In mixe d gov e rn men ts, e v en

.

in p
re u bl ic s as
, in b l
a so u te mo n arc hie s, t he so v e re ig n t
y is o n e
an d in d iv isibl e . In it is t he
t his, will o f t he indiv id u al ; in the
o the r, it is the will ofthe many bu t in all it is a u n it y o f will
that con stitu tes la wa
n d a unity
, gf force t hat
prote éts it .

l
8 a n s x a u t n an on or r arn c xr t t s

It is n ot t hat the leg islat iv e an d the e xe c utiv e wer c ou ld

p o

n o r be l ac e d in d iffere n t han ds B u t t he n e v en if w e c o u ld
p . ,

hav e u n it y in t he body pol itic it re q uire s , , as the ce l e b rate d

au t ho r of t h e Spirit o
f L aws h ath pro v e d an d as t he con stitu ,

t ion of E n g l an d pro v e s s till b e t ter t hat t he e xe c u tiv e p o wer

,

s hou ld p artic ipat e in l e g islation were it only to att in p robi

,

bit iou .

T he y is in d iv isibl e but the sov ereign , n ot bein g

so v ere ig n t

abl e t o do e v e ry t hin g by himse l f is o blig ed t o c reat e min is

,

t e rs c o mmand ers mag ist rate s who in his n ame an d by his

, , , , ,

au tho rit y e xe rc ise in the state t h

, e
p o we rs o f ad min ist rat ion ,

co n strain t an d o fj u dg men t
, T he se powers div aric ate 1 n pro
.

o rt io n as the y rec ede f ro m the s ou rc e ; an d b a d t i

p y g r a o n s ,

wise ly man ag e d u n it e among st e ach o ther and with t he sov e

, ,

reig n all part s o f the b o dy p o l it ic

, T his constitut es t hat pub
.

lic powe r whic h n o in div idual can resist or Oppo se If the .

in te rme d iate ag en t s of g ov ern me n t abu se t he au thorit y c om

mitte d to t hem the y are c hec ke d by su pe rio r au thoritie s an d
, ,

in all case s re c ou rse re main s t o t he sov e reig n , whom his own

reatn e ss keeps fro m t he de sire o f inj urin an d who is n o t i
g g , g
n oran t , t hat it is l ess b y terro r, t han by lov e an d c on fi d e n ce ,

that me n su bmit to be g o v ern e d .

'

I he re te rminate the
g ien e ral re fi e fl
o n s on
po lit ical soc ie t y
an d g o v e rn me n t s In t he p ro g re ss o f t he wo rk , I shall hav e
.

mo re than on e occ asion t o appe al to t hem, whe the r t o de v e l ope

t hem to a g reat e r e x ten t , or to d e fe n d them a ain st t ho se e r
g
rors which serv e as p rincipl es in the Fren ch Re v olution .
 r u n r e as o n n av o r u r t o n
“ '
or .
9

CH A PT E R II .

OF LIB E RT ! .

LI B E RT! , in its must le nlarg ed accep tat on , i is the rig ht and

t he po we r o f d o in g what we will B u t it is e v id e n t t hat be .

i n g s subj e ét to e rro r, an d d rawn away by the ir p assio n s, c an no t

re te n d l im
t o this u nit e d free d o m If all had t he ri ht of do
p g .

i ng what t he y wo u ld n o o ne wo u ld hav e t he po we r
, O pp osite .

will s wo u ld in c e sian t ly c l ash; rig ht s would be ev e r in c o ll i

s io n ; an d t he in f all ibl e e ffe c t of t his u n iv e rsal stru gg l e wou l d
be t he an n ihil atio n o f all rig ht an d of all l ib e rty , Rig ht s are .

d e riv e d from law T he law is then t he rul e an d me asu re o f

.

lib e rty T o k n o w ho w far t he l ib ert y o f man e x te n d s it is

.
,

re q u isite t o k n o wwhat the l aws are t o w hich he is s ubj e éi

‘

T he re e xist s fo r the whol e hu man m ry law f

ri nd
rac e a p a o u .

ed on t he n atu re of man , an d o n his re at ion s,

l whe the r to
t he au t ho r o f his be in g , or his fe ll ows . T his law ete rn al
an d immut abl e , whe n c e all o thers d e riv e the i r au tho rit y pre ,

sc r ib es l imits t o t he e xerc ise o f o u r fac u l t ies, by e st ab l ishin g a

d iffe ren c e b e twe e n ri

g ht an d
p h y s ic al
p o wer It m ak e s man a
.

moral being su sc e pt ibl e

, o f o bl i at ion , an d su bj e éi t o d u t ie s
g .

T his law is in timat e d to u s by re aso n , mo ral in stin ét, an d con

s c ie nc e By reaso n which d isc ov e rs be t wee n the n atu re of
. ,

man an d c e rtain act ion s , t he p p l i

re at io n s o fm p ro ro rie t y or

rie t y , no l e ss in v ariably , t han b e t we e n t he id e as o f whic h

p
s e cu l at iv e
p ro o sitio n s are fo rme d
p p By m o ral in st in ét, or
.

t ho se n at u ral sen t ime n t s, t ho se sp on t an e o u s e mo t io n s o fj u st ic e ,

hu man it y c o mpas sio n , an d g rat it ud e , t hat , e v e n in the heart

,

o f a wic k e d man , y ie ld o n ly t o p assion an d t o in te re st By .

c o n sc ie n c e , whic h c it e s u s b e fo re its t rib u n al , ac q uit s o r c on

d e mu s u s, an d in sp ire s t he so u l with hope or fear, t ran

q
u il ity
o r re mo rse .

A secon d law,that , l ik e the fi rst , proc e ed in g immed iate ly

“

from the D iv in ity , mak e s man 4 si ng , and irnposes .

10 A N E X A M XN A T IO N 0 ? TH! P R I N C IP LI S

on him, in q u al it y d u t ie s which reason le ft t o herself

t his , , ,

wo u ld hav e n e v e r b e en able t o d isc ov e r T his law is k n own .

fro m re v el ation an d tho u g h fo u n d e d o n do arin e s inacc e s sible

,

t o hu man reason is n o t the l e ss o bl ig atory u po n all tho se t o

,

who m it hath b ee n d ec l are d b e cau se the realit y o f re v elatio n

,

re sts on ro o fs in the mse l v e s c e rtain an d c a abl e o f e rsuadin

p p p g ,

an d c on v in c in ev e ry on e t h at will e xe rc ise his reason

g .

In fi n e , man , b e d ie n t t o the v o ic e o f natu re u n ite s himse lf

o ,

t o his fe l lo ws an d b e c o mes a social h in H e is b o u n d by c om

, g .

v e n t io n s he ac q u ire s rig hts by impos in g o n himse l f d u tie s

,

he c on se n ts t o o b e y that he may o b tain pro te ction ; he con

t rac ts t he l imits whic h n atu re an d re l ig io n had l e ft him T hose .

l aws whic h men e n aét for themse l v es form t bs institut e of aa ,

t t ott s polit ica l ri ht s an d ci v il acco rd in as the y hav e f or the ir

,
g , g ,

o bj e ét e ithe r the re l ation s b e twe e n n at io n an d n at io n ; or the

,

re l ation of tho se t hat o v e rn t o t ho se t hat are o v ern e d ; o r

g g
t he rel ation s t hat su b sist b e twe en me mb ers of the same state .

B e fore l it ic al societie s man was subj eét

the e xiste n ce o f po ,

t o t he l aws o f n atu re an d re l ig io n Tho se l aws are n o t his .

Wo rk H e hath t he n at u ral powe r bu t n o t the mo ral to in

.
, ,

frin g e the m he c an n o t wit hd raw himse l f from the m withou t ,

d eprav in g himse l f an d ren d e rin g himse l f u n happ y .

In t he state o f soc ie t y , the rig hts an d t he d uties o f a c itiz en

are by the law o f his c o u n try It is t hat whic hg iv e s him

fi xe d .

a fat he r whic h p rot efii s his in fan c y whic h u ard s an d d efe n d s

,
g ,

his pat rimo n y H e g ro ws u p u n d e r t he she l te r o f the law; an d

.
,

when arriv e d at the ag e o f d utie s fi n d s himsel f o bl ige d to sub ,

mission by the d o u bl e titl e o f g rat itu de an d o f j u stice

, .

Nev e rthel ess , un der the e mpire of t his t riple law, man re

main s fre e . For he c an do whate v e r is fo rb idd e n by re a

n ot

s on , n o rby rel ig ion n o r by , t he c iv il law; an d it is in t his

t hat his l ib e rt y c on sists If a c it iz en as M d e M O N T E S

’
. .
,

o y i n u hath well e xpre sse d himse l f co u ld d o what t he law ,

fo rb ad he wo ul d n o l o n g e r e nj o y l ib e rt y b ec au se all o the rs
, ,

would hav e the same power with himsel f T he l aws of n ature .

’
 13 a n n x a n xx a n o u or m e r ai n c rr u s

in g what is n ot in te rdiéte d by t he law o f t he state ; polit ical

libe rt y , t he rig ht of con c urrin g by su fi rag e to the e stabl ish
'

men t o f the law .

It is e v id en t that n atu ral l ib e rt y is in co mpatibl e withthe s tate

o f soc ie t y It c an n o t be de n ie d t hat t he c it iz en hath a rig ht t o
.

T he who le q u e stio n then o n l ib e rt y , is re d uc e d

'
c iv il l ib e rt y .

t o k no w if, in v irtu e o f t he so c ial c ompact, ev ery cit ize n may

'

re t en d l ik e w ise t o o l itical l ib ert

p p y
.

T h e w ho l e s y st e m o f t he re v o l u t io n t urn s o n t his
p rinci al
p ,
b o rro we d fro m t he social coo n aci of Ro u s s e a u , t hat po l it ical
-

lib e rt y , as I hav e de fi n e d it , is t he n at u ral , in al ie n abl e , imp re

sc ript a bl e rig ht o f all me n ; that there is n o me d ium be twe en
t he c on d it ion o f a s lav e an d that o f a c 1 t 1 z e n
, an d t hat hecan

hot be c all e d a c itize n if he be n ot a me mbe r o f the so v e

,

re ig nt y an d h as n t in that q u al it y , an ac t iv e part in t he
,
o
leg islation .

To perce iv e the e xag

g e rat ion an d fal sit y of t his d oéirine ,
it suffi c e s to c on side r the e x t re me d iffe re n ce whic h is fo u n d
be t wee n him who , ob e yin g o n ly the l aws p re serv es t he mas ,

t e ry o f his action s an d the sl av e who has n e ithe r prope rt y , n or

,

will . It is l ib erty o f t he fo rme r is l imite d by a

t rue , t hat t he

fo re ig n will : b ut it is by a pu bl ic will whic h is g ene ral in , ,

v ariabl e an d re st rains t he l ib e rt y o f t he c it iz en in so me o in ts
,
p ,

o n ly to se c ure t o the husb an d t he fat he r o f a family the o wn er

, ,

w
'

o f ro pe rt y t he a a bl e o fall his ri ht s by a i ll
p p
, e ce e u s
g c o n ,

formabl e n o t o n l y t o the p u bl ic in te re st b ut t o that al so o f the

,

in d iv id ual rig ht ly un de rsto od by a will whic h o we s its rati

, ,

fic ation t o the c it iz en s at larg e an d t here fo re is n o l o n g e r fo

,

re i n Is it re q uisite t o b e a l e is l ato r n o t t o b ec ome a sl av e ?

g .
g ,

D o n ot the laws t o whic h ob e die n c e is req uired witho u t his ,

b av in d iélat e d t he m l e av e a man su liic ie n t fi e ld fo r the e x er

,

c ise o fhis l ib e rt y ? If n at u re fo rb id n o t the in d i e n t t o al ie n

g
ate a part o f his c iv il l ib e rt y by re d u c in g himse l f t o a state of
,

s e rv ice wh sho u ld sh e be o f fe n d e d at se e in me re n o u n c e o
y g p
lit ic al ll l Wy t o p re se rv e my c iv il t o it s u t mo st e xten t ? If
'

l iti l l ib t y b a at u ral in alien abl e , im re sc ri t ibl e ri h t

p o c a e r e n , p p g ,
 OP T H E PRB N C H R E V O L U T IO N .

why shou ld n ot women

j y it ? hathen o n atu re con demne d to

slav e r y t he hal f o f human k in d ?

Lib e rt y c on sists in the powe r ofattin g from c apric e , an d

'

n ot

wit ho u t reaso n B u t . t hat whic h re ason wo u ld p re sc rib e t o a

wi s e man an d the master o f his passion s t he law whic h is , ,

wr it te n reaso n pre sc rib e s t o all T o the wic ked an d the fool ish
, .
,

t he law is a he av y c hain : t o t he re aso n abl e an d v irtuo us man ,

i t is a re in which g u id e s and s uppo rt s him H e n e v er c o n si .

d e r s himse l f mo re fre e t han whe n he o b e ys t he law C iv il .

lib e rt y sat is fi es his wan ts an d d e sire s it ac c o mpl ishe s t he o b ,

e €t whic h me n o o se t o the mse l v e s whe n t he y u n it e in so

j p pr

c i e t y ; an d t he e xpe rien c e o f b o th an c ien t t ime s an d mo d e rn

e v in c e s t hat t he ha i s t an d co n se q u e n t ly t he b e st co n t it u t e d
,
pp e , , s

s t a t e s are t hose whe re the

, e o l e e nj o y c iv il l ib e rt y
p p w i th ou t ,

re t e n d in t l iti l
p g o p o c a .

W hat in re a l ity isp l the

it ic ae n d of
l so c iet ie s e
o x ce
p t t o ,

u aran t ee t o all the ir se c u rit y ro e rty an d t he l e it imate e x

g p p ,
g ,

c ro is e o f t he ir n at u ral fac u ltie s ? B u t 1 t is so f ar fro m n e c e ssary

for all t he me mb e rs o fsoc ie t y to tak e an aEtiv e part in l e g isl a

t io n , th at it is
g e n e rally c e rtain t h e
p , q
u bl ic t ran uilit y i s

n e v e r mo re se c ure t han whe n the m

, u l t it u d e d oe s n ot h in g but
o be y . In all t he g o v e rn me n ts t hat hav e e v er e xisted e v en ,

rpe u b lic s w hic

, h c a rry th e l o ve o f l ib e rt y t o fan at ic is m ,

o n c e nt rate t he sov e re i n aut ho rity an d su bj e ét t he mu l t it u d e

c g
t o t he fe w A t he n s Spart a Sy rac u se Ro me C art hag e c o un t
.
, , , , ,

ed , in the ir re speétiv e t e rrito rie s in fi n it e ly more sl av e s than,

p it ii e
ps T he ir g o v e rn me n t was no t hin g o the r than an opp re s
.

s i v e A ristocracy , whe re t he c iv il l ib e rty o f t he man y was sac ri

fi c e d t o t he po l itical l ib e rt y o f the fe w, who c all e d t he mse l v es

t he l I u r mo de rn ov e rnme nt s so muc h c al u mn iat e d
p p eoe n o
.
g ,

b y p hil osophe rs t he l ib e rt y o f man is much mo re re sp e ct e d

,
.

T he o dio u s d ist in él io n b e t we e n c it ize n s an d sl av e s is n o l o n g e r

k n o w n : c iv i l l ib e rty is e n j o y e d b v all ; an d if p o l it ic al l ib e rt y
b e e xc lu d e d t his appare n t d isad v an tag e tu rn s t o the p ro fi t o f
,

u bl ic h a ine s s an d t rue l ib ert y

p pp .

T he on ly g o v e rn me n t in which pol itical l ib e rt y c an tak e

lac e to the full est e xten t , is the pure de mo c rac y that admits
p
 ax a m u a r t o n o r r u n s e m e n “ ;
1 4
. an

all t he p p q
in hab itan t s o f a t errito ry e ual ly t o art ic i ate in t he
sov e re i n au t h o rity B u t t he mo st e rf ct h ly l i im
g .
p e , t e o n e
g t at e

o v e rn men t o n t he p rin c ipl e s o f Ro u s s e a u , is, u o n the c o n

g p
c ession of Ro u s s aa u himse lf, ( Soci al C on t rat?) n o mo re t han

a c hime ra : T o t ak e t he te rm in it s rig id se n se , the re n ev e r

e xiste d a real D emoc rac y n or e v e r will It is con t rary t o
, .

n atu ral ord er t hat t he g reat e r n u mb e r sho u ld o v e rn a d t h

,
g n e ,

s mall e r be g o v e rn e d If there were a pe opl e o f g o d s t he y

.
,

wou ld g o v e rn t he mse lv e s de moc ratically a g ov e rn men t so

e rfe ft c o u ld n o t be su itabl e t o man I n t ru t h hist ory of f
’

p . e rs ,

n o e xamp l e o f a p u re d e moc rac y In t he C o n stit u t ion o f At he n s

.
,

t ho u g h the p e opl e we re a c hosen an d priv il e e d b o dy i t

g s ,

o we r was b al an c e d by t he au t h o rit y o f t he A re o a us Sim i

p p g .

lar in st it ut ion s t e mpe re d t he ir d emoc rac y in the o the r repu bl ic s

o f G re e c e B u t suc h is t he e sse n t ial v ic e o f a g ov e rn m
. en t ,

whe re the mul tit ud e is in v e st e d wit h t he l e g isl ativ e powe r,that

all the se repu bl ic s owe d the ir t ran sie n t s l e n d o r e n t irely t o t he
p
t ro ubl e s an d c on v u l sio n s wit h whic h the y we re in c e ssan tly ag i
t ate d . A fte r the Pelopone sian war whic h g av e t he d o min io n ,

o f the se a t o t he L ac e de mon ian s t hat p eo p l e n o t l e ss an e n e

, ,

my to l icen tio usn e ss t han a frie n d to l ib e rty dest ro ye d throu g h

'
, ,

o u t all G re e c e d e mo c rac y whic h whe re v e r it was e st abl ishe d

, , , ,

ro d u c e d n o thin b u t d iv ision s at ho me an d wars ab road

p g , .

It wou ld be l
u se e ss d isting u ish withRo u s s e a u the
here to ,

G ov e rn me n t an d the So v e re ig n an d to pre te n d t hat e v e ry c iti

,

z en o u g ht t o p art ic ipat e in t he so v e re ig n t y al tho ug h t h e Go ,

v e rn me n t c ou ld be c o n fi d e d o n ly to a fe w W e shall e xamin e . ,

in t he se q u el t he g ran d p rin c ipl e o f t he so v e re ig n t y o f t he

’

opl e In t he me an t ime we o b se rv e that it ro v e s n ot hi

p e .
p n
, g
i n fav o u r o f p o l it ical l ib e rty c on sid e re d as a n at u ral rig ht
, A .

n at u ral rig ht s u f fe rs n o e x c e p tion : c o n se q u e n t ly on R o u s ,

s e a u s p rin c ip l e s it is n o t su ffi c ie n t t o g iv e t o all t he c itiz e n s a

’
,

art in t he so v e re ig n t y it re q u ire s al so t hat all t he in hab it an t s

p ,

o f the c it y sho u ld b e c it ize n s t hat t he re sho u ld be n o H e l o te s as

, ,

at Spart a n o r t he Pro le t aire s an d t ho se n ame d at Ro me capit e

, ,

com i f ro m t he ir b e in n u mb e re d by t he ir he ad s l ik e c att l e t
, g i

wo u ld re q u ire t hat o u t o f fi v e c l asse s o f in hab itan ts t wo o nly ,

sho uld c omp o se t he re u bl ic as at G e n e v a

p , .
 “
o r 1 11 1; r u n n e r1 -
a z v o n u r ro u . 15

j u stify
'

If, to d istin ction o f c itiz en s an d of subj etts ad

t his

mit te d in to the mo st p opu l ar g o v e rn men t s an d c omman d ed by ,

t he n at ure o f t hin g s t he p rimo rd ial c o n v en t io n s we re all eg e d

, ,

t he ri nc i l e wou ld t he n b e ab an d o n e d a d it w ld b ao
p p n o u e,

k n o wl e d g e d t hat p ol it ic al l ib ert y is n o t an in al ie n abl e an d im

'

e sc ri t ibl e ri ht U d a d m a y th is ri ht is c om
p r
p g n. e r e oc r c
g ,

mitte d to a part o f t he p eopl e ; u n d er an aristoc rac y to a se ,

n at e ; u n de r an ab sol ute mon arc hy t o a k in g , In all some .

,

a rt o f n atu ral l ib e r ty is b e st o we d an d sac rific e d to o bt ain that

p ,

c iv il l ib e rt y whic h in t e rest s all me n in e v ery in stan t o f l ife

, .

In all l ik e wise if the l aws be wise an d the st ate well admin i

, ,

st e re d c iv il l ib e rt y e n e ral t ran q u il it y d o me stic ha in ess

,
g , pp , ,

are mo re or l e ss se c u re d acc o rd in as t he e xe rc ise of pol itical

g
,

libe rt y is more or l e ss restriCte d .

Sin ce then it hath b een p rov e d , that a man may enj o y lib erty,
wit ho u t be in g a memb er o f the so v e re ig n t y , it is o f l itt le mo
me n t to in qu ire , if, to me rit t he q ual it y o f a c it iz e n , it be ne

c e ssary , as Ro u s s aa u pre te n d s, t o c o n c u r, activ e ly , in the le

islat io n o f his c o u n t ry In re alit y , t he q ue stio n t u rn s on t he
g .

app l ic at ion of a wo rd A mo n g st the

. an c ien t s, t he n ame o f c it i

z e n app ears re se rv e d fo r rephblic s in ou r u se , it appl ies to mo . a

n arc hy , an d imp l ie s n o t o n ly c iv il v irt u e s , b u t al so a po l it ic al

r ig ht . O u r to wn s are n o t c it ie s p p ro er ly c all e d : the y are

p art

o f t he c it y t hat com rehen ds all F ran c e T hu s t he Parisian s

p .

an d t he B o rd elo is , can n ot b e the q ual ifie d c itiz en s o f Paris o r

B ou rd e au x B u t n o thin g p re v e n t s the m fro m b e in g call e d c it i
.

z e n s o f F ra n c e , sin c e t he y e nj o y t he ad v an t a
g e s , an d s u
ppo rt

t he c harg e s o f the F ren c h C on stitu tion , an d e v er y member of

t he c it y is a c it ize n .
 a s s x au w a r ro u o r 7 1 1 11 r u n e sr u s

C H A PT E R III .

or E Q UA LIT! .

IT i s n o t eas y to dist in g u ish whe the r it be

man liv in g in of

s o c ie t y , or man in a st at e o f n at ure t hat t he au thors o f t h

, e

declara t ion o
f i ri / m an s eak whe n t he y say i t bat all
t n
g at :
f
o p ,

men are dat a an d con t i n u e e q ua l in r ig /

arr . It is o b v iou s y
t hat t he

a ife éte d t his v ag u e an d in d e te rmin ate e xpres sio n , so u n wo rthy ,

I will not say o f an asse mbly of l e g islat o rs , bu t of a

p hilo so

p her , on ly to l e av e t he
p eo
p l e a ri
g ht to
g ive t his e q u iv oc al
W hil st we who
it will
°

maxim all the e xte n t admit .

, , se e k in
g
o n ly t he t ru th hav e n e e d o f p re c is ion in o u r id e as d is t in u ish
,
g ,

e q u al it y as we did in s p eak in g o f l ib e rt y in t o n at u ral civ il

, , , ,

an d poli t i cal ; an d we will she w t hat n atu ral e q u al it y is a c hi

mera t hat po l it ical e q ual it y is n o t c ompatibl e with t he s tat e

o f soc ie t y ; an d t hat c iv il e q ual it y is t hat al on e which t he c iti

zen h as the rig ht t o rec laim .

Nat u ral e qu ality is a chimera T he C reator, who is p l e ased.

t o v ary all his p ro du aion s , hat h pl ac e d , mo re e sp ec iall y amo n g st

me n , a st rik in g in e q u alit y If t he asse rtio n be t ru e , t hat all
.

me n are e q u al , as hav in g t he same n at u re , the same o rig in , the

sa me end , it is no l e ss ev id e n t , that t hey are all u n e q u al in
s t re n th, in te lle ft, F rom the id e n t it y o f n a u re
an d v irt ue .
g '
t he re re su l t s o n ly a me t aphysic al e q ual ity in re sp e ft t o t h e

k in d ; an d it is n o t upon ab straétio n s bu t in real q u al it ies that , ,

t he ri ht s o f in d iv id u al s are fo u n d e d
g .

In t he st at e o f n ature , ri
g ht s measu re d by wan ts an d by
are

fac u l t ie s T he mo re me ro u s t he wan t s an d the mo re e rfe ét

. nu , p
t he fac u lt ie s, t he mo re e xte n siv e are the ri hts I am aware t hat
g .

su
p e riorit y of b od ily st ren
g t h and me n tal q u alit ie s d o n o t c on

s t it u t e t he ri
g ht bl ishe s an e mp ire in
t o c o mman d , bu t it e st a

fa il an d pre p ares t he e mpire o f rig ht by mak in g the we ak to

, ,

e rc e iv e t he ad v an ta e o f su b mission A m on st free b e in s
p g g g .

whose passion s thwart an d c lash with eac h othe r n at ural ia ,

 6 11 m ! t he ir ar v OLur t on . 37

q
t uality would prod uce n ot hin g bu t v io l en c e an d Oppression ,
i f it we re n o t soon c on v ert ed in to moral in e ual it y
t he in stit u tio n of
H e nc e q .

l it ical soci e tie s

o B ut bef o re famil ie s an d
p .

t ribe s we re un ite d u n d e r a common o v e rn me n t, t here e xist e d

g
c o n v en t ion s e x re ss or im l ied which fi xed t he ri ht s o f e ac h,
p p , g
a c t on t he rin c i l e o f an e q u alit y t hat n atu re c on t rad iéi s bu t
p p ,

fro m t hat asc e n d e nc y whic h st re n g t h an d g en iu s n ecessaril y

g i v e . B e s id e s in , t h e s t ate o
fn a t u re a re a l so c,ie t y e x ists t h e ,

d o mestic whic h can be main taine d on ly by the d iv ersit y and

,

in e q u al ity o f ri h
g t s I t
. is nat u re it se l f that su bj eéts t he w o
man to the man the child to the paren t the imp ru denc e O f the
, ,

y o u n
g t o t h e e x pe rie n c e o f t h e O ld All m e n. a r e b o rn in a s tate

o f de pe n d e n c e : O b ed ience is st ill more t he want t an t he d u t

h y
of th e earl iest a e
g F. a m il ies l ik e
p o,lit ic a l s oc ie t ie s e ss en ,

tially supp ose autho rity an d submission

'
.

Po l itical soc ie t ies b een formed to c orre ct and dest roy

hav e
the e ffeél: o f that v ast in eq u al ity w hich resul ts from t he differ
e n c e o f q ual ities n atural
, in t elle ftual an d moral
, T he est a .

b lishme n t of l aw s an d o f
g o v e rn men t s bat h i n some sOrt , ,

c au s e d t he n at ural ine q u al it y to disa

ppe ar by in trod ucin
g po ,
a

lit ic al in e q u al ity l e ss o d io us an d mo re fav o urabl e t o the li

, ,

b e rt y o f all an d t e n d in g to establ ish amon g s t b e in g s so d iffe r

, ,

e n t all the e q
, u al it y o f w hich the y are su scep tibl e .

T his e
q ua lit y is the c iv il , which establ ishes itself, and is
main taine d by pol itical in e q ual it y ln whate v er rel ate s to per
, . .

s o n al safe t y to t he rig ht o f prope rt y t o t he in n oc e n t an d l eg i

, ,
.

t imat e u se o f t he n at ural fac ultie s all the me mbe rs o f so cie ty,

hav e an eq ual t it l e ; b11 t this re fers n ot t o the Orig in at io n an d

'

g o v e rn me n t o f soc iet y T h .
q
e y are e u al 1 n t he c iv il o rder bu t ,

no t in t he polit ical .
q
An e u al prOt e étio n t o all perso n s an d ,

all p ropert y is t he rig ht i n a c on st it u te d stat e o f ev e ry c it i

, , ,

J en . T his right in v irt ue o f t he soc ial co mpaéi , is su ppo rt e d

,

b y t he p u b lic fo rc e ; an d , u nd er t his re lat ion t he weak e st man ,

bec o me s e q ual t o t he st ro n g est Suc h is t he c iv il e q u al ity

.
,

fo un d e d o n t he u n iv e rsal ity and impartial ity of the law whic h

’

assu res to all an egu al right to that w hic h they hold w hether ,

D
18 an e x a u ru a n o n o r r u n r aru c rn ss

from n at ure , fro m their ance st ors, or t he ir o wn in dustry ; that

is , an e q ual ri
g ht to un e ua q l po ssessions .

T he s tat e o d e man d nothin g further witho u t

f societ y can ,

dest ro y in g e v e ry p rinc ipl e o f j u stice an d ev e ry idea o f pro ,

p e rt y fo
,r t h e sak e o f a m o re
pe rfe ct e q ual it y c on sis t in
g i n ,

t he c ommu n it y o f g ood s B u t this sy ste m whic h we hav e se e n

.

realised in v e ry small c orpo ration s who se me mbe rs su o rt e d

pp , ,

by an extrao rdinary v irt ue re n o u nce d all human afl e étion s it

'

, ,

would be absu rd to in t rod uc e into polit ical soc ie ty where the ,

c ommo n in t ere st arises fro m t he shoc k an d c o mbin ation o f all

t he
p artic ul ar in te re s ts w hic h w e should n ev e r s uccee d in e s
,

tablis in g b ut thro u h v io l en ce an d p l u n d e r n d whic h the

h , g a ,

as sio n s in d ustry a n d fo rtun e h av e a constan t ten d e n c y to

p , , ,

su b v e rt .

C iv il libe rty l e quality are in separabl e B y the firs t

an d c iv i . ,

t he cit iz en o b e y s the law o n ly ; by the sec o n d t he law e xt en d s ,

it s au t horit y ov e r all c it iz en s T he on e can n ot pe rish wit hou t

.

drawin g do wn t he o t her in its fall It hath bee n see n in the .

,

las t chapter t hat po litical l ibe rt y is n ot esse n tial t o a con st i

,

sate d stat e : I will n ow prov e that po l itical e quality is abso

In fi rst place , soc ie t y c ould n o t hav e been forme d , n o r

the

can it be main taine d , b ut by authorit y an d su bo rd in ation .

T here e xist s t he n fo r so me a rig ht t o c omman d , an d for O the rs

a d u ty to obe y ; the p rimary sou rc e of political in e ualit y
. I q .

say a rig ht on t he on e part t o c omman d , and on t he o t her a

d uty t o o be y Fo r if all the heads, all the mag ist rates of a na

.

tion we re re mo v able at t he l easu re o f t hose by whom they

p
we re a ppo in t e d , the ir aut ho rit d wo uld be
y , bu t litt l e respecte ,

t o o weak to su ppress lic en t io u sne ss if the y re ce iv e d it fro m the

eo p le ; to o w ak t t a y if th y h e ld it f m th
p e o o
ppose y r n n e ro e ,

It is in a re public that the people can fi x a te rm t o the

on l y
‘
.

m
au t hority of its ag istrates lt ev er o ug ht to do it , if it would
.

retain its libert

y B ut ev er
y rep u blic t.hat adm its n ot an y
30 AN EXAM I NA T I O N 0? T B ! P R IN C XP LI O

me n t , the p rinc e bec o mes a d e spot ; if they be an n ihil ated by

t he p p l
eo e t he state is
, d isso l v ed In this l att er case natu ral
.
,

ine q ual ity re sume s the pl ace o f p o l itical : for n at ure is stil l

st ro n g er than t he peo
ple .

T he se inte rmed iat e po we rs, pe rhaps, in n o c onst itut ion , we re

ev e r b e t te r man ag e d t han in t he mon arc hy F rance T he of .

thre e g re at o bje cts o f e v e ry po l it ical assoc iation rel ig ion a n d

'

mo rals t he d e fe nc e o f t he state in d ust ry an d lab ou r ind ic at e

, , ,

t he n at u ral dist in étio n o f t he thre e o rd ers T he c le rg y as .

p ire d t o con side rat io n from the ir v irtue s an d at tain men t s ; t he

n o b esse
l we re paid by the hon o ur attac he d to bl oo d the c a
re e r o f art s co mme rc e an d ric hes was o pe n to the th
, , ird estat e .

T he weak e st o f the se o rd ers e nj o y ed the fi rst ran k T his re .

ap e fi was d to re l ig ion ; an d sou n d polit y re q u ire d this p re

ai
p
ro g at iv e sho uld be l e ft t o t h at oft h e t hre e ord e rs t h e least ab le

t o ab u se it T he cl er h a d e e ve d t he r ig ht o f ta x i
.

gy p r s r n
g
t he msel v e s an d so far were the t wo other o rde rs from be in
g
e alo us o ft his the y b e he ld in it the v al uabl e re
j p r iv il e e t h
g a t ,

main s of that an c ien t right o f the n atio n whic h ince ssan tly re
min d ed o ur k in gs of the orig in an d d esig n o fsub sidies T he s e .

t h r ee o r de r s f o rm e d n e t s e
p ara te ca s t s Ill u strious aétio n s
.
,

military serv ice , t he magistrac y an d , too fre q uen tly riche s , , ,

O pen e d t o th e third e s tat e an ad mission t o n obil it y

-
This kin d
o f adapt ion repaire d the l osse s o fa n ord e r dev ot ed to a d e

c t u éi iv o fe io n a d t h e ot h e r cl asse s cherish e d an amb i

r e
p r ss n

tion b e n efi cial t o t he c ou n t ry T he principal s tat ions in t he

.

c hurch were re se rv e d in g e n e ral fo r an c ie n t famil ie s b e c au se

, , , ,

i t w a s o f m o m e n t t o h o n o u r t he n o b le s s e a n d r e l ig io n a n d a s ,

i t w a i it l f b t
j t t o h w some re fe re n ce to th o st e
s n se u u s s e
p e
p
rit y o f the ir fo u n d e rs Bu t t he greate st part of t he me mb e rs
.

o f the cl erg
y w ere t ak e n from l eb e an s
p T h e re v e n ue s o f t he
.

c hu rch were d is e rse d t hro u h all the c lasse s o f socie t y : an d

p g
it mig ht be t ruly said that they we re a nation al prope rty sin c e ,

by in stitu tion an d g en e rally speakin g tu faét t he y we re t he

, , ,

re ward o f st u dy an d oo d c o n du ét ; an d i n the han d s o f t h

’

g , e
in c umbents became an ab un d an t re so urce fo r the st ate and t he
,

in dig e n t T hu s t he t hree o rd e rs e achan imate d by a part ic u

. , t

lar spirit; concurred to the general good : the priv ileges ofthe
 0? 3 1 8 8 0 “ R E V O L U T IO N . 2 !

two fi rst formed a b arrier again st despotism ; an d c iv i e u alit

l q y
was co n fi rme d by p o l itic al .

Last ly , a third so urc e of in e ua it q l y de pe n d e n t on the n at ure

of G o v e rn me n t , is propert y In all c o n stit u t io n s , e v en d e mo

.

c rac ie s , n o n e bu t real prop rie tors we re all owe d to p ar

t ak e in t he ad min ist rat ion of pu bl ic c on ce rn s T wo reaso n s .

o l it ical ad min ist rat io n

j u st if t his e xc lusion ; the on e, that t he
y p
imp l ie s se n time n ts and in formation which, in o rd inary , are the
fru it o f an e d u cat ion to whic h t he in d ig e n t classe s c an n o t at .

tain ; t he o t her, that the st ale c ann o t co n fi de in those who hav e

n o t a st ak e in its preserv at ion It was o n ly say s M o u r n s
.
,

U I B U af ter A ristotl e , in the c orru pt ion o f so me d emoc rac ie s

'

Q ,

t hat artizan s came to be citizen s ! in g Se rv iu s in cl in ed as

. ,

he was to fav o u r the pe opl e , di strib u te d t he Ro man s in to n u

me rou s ce n tu ries , in such a way t hat the popu l ace b ein g , ,

t hro wn i n to t he lo w est c lass, furn ishe d n e it he r sold ie rs to t he

army n or v o te rs in t he fiel d o f Mars f rom hav in n o home to

, g ,

d e fe n d no r prope rty to preserv e

, Democracy say s A ristotl e
.
, ,

u n iv e rsally b ec ome s t y ran n , whe n t he poo r h av e t oo much

y
in flue n ce in p ubl ic de lib eration s Spe ak in g o f C arthag e , .

he fo re t old t he d estruction o f that rep u bl ic fro m t he na

'

tu ral g ro wth of the retension s an d o wer t hat it s con stit u tion

p p
had g iv en the peopl e A t the t ime o f t he seco nd Pun ic war,
.

a o u t a hun d re
b d years afte r A risto tle , Po lyb iu s b
o se rv e d that ,

Carth ag e was v e r in t o it s ru in ; an d asc rib e d its decl in e to

g g
the au thority that the eopl e had u su r e d
p p .

It 1 s t rue that , if t he con st itution o f e mpire s be re

g ar e d d as

an aristroc ratical p ro ble m , no thin g co u ldbe more u nreaso n .

ab le t han t he su b eétion of the

j many to ew
the f It 1 3 by t he
.

as sist an c e o f this ross so his m an d by a ly i to soc ie t y

g p ,
pp n
g
al re ady fo rme d , n o tio n s b o rro we d from t he state o f n at u re , t hat

t he me taph sician S u it e s, had n o d iflic ulty t o d emon st rat e ,

y
t hat in F ranc e d e state compose d t he n at io n In rea
the t hir -
.

s o n in g fro m his rin ci l e s an d calc u lat ion s it w o u ld n ot he to

p p ,

t he t hird e state bu t to t he p opu lace an d t hot e without p ro

-
, ,

e rt y whic h in n o state e v e r f o rme d a p o l it ic al o rd er t h at t he

p , ,

n a m e an d the ri
g hts of ‘
th e n at ion w ou ld be tr an sfe rred B ut .
 a n z x a u rn a r ro n o r u n r at n c u
r u s

beside s that the ab surdity quen ces she ws the error

o f its c on se

o f the prin c ip le , the b ias o f all l e islat o rs t o ward s y

g p p
ro e r t

has n o thin g in it b ut what is c o n so n an t to j us tic e fo r it is .

j ust t hat e v ery citizen shou ld en j oy t he adv an ta e s o f socie t y

g ,

in proportio n as he con t rib u te s to its s uppo rt an d t he p ro ,

rie to r i e s more lar e ly t h an he wh h as n ot hi t i

p g v
g .
o n
g o g v e .

It 1 5 j ust al so that he sho uld hav e the rig ht o f pro teéiion who ,

hath so me thing o f his o wn to de fen d Pro prie tors hav e n o

.

less an in te rest than o t hers in the laws u pon which in d iv id ual

,

s ec urit y d e pen d s ; when c e t h e l at te r may re ly o n t h

. e fi rst for

the c are o f t heir l ib e rt y an d l iv e s But in re sc t to prope rt y

. , ,

so me hav e rig hts in te res t to pre se rv e whic hO the rs mig ht

an d an ,

c ov e t an d in v ad e H o w then cou l d an e q u il ibrium an d pe ac e

.

b e preserv e d b e tween in te re sts so Oppo s ite , un l e ss the adv an

t ag e o f n u mb e r an d o f nat u ral fo rc e we re coun terb al ance d by
o l itic al adv an ta e s ? T he re al way s are in a state , say s M O N
’

p g
T n s u ra v , so me e rso n s d ist in u is h e d by b irt h, ric he s, o r
g p g
hon o u rs . B u t if t he y we re con fo u n d e d with the mas s, an d
h ad bu t o n e v o ic e wit h t he r est , th e c o m m o n l ibe r t y wo u ld b e

t he ir sl av e ry ; arid t hey wo u ld hav e no in te re st t o d e fen d , b e

c au se t he g e n e ral reso l u t io n s wo uld be c le arly ag ain st the m .

T he ir part , the n , in l e g islation sho ul d be p roportion e d t o t he ,

o the r ad v an t ag e s t he y hav e in t he state ; whic h wo uld be t he

t

c as e we re t he y forme d in t o a bo dy , hav in g a rig ht to che c k

the me asu res of the pe opl e, as the peop l e had a rig ht to man .

terafi theirs
’
.

From con tempt for t he se maxims , which the su fi ra e of all

'

g
lg
e isl at o rs an d a ll stat es me n hav e re v e re d , the misfortun es o f
h v e arise n I n trac in h ro re ss o f t he re v ol u tion
Fran c e a .
g t e
p g
th ro u g h its d i ffe r e n t p e rio d s w e ,c a n d i sc o v e r n o t h ing i n i t b u t

a p ro g re s siv e d ev e l o pe men t o f t he po p u l ar p rincipl e s of

ib y d e q u al ity A faction o f h il so he rs an d wit s
l e r t a n .
p o p ,

w d u rtie rs h ad l on m e d itat e d t he o v e rthro w o f

l y
a e r s , a n co , g
t he c h u r c h a
, n d o f M o n ar c hy T. he da r i n
g ra sh n e ss o f t he

min ist e r B a rn n n a t he fau l t s o f the parl iame n t t he impru

, ,

d e rft c o nv oc a ti o n o f t he s tate s
g e n e ral w i t,h t he O in ion s an d
p
e rlidio u s v ie w s of Na c x e n h ad b rou g ht on t he momen t fo r
p ,

th e fa ct io n t o b r e a k f o rth T
. h e c o n s
p ir a to r s a v ail e d th e m .
 0 11 ma r r n s n c n RE V O L U T IO N . as

eelv e s o f the in q u iet u d e an d a itat ion o f men s mind s ; they

’
g
st irre d u
p the p eo
p l e in the na me o f l iberty . To so w d iv isio n s
be t we e n t he d y pre se n te d t he c hime ra of
o r ers o f t he st ate , t he

e q u a l i t y t o t hose who whil st enj oy i n g t he swe et s of t ran q ui

,

llt y m the boso m o f p l e n t y fan c ie d t he mse l v es de b ase d by

, , ,

t he p re ro g ativ e s o f s u e rio r c on d it io n s wit hou t b ein

p g aw a re ,

that a u n iv e rsal l e v ell in woul d rather d e re ss than raise the m

g p .

S u c h was the co mmencemen t , an d , asI may styl e it , the fi rst

act o f the re v o u t io n .
l The u lac e , c l aimin l ib e rt y an d
o
p p g
e q u alit y in t he ir d i
t u rn , soo n
sc on ce rt e d t h e a m b i tio n o f t he
factio n s whil st the foo l ish v an it y o f t he t own sme n c ru she d the
,

who le by its mass an d d ec l are d O pe n war o n the p roprie tors

, ,

ac c o u tre d with the ir max ims an d e xampl e s a ain st t he m F

g o r .
,

i f u p o n the p rin c iple o f e q u al it y the c l e rg y an d n ob il it y mig ht

,

b e s t rippe d o f t hat ran k an d t hose priv ileg es whicht he y from , ,

t he o rig in o f t he mo n arc hy we re p ossesse d o f; if in c on tem t

,
p ,

o f t he mo st au t he n tic t it l e s an d l e itimat e re sc ri t ion it we re

g p , p ,

al lo wabl e t o tak e t heir pat rimo n y fro m t he m why sho u ld n ot ,

t he p o pu l ac e l ik e wise in tu rn conte st t he u n e q ual d iv ision ?,

D o o t he r posse ssio ns b ec o me l e ss the prope rt y o f the n ation ,

than t ho se o f t he c l erg y ? an d o f what is the n atio n mad e u p ,

b u t t hat n u merou s c l ass so l on g c o n d emn ed to in d ig e nc e and

,

lab o u r; whic h at l e n g th re su me s it s n atu ral rig hts by substi ,

t u t in g a p e rfe éi e qu al it y in p l ac e o f the t y ran n ical instit u tions

o f so c ie t y ? In this man n e r wo u ld t he o u lac e reaso n if t o

p p , ,

j u st ify its e xce sses the popu lace n ee de d aby o the r rig ht than
, .

In t he mean t ime t he base an d rapa

‘
t hat o f t he st ron g est . ,

c i o u s p ro rie t o rs
p w h o d iv
, id e d am o n g st t he m se l v e s in id e a , ,

t he sp o il s o f the n o bl e sse an d the c l e rg y becoming v ictims to ,

the ir o wn p rin c ipl e s hav e lo st t heir all e v en t o the rig ht o f

, ,

c o mp l ain in g Suc h is the sec on d a& o f the re v ol utio n

. .

In t his
bl oody t rag edy the b u sine ss an d horror g o on aug
,

me n t in g A fter hav in g e xe c u te d j u stic e on the fi rst rav ag e rs

.
,

the p e o pl e p u n ishe d t hemse l v e s by their o wn han ds T he .

ric he s t he y had in v ade d t he y kn e w n o t how t o pre serv e

, to ,

disp en se o r to man age T he y became t he pre y ofd emag og ues

, . ,

the p rice of audacit y and the instrumen t of ty rann y

, T he .
C; a n z z n u t n a r ro n o r fl u e as t e rn . “

t rue sources of riches , indust ry , labour, and comme nce , hav e

d isappeare d ; n o t hin re mains bu t u ilt , miser , an d e n dle ss
g g y
d isse n sio ns . A n e w fafi on daily break s forth T hat ido l is .

de mo l ished tod a y whic h y es t e rday was

, ,
incen sed Ne c k er,
.

la Faye tte Du mon rie z , C us tin e , O rleans ,

, Bailly , H e be rt , Ro
be sp ie rre , de sc e n d fro m t he car of t riumph, so me to mo unt
t he sc afi o ld , o t hers t o e xpe rien ce in a f
'

o rei n c oun try , t h

g e

mo re c ru e l pu n ishme n t o f in famy an d remorse The mu lt itu de .

cann ot re st witho ut a master. O bs tinate as it was in d isav o w

in g him whom H eav en had g iv en , it fought for the cho ic e of

its t yran ts The stro ke fi rst fl uted at the sac re d

. ri
g ht of

e rt is t he sig n al o f un iv ersal
y lun de r l i cen t io u sn ess
p p
ro , p .

le ads to anarc hy , and from the boso m o f anarchy rises a s warm

o f e pheme ral d esp ot s , whose t ott e rin g t hro n e is c e me n te d with

t he bloo d of t he l I n t his mann er is v ide nc e v in di

p e
p e o .
p ro .

cat e d ; an d in the diso rde r ev en of popular re v o l ution s the

, , ,

immutabl e o rde r o f e t e rn al j u st ice is seen Pence pro spe rity . , ,

an d g lory are to n at io ns the p rice of v irme political an d mo

, , .

'

g al ; wh il st rev olt licen tiou sness, and v ice are followed by

, ,

discord misery an d in famy

, , .
 o r r u n rn s n c u a s v o n u r ro u . 2 5

C H A PT E R lV .

O F TH E SO V E RE IGN Tr O F TH E PE OPLE .

T ar .
p rin c ipl e o f t he so v e re ig n t
y o f t he e
p po l
e, l on g b uried
in t he o b sc u re writ in g s o f a B U C H A N A N an d a Ju a re v hat h ,

ac q u ire d s l e n d o r from t he e l e g an t pe n o f Ro u s s e a u
p i t is .

fro m t he racial c omm a ! t hat o u r d e mag o g u e s hav e d rawn t his

re v o l u t ion ary d og ma T he fee l in g he art o f t he c it iz e n o f Ge
.

ne v a wo u ld hav e u n q ue st io n ably shudd e re d at t he b are imag i

n at ion o f the t e rribl e c o n se q u enc e s o f his po l itic al s y s te m : he

hat h so me whe re said t hat a re v o l ut io n wou ld be t o o de arl y

,

b o u g ht if it co st o n e drop o f bl o o d
,
B u t what e v er j u d g men t
.

may be fo rme d o f his c haracte r an d in te n tio n s po st e rit y wil l ,

n e v er
p ro n o u n c e his na me , wit ho u t c on n e étin g with it the
c ri me s o f a re v o u tion , l o f whic h he in some so rt was t he law

g i v er .

Ac c o rdin g to the au t ho r o f the Serial Cont rafl it is n ecessary ,

t o d ist in g u ish t he so v e reig n from t h e o v e rn me n t T h e sov e

g , .

re ig n t hat is t he g e n e ral will o r in o n e wo rd t bs Pea

, p l
,e from ,

who m all po we r e sse n t ially flo ws an whic h c an n ot be irre ,

v oc ably b o u n d hath e v e r a rig ht t o ab rog at e old l aws an d e s

,

t ablish n e w on es
T he g ov e rn me n t is n o thin g mo re t han t he
.

min is te r an d d e le g at e o f the s ov e re ig n T he peo pl e re se rv e .

t he l e g isl ativ e po we r, whic h b e l o n g s t o t he g e n e ral will ; b u t

t he y c an n ot e rso n a lly e xe rc ise the e xe c u t iv e , b ec au se t his

p
o w e r c o n s ist s o n ly in art ic u l ar afi s whic h are n o t wit hin t he
p p ,

p q
ro v in c e o f t he law n o r c o n se u e n t ly wit hin t hat o f t he sov e
,

re i n all who se aéts c an o n ly be l aws H e n c e t he e o l e hav e

'

g , p p .

e sta bl ishe d by a law al way s re v o c abl e at will

, o n e o r mo re ,

mag is t rate s u n d e r t he n ame o f k in g o r se n at o rs t o who m it

, ,

c o n fi d e s t he e x e c u t io n o f t he l aws an d t he main t ain an c e o f

,

lib e rt y as we ll c iv il as po l it ic al E v e ry l awfu l g o v e rn me n t is
.

re u bl ic an i t his se n se t h t it is al wa s d ire éte d by t h

p n , a y , e
g e

n e ral will Ro y alty is on ly a c ommission , an e mpl oy men t ,

.

E
26 a n s x au m a r xo u or r un rn n c xn ss

which the sov ere ig n o r the pe opl e may l imit mo d ify or resum e ,

at pl easu re T he asse mbl ie s o f t he pe 0 ple o ug ht al way s t o b e

.

O pe n e d by t wo p ro o sit ion s whic h can n e v er be su re sse d ,

p pp
an d whic h separat e ly sho u ld ass by v o t e s t h fi t w h t h
p e rs e e r ,

it be the pl easure o f t he s ov ere ig n to p re se rv e the presen t form

of o v e rn me n t t he sec o n d whe ther it be t he l easu re o f t he
g , , p
e o pl e t o l eav e the ad min ist rat ion i n t he han d s to w hich 1 t is
p
con fi d e d .

‘
T hu s it is ev id e n t fro m this an aly sis o f t he socia l con traa ,

t hat the who l e sy ste m o f Ro u s s e a u is fo un de d o n the p rin c i

l o f the sov e re ig n t y
l e as we ll as t he s y st e m o f
o f the eo
p e p p ,

t he re v o l u t ion B u t t his p rin c ipl e be alway s assu me s witho u t

. ,

un d e rtak in t o pro v e it H e d o e s n o t e v e n say what he u n de r

g .

s t an d s by t he Peo l e ; an d as t his wo rd is su sc e t ibl e o f v e r y

p p
d iffe ren t sig n ifi c at io n s his wo rk pre se n t s an assembl ag e o f
,

e rrors an d t ru th we ll su it e d t o se duc e su e rfic ial re ad e rs

, p .

If by the peopl e 1 s to be u n d erstood a mu l tit u de l iv in g with

ou t l aws, c hie fs, o r c on v e n tion s, as me n are suppo se d t u t he

s tate o f n atu re in this sen se the pe o ple 1 3 in d e pe n d e n t

to l iv e
b u t n ot sov e re ig n For the so v e re ig n ty hath n o e xist enc e ,
.

n or is it c onc e iv abl e till a s tate an d o v e rnme n t e x ist T o

g .

imag ine in suc h a peopl e , a so v e re ig n t y , whic h impl ie s a so rt

o f g ov ern me n t is says B o s s u n r
, , to su
pp o se a o v e rn men t
g , ,

b e fore all g ov e rn men t ! So far 1n t his stat e are t he pe o pl e from

b ein g so v e re i
g n ; that t he
y are n o t a pe o p l e If an y on e c hu se
.

t o b e st ow the n ame o f sov e re ig n t y up o n t hat in t ractabl e l ib e rt y

whic h is made t o y ie ld to the law an d the mag ist rat e he may ,

b u t it is t o con foun d e v e ry t hin g it is to c o n fo u n d t he inde

en de n c e o f eac h in d iv id u al in t he an arc hy with t he so v e
p
re i n t y it sel f B u t this on t he c o n trar is t hat whic h d e st roy s it
g .
y .

W he re e v e ry on e is in d ep en den t there is n o so v e re ig n For

, .

t he so v e re ig n ru l e s o f rig ht an d he re the ri ht o f ru l in g has

, g
as ye t n o e xist e n ce T he v e ry n o t ion o f a ru l e r impl ie s a de
.

e n d an t B u t n o man in t his s t ate is s u d b h d

p .
pp o se t o e s uc an ,

e v e ry on e is in d e en d e n t no t o n ly o f e v e ry o t he r b u t e v en of
p ,

t he mu l t it ud e it se l f whic h t ill re d u c e d t o a re u lar e o le

,
g p p ,

hath n o rig ht but t hat o f forc e Is the word people emp l oyed
.
2 8 a n s x a n rx a r t o n o r r u n r a rn c rr u s

In what sen se hav e the l i

re v o u t onar
p h i
yl o sO h
p e rs
pret e n d e d

that the ign ty re sides in

sov e re the peo l e ? It is in t he fi r st
p
l ace , becau se in the ins t itu tio n o f G o v e rn me n ts , all au t ho rit
p y
roce e d s from the mult it u de ; sec o n dly , bec au se af t er the in
p
s tit u tion o f a o v e rn me n t , the mu l t itu d e c on t in ue s to p re s e r v e
g
t he rig ht o f ab ol ishin g it , an d c reat in g a n e w o n e T he p e o .

le , or t he maj o rit y , is the n t he sov ere ig n , in the se n se t hat

p
t he au tho rit y p ro c ee d s fro m it , an d as the e xe rc ise o f it is al
way s subj e tl to the popular will Let u s e xamin e this prin c
l a d if t he ri ht it iv es t h
.

e mu l tit u de b e f
o un d e d i n
i
p e , n se e
g g
n atu re , an d whet her t he
p eo
p l e hav e an y in t erest in rec laim
i ng 1 t .

No w in g oing bac k to the o rig in a c reat io n o f an y so c iet

l y,
w e find n o o ne
p p l e eo
o r n at io n b u t a c o n
, f us e d t r00 p o f in d e

e n de n t men w ho b e in w eary o f a s tate whe re t h e who l e ,

p , g, ,

an d y e t n o o ne is maste r are d e siro u s o f q u it tin g t heir anar

,

c hy an d are n o fart he r un it e d than in t he g en e ral wish o f e s

,
.

tablishin g a g ov e rn me n t E ac h st ill e nj oy in g his e n tire inde

.

e n dan c e an d his fu ll n at u ral l ib e rty o n c u rs by his su f f ra e

p , c , g
in the fo rmat ion o f{ p o l it ical b o dy ; an d it may be said in a ,

t ru e se n se t hat t he so v e re ig n t y c o me s orig in ally from the mul

,

titu de b ec au se it is in its fu ll c o n sen t that the cause an d su f,

,

fi c ie n t re aso n o f the e x ist en ce o f a sov ere ig n powe r is fo un d .

B ut it d oe s n ot n ec e ssarily fo ll o w that t he mul t itude had ev er

sse sse d t he so v e re i n t y : f t h i t y b an o n ly t o
p o g o r e so v e re
g n e
g
hav e b e in g at t he in stan t t he prince was in v e sted wit h it ; it
is a mo ral q ual it y a re l ation fo rme d by t he u nion of ev ery
,

will T he pe ople hav e n o t c on ferre d it as a thin g that is

.

tran smit te d from han d to han d T he y hav e c reate d it an d

. ,

o sse s s it n o l on e r t han whil e it e xis ts T h y d o t e v e n

p g e o n
.

sse ss it afte r hav in g c rea e d it f o r the y i v e it be ing on l

p o t g , y
t o in v e st some person with it Prior to the soc ial c ompact
.

t hat g av e b irth t o so v e re i n ty
g t he p peo, l e w a s n o t sov e reign ;

it was on ly in de pen de n t : by t he soc ial c ompact it hathcea se

d
to be ind epe n dant an d is c on stit ute d subje ft,
,

When a
g o v e rn mm t is on c e e sta bl ishe d
do the peopl e no
, .

cessarily an d b
y an in alien able ri ht
g p
re ser e the
v o we r of
p
 os r u n r e as o n n e v o s u r ro n . 39

u i
j g g
d n t he i f displ acin g him and chang in g the g o
pr nc e , o

v ern me n t ? I ask , by an in alienabl e rig ht ; b ec au se we hav e he re

no co n ce rn with a g o v ern me nt l imit e d by a c o n st it u tion wh ich

e xpres sly de fin e s in what c ase the princ e sh all in cu r t he
pe n al t y
o f fo rfe it ure Such a c on stitu t ion wo u ld be a tre at y , t he c on d i
.

t ion s o f which b ein g c l early e xpresse d , wou ld be co me the law o f

bo th princ e an d subj efts I speak in g en eral , an d main tain

.

t hat suc h de termin ate c l auses o f the soc ial c om aét hav e n o
'

p
in the n atu re of t hin g s ; an d witho u t bl amin g t he
e x is t e n c e

l e who hav e t hou ht it a d u ty t o re se rv e t o themse l v e s

p p
e o
g
the se rig hts, an d t o hold the so v e re ig n ame nabl e , it appe ars
~

cl e ar t o me that o t hers, to secu re in t he mo st fc étu al

ef man n e r
the p u bl icj hav e wi
t ran c uillit y,
t h m o re re aso n re l in q uishe d

e v e ry su c h ri ht T h s the n , un l e ss t he se d e t erminate c lau se s

g u .

be e xp re sse d formally an d prec ise ly in the c on stit ut io n o f a

stat e , we shou ld ho ld for certain that the e re éiion o f t he sov e
r g y was con stitu ted ab sol u t e ly an d in a man n e r irre v oc abl e ;
e i n t

as the p e o pl e without re te n d in t ive a rin ce t he ri ht

p
, g o
g p g
of o v e rnin arb itrarily hav e t ho u ht it mo re wise to e x ose
g g g, p
the mse l v e s to the t ran sien t a u se s o f au t ho rit
b y , t han to p re

se rv e , ia th e mid st o f the stat e , a p l

e r e t ua s ou rc e o
p f d isco rd s
and fafl ion s ,

B u t, t houg h e v en the c on stit u tion al aft should con tai n the

ro v ision ary c lau se o ft he depo sin g o f a sov ere ig n , in c e rtain
p
ca e f e a d c l e a ly e x e d it will n ot fo ll ow t hat the
s s o rs e n n r
p re ss ,

p l
eo p e , in t he se n se whic h the re v o u tion ist s u n
l d e rstan d , sho u ld
hav e a rig ht to in v e st the mse l v e s with t he sov e reig n authority,
an d c han g e the form o f t he g o v e rn me n t In suc h a c on stit u
.

t io n , t he prin c e is rath er t he c hie f o f t he g o v e rn me n t , than the

s o v e re ig n : his powe r is l imit e d by t he t e xt of the fun dame n

t al la w , a n d th is sa m e law h a t h n o m in at e d b e fo re han d , the

mag ist rate , the senate , or the assembly u po n whom the right of
j g g
u d in t he
p rin ce w o u ld d e v o l v e an d al so the
, p ow er o f re

l ac in g him Su c h was the au tho rit y o f the E phori at Lac e

p .

d e mo n an d that o f the Ju stiza in the k in g do m o f A rrag on

, .

u d men t s o f t his k in d when the y are f o re se e n and e x re ssly

J g , p ,

au th o riz ed by the constitutional aft do n ot by an , y m e an s in

3 0 A R s x au u u
'
r ro n O l’ T H E P R I N C IPLE .

v o vel the rev ocation o f the soc ial c o mpaa ; the y are on ly t he

e xe c u t ion o f it . B ut , it is o f impo rtan c e t o obse rv e , t hat , n ot

to the p p
e o emul tit u de , b u t particu lar pe rsons o r bo die s
or l
o rig in ally c onstit ute d the e xe rc ise o f this ev er dang e ro us rig ht
is con fi de d .

It is an e sta blishe d fa& , t hat with the exception of some tu r

b n le n tde mocrac ie s which hav e all bee n the pre y o f insurg en ts
,

c he ris he d in t he ir b o so m o r o f c o n q u e ro rs by wh
, om t he y hav e

be e n in v ade d n o c o n s t it u t io n hath l e ft to the pe e p le o r mu l

, ,

titu de an u n l imite d rig ht o f re fo rmin g o r abo l ishin g t he e s

,

t ablis he d g o v e rn me n t T he n ature o f t hin g s is c on trary t o it

.
,

an d e v e ry t hin g d e mo n s t rat e s t hat t he eo le is e sse n t ially in

p p
c a able o f g o v e rn in g I d o n o t on ly say that i t can n ot e z e r
p .
,

c ise t h e fun fi ion s ofg o v e rn me n t as Ro u s s e a u himse l f admits

, ,

b u t I afiirm t hat it is in c apable o f all pu blic admin istration ,

an d c on se q u en t ly o f all e xe rc ise o f the so v e re ig n po we r In to .

what a st ran g e c on t radiftion hat h t he spirit o f sy ste m u rg e d

t he autho r of t he social rou t rafi
‘ Do e s he speak o f the sov e
.
-
e

re i n ty ? The mu l t itu d e c ons tan tly fo llows rig ht re aso n is

g ,

n ev e r d ec eiv e d as t o its re al in t e re st s is a peo p l e o f sag e s

, .

D oe s he treat o f g ov e rn me n t T he mu l titu de is t he p u ppe t o f

e rro r ,an d t he pas sio n s an d mad e o n ly t o o b e y
, B u t if the .

e o l e hav e all the q ual it ie s that t he so v e re i n t y d e man d s

p p g ,

why hav e t he y n o t t ho se that g o v e rn men t re q u ire s An d if

t he y be e sse n t ially in c apabl e o f g ov e rn in
g w hy an d o n w h a t
, ,

t itle are the y sov e re ig n ?

If t he ri
g ht y re side in the peopl e it is in the
of so v e re ig n t ,

mas s o f t he peopl e the mu l t it u d e that it mu st be place d

, , In .

t his c ase su fi rag e s are n o t t o be we ig he d bu t c oun t e d B irth

'

, .
,

ran k ric he s e d u c at io n
, , k n owle d g e wou ld be u se l e ss d ist in c q
, ,

t io n s .T he se adv an t ag e s po l itical o r n atu ral su ppose an e s ,

t ab lishe d g o v e rn men t ; the ir in fl ue nc e c an on ly be pe rc e iv e d

i n t he sil e n c e o f o rde r an d o f pe ac e T he sov e reig n ty o f the

.

e o le is t he n t he sov e re ig n t y o f the maj o rit y It i s t he

p yh
p p .

s ical fo rce whic h su cc ee d s to t he mo ral ; it is v io l e n c e

whic h supplant s rig ht H en c e follo ws an en dless train o f c om
.
-
s
 or r m: !
r n an c u n e v o n u r ro u .
3!

mo t i on s an d rev o ut ion s : n o
l fo rm o f so l id g ov ern ment ; n o
c on s ist en t an d d urabl e l e g isl ation . In all pol itical socie tie s

t he re e xists a sec re t war o f the poor ag ain st the rich . T he

on e wish to c han g e t he g o v e rn me n t the othe r to main tain it , .

B u t when a re v o l u tion hath ov e rt urn e d all fortu n es whe n t e ,

mo v ed all t he fen c e s o f p ropert y the n umber o f t he poor is,

alway s the re at e r a d t h art y o f the d iscon ten te d s t ill

g n e
p
,

p re v ail s ov er that w hic h se e k s t o p re se rv e t he n ew o rd e r o f

In this co n fliét of the ssio n s, th in terests and de

'

e t ern a l p a e ,

li b e ratio n s of the mul t it u de , laws prope rly so ca ll ed , c an ne v e r

b e fo rme d , t o which all t he me mb e rs o f t he stat e are o bl ig e d

t o su b mit .W hen a mapl e hat h d e st roy e d it s g o v e rnm e n t t he

so c ial c om aét is b ro k e n ; there e x ist s n o l on g er c it y n o r c it i

p ,

z en e v ery o n e re t u rn s to a s tate o f in d e e n d en c e ; n o o n e c an
p
be b ou n d by t he O p in io n or the will o fo the rs Un d er a reg u .

lar g o v e rn me n t the pl ural it y o f s u li rag e s c on st it u t e s a re al

'

r i ht b ecaus e the soc ial s t at e su p po se s t he u n io n o f will s an d

g , ,

t hat it is j u st t hat t h e min o rity sho u ld su bmit Bu t t h is is n o t .

t he c ase in that se aso n o f an arc hy whic h pre c e d e s t he in st it u

t io n o f a n e w g ov e rn me n t I c an n ot wit ho u t t he v io l at io n o f
.

my in de pen d en ce an d my n at ural l ib e rty be co mpe ll e d to ,

l iv e u n d er n e w l aws to whic h I hav e n ot y ie ld e d asse n t If .

I l ik e n o t t o su b mit my O pin io n t o t he will o f t he maj o rity ;

I o u g ht t o be al lowe d to l iv e p riv ate ly in p e ac e wit ho u t ,

t ak in a a t i u bl ic c o nc e rn s at l ast to re t ire in t o a
g n
y p r n
p o r e ,

fo re ig n c ou n t ry with my prop e rty an d t he e nj o y me n t o f

,

what ev er I po sse ss .

T his sin g l e re flexion fu ll y j ust ifi e s the Fre n c h o f all c on d i

t ion s t hat hav e b e e n e xil e d fro m t heir c o u n t ry , in whic h a g o
v e rn men t is e sta bl ishe d l aws whic h t he y c an n ot approv e
an d .

W he n a state is in stit u te d re sid en ce impl ie s c o n sen t ; bu t

,

whe n an an c ie n t g o v e rn me n t is su b v e rte d to in st it u t e a n e w
o n e e mig rat io n is t he mo st mo d e rate measu re t hat d is sid e n t s
,

c an ad o
p t I n. r e n o u c in
g t h e q u a l it y o f c it iz e n s in t h e n e w
Fre nc h C i i h m i h i d t l ‘

t t t a t av e e x e rc s e a n a u r a
on s u o n e e ,g r n s
3: a n ax a u m a r ro u or r u n ! w o rr i e s
an d a po litical right ; for as Ro u s s e a u Social Cout u re?) oh
s e rv e s ,the soc ial co mpaCt re q u ire s a un an imo us c on sen t be ,

c au se a c iv il assoc iat ion is in it s n atu re o f all o the r 3 61 8 the

.

mo st v ol un tary B u t t he pe opl e k n ow n o t ho w t o re sp e fi
.
’

ri ht when t h y o wer ; it is n o t e n o u h to be f
g e p o ssess
p g ree ,

t he y will t y ran n ize ; an d whoe v e r re f u ses to su b sc rib e to t he

laws whic h the y make to day to abrogate to marrow bec ome s

, ,

t he v iétim o ft heir fury .

.
.

Le t in the me an t ime , the se papular assemblie s,

u s c on si e r, d
in whic h t he n e w sy ste ms o f l eg isl ation are fo rme d , an d wit h
o u t in sistin t o o muc h o n t he me l anc ho ly e xperie n c e t hat
g
F ran c e has had , le t u s see what oug ht to be e xpe cte d at all
t ime s an d in all c ou n t rie s . Flo re n c e an d
Ishall n ot s
pe k
a of ,

t he o t he r mod ern re u bl ic s o f Italy where histo ry pre sen ts t o

p ,

u s t he al te rn ativ e o n ly o f the c on v u lsion s o f l ic e n tio u sn e ss an d ,

t he fu rie s o f t y ran n y bu t will b a k t th e s l e n d id ag es o f

g o c
, o p
libe rty an d t o t he A the n ian s t he mo st human e re fin ed an d
, , , ,

in tell ig e n t n atio n o f all G re e ce It was in t he asse mbl ie s o f

.

t his pe opl e t hat Mil tiad e s A rist id es T he mist o c l e s T imo t he u s

, , , ,

Phoc ion an d Soc rat e s we re p ro sc rib e d ; that the fo rce s an d

,

fi n an c e s o f t he repub lic we re c on fi de d t o men n o t o riou s for in

ab il it y an d in i robit ; t h at a la w w a a d w h ic h o n d e mn e d
p y s
p s se c

t o d e ath e v ery orato r t hat sho u ld rO o se t o e m l o y in d e

p p p
fenc e o f t he stat e the fun d s r e se rv e d for the spe ctac l e s ; t hat a
,

d ec re e was in t ro d uc e d to ho ld fo r sac re d e v e ry t hin g ! in g De

me t riu s shou ld o rd ain to ward s the g od s an d e v e ry t hin g fo r j u st ,

t o ward s men : ex t rav a an t b ase n e ss whic h seems to hav e se rv e d

g
as t he mod el fo r t he o ath o f main tain in a c o n st it u t io n whic h
g
n o o n e k n e w an d of whic h t he o u tlin e was sc arc ely s k e tc he d
’

, .

A the n s notwithstan d in g had l aws full o f wisdo m whic h we re

, , ,

n O t mad e by the l d w hi h t h y d id t h i k h y
p p
e o e a n c e, n o t n t e

we re au thorised to to u c h W hat mu st be t he resu l t if the

.
,

l aws t hemsel v e s were t o b e c ome the work o f an in t ractable

way ward mu l tit ude whic h wit ho u t k n o wl e d g e o f the past or
, , ,

fo re sig ht o f the fut u re fe l t o n ly the wan t o f the mo me n t an d

, ,

c ou ld n e v e r e xte n d the ir v ie w s t o those tru ths w hic h se rv e as

t he b asis of l e isl ation ?
g
 o r r u n r a s u c a s av o u r n o n 33
-
.

'

The peO ple , in t he ma ss , havk

t a en
e n o o t her mora l it y than

the re s t riél io ns o f law T his c u rb whi chis n ec e ssary t o all ran ks

.

o f s oc ie t y , is still mo re so t o tho se who m in d ig e n c e an d j e a

lo u sy st i mu l at e a ain st
g p u bl ic d
o r e r. T he g ro sser p assio n s ,
i n c e ssan tly d by wan t c an o n ly
e xc it e , b e repre sse d by fe ar .

If t he peo pl e do n o t o b e y t he y c o mman d an d the ir ro le is t he

, ,

s u b v e rsio n o f all j u st ic e b o t h n atu ral an d so c ial T he so n

,
. !

re ig n t y t he n re sid e s n o t in t he p e o pl e sin c e t he pe o pl e al way s ,

r e q u ire t o be g o v e rn e d T he le g isl at iv e po we r d o e s n ot e s
.

s e n t iall b e l o n t o t he m sin c e it is t he o bj e ct o f l e isl at ion t o

y g , g
re st rain the m T he p u bl ic fo rc e o u g ht n 0 t t o b e c o n fi d e d to
.

t he m s inc e in that cas e t here wou ld be n o o ther fo rc e t o sup

, .

p re ss them.

Un d e r a g ov e rn me n t , and wit h a po pu l ar fo rce the re is n ei ,

t he r po we r n o r p ubl ic fo rc e uW he n by a g e n e ral re v o l u tion ,

, .
,

a n at io n has b ro k e n asu n d e r all t he sp rin s o f g o v e rn me n t , in

g
s t ea d o f re c o v e rin it an n ihi ate s
l t he ig n t y E v e ry
g , s o v e re .

t hin g re v e rt s t o a s t ate o f n at u re : l n at io n a ri ht is ab ro at e d ;
g g
an d if in faét t here st ill re main so me shad o w o f g o v e rn me n t
, , ,

i t is b ec au se the st ro n g e r co n s t rain s t he we ak e r ! e t in t his .

,

c as e , it is n o t in t he p e o pl e that t his e mpire o f fo rc e re sid e s,

the y are o n ly the in st ru men t ; an d it may with t ru th be af , ,
.

fi rme d t hat t he p eo p l e is n e v e r more a sl av e t han whe n it re

, ,

so l v e s t o be an d t hin k s it se l f so v e re i n E sse n tially in ca abl e

, g p .

o f b e in g o v e rn e d by it se lf it is c o mp e ll e d t o re s i n t he com
g g ,

man d t o a han dfu l o f faétiou s an d in t rig uin g p e rson s who , ,

k n o win g t he in c o n st an c y o f t he mast e r t he y se rv e haste n to ,

av ail t he mse l v e s of t he s ho rt d u rat io n o f t he ir f av o u r It is in .

t he n ame o f t he pe o pl e t hat t he y g o v e rn b u t the pe o p l e the m ,

s e l v e s o b e y an d a c han g e o f min i st e rs is o n ly a c han g e o f t y

,

ran t s ; sin c e u n d e r su c h a g ov e rn me n t t he y are n 0 t t he in ,

t e llig e n t v irt u o u s an d d is in te re s te d t hat ho ld t he he lm o f

, , ,

af fairs H app y if the d o min e e rin g factio n p e rmit t he m t o

.
,

l iv e in ig n o ran c e an d to g roan in sec re t o v e r t he su ffe rin g s

,

t he ir c o u n t ry .

Prev io u s t o t he e n d o f t his c hap t e r, I o u g ht

p d e a
to reclu

false c on se
q u en ce , whic h an in at te n t iv e re ad e r mi ht d raw by
g ,

F
34 . A N ax a -
mrn a r ro x or r m: ra m c rr t rs

t ran fe rrin g t o all p l w h at I hav e said o f those as

op u ar stat e s

se mb lie s where the mu l t itu d e u n d e rtak e s t o c reate fo r it se lf

,

laws an d a g ov e rn me n t All g o v e rn men ts are g oo d whe n the y

.

are we ll ad min iste re d T he pop ul ar g o v e rn men t o r d e mo

. ,

c rac y is n o t in itse l f e v il It suits so me n atio n s an d e spe c iall y

'

. ,

as I hav e said t ho se t hat are small poo r an d happy e n o u g h

, , ,

t o hav e p re serv e d t hat simp l ic ity O f man n e rs fru g al it y an d , ,

l ov e O f t heir cou n try whic h is n o l on g er to be fou n d amo n g s t

,
‘
n at ion s t hat are O u l en t I t is n o t t o such n o r t O g o v e rn
p . ,

me n t s c on sec rate d by l on g hab it ud e that what I hav e j us t ,

re mark e d O f popu l ar as se mbl ie s will apply T he fo rce o f t he

.

t he pu bl ic sp irit an d man n e rs with re spe ct fo r

’
c on st it u t io n ,

th e law t t h a b Of i l b t y SO l o n a s t h e y co n 2
p re v e n e u se er g
-
.
,

t in n e v irtu o us suc h n ation s may be so v ereig n s with imp u n ity

, .

T he ir assembl ie s su bj e fl : to in v ariabl e fo rms an d Op en t o

, ,

d isc u ssion are occu pie d on ly in main tain in g the g ov e rn men t

,

an d the d u e e xec u tion O f the l aws ; an d t hese l aws t his g o ,

v e rn me n t , are n o t the wo rk O f an ig n oran t an d pass io n at e

mu l titu de bu t the fru it o f the pro fou n d re fle ction s O f a states
,
’

man whom the p eop l e had in v e ste d with the sac re d c haraéte r
O f l e isl ator T h c a se h o we v e r i s v e ry d if fe ren t in a n a
g . e , ,

t io n al re ady c o rru t e d an d whic h aims at l ib e rt y t o t hro w o f f

p , .

t he y o k e O f law a n atio n d iso rg an iz e d by a su dd en an d u n i 5 -

v e rsal re v o l t whic h u n d e rtak e s O f itse l f to fo rm its g o v e rn

,

me n t an e w It is he re t hat popu lar asse mbl ie s are se d itiou s

.

mo b s whe re me n witho u t in format io n prin cipl e s p rope rt y

, , , , ,

in t e re st o r o rd e r are actu at e d o n ly by l ic e n t iou s mo t iv e s an d

, ,

a way ward will ; o r t he mu l tit u d e is d rawn al o n by t he rud e

g
gg
an d au d ac io u s e l o q ue n c e O f fo rward d e ma o u e s ; o r an in so

l e n t min o rit y c o mman ds by t e rro r an d by aélual v iol e nce ,

o v erb ears all delibe rat l o n ; o r e l se t he ou t c ry o f t he ri hts

g
O f t he o l i t it t d t l m d f m h
p p
e e s
p ro s u e o a o
p p u ace au
g en t e ro t e
s c u m O f t he hi he r c o n d it io n s S h i d
g u c . a n at on u n e r a
g o ,

v e rn men t fi rm an d v i o ro u s m i h t t ill j y i il l ib t y
g g ,s e n o c v e r ;
b u t it mu st in fall ibly an d irre c ov e rably be l o st whil st it dar ,

in g ly g rasps at po l it ic al fre e d om Lib erty say s Ro u s s e a u

.
,
’
,

( C om id er a t or: t
. bs Gov ern men t of Polan d is a n u t ritio u s suc
, ,

c u l en t al imen t bu t re q u ire s a s t ro n g d ig e stion an d st omachs

, ,

that are perfe étl he al t hy to b ear it I smil e at those de

y .
 O F INSUR RE C TIO N
o n,

RE SIST ANCE To A UT H O RIT ! .

F
O

RO M the so v e re ig n t y Of the pe op e l n e c e ssari ly flows t he

rig ht O f activ e re sistan c e an d in su rre ftion ag ain st Go v e rn me n t .

Fo r t he p e o pl e b e in g re ally so v e re ig n , t he y who g o v e rn are

o n ly it s man d at o rie s an d c o mmissarie s It may re v ok e the au
.
i

t ho rit y d e l e g ate d upo n a l oss O f c on fi d en ce ; and as the se de

le g ate s hav e al ways some fo rce at c o mman d it is by in su rre c ,

t ion and t he O p po s it ion O f a reat e r f o rc e t hat t he e o l e is

,
g p p
e n abl e d to re su me t he e x e rcise o f it s au tho rit y T his prin c r .

le l aid d o wn by t he c o n st it u e n t a sse mbly in t he d e c l aration

p ,

O f t he Rig hts O f Man was ad mirably ad ap te d t o t he d e si n it

,
g
had c on ce iv e d O f o v e rthro win g t he an c ie n t co n st itu tio n It .

s oo n ,ho we v e r fo u n d t hat o n su ch a b asis it was impo ssible

, , ,

t o re ar a so l id s t ru étu re T he rig ht O f in surre ftiou had se

. a

cu re d t he t riu mp h O f re b el s an d hasten e d the fall O f leg i

, s

slators .

T he rig ht O f afi iv e re sistan ce , o r in su rre ctio n ag ain st au tho

rit y , is in compat ibl e wit h t he id e a O f a g ov e rn men t W hat is .

t he e n d o fall ov e rn me n t but t o su b st itu t e t he e n e ral will f

g g or

t he p art ic u ar, an d
l to force all t he me mbe rs O f t he soc i t ey to

s u b mit t he ir p re t e n sio n s t o t he p u bl ic au tho rit ? B u t t he ub

y p
lic au t hority an d t he g e n e ral will are n o thin
g if ev e ry c itizen
,

t hin ks he has a rig ht t o re sist Oppre ssion , o r, whic h is t he same

t hin g , t o Op po se fo rc e t o all t he aéts m n ist rat io n , wh

of a
!
d i ic
h
he may choo se to re g ard as O pp re ssiv e .
TO ad mit , u n d er the
e mp ire O f t he law a sin g l e in st an c e in whic h t he law mi ht
,
g
be re sist e d , is to b re ak as u n de r t he b on d O f t he s oc ie t y , an d
to ll men b ac k t o a state o f an arc hy in whic h re aso n remain s
ca ,

withou t po we r b ec au se e v e r on e call s reason t he passion by

,
y
which he is tran sported .
 0 ? T H E F RE N C H R E V O L U T IO N .
37
If it be sai d that the ig ht O f re sistan c e
r t o au tho rit y su
p
re a l re ssio n , an d that n on e e x ist s, O r t he re is
p o se s O
pp n o Op

p i
re ss on ; I an s we r , in t h e fi rst
p l ac e , t hat , ac c ord in
g t o b o t h
the t e rms an d spirit O f t he d e c l arat ion O f rig ht s, e v e ry o n e re
m ain s j u d g e O f t h e in j u ry h e
p re t en d s t o hav e rec e iv e d !

when c e it fol lo ws , that imag in ary O pp re ssion g iv e s t he

l
c ear ly
sa me r i ht s wit h real O re s sion I sa , in t he se c o n d l a
g pp y .
p c e ,

t hat whe re O pp re ssion is man ife st an d re al , the ri

g ht o f re sist

an c e c an n o t d mitte d T he state O f so c ie ty ad mits n o rig ht

be a .
,

t he u se o f whic h wo u ld in fall ibly d raw O n the ru in O f t he so

c ie t y . B u t the soc ie t y c an n o t s u b sist if the rig ht he l e ft to ,

’

e v e r y c it iz en O f resist in by e n in su rre cti i

g o p , o n O
pp re s s o n , ,

e v e n man ife st an d re al .

If it we re pe rmitte d to an in d iv id ual t o rise ag ain st the p ub

l p
ic o w e r, t he re w o u ld b e n e ith e r law, n o r j u d g me n t , n o r stat e ,

n o r p e opl e Un d e r t he c on st i tu t i o n mo st fav o u rabl e t o l ib e rt y ,

.

un d e r t he most j u st an d e n lig hte n e d g o v e rn me n t it is impo s ,

sibl e b u t t hat s o me in s t an c e s o f in j u st ic e s hou ld be c o mmit t e d ,

fo r t he p rin c e an d t he mag ist rat e s are men T he se in j u stic e s .

a n d e rr o rs O f t h e ad m in is t rat ion a re an in ev it ab le e v il w hic h

we re fo re se en an d which men we re re sig n e d t o , in c o u se
,

q ue n c e o f l iv in
g in t he st at e O f s oc ie t y ; an d s in c e t his e v il

hath appeare d bu t an in c on v e n ie n c e whe n opp o se d t o t he ,

tro u b le s an d d iso rd e rs in se parabl e fro m an arc hy it wo u ld b e ,

e xt rav ag a n t t o s ee k fo r a re me dy in t he d issol u t ion O f t he v e ry

soc ie t y T he fi rst O f all l aws re q u ire s that t he p art ic u l ar in

.

t ere st shou ld y ie ld t o the g e n e ral A n inj u st ic e co mmit t e d by

.

the s ov e re ig n is a p art ic u l ar an d t ran sie n t e v il : re sistan c e to

au tho rity re b e ll io n is a e n e ral an d e rman e n t e v il b e c au se

, g p ,

it attac k s the pu bl ic O rd e r on whic h the safe t y o f all d e p e n d s

, .

If it b e id t hat it is n o t t o in d iv id ual s , b u t t he p e opl e that

sa

we att rib u te the rig ht O f re sistin g by O pen in su rre étio n an d

who c an d o ub t t hat t he p e opl e , in who se fav ou r g ov e rn me n ts
hav e b ee n in st it u t e d , hath n o t a ri ht t o rise ag ain st a
g g o v e rn

me n t t hat Oppre sse s the m

I d o no t y e t e xa min e how far , an d in what man n e r a who l e

eo l e ma d ef n d itse l f a ain s t ty ran n fi rm,
B ut I af that
p p y e
g y .
38 a n ax a m u a r ro u O P r n a r a m cr i
't ts

t he maxim which c on sec rate s the ri g ht of in su rre fl ion , d oe s

n ot d itsel f to a whol e peopl e sinc e it mak e s a part o n l y
e xt e n ,

o f the d e c l aratio n in whic h are se t fo rth t he n at u ral rig ht s O f

,

a man an d a c it iz en B e sid e s the use whic h t he head s Of t he

.

re v o l u tio n hav e mad e o f i t fully she ws that t he y mean t n o t

,

t o l imit it to the case O f a g e n e ral opp re s sion whic h p e rhaps ,

n ev e r e x ist e d u n d er an y g ov e rnmen t an d c ertain l ac t u n d e r

y ,

t he g o v e rn men t of Lo uis X V I .

It re q u ires moreov e r
, l ig ht acquain t ance withhist o r
, bu t a s
y ,

t o k n o w t hat t he oppre ssion O f the p eo pl e hat h e v e r b ee n a

e te x t in t he mou t h o f t he l e ade rs O f se d itio n I n all time s
p r .
,

amo n g all n at ion s c o n spirat o rs hav e he ld t he same l an g u ag e

, ,

an d e v e ry whe re t he e v e n t hat h p rov e d t hat t he se p re t en de d ,

d el iv e re rs O f the peopl e we re its most cru e l Oppre ssors

, .

It is n ot t he wise an d the v irtu o us man that i

ra ses the stan

d ard O f re v o H e b e t te r k n o ws t han an y O the r the ab u se O f

lt .

o v e rn me n t : bu t if the pl ac e whic h he fi ll s in t he stat e mak es

g
i t n o t his d ut y ; if supe rio r tal e n ts g iv e him n o t the rig ht O f
ill u min atin g t he ad min is trat io n , he l ame n ts in sil e n c e , fro m a
c o n v iaio n t hat e v en a v ic io u s g ov e rn me n t is a l e ss e v il t han

t he su b v e rsio n O f p u bl ic o rd er H e k n o ws, t o b o rro w t he

.

word s O f g t he re at B ossu e r) t hat

'
it ( Fiv
is n e e ad v ert h. -

c essary t o su f fe r the v io l en c e s O f bad p rin c e s wishin g fo r be t ,

t e r t o e n d u re t he m what e v e r t he y may be to hop e fo r a c al m

, ,

whilst the storm con tin ue s an d to pe rc eiv e that Prov id e n ce,

,

whic h will s n ot the ruin O f the human rac e n or O f n at u re , ,

k e e ps l d e r t he l Opp re ssion O f an e v il g O
'

e un e r e tu a
no p eO
p p p
v e rnme n t , an y more than t he u n iv e rse with a cp n tin
it affl icts
u al t e mpest A sere n e season may ag ain re pair what a sev ere
.

o n e had spo il e d ; an d it wo u ld be wishin g too muc h e v il to

'

hu man affairs t o add to t he e v ils O f a bad g o v e rn me n t , a re me

d y mo re pe rn icious than t he e v il itse l f, whic h in te stin e div ision
would prov e .
’

W hat '

the n , c o mmo n ly , are t he au thors Of po l itical re f

or ms
an d rev o utio n s l ? M en p ro fo u n dly c o rru p t , s t ran g e rs t o t he

p rinc i
p l e s Of moral it y , an d t he sen ti men t s O f n at ure, con siders;
 OF THE F R E NC H R E V O L U T I O N .
39

ing o ther men as instrumen t s on ly O f the ir amb ition dext rou s ,

in usin g b ot h t he lan g uag e'ofsv irtu e an d e v ery mean s o f p e r

p e t rat in
g c rime s ; c a ol in
j g t he
passion s O f the
p p
e o l e who m t hey

d e sp ise , pre ten d in g t o c ommise rate t he ir su ffe rin g s , the b e t te r

to e n trap t he ir con fi d en c e , an d ad v an c in t hemse l v e s t o t y rann y
g
by t he l add e r O fpopul arity Suc hare the men who kn ow ho wt o
.

av ail t he mse l v e s o f t he do étrin e O fre sis tan c e to o re ssion I t

pp .

is to a Pe te r M arc e l to t he six te en o f t he Leag ue to a C ro m

, ,

We ll t o a M irab eau that this an tisoc ial d o ctrin e de l iv e rs

, ,

a we ak mu l tit u d e whic h is e v e r c au g ht in t he same sn are

u
p ,

which k n ows n ot ho w to d istin g u ish its frien d s fro m its flat te r

e rs wit h who m an ac k n o wl e d e d imp o st ure se rv e s on ly to ain
, g g
cre d it for an impost ure st ill more g ross .

0 fl

Ad mitt in g it t o be t rue , t hat circu mstan ce s might arise,

when O ppre ssion , pu she d to t he las t e xc e ss, wou ld j u stify re
sist an c e a h il o so he r, who was a frie n d to hu man it y , wo u l d
p , p
be e xtremely c au tio u s how he d isc o v e re d to the pe op l e sO dan
g e ro n s a t ru t h A w ise l e isl ato r wo u ld n e v er mak e it t he
.
g
basis O f his c o n stitu t ion , wo u ld n ev e r e stabl ish publ ic o rde r
u o n t he ri ht t o re v o l t
p g W hat wo u ld b e t hou ht O f an in
g
w
.

stru éto r h o sho u k to his pu pil O f pate rn al au tho

ld n e v er sp e a

rit y bu t fo r t he p u rpose O fin c u l c at in g that o n sonic oc c asion s

, , ,

he mig ht b e d iso b e d ien t t o his fathe r ? Su c h is the Sp irit O f

t hose po l itic al l e sson s O f t he c o n stitu en t assembly whic h in , ,

add re ssin g t he pe opl e inc e ssan t ly speak s to them O f t he ir

,

rig hts bu t ne v e r O f t he ir d utie s

, .

whic h had in the world

'

This do ct rin e , no le ft
ef , sO l on g as

it re maine d in t he t re atise s O f Phil o so phe rs, was no so on e r

c on v e rte d in to a
p opu arl maxim , t han it ca me an inc e n t iv e t o
d ist u rb an c es an d se ditio u s. It ho ld s t he min d s O f me n in d is .

t ru st an d c on tin u a l j eal o u sy O f au tho rit y: it a

gg rav at e s d isc on
d e rs pre ten sion s fo me n ts t u rbu l en ce an d se v e rs
t e n t s , en g en , ,

all the mo ral t ies whic h u n ite t he s o v e re ig n an d su bj e cts to ,

l e av e n oug ht re main in g bu t that fo rc e whic h will spe ed ily an d

in t ire ly pass from t hose who O u g ht o n ly t o O b e y W ho is .

the re a s t ran er t
g o t hat p e rfi d io u s add re s s w it h w hic h t he c o n

triv ers Of the rev olution k ne w h o w t o s e t at w ork t his

p rin c i
43 a n e xa mi n i rro u o r r it e i n rhc ri‘
nil

p le o f d it ion ? W ith what art what c o nsummate wic ked

se ,

n e ss d id t he y fashio n t o re v o l t an d re g ic id e a pe opl e t il l t hen

, ,

c e l e b rat e d fo r mild ne ss s e n sib ilit y an d l ov e

, t o t he ir k in g s ! , ,

b y ho w man y part ial in su rre ctio n s did t he y l e ad t he m t o t hat

s u b v e rsion O f re l ig io n mon arc hy an d social ord er whi c h as
, , ,

t on ishe d an d t hreate n e d all E urope i

A l as ! fo r the most g rac io u s O f kin g s was reserv e d a lot

more d re ad fu l than the mo st san g u in ary O f t y ran t s had e xpe
rie nc e d A t n o time hav e t he ab e tt o rs o f faélion in sist e d more
.

st re n u ou sly o n t he p re t e n d e d rig ht O f in su rrefl io n t han whe n ,

it l east e x iste d T he re ig n O f Lou is X I an d H e n ry V III

. . .

was d ist u rb e d by n o popu l ar re v o l t T wo k in g s in l ate r t imes .

'

hav e p e rishe d O n a sc affold v iftims O f t his sac ril e g io u s phil o

,

so phy whic h att rib u te s a ri ht t o su b e él s o f j u d in h

g j g g t e sov e .

re i n : an d t hese t wo k in s we re hu man e i s who m h i

g g p r n c e s

t o ry will hav e O n ly t o re ro ac h fo r hav in h e ld t he re in s O f

p g
ov e rn me n t with t oo sl ac k a han d E l d a u al ly e x i
g n
g an n n
p .

at es by a so l e mn c o mme mo ratio n
, t he mu rt he r O f t he u n for ,

t u n at e C harl e s I T he t ime is n o t p e rhaps d istan t when

.
, , ,

Franc e wil l raise al tars t o t he v irt u o u s Lo uis X V I ,

.

T he ig ht O f in su rre ct ion is n o l e ss p e rn ic io u s to those who

r

c hall e n e it , than t o t he so v e re i n s a ain st who m it is di

g g g
re c
t ed It may be laid d o wn as a g e n e ral maxim, t hat all re
.

v ol u t io n s are mad e at t he e x e n c e O f t he eo l e B u t t his

p p p .

max im is still mo re e v id e n t , in re spe ct to t he rev o l u t ion s which

are mad e in t he n ame O f t he p e o pl e , u n d e r t he p re te x t O f their
in te re st , b o rro win g t he ir s t re n g t h, an d mak in g t he m to in t e r
v e n e as t he p rin c i a l act o rs . In l
t he re v o u t io n s ro d uced by
p p
t he riv al ry O f two rin c e s , o r O f t wo a t ie s who d ispu te for
p p r

t he au t ho rit y , the st at e is t o rn by c iv il war : b u t t he re l i ion ,

g
t he l aws , t rib u n al s , ro e rt y , an d man n e rs , all t he fo un d ations
p p
o fsoc ie t y remain T he s tate may hav e c han g e d t he master, t he
.

rin c i l e s O f o v e rn me n t ma hav e b e e n mo d ifi e d : b u t a ov e rn
p p g y g
me n t an d a st ate re main T he pol it ic al mac hin e , s haken by
.

a mo men tary c o n cu ssion , is

bl ishe d ag ain O f it se l f; and
e sta

in g e n eral t he
'

effe cts O f t he re v o l u t ion affe ct no t t he b ulk

Of the n at ion . T his is n o t the case in a popu l ar re v ol ution .
 o r ru n B u
“
t on
r R E V O L UT I O N .
4
-1

A p eople , whe n raised ,

p re te n ds d is u te t he auth
n ot t o
p orit
y
b u t to abo l ish it it will be free an d thin k s it c an on ly be so
,

w he n it see s all t he laws b eneath it s fee t It k n o ws n ot how

.

t o limit 1 t s v ie ws n or b o un d it s p roj e éls n or t o measu re its

, ,

s t ro k es. In t he wise st in stitu t ion s it se e s n o thin g bu t ab u se s

,

s t r e nu ou s to d e st ro y in e f
, fi c ie n t t o re form it s impe t u ou s an d
-
,

i r r e sist ible pro g ress is mark e d on ly by ru in ; an d t he rev o lu

t i o n se e ms t o it b u t impe rfe ct whil st an y v e st ig e O f an c ien t
' ‘

e s t abl ishme n t s re main . O ther rev o l u t ion s are t o state s v io

, ,
-n

l e n t b u t t ran sien t mal ad ies : popu lar rev dlu tion s b ring on the
“ tire dissol ution an d death of the body politic .
 O F T H E INV IO LA B ILIT ! A ND LIMIT S
or

T H E SO V E RE IGN POWE R .

T a x re po se o f empire s , an d the t ran q u ilit y Of man k in d ,

wer when c e all the

'

n ece ssarily d e man d t hat t he sov e re ig n po ,

y an d j u risdiétio n in t he st ate p roce e d sho u ld n e v er be

au t ho rit ,

amen abl e t o an y t rib u n al In g iv in g the mse l v es l aws an d a sov e

.

re i n all t he me mb e rs O f a civ il assoc iat ion hav e re n o un ce d

g ,

t he rig ht O f e xe c u t in g pe rso n al j ust ic e E v e ry in su rreétio n .

,

whatev er may be t he pre te xt is , an in fraétiou O f t he soc ial

co mpact : it is the e mpl o y men t Of fo rc e , an d n ot t he u se O f

au tho rit y : for au thorit y re s ide s en tire ly in the sov ere i n , and
g
c an n e v e r be t u rn e d a ain st
g him .

W hat I u n de rstan d by the sov e reig n

is plain In ab sol ut e .

mon arc hie s it is the mon arc h g o v e rn in g acc ordin g to the l aws
in mixe d mo n arc hie s, it is the mo narc h in c o n c ert wit h the
au thorit ie s t hat c o u n terp o ise his O wn : in re p u bl ic s, it is t he

c o un c il o r as se mbl ie s t o whic h t he c on stitu t ion hath d e l e g ate d

t he ad min ist rat ion an d supreme po w er I d o n ot asse rt that .

e v ery pe O ple shou ld be g o v e rn e d by a k in g , n or that all k in g s

'

should b e ab so l u te : bu t I co n t en d that in n o form O f o v e rn

g
me n t can the sov ere ig n be t rie d by his subj e cts , an d that in
e v er y socie ty publ ic p o we r is of rig ht in v io l able .

If it be pre ten de d that , at the time whe n the state was c on

st it ute d , a co mp aét was in te rp o se d b e t we e n the e opl e an d t he
p
sov e re ig n , by wh ich the on e pro mise d O b e d ie n c e , the o the r
ro te ftion an d j u st ic e , an d t hat t his c o n t ract is n o l e ss O bl i
p
g at o ry in re spe ét t o t he so v e re i n than O n t he
g p eo
p l e , Iread ily
ad mit it T his t reat y is c on sisten t
. wit h the
v e ry nat u re O f

the t hin g , an d o u ht t o be su d t h u h t he re we re n o t
g pp o se , o g
the sl ig htest trace Of it remainin R o u s s e a u hath impo se d
g .
‘
4 A N B X A H IN A T IO N 0 ? I ll ! P R I U C IP L! ‘
'
,

the c on traét itse l f, o r an d n ot

'

by a j u d g e
by the party pret e n d
,

ing to be ag g rie v e d fo r o the rwise n ot hin g wo u ld be so e a s y

, , , ,

as u n d e r some friv ol ous pre te xts to e l u d e t he mo st so le mn

, ,

e n g ag e me n t s B u t in t he fi rst plac e le t u s ad v ert t o t ho se

.
, ,

o v e rn me n t s wh e re the au t ho rit y of the

p rin ce is n ot l imit e d
g
by the c o n st it ut ion In g ov e rn me n ts o f t his c l as s t he p r in c e
.
,

i s e n g ag e d t o his su bj ect s by e ither an e xpre ss o r tac it p ro

.

mise t hat b in d s his c o n sc ien ce withou t limitin g his po we r ;

, ,

bec au se at the same time that he is o bl ig e d to g o v e rn we l l he

, ,

c on tin u e s sol e j ud g e o f what t he d ue ad min ist rat ion o f g o v e rn

m en t d e m an d s I n t he .se c o n d p l ac e if t he d isso l u tion o f t he

,

s oc ial c o n tract be n o t d e c id e dly pro n o u nc ed by t he c o n t rac t

itse l f it c an n o t b e by an y o the r hu man po we r
, For the s o v e .

re ig n an d s u bj e ct s ac k n o wl e d g e n o c o mmo n j u d g e : the re is n o

t rib u n al b e fo re whic h a p roc e s s o f this n at u re c an be b ro u g ht ;

an d s in c e it c an n o t b e d e c ide d t he p roc e ss b et w , e e n so v e re ig n

an d su bj e fl s c an n ot e xist .

in the rt o f ov e rn me n t s, re
'

T he soc ia l
.
c on tract g reate r pa g
se mbb s t hat o f marriag e , which is in l ik e man n er in d issolu
,

ble , sin c e t he in fi d e l it y f o ne party d oes n o t se t free t he o t he r

o .

T he we l fare of famil ie s , pu bl ic o rd e r, t he in t e re st o f mo ral it y

re q u ire t he b on d o f marriag e sho uld n e v e r be b ro k e n ; an d

c on sid e rat io n s n o t l e s s imp ortan t that t he soc ial c o n tract

sho u ld be san él o n e i d with the sa me c haraéte r o f pe rpe tu ity and
in disso l ub il it y .

In say in g that the p e opl e hav e n ot reserv e d to themsel v es

the rig ht o f arraig n in g t he so v ere ig n , I hav e pre t e n d e d to
'

s e ak on l y o f tho se c o n st it ut ion s whe re t his re se rv e is n o t f

p or

mally e xp re sse d . Fo r in O the r re spe cts I wo u ld n ot d en y that

t he s oc ia l co mpaét may be su sc e
p blti
e o f irritatin
g c l au se s an d

in d ee d su c h are to be fo u n d in so me con st it u tio n s B u t whether .

the se c on stitu t io n s are b e t te r t han t ho se where a n at ion , g iv ing

it se l f up witho u t re se rv e t o its maste rs, n o t wishin g to foresee
o r su p pose t hat t he y mi ht ab u se t he ir au t ho rit y is a q ue stion
g ,

o n whic h it is no l e ss d if fi c u l t t han u se l e ss to pron ou n c e Each .

sid e hath it s ad v an ta e s an d in c o n v e n ie n c ie s I t h the

g n e o n e, .

eopl e she w themsel v e s more j e al ou s O f the ir l ib ert y : in th

p e
 o r r u n r axu c u u v o n u r ro x .
45
'

othe r, they are mo re sensi ble of the v alue o f the

p u blic t ran

qu ilit
y T he se t wo in tere st s hav e l ways
a so me O
ppo sit ion ,

m
.

an d as it is i p ossibl e n o t to tak e fro m t he on e what is g iv en

to t he o the r, it is the national c haraae r that mu st d e termin e
t he t e n en c d g y of ov e rnd ment
e moc rac y l ib ert y
. iIn
n t h
a e , ,

e x t re me v e rg e s t ow
, ard s an arc hy u n de r d e spot ism an en tire

calm su b side s in t o se rv itu d e : mon arc hy ab so l u te an d he re d i ,

tar y is l e ss fav ou rabl e to l ibe rt y than l imite d g ov ern men t s an d

,

e le c t iv e mo narc hie s : but this d isad v an t ag e is c ompen sate d by

a g re ate r stab ilit y ; an d at b otto m a g ov ern men t fi rm an d un i
, ,

fo rm p rev e n ts t he d istu rbances by whic h libe rty is d estroy e d °

.

If it hav e re cou rse to g reater re striétion s it is the b etter to de ,

fen d itselfag ain st the attacks of l icen tiou sn ess .

It is n ot Ro u s s e au pre ten ds, that ab solu te power

true , as
is c o n trary t o n atural rig ht , an d t hat a pe opl e cann ot su bmit
t o it , withou t fall in i n to sl av e ry M en t hat e nj oy c iv il li
g .

be rt y are n ot slav e s B ut ab sol u te po we r, when the u se o f it

.

is reg u lat e d by the c on stitu tion , ad mits the e xistenc e o f c iv il

libe rt y H en ce arises t he d ifference be twe en ab sol ute mon ar
.

c hy an d d e s o tism A e o l e whic h subj e éts itself to a k in

p p p .
g
d oe s n o t al ie n ate it s l ib e rt y , it d oes n ot, with a surre n d er o f
p e rs o n s, g iv e u
p p p
r o e rt y a l so ; b u t it p l ac es
p p
ro e rt y , p e r

so n s, an d l ib e rt y , u n d e r an in v io l abl e safe u ard It l ta

g v o u n .

rily sac rifi c es o n e a t o f it s n at u ral ri ht s, because it can n o t,

p r g
b ut at that p rice se cure to itse l f the peaceabl e enj o y men t of
the re st .

T he M in iste r J u n rs u as k s what
, reason c ou ld an y p eo
p l e

hav e had for su b mit tin g to a maste r abl e by his powe r

, , to in
j u re t hem. T he l ie s
l q ue nt B ishop of t he e o
!
reaso n , re p

M eau x t hat o bl ig e s t he free st p eo l e when it is re q u i

, p ,

s i te t o l e ad t he m t o war t o re n o u n c e t he ir l ib e rt y an d ive
,
g ,

t he ir g e n e ral s an ab solute au tho rit y ov er them T he ha .

z ard o f p e rishin g e v e n u nj u st ly un d e r t he o rd e rs o f t he ir
, ,

e n e ral rat he r t han e xpo se t he mse l v e s by d iv isio n t o a c e r

g , , ,

t ain l oss fro m t he han d o f the ir mo re u n ite d en e mie s A .

e o l e that has e xpe rie n c e d t he e v il s the c on fu sion s t he

p p , ,

horro rs of an arc hy g iv e s up e v e ry thin g t o av o id the m

, .

A n d as the y c an g iv e u p n o power ov er t hemsel v es that ,

46 an s x s m n a r xo u or r u n ra w c rr u s

Q
may n ot be t urn e d ag ain st the mse l v es, they choose to incur
t he i
r s q ue Of b ein g so me time s ill - treate d by a sov e re ig n ,
Q
rathe r t han be e xpo se d to fe r
su f those e xces ses to whi ch ,

Q
fro m t he re serv ation to t he mse l v e s o f an y powe r, the y be .

c o me l iabl e B ut , in t his v ie w, it is no t to be ima ine d t hat

.
g
sov e re ig n s are in tru st e d wit h an u n l imite d po wer For, no t .

to men t ion the b oun d s o f reason an d of e quit y the re are , , ,

tho u g h the y be n O t ad v e rt e d to the b oun ds o f se l f in te re st , -

,

whic h is se ld om o v e rlo o ke d an d whic h when se e n is , , ,

Q
n e v e r d e s ise d I t is t his that hath c re ate d all the ri ht s
p .
g
o f sov e re i n s
g w h i c h are n ot l e ss t h
, e rig ht s O f the ir e o le
p p
3
than t he ir o wn .

T he peo pl e fo rc e d , by imme d iate n e c essit y t o submit to

I

a mast e r, c an n o t do be tt e r t han t o in te re st him who m t he y

t hu s se t ov er t he m in the ir o wn p rese rv ation . To co mmit
A
t he state to his han ds t hat he may prese rv e it , as his o wn ,
q is a v er y fe ctu a
ef l e x e d ie n t to in tere s t him : b u t , t o at tac h
p
him to t hep bl ic w el f
u are by t h e f n o st
p o w e rfu l o f a ll c o u si

A d e rat ion s t he e mpire sho u ld be c on ferre d on his family t hat

, ,

he mig ht the nc e be in d uc ed to l o v e t he s tate as his o wn in

he ritan c e an d as muc h as he l o v es his c hildren It is e q
, ually .

h
ad v an t a
ge ou s f o r t he e o le t h
p p a t t h e
g o v e rn m e n t sh o u ld b e

A
c o me e asy t hat it be p e rp e t uat e d by the same laws whic h
,

e r e t u ate t he hu man rac e d h i h ld if h

Q
p p a n t a t t s o u ,
g o o n t e ,

e x re ssio n ma b e u se d i h d i y f
Q
p y n t e o n ar oc o n at u re
r ,
p r e s s .

T hu s t he peopl e whe re ro y al t y is he red itary are ap pa

, , ,

re n tl d e riv e d o f the riv il e e o f e le ain h i rin c e s

G
y p p t p
g g e r
Q
bu t at b o ttom t his d e s t it u t ion is a real b e n e fi t
, , T he p e o .

Q
p l e sho uld re ard it as an ad v an t a e to hav e a sov e re i n
g g g
state dly ro v id e d an d n o t if I ma so s eak to be re d uc e d
Q
p , y p , ,

t o the n ec e s sit y o f p rov idin g suc h a main s rin new S

A
a o
p g .

t hat it is n ot al way s fro m a d e reliétion Of the ir in te re st s n o r ,

from weak n ess t hat t he y su b mit the mse l v e s t o po we rfu l mas

te rs : b ut o fte n ac c o rd in g t o the g e n ius o f t he pe o p l e an d
, ,

t he c o n st it ut io n o f t he s tate more from wisdom a n d p ro ,

fo u n d refl e ction .

It is the n , ’
co n t in u e s Boss u s r,
'
a g re at e rro r to b eliev e
Q
that n o b o un d s can be se t to the so v e reig n
po wer but by ,
 OF F RB N C H RE V O L U T O N. I

p re se rv in
g a sov ere 1 g n ri g ht ov e r it . W hat y o u wou ld en
fe e bl e fo r the pu rpo se o f dimin ishin g t he p o we r o f d o in
g
u ill, by t he con d it ion o f hu man t hin s , is as muc h d is
y o g
q l i
uafi ed bl e t o re n der yo u serv ice ; an d without
fo r b ein g a

limi t in g t he po we r by the fo rce whic h y o u may re se rv e

ag ain s t it t he mo st n atu ral mean s t o hin d er it fro m O
,
ppre s

sin g y o u is to in tere st it in y our s afe t y

’
.
,

I hav e d this lon g p assag e t o j u stify ab sol u te in on archy

c ite ,

a ain st t he d e c l amat io n s o f so man y in c on side rate writers

g ,

witho u t me an in g to c onc l u d e t hat this g ov ern me n t may b e t he

be st an d fi tte st fo r e v e ry pe opl e So far from g iv in g an e x
.

clu siv e p re fe ren ce to an y c e rtain form o f g o v e rn me n t I wou ld ,

wish e v e ry one to re main pe rsuad ed that the b est Of all forms

of g ov e rme n t is that o f his o w n c oun tr
y .

Sin ce then j
the su b e éts o f an a solute b g ov ern me n t hav e no

we r of call in g t he so v e re ig n t o acc o u n t , do e s it fo ll o w t hat

'

po

t he s o v e re i free from all law, ma

n , set rn ac c o rdin
g y g o v e
g t o

his o wn caprice , an d that su bj e cts o we a bl in d o bed ienc e t o

his will ? No : t he so v e reig n in a c on stitute d state is n ot a de s
ot , n or are bj ect t he su
s sl av e s In th e fi rst in stan c e h
p . t e ,

i c is su bj ect t o his o wn l aws b a se he is t he fi rst c it i

p r n e ec u ,

t ho u g h he be n o t su bj e ét to the pe n al t ie s O f the law b e

'

z en , ,

cau se the re is n o c oaétiv e p o we r ag ain st t he su pre me po we r .

In t he secon d p lac e he is o bl ig e d e q u ally with the l o we st o f

, ,

his s u bj e cts to b en d u n d e r the laws o f n at u re an d rel ig ion

, .

O p in ion e v e n , an d the se n t imen t o f ho n ou r, whic h is st ron

g e r

than all l aws , n ec e ssari ly mo dify t he ex e rc ise o f au t ho rit y .

Fin ally , mo derate g ov e rn me n ts , e v en in ab so l u te mo

in all
.

h arc hi e s the re are fu n d amen tal l aws from which the prin c e can
,

n o t de art an d in c l ashin g with whic h all his po we r w o u ld be

p ,

b ro k en E v ery atte mpt ag ain st t he se sac re d l aws wou ld be

.

u t t er ly nu ll : n ot on ly are his su b e éts

j hold e n b y but it
to o e ,

b ec o mes their d uty to re sist him as much as possibl e witho ut

,

e n d an g e rin g the pu bl ic we al .

L et us k
ta e , fo r e xa mpl e , the c on st itu tion o f the Fre n ch
mo narchy . T he O r er Of succe ssion t o the t hrone , the
d di sti n c
48 an “ s u ms -
n o n or u s r am c rn u

t ion and priv i e e s of the three orde rs, the

gl p artic ular laws an d

immun ities of d iffer e nt

p rov ince s, t he n e ce ssit y of t he con sen t ,

e ither e xpre sse d o r imp lie d , o f t he nation t o n e w imp st s, the

re istration or pu bl ic ation o f laws by the Sov e reig n C o urts ,

g
in default of the ac q u ie scen c e o f the states
g e n e ral t he righ t ,

o fe v ery citizen to be j u d g ed by the trib u n al s on ly an d ac ,

c ord in g to the establ ishe d forms t he n ot b ein g liabl e t o be

,

mov e d from o flic es 8t e Such are t he fun damen tal laws that
, .

c ompose the n ation al rig ht s o f Fran c e . It is no t t o these p ri

mary laws that t he max , im t bu s w i ll: 1 5 :
‘
l in
g , t h is !w ill: t bs la w,

is applicabl e , but on ly to the secon dary laws an d the admin iq

strat io n In .d e l e
g at in
g to t h e k in g t h e le
g isl a tiv e
p o w e r for

e v e ry thin g that c onc ern s the g ov ern me nt , the c on stitu tion

su b e éts
j him t o those l aws whic h were n ot e n a&e d by him, and

which are the e xpression Of the g en eral will at the v er

y birth
o f the stat e .

B ut should it happen that the prin ce were disposed to attack

an y on e of the se fi m dame n tal l aws, what is t he n atu re o f the
re sistan ce whic h it is pe rmitte d to oppo se to him, an d w hat the
ext en t of t hat oppo sition

A prince that e xcee ds his authority hath n ot en tirely lost

it ; an d e v en t he n it is n ot pe rmitte d t o at tac k him with an
arme d han d . Su bj e cts hav e n ot the rig ht o f mak in g war on

t he sov ereig n , who dispose of the p ublic force It

l
a on e can .

is n ec essary then to c onfi n e the mse l v es t o a n egativ e resist

an ce It is n ec e ssary in re fusin t o o be y ill e al o rde rs to
.
g
,
g pre ,

se rv e t he se n t ime n t an d hab it ud e of su b mission in what ev er ,

is n o t e v ide n tly c on t rary t o the c on st itu tion o f the state for

in all d ou b tfu l case s t he au thority that has possession ou ght
al so to hav e pre su mpt ion in it s fav ou r : it n ev e r sho uld be for

g otte n that t he p i
r n ce is the c ommon fathe r ; an d as it is n ot

p e rmit te d to a son to resist , by Op en v io e n c e , the u n u st

l j wil l
o f a fathe r ; i g , after hav in g recourse to pe t ition s, re
n oth n

mon st ran c e s, an d p rote sts, remain s for su bj e cts, but to wait

for the re d re ss o f the wron g s the y c ompl ain o f, e ithe r ti ll the
p rin c e shall hav e been better ad v ised , o r t ill the accessi on of
his successor.
 o r r u n p r an c e as v o w r ro n .
49

It is by t his mix ture o f fi rmn ess an d mo d eration , that the

a r liame n t s hav e O fte n sto d t he en terp riz es o f so me k in s,
p pp e
g
d l d
az z e t oo muc h by arb itrary p wer
o , an d t hat , withou t s hak
in g the state , t he y hav e pre se rv e d t o t he se l ast t ime s t he
F r e n c h C on stit ut io n , if n o t in all it s in te g rit y , at l e ast wit h
l
o u t an y o t he r a t e rat ion s t han t ho se which we re al most n ece s

s aril b ro u g ht
by t h e c ou rse of a e s t h han e o f man
y on
g e c
g ,

n e rs and t he in s tab il ity o f human af

, fairs If in t ime s of dif . ,

fi c ult y an d e v e n in o u r d ay s t he se b od ie s hav e some time s e x

, ,

c e e de d t he b o un d s which the l aws o f t h e k in d om e sc ribe d

g p r

t o t he ir re sis tan c e it is o n ly to b e im ute d t o the prin c i l e s

,
p p
o f the rev o l u t io n whic h k in dl e d u p t he wars o f t he Le ag ue
,

a n d the Fro n d e an d which s in c e u n de r t he au spic es o f mod e rn

, , ,
!
hi l oso h h av e in se n sibly in ed o sse ssion O f me n s min d s
’
a
p p y ,
g p .

B ut , mo re , if the p rin c e e mp lo y t he pu bl ic fo rc e on l y
on c e

t o o pp re ss his s ubj e éts if he arbit ri r ily d ispo se o f t he p ro

rt y t h e ho n ou r an d t he l ife o f c it iz en s if in a word ,he o
p e ,
g ,

v e rn as a t y ran t , wo u ld t he y u n d er the se c irc umst an c e s,

,

b e c o n fi n e d within t he b o u n d s o f a me re ly n e g ativ e re sist

an c e ? W o u ld it n o t be permitt e d in t his c ase o f l awfu l d e ,

fen c e , t o re pe l by forc e an d t o o v e rt u rn an au t ho rity

forc e , , the

ab u se o f whic h wou ld be so man ife st an d in tolerabl e ?

T he q u e stion is o d io us an d u se e ss l . It is n ot in E u ro pe ,
amo n g st c hrist ian n at io n s, mod ern an d in ou r g o v e rn me n t s,

t hat C al ig u l as an d Ne ro s arise T he max ims o f a re l ig ion t hat

.

b re athe s on ly g e n tl e n e ss an d hu man it y t he g en e ral spirit an d ,

u bl ic man n e rs the p o l it ic al an d c o mme rcial re l at io n s o f t he

p ,

d iffe re n t st ate s d ist in ftio n an d the ac k n o wl e d g e d rig ht s o f

,
'

t he d iffe re n t o rd e rs o f so c ie t y Oppo se an in su rmo un t ab le bar

rie r t o t his y
in u n d at io n ly
of t ag ain st c ase s
ran n y . It is on

t hat are fo re se e n t hat p rin c ipl e s are e st abl ished B ut afte r .

,

all if it we re t o happ e n t hat G o d in his wrath sho u ld p lac e o n

, ,

t he t hro n e on e o f t ho se mo n st e rs whic hare l e ss t he k in g s t han

t he e xe c utio n e rs o f t he ir p e op l e t he re wo u ld re main a re me d y
,

mo re l awfu l an d l e ss dan g e ro u s t han re v o l t : this wo u ld he t o

lac e ov e r t he rin c e so fu rio u s an d we ak a ro t e ét o r who
p p p ,

sho ul d ru l e in his n ame T his me asure o f whic h we hav e an

.
,

H
5 0 A N E X A M NAI TION O F T H E ra w c rr t s s

e xan mle in our o wn history wou ld , sec ure the p u blic tran ui. q
l y
it a n d p rese rv e t he re s
pe ét d ue t o roy alty . T he law t hat,
in he red itary mon arc hies, appo in t s a reg en t £0 a min or k in g , is

app ical bl e in all cases where the sov ere i n

g is mse l funab le
of hi

to g ov ern .

In fi ne , to fol lo w the hy pot he sis to its u tmost e xte n t , an d

admit ting t hat an infat uate d prin c e sho uld threate n to t re at his
eo l e ss A n t iochu s d id the J e ws in the t ime O f the Maccab e e s I
p p ,

shou ld say with B o s s U S r (Prir1 cip c f P a/

iq d
'
rawn
f romScri t )
p . .

If su bj e éts owe n o thing t o a king who abdicates royal t y o r ,

who in tirely aban don s his g ov ern men t what shou ld we t hin k ,

of a k in
g w ho u n d e rtak e s t o she d the bl oo d o f all his su b

j eas an d who we ary O f massacres sel ls to st ran g ers those

, , ,

that remain ? Can an y o n e m ore O pe nly re n oun ce t he m as

su b e éts o r more l ou dly d e cl are himse l f t o be n o l on e r t h
j ,
g e

k in g an d the father but t he en emy of all his pe O ple ? Such

,

was A n tioc hu s in re spe ct to all the J e ws who saw the mse l v es

'

n ot o n ly aban d o n e d bu t e xte rmin ate d as a bo dy by their

,

k in g an d that wit hout the c ommission of a fau l t as An ti

, ,

ochus h imsel f was at l ast c onstrain ed to con fe ss .

’

Principl e s, howe v er, are on e thin g , an d the o r din ary o

p r

ce ss o fhu man af
fairs an o the r . In p rin c ipl es, it is n e c e ssar y to
hold t hat t he b a u se o f aut ho rit y do e s nO t d est roy the c aim to
l
it ; an d conse q uen tly t hat it is n ot mitt e d in
er any c ase ,
,
p
e v en in that o f a g e n e ral O ppre ssion , t o re v olt ag ain st t he
sov e reig n B ut , on the ot he r hand , it
.
would be p erha sp to o
muc h to e xpc fi from human weakn ess, that when , see ni g it se l f
s ub e ét
j to the c apric es o f a b arbarou s an d in fatu at ed master,l
an y p p
e o ewould patie n tly su b mit to be
l t he spo rt o f them .

It wo uld be d iffi c u l t fo r su bj e cts u nj u stly attac k e d by

’

, the fo rce
that O ug ht to
pro te ct t he m, at all t ime s to
p re se rv e the mo de
ration o f a j u st d e fen ce ; an d open re v ol t witho u t e v e r be c om
’

in g l awful wou ld be the almost in fal lible resul t o f au tho rit

y
,

so fl ag ran tly ab use d .

What then hath b ee n f

so o t e n re
pe ate d , that the d octrine
Q f su m
b ission to au tho rit y is proper onl to enc ou r bad
y a e
g
5 2 an zxs m n s r t o n or r u t r at u c u -
Lrs

CH A PT E R V ll .

o r TH E s o vn n me N A UT H O RIT !
“I TH E

PRINC IPLE S O F RE LIGIO N .

e u s ur o we hav e d
c o n si e re d the sov e re ig n au thority bu t
as a hu man in st itu tion , an d we hav e p rov e d that the in t e re st
o f t he l e d e man d s it s hou l d be se rv e d in v io l abl e d
p p eo p re an ,

in n o c ase n o r u n de r an y pret ex t t hat it sho uld be pe rmit t e d

, ,

t o t he mu l tit u d e t o c han g e t he fo rm o f g ov e rn me n t T his .

d o étrin e is b u il t on t he fi rst an d mo st e v id e n t o fpo l itic al p rin

c iple s : Salu r popzd i s uprema [ex art s : t he g oo d o f t he p e op l e is

t he su p re me law T he in v io l ab il it y o f t he so v ere ig n is le ss a
.
,

e ro at iv e ran t e d t o a rin ce t h an a ri ht e stabl ishe d in

p r g g p g ,

fav o ur of t he su bj e fi s .

T his is what by history will she w B u t

re ason , e n li
g hten e d , .

re fl e ét s n e w l i ht
‘

rel i io n t he so u rc e o f all rig ht s an d d u t ie s

g , g ,

o n t his t ru t h All ou r e v il s sp rin g from fo rg e t fu l n e ss on ly o f

.

it s max ims ; t he y e n d o n ly whe n we re tu rn to this schoo l of

t ru t h an d happ iness .

God is the au tho r O f soc ie t y , sin c ehe hath forme d men with
t ho se fac u l t ie s an d att a chmen ts whic h in v in c ibly d e te rmin e
him to an with his fe ll ows B u t if Go d be the
in te rc ou rse .
,

au t ho r o f soc ie t y he is al so the p ro te ctor O f it

, T he world .

which he c reate d by his powe r he g ov ern s by his wisdo m ; ,

an d witho ut d o ub t he hath n ot ab an d o n e d to c han c e an d

, , ,

wit hd rawn fro m the e mpire o f his Prov id e n c e t he on ly on e o f

e art hly b e in g s who m he hath re n d e re d c apabl e o f moral it y an d ,

raise d to ward himse l f by k n o wl e d g e an d l o v e .

G od is t he au tho r o f soc ie t y , in the sen se t hat soc ia l l ife is

a n ec e ssar y co n se q u e n c e o f t he n at u re o f man ; t ho u
g h n o t the

i mmed iate au thor o f su c h o r s uc h a soc ie t y , o r o f su c h o r s uc h

form o f g ov e rn men t . With the exce t ion o f

p t he J e wish peo
 or ru n rns u c n n e v o s u rro u
'
.
53

l w h om he g ov e rn ed by a partic u l ar pro v id e n c e an d su pe r
‘

p e

n at u ral me an s, G o d hath l e ft all n atio n s t he ri ht o f e stab lis h

g
in g t hat g ov e rn me n t whic h the y sho u ld j u d g e most p rope r t o
‘

re n d e r the m happ y T heir l ib e rt y , in t his re spe ét, is re st rain

.

e d on ly by t he l aws of n at u re an d re l i io n All o v e rn me n t
g g .

t hat hath n o thin g c o n t rar y t o t he d iv in e l aws is l awful , an d all

lawful g o v e rnmen t is ro te étion O f God

’

un d er t he p .

In in stit u tion O f g ov ern men t it is n ec essary to d istin ~

t he

g u ish t hat whic h is of the e o l e , an d t h

p p at whic h is o f G o d .

T he peopl e appoin t the form o f g ov e rn men t they c hoo se t he

p e rso n t o , eb in v e ste d wit ht he so v e re ig n au thorit y , but it is n o t
fro m the m that t he au thority p roc e e d s it is Go d who c on fe rs
!

it on t he pre se n tation of the p eopl e Not on ly d oth he in te r

.

v e n e as t he wit n ess an d g uaran tee o f the soc ial c ompaét ; b u t

he g iv es the inv e stitu re of powe r, b ec au se all po we r, all au tho

rit y , all j urisdiétion eman ate s fro m him ; an d b ecau se n o man

wo uld hav e the rig ht O fc omman d in g his e qu al s, an y farthe r than

he rec e iv e d it fro m that Gre at B e in g who re ig n s o v e r human
n at ure by the d o u bl e rig ht o f O mn ipo te n c e an d C re ation As .

t he sup re me he ad of soc ie t y , an d t he arb ite r O f l ife an d d e at h,

G od e stabl ishes the prin ce as his v ic e g ere n t , and p l ac e s t he

'

sword in his han d for the d e fen c e o f t he o o d an d t he t er

g
ro r o f t he e v il ; he ren d e rs his p e rson sac re d by re se rv in t
g o

himse l f al on e the rig ht o f j u d g men t o v e r him It is in his .

re se n ce , an d by his awfu l n ame , t hat the so v e re ig n sw e ars t o

p
d e fen d t he p e op l e , an d that t he l
g o v e rn , p p
eo e

swear t o O b e y the sov e re ig n By this d o u bl e o ath the prin ce

.

an d subj e cts e n g ag e themse l v e s t o ward s G od mo re c l o se ly t han

t he y b in d themse l v e s to eac h O the r t he ir ri ht s an d t he ir re

g
c iproc al d u t ie s assu me a mo re au g u st c haracte r : the ir p u bl ic
in te rest is bl e n d e d with t he e te rn al in t e re st o f t he ir c hie f and
all t he me mb ers of t he stat e : re b ell ion an d t y ran n y are n o

lon g e r simpl e c rimes o f t reaso n ag ain st t he prin c e an d t he n a

t ion the y are sac ril eg e s prope rly so call e d
, re b e l lion b e cause ,

it is an attac k o n Go d himse l f in the p e rson t hat repre se n ts

him ; t y ran n y b ecau se it e mpl o y s t o do e v il , 3 power which
,

came from the author O f all g ood .

54 an s xau t u ar t o u o r 7 11 3 “ me nu s:

A p l l o w e r co m es fr o m G o d : N on e r ! fore st a l ai d 4 D ee A .

su bl im e m a x im , o n w h ic h t he w h o l e soc ia l s y ste m r e st s , of

wh ic h t h e sa g e s of a n t iq u it y h a v e fe l t t he n e ce ssit y , and
p e r

c e iv e d t he t ru t h , b u t w h ic h w as re se r v e d fo r t h e C hri s tian Re

i
lg i on t o
p l ac e ab ov e t he v ain re aso n in g s a n d un c e r tai n tie s o f
p hil o so
p hy .A p o w e r w hic h had n o o t he r
p rin c ip l e t h an t he

will o f men wou ld hav e been too p rec arious : they who had
g iv e n it wld h
ou av e t hou g ht the had a rig ht to retract it
y In .

v ain , to sup port it , wou ld the orig in al c on t raét be all ed e d ,

g
d t h e se rv a t io n o f p u bl ic t ra n q u il it y C on v e n t io n s
an e
p r .
,

p u re ly h u m an , w ou ld b e c h e a
p ly v io l at e d , an d t he f a ét io n s

wou beld at n o l o ss fo r p re t e x t s ta k e n fr o m t h e g e neral in t e re st .

In a word , rev ol t woul d be only a n impruden c e, an d n ot a

c rime .

T here c an be no l icy wo i thout morality n or moral ity

p ,

withou t re l ig ion All o bl ig ation that has n ot G od fo r it s o h

.

t n re ac h o n ly t o t he con sc ien c e an d has n o c on tro l ov er

j e é c a ,
‘

t he passion s C an man irrev ocably b in d himsel f by his o wn

.

will ? Can men impose d uties o n o the r men ? A re n o t all

laws su b o rd in ate t o person al in t e rest ? By what mot iv e c an
t hat man who c on fi n e s all his fe ars an d all his hO es to t he
,
p
re se n t l ife d e te rmin e t o re f hi s d u t y t o l if it l f t h i
p , p e r e se o s ,

fo rtu n e t o his pl e asu re s ? Do y ou talk Of reason an d its im

,
o

p re scri t ibl e rig hts

p w h
, a t is reason in d e en d an t o f t he wil l
p
o f t hat g reat B e in g who is th
, e sou rc e of all t ru t h? Ab sol ute

t ru th that al on e which in all p o ssibl e case s concil iat es per

, , ,

son al in te re st wit h the c ommon is the will o f God as re

, ,

v eal e d t o u s by re ason an d by rev e l at ion whic h is the su le

, , pp
men t an d perfe étion of reason B u t both more e specially re
.
,

v e l ation in fo rms u s that sov e reig n powe r comes from God

, ,

an d t hat who ev e r re sistet h the po we r resiste th the o rd in ance

,

o f God 25 p otert at i rerzrtit ordin at iom Dei resistir

' '

. d , .

In pol it ical socie ty , as in natural an d d omestic all power ,

c o me s from G od , t he sov e re ig n power as we ll as t he au thority

of fathe rs, of hu sb an d s, an d of mast c an d in e it her society

au thorit dy happ in e ss o f t ho se who ob ey

te n s t o t he The .

sov e rei n is l ace d o v e r all t o su perin t en d t he safet y o fall

g p
.
,

The supreme power with which he is in v ested , the splen dour

 0 ' T H E F RE N C H R E V O LU T IO N .
55

that su rroun d s him , the sort o f homag e paid him, the u n etion
that c on sec rate s him, t hin g t hat see ms t o raise him
'

ev e r y
abov e t he o rdinar y co n dition of human ity, is c on f
e rre d u
p on

himon ly fo r the g oo d of bje cts It is for them an d n ot

his su .
,

for himse l f he is king H is peopl e are n ot his prope rty : they

.

const it u te a part o f the g re at family whic h the common fat her

has con fi d e d to him If he ac k n owl e d g e n o j ud g e on e arth
.
,

his c on sc ien ce an d the crie s o f the O pres se d wil l c it e him be!

,
p ,

fore the awfu l t rib un al o f that J udg e who see thall hath all ,

ow e r an d who m n o thin A h i y i i d
p ,
g c an c o rru
p t u t o r t .s s t r
pp e

of its
p rid e w h
,e n d e riv e d fro m him b e fo re w ho m k in g s are
nothin an d c on fe rre d wit h the c on d it ion o f iv in b k wi h
g ,
g g ac t
it a rig orou s acc ou n t O n the on e han d su b mission is e n
.
,

n obl e d when re ferre d to the su re me mo n arc h who hath e sta

‘

p ,
~

blishe d t he t ran sien t re l at io n s of k in m a i t rate an d su bj e ft

g g s , ,

only t o pre pare u s for t he hon o urs o f that e te rn al c it y whe re ,

no d ist in étion s bu t tho se o f v irt u e will be ac k n o wl e d g e d .

There are n o sac rific e s t hat a state can n o t d e man d fro m a c iti
z e n, w hen God e n g ag es t o re pay the m D ev ot io n t o c e rtain .

death is n o l on g er a spl e nd id folly it is a d ut y av owed by rea

,

son , when re l ig ion she ws u s b ey on d t he g rav e the re ward of

that b loo d whic h is spill ed fo r o ur c o un try .

Suc h is the ide a that re l ig io n g iv es d utie s an d pre

us o f the
ro ativ e s o f t he sov e re i n In t his b e n e fi c e n t s y st e m e v e ry
g g .

t hin g re lat es t o t he in te re st o f t he pe o pl e Re sPe ét o b e d i .

,

e n c e fi d e l it y
, are
, ,t o su bj e cts re l ig io u s d u ties
, b ec au se t he ,

s o v e re i n au thorit y is an e man at io n o f t he d iv in e p o we r ; an d
g
k in g s acc ord in g to the b e au tiful e x pre ssion o f a F athe r o f
,

t he C hu rch are t he se c o n d maj e st y aft e r G o d

, B ut o n the .
,

o b s e rv at io n o f t he se d ut ie s d ep e n d al so t he p rospe rit y o f t he

s t at e , the pe ace o f famil ie s t he happ in e ss o f e v ery c it iz e n

, .

So u n d pol ic y d e man d s that t he peo pl e sho u ld n e v e r at te mpt

t he so v e re ig n au thorit y : bu t p ol ic y al o n e c an n o t c re at e a d ut y

n o r b in d t he g e n e ral c o n sc ie n c e It is n e c e ssary t hat relig io n

‘
.

s ho u ld f asten t he fi rst l in k o f t he soc ial c hain to t he t hro n e o f

t he e t e rn al ; t hat it shou ld e x hib it t o t he ir pe o pl e k in g s as

t he re p re se n tat iv es o f the D iv in it y ; t hat it sho u ld d isplay his

h
t r e at e n in
g s an d h is
pro m is e s t o c on st rain th e n at u ra l an d d a n
5 6 m s xa u m n r ro n o r r u n r a rn c rr u s

g ero u s passion o f se l f will It is re q uisite also that t he sov ere ig n

-
.

p o w er s ho u ld be su b missiv e t o the l aws ; an d as t hat

p o w er

when ce all human l aws b o rrow the ir authorit y c an not be su b ,

‘
j e tl e d t o s uc h l a ws ; it is t he
p p
r o e r t y o f r e l ig ion alo n e to

c omman d so v e re ig n s Tho u g h re l ig ion says M o n r e s

’ -
.
,

Q u u m , w ere re ard e d as u se l e ss in su bj e c
g ts it c an n o t b e so ,

in re spe ct to p rinc e s who sho u ld whiten with t heir fo am the

,

o n ly c urb that c an be u t o n tho se who f e ar n o t hu man l aws

p .

A prin c e t hat l ov e s re l ig ion an d fe ars it ; is a l io n t hat y ie ld s

t o t he han d t hat f l atte rs an d the v oice that soo t he s it he that
fears re l ig io n whil s t he hat e s it is l ik e the wild b e as ts whic h
,

b it e t he chain s that hin d e r the m from fall in g o n t hose that

s s : he who is d e st it u t e o f all re l i io n is o n ly c on sc io us
'

a
p g ,

o f his free d om whil st h e is rav e n in n d d ev o u rin

’
, g a g .

It isby thu s u n itin g t he g en e ral in terest with the pe rsonal ,

that re l ig io n so l v e s the g ran d p robl e m o f p ol ic y Re ason .

makes us fe e l the wan t o f an au t ho rity an d t he n ec e ssity of ,

s u b missio n : it she ws u s t he e rro r an d d an g e r o f tho se p rin ci

e s by whic h men u n d e rtak e t o u st ify re b e ll ion B u t of w h

p l j at .

a v ail are c old le étu re s ag ain st amb it ion an d l u st ? W hat repsi

s iv e f o rc e is the e t o O p o se ag ain st a p o we rfu l man w h o

n
p ,

o wc o n v in c e a mu l ti
s ho u ld me d it at e t o in slav e his c ou n t r
y ‘
i H
t u d e e v e r g re e dy of n o v e l t ie s e v e r re ady bl in dly t o rec e iv e th
,
e

impre ssion s o f t hos e who wo u ld e xc ite t he m t o c o mmotio n s ?

Re l ig io n al one e stabl ishe s o n a sol id b asis the t ran q u il ity o fem
i re s by l ac in as t he re at B o s s u s r e x re sse s it the t hrone
p , p g , g p ,

o f k in g s o n the co n sc ie n c e o f su bj e él s an d by fo rc in g u s t o ad
,

mit that reb e l lion whate v e r be t he p re te xt is n o l e ss c on trary

, ,

t o o u r in d iv id ual in t e re st t han to the in t e rest o f soc ie t y :

,

It wf as ro m the in flue nc e o f this cien t leg i

tru th, that t he an
sla t o rs Ly c u r u s So l o n Z ale u c u s an d Nu ma in t ro d u ce d t h e
, g , , ,

o ds as au t ho rs o f the ir l aws N ec e ssit y al o n e c o u ld hav e con

g .

s t rain e d the se eat me n t o d e b ase t he mse l v e s t o l it ic al im

g r p o

o st u re s T h y k ne w th at au t ho rit y had n o fo rc e o n e arth

p .e ,

an y farthe r than as hav in g i ts ro o t in H e av e n , an d t hat it was

o n ly a v ic io u s c irc l e in mo ral it y to c o n st rain t he passions

by the p assion s B e in g un able , or perhaps n ot d arin g to

.
 or r un rnsxe n s av o r v r ro x .
57

raise t he l the k nowle dg e o f t he t ru e relig io n , the y

“

e
p po e to

bo r ro we d fro m su p erstition this fi rst sprin g t hat pro d uc e s an d

re u la t e s t he mo tion o f the l itic al m a hi T h y
g p o c n e e p u r .

c ha s e d o r fe i n e d orac l e s , an d ho n o u re d t he
g g o d s f r o m t h e ir

o wn W i s d om, t o ro c u re f o r t he ir in st it u t io n s su c c ess an d
p p e r

p e t u it
y P.l at o an d C ic e ro , w ho k ne w t h e u tt e r a b su rd it y o f
t he fa b l e s of a an is
p g m, inj o in the worship an d fe ar o f t he
p o

p u la r ds as t he fi rst law in t he ir id e al bl i 8
g o
p c
re 0
u
p er .

s u a d e d we re the y t hat t he re c ou ld b e n o soc ie t y withou t some

so r t o f re l i io n , an d that it
g was n o le ss d iffi c u l t as Pl utarch ,

as s e r t s , to foun d a state o n athe ism than t o b u ild a c it y in

,

the a ir .

W it h what joy with what g ra , tit u de wou ld the y hav e re

c e iv e d a re l i io n that c o n v e rts in t o u l ar maxims all the

g o
p p
O p in io n s that are o f u se t o the hu man race ; t hat d e c id e s wit h

au t ho rit y e v e ry o sitio n t hat h il s o hy b rin s in to q u e st io n

p p o
p g
that re st s u on ro o fs s o acc o mmo d at e d to e v e ry min d as t o
p p
c o n v in c e t he s a e an d pe rsu ad e t he ig n o ran t a re l ig ion t hat
g , .

in fo rc e s e v ery mo t iv e t o v irt u e t hat riv e t s e v e ry b an d o f so

e ie t
y a n
, d o f w hic h e v e ry
p rec e t hath n o O t he r t e n d e n c y bu t
p
to fo rm o f all men a peopl e o f b rothe rs an d frien d s

H ow Mo n r s s o v
‘
d mirable y ag ain , is the
’
a , sa s rs u
g

C hrist ian R e lig io n , whic h se e ms to hav e n o o the r o bj e ct than

t he happin e ss o f an ot he r l ife whil st

,
it p ro mot e s t he happi
n e ss o f t his ! It is t he C hristian Re l ig ion t hat , n o twith
s t an d in g t he e x t e n t o f the e mp ire an d t he d isad v an tag e s of

c l imate ,
d e sp o t ism fro m e stabl ishin g it se l fin
hat h p rev e n t e d
E t hio pia an d in t ro d uc e d in t o t he mid st o f A fric a t he man
,
.

n e rs o f E u ro p e an d its l aws Le t u s t u rn o u r e y e s o n the

. ,

o n e s id e t o ward s t he c on t in u al massac re s o f k in g s an d t he
,

c hie fs o f G re ec e an d Ro me an d o n t he o the r, to t he dest ru c

t io n o f n at io n s an d c it ie s b y the sa me c hie fs , T imu r an d

G e n g is -
! an , who rav a
g e d A sia , and we shal l se e t hat we
o we to C hrist ian ity , b ot h in g o v e rn me n t a c e rt ain p o lit ic a l
ri ht
g , an d in war a c e rt ain ri ht
g o f n at io n s whic h hu man
n atu re c an n ev er fi c ie n t
su f ly ac k n o wl e d g e .
’
G e n u in e
C hristian s woul d be by far t he b e st in forme d c it iz en s in re

I
 an sxn m u ar ro u o r r u n ! (ac t r e ss

e ét to du tie s, an d t he most zeal ous to fi rlfil the m

the ir
s
p .

T he more t he y b el iev e t he y owe to their re l ig ion ,the mo re

d o t he y t hin k the y ow e t o t he ir co u n try T he p rin c iple s o f .

C hristian ity d eeply en g rav en in t he ir hearts, wo ul d be in fi

'

-a

n ite ly mo re stro n g th an t he fal se ho n o u r of mo n arc hie s , t he

hu man e v irtue s of rep u blic s, an d the sen il e fear o f d e spo t ic

’
stat e s .

W hy t hen shou l eg isl ators of the rev olun on hav e p er

ld t he

s e c u te d with so muc h eag ern e ss t hat holy re l ig ion u n d e r

, ,

who se shade F ran ce had for so man y ag es reposed ? T he y c ou ld

n ot h av e b e e n ig n o ran t th at C hrist ian it y b e n d s t o e v e ry f o rm

o f o v e rn men t an d t h at in rep u bl ic s as we ll as in mo n arc hie s

g , , ,

it is t he su re st sec u rit y o f p u bl ic t ran q u il ity an d t he obse rv a

an ce o f the l aws B u t the y k n o w al so that this re lig io n the

’

. ,

frie n d to orde r c o u ld n ot fav o u r re be ll ion an d t hat acc u s

, ,

t o me d fro m its c radl e to re spe ét l awfu l aut horit y e v e n in its ,

e rse c u tors it would n e v er aban d o n t he cau se o f a

p ,
g o v ern a

me n t t o whic h it was attac he d by princ ip l e an d by g ratit u de

'

, .

A re l ig ion that pl ace s o n the same l in e what we owe t o God

an d t o C a e sar w as to o in co mpat ibl e with t h e roj e éts o f u su r
, p p
e rs : it b e c ame n ec e ssary to att ac k t he t hro n e with s u c c e ss,

t hat the al t ar shou ld be o v e rt hro wn on whic h it was l a ed

p c .

B e sides the l an an d e xec u t io n of the Fre n c hRev o l u t ion

, p are,

in a eat rt , t he wo rk o f a h il hi ft l m
g r
pa p o s o p c se , t o o o n
g e o

b o ld e n e d by the weakn ess an d imprud en t sec u rit y o f g o v e rn

me n t . Shall ow smat te re rs in l ite rat u re d espairin g to attain to ,

t he g l o ry o f t he g re at writers o f the ag e o f Lo u is X IV had .

ain e d a n ame by t he b o ld n e ss an d sin u l arity o f t he ir

g g p ara

d ox e s T he y asto nishe d t he ign orant who to o k fo r disc o v e

.
,
4

rie s old e rro rs pro sc rib e d amo n st all c iv il ize d n ation s t h y

g e

s e d u c e d t he v ic io us by fl att e rin a d in c it i t h b ase st a

g n n
g e
p s .

s io n s o f t he hu man he art : ab o v e all t he y d re wasid e the y oun

,
g ,

who sin c e t he e n in élion o f a socie t y who m the C hurc h the

, ,

Stat e an d Le tters c an n o t suffic ie n t ly re re t hav e st u d ie d re

, ,
g ,

lig ion in V o n r a ra e mo ral ity in H u v s r w s an d p u bl ic law

'
,
'
,

in RA ! N A L D aily had this c orruptin g se ct b een ad v an c ing

.

in a c orrupte d n ation A t first the philosOpers d emand e d to

.

1
60 a n z x a m ru r ro n o r n u
'
ra w c xn ss

ricu c e , v irtu e , an d tru th, it will t riumph ov er its e xecu tioners ,

an d b re ak fort h with n ew spl en dor .

W ai tin g
in the me an t ime iwith a fi rm c on fid en ce , when the
t erm whic h God hath appoin te d for the trial O f his C hurc h
sha ll arriv e , le t min e what will be t he po l itic al re su lt;
u s e xa

of the en tire abol ition in Fran ce oft he Cathol ic wors hi

p ,
 0 ! 7 11 : r a s n c n a s v o n u r ro n , 6;

C H A PT E R V III .

RE FLE C T IO N S O N T H E A B O LIT IO N
o r ru n

CA TH OLIC WORSH IP IN FRA NC E .

T u n C athol ic rel ig ion , more an cien t in Fran ce t han t he mo .

n a rc h y , w a s t he
pre v ail in
g a n d n a t io n a l re l ig i o n I t s l a w s .

h a d t he c ha ra fte r an d a u th o rit y o f l a w s o f t h e s ta t e , it s m in i
st e rs fo rm e d an o rd e r i n t h e
p o litic a l c o n st it u t io n Th e re .

spe ctiv e rig hts o f the c iv il powe r, an d o f e cc l e siast ical au t ho

rity we re fi xe d on t he soun d maxims o f an t iq uit y ; an d the

harmo n y t hat reig n e d b et wee n t he m rec ip roc ally c o n fi rme d t he
emp ire o f law an d o f re l ig ion In o n e p rov in ce o f t he k in g
.

dom Lu the ran ism by v irt u e o f a c apit ul at ion partoo k wit h

, , ,

C at ho l ic ism t he rig ht s o f the p re v ail in g re l ig io n ; e v e ry

whe re C al v in ism an d J u d aism enj o ye d t he fu ll t ol e rat ion that
,

the rig ht s o f c on sc ie n c e d e man d e d an d t he we l fare o f the state

,

e rmit t e d F ran c e had n o n e e d of n e w l aws for re l i iou s t o

p .
g
le ration : it in part ic u l ar wan te d n ot t hat lawwhic h c on fo u n d ,

in g e rro r wit h t ru t h an d t he mo st d an g e ro u s n ov el ties wit h

,

t he e st abl ishe d o rd e r p e rmits t he e xe rc ise o f all rel ig ion s on ly

,

o d e st ro y the re l ig ion o f the n at ion

t

By p ro c lai min g an u n l imite d t o e rat ion o f all

l worships , t he

con stitu e n t asse mbly me d itat e d an d a d t he ro sc rip t io n

p re
p re
p
o f t he C athol ic . By an hy poc rit ic al an d in sid io us p ro g re ss
fro m o n e d ec ree t o an o t her, it ca me at l ast t o d ec l are t hat t he

law no l on g e r ac k n owl ed g e d an y re l ig ion which amoun te d

, ,

on t he p art o f t he st at e , t o a
p u bl ic p ro fe ssion o f athe ism Ne .

v e rt he le s s it was st i ll y
n e c essar t o u se so me man ag e me n t an d
to c o n c ea l fro m t he p e opl e t he v ie w o f t hat aby ss to whic h
t he y we re rad ually le d , so me e x t e rn al fo rms o f 1 e li ion we re
g g
su ffe re d bu t which we re aban d on e d
, , fo r a fi xe d l y
sa ar , to p er

j ure d prie sts an d apo st ate mon k s . H e n ce t he C i v il Con st it u

tion q “
t bs mon stro u s p ro du fi ion o f p hil o sophy an d
Clerg y , a
an s en ism, which had n o hold on the pol itic al c on st itu t ion ,
J
63 a n s x a n rru r ro n o r r u n r a rn c rr t s
'

an d whic h it was o b v iou s

, to fore see , wo uld on e day be d etached
fro m it . H e n c e t hat t y ran n ic al oath in v en te d t o re mo v e from
t he p e op ely m in ist e r f
e v er ait hfu l t o G o d an d t he k in
g a n d ,

t o l e av e on ly t ho se who by abj urin g the G ospe l dec lared

, ,

t he mse l v e s t he a o st l e s o f t he re v o l u t io n
p H en c e the i m ri
p .

s o n me n t s the b an is hme n ts ahd t he massac res o f tho se ri e st s

, ,
p ,

who o n t he p rinc ipl es e v e n o f the n e w c on stitu tio ns hav e

, ,

n e v e r b ee n c on v iéte d o f an y crime b ut that o f n o t be l yin

g
,

the ir c on sc ien c e .

No inte re st b ut the de sig n fo rme d

, to ann ihilate rel ig ion ,
c ou ld hav e in sp ire d t he c on st it ue n t as se mbly wit h the . id e a o f
so impo l it ic an in n o v at ion . Al ready had it se ize d all t he pro

p e rt y o f t he C hu rc h, an d this fl ag ran t u s u r at io n
p had e x c te i d
ho co mmo t ion . T he c er l g y had s ee n t he mse v e s s t r l ippe d of

t he ir an c ie n t an d le g itimat e p o sse ssio n s witho u t g iv in g v e n t ,

t o a c o m l ain t t hat c o u ld d ist u rb t he u blic o rd e r It had

p p .

b ee n e n o u g h if the y had wished on ly to e n ric h t he mse l v e s

,

by a sac ril e g io u s the ft ; bu t the asse mbly e xt e n d e d the ir v ie ws

fu rt he r : it c on sid e re d the p l un d e r O f t he c l e rg y as t he me ans
o f d e b asin
g t h em by h o ld
, in
g t he m d e
p e n d an t o n t he ir sal a

rie s . T o ad d to t his d e pe n d e n c e it o rd ain e d that all t he ml,

n is tc rs o f re l i ion sho u ld b e n o min at e d b t he eo pl e it

g y p
c han e d by it s ab so l u t e au t ho rit y t h e c irc u msc ri t io n o f t he
g , p
,

d ioce se s an d parishes it d e st ro yed t he hie rarchy in stitu t e d by

J e su s C hrist by e q uall in g p rie st s wit h bisho ps an d by b reak
, ,

in g t he b o n d s whic h u n ite d t he b is hop s with t he su preme head

o f the C hu rc h With the c iv il c on stit u t ion O f the c l e rg y t he
. ,

sc his m was d e c re e d an d o n t he ru in s o f the C athol ic re l i

io n was e re c t d F t he C o n s t it u t io n al Re l i io n whic h,
g e i n r a n c e
g ,

hav in g n o roo t in t he c on sc ie nc e aft e r hav in g b e e n fo r s o me,

t ime main tain e d by fav o u r o f pe rsec u t io n s u n k u n d er t he c o n ,

t e mpt o f t he e o le an d c o n s u mmat e d t he ap o s tac y by p re c ipi

p p
g
,

t at in g it se l f in t o athe ism .

T hu s t hat un l imite d
g l
t o e ratio n ran t e d to all wo rships by
t he d e c l aratio n o f the rig ht s o f man , is c han g e d wit h re sp e ct to ,

t he C at hol ic re l i ion , in to an in t oleranc e o f whicht he rec o rd s

'

g
 Or was ru n es xs v o n u r ro n .
‘

6;

oftyran n y hav e left n o e xa m m e , an d Fran c e hath n o lon g er

had a relig io n , from the in stan t that all re lig ion s we re l ic en sed .

B ut what ev e r c ontempt may hav e b ee n afire éte d for re l ig ious

'

O pin io n s by o u r p hilo so phic l e g isl ato rs , t he y soo n d isc o v e re d

t hat t he p eo pl e co u ld n o t l on g be g ov e rn e d by en t hu sias m an d

t erro r ; t hat a at riot ism, su bl imate d by l ic e n t iou sn e ss , co u ld

p
fi ll the pl ace of e v ery
n ot d ome stic an d social v irt u e ; t hat t he
same
p assio n s whic h t he y k ne w ho w to d ire ct ag ain st pu bl ic
o rde r in the e f fe rw
ie sce n c e o f a re v o l u t io n wo u ld in fall ibly t u rn ,

u o n t he m as so o n as t he min d sho u ld b e in t o c oo l ; an d t h a t
p , g
if to d is org an iz e the k in g d o m it we re n e c e ssary t o tak e fro m
, ,
.

t he p e o ple the cu rb o f re l ig io n it wo u ld be n o l ess n e ce ssary

,

t o brid l e t he m an e w if t he y wo u ld ro c ure fo r the ir in stit u

, p
tion s a pe rman e n t se at Ro u s s e a u himse l f Social C on t raél )
.

mig ht hav e tau g ht the m that n e v e r was the re a state fo u n d ed

, ,

to whic h re l ig i o n had n o t se rv e d for it s basis

‘
.

A p e opl e that l o ses rel ig ion , lose s with it all ide a of mo

t al it y , j u st ic e , an d c iv il ity It is l e ss fro m re fle ctio n t han se n
.

t ime n t , st ill l e ss fro m se n t ime n t than hab it an d e d u c atio n ,

t hat l e o f e v e ry d it ion l e arn t o kn o w an d c he rish t he ir
p eo
p c on

du t ie s T he p rin c ip l es of moral it y whic h are e te rn al t ru ths

. ,

t o t he wise man t hat me d itate s u o n them are O ft e n n o mo re

p ,

than p reju d ic e s in resp e ct t o the v u l g ar T he g e n e ral ity o f .

me n u n abl e t o form O p in ion s fo r t he mse l v e s po sse ss o n ly tho se

, ,

that o t he rs hav e giv en t he m A n d as it is an in d ispu tabl e faEt

.
,

t hat t he pe o p l e at l arg e are in c ap abl e o f an y o ther e d u c at io n

t han t hat o f re l ig io n ; so it is n o l e s s c e rtain that re l ig io n

alo n e c an l e g it imat e t he se sal u t ary p rej u d ic e s in so muc h as its ,

au t ho rit y is a re aso n t hat in ig no ran t min d s ho ld s t he pl ac e

, , ,

o f e v e ry o ther re ason T he k n o wl e d g e o f his d u t y

. say s ,
’

Mon r aou e o u g ht n ot t o be l e ft t o e v e ry o n e
, It is u s e e s .

sary t o
p re sc rib e it t o him n o t le av e it t o
, h is c h oic e .

O t herwise acc o rd in g t o the we ak n e ss an d v arie t y o f o u r

,

re aso n s an d O p in io n s we shall at last forg e d u ties whic h

,

will se t u s t o de v our on e an o ther .

’
64 a n s x a m n ar ro n or wa s r a rn c t r t s s

T he ty ran ts t hat Oppre ss Fran ce hav e e mpl oy e d athe ism to

acc o mp l ish the ir O bj eét For them an d suc h as t hemse l v e s,
.
,

t his d re ad ful d o ct rin e was in v en te d B ut the in tere st e v e n o f

.

t y ran t s at l ast will re q uire t hat t heir slav e s shou ld hav e a re

lig ion W hat re l ig io n will the Nation al Con v en tion s ub sti
.
‘
a

t ut e fo r t he C at ho l ic ?

W ill it be D eism that is the few prin ciple s c ommon to all

, ,

re l i io n s
g w hic h ac c o rd in
, g t,o our
p hil o so hers
p w ill su f
fi ce ,
‘

fo r mo ral p urpo se s wit hou t bl en d in g with t he mgthe part ic u l ar

,

d o €trin es o f C hristian it y 2 B u t it is a pal pabl e d e l u sio n t o

fan c y t hat a p e opl e who hav e b ee n mad e t o abj u re Chris tian ity,
,

will c o n t in ue to b e liev e t hese fun d ame n tal prin c ipl es an d we

shall im o se on o u rse l v es st ill mo re by ad opt in t he p ersu a
p g ,

s io n t hat t his p ret en d e d ly n at ion al relig io n c an hav e o n t he

,

mu l t itud e t hat in fluen ce which is n ec e ssary to the g o od o rder

o fso c ie t y .

G o d fo rbid that I shou ld attempt to shak e the certain ty of

t ho se d o ct rin e s whic h in so me sort are t he sy mb o l o f t he hu

man rac e I am we ll aware , t hat in de pe n dan tly of t rad it ions

.

c o e v al wit h t he c re atio n o f t he wo rld , re aso n o f itsel f s upp l ies

us wit h in c in g p roo fs o f t he e xiste n ce O f o n e

c on v o rig in a l
B e in g , o f his Pro v id e n c e , O f t he immortal it y o f the so u l , of

t he l it y of a fu tu re l ife, in which v irtue wil l re c e iv e its

wd
re a re

ar , an d v ice its p un ishme n t . B u t I k n ow al so , an d t he histo

rie s o f all n at ion s, t he e x am e s O f all p hi osop hers
l l hav e t au g ht
p
me , t hat t he se
g reat t ru t hs hav e b een e ither e n t ire ly misc on
c e iv e d , o r st ran
g e ly al te re d where v er the l ig ht
, o f t he G o spel
hath n ot re ac he d ; an d t hat o n t he se po in t s , so imp o rt an t to
t he k no wl e d g e o f man an d o f v irt u e , C hris tian it y al o n e hat h

t e rmin ate d t he sc an d al o us d isp ut e s o f phil o so phers an d in v a ,

s

riab ly fi xe d t he b e l ief o f t he eo l e It is n o t by p hil o so p hy

p p .

a n d re aso n in
g b u t by t he au t ho rit y o f re v e l atio n
, t ha t m a n ,

k in d so l on g div id e d b e twe e n sup erst ition an d imp ie t y hav e

, ,

at l e n t h b e e n raise d to t he k n o wl e d e O f the t rue G o d D

g g e .

s t ro y t his au tho rit y an d at on ce will re v iv e u n c ert ain tie s s s

, y

t e ms, an d t he most mon strou s e rrors .

 or run F R E NC H a r v o r u r ro n . 65

No , y ou will ans we r me , we will n ot d e st ro y l

rev e at ion , we
wo u ld on ly re fi n e it , by free in g it from t ho se inc o mpre he n sibl e
d o g mas t hat fe n siv e t o re aso n , an d
are O f t ho se
p o sitiv e insti
t u t io n s which b u rt he n mo ral it y wit h d u tie s incon d uc iv e t o t he

hap p in e ss of man . To be j art , is su

fi a mt ; {be n ot is whi m sy
we j
re e ét t he my ste ries of C hrist ian it y ; bu t we p re se rv e all

t he n at ura l p i
r nci
p l e s an d p rece t s o
p f t he G o spe l .

W e re I to re ason as a t he o o g ian ,l I wo uld ask what rig ht

y ou hav e t o c hoo se amon g st t ru t hs e q u ally re v e al e d an d the re ,

’
ro re q e lly
uan e c e ssary ; an d why , by O ve rlo ok in g t he p rinc i
p al o bj e ct o fr el i io n
g wh ic h is t o re are u s f
p p
, o r a fu t u re life ,

u mak e it t o be n o t hin m re than t he mere in st ru me n t o fpo

y o
g o

lic y B u t c on sid e rin g it rat he r u n d e r t his l ast po in t o f v ie w I

. ,

main t ain t hat by se paratin g t he o lo g y an d n at u ral mo rality fro m

,

t he p ec u l iar d o c t rin e s an d p re c e pt s o f C hris t ian it y yo u d e ,

riv e re l i io n o f all it s in f l u e n c e o n t he u bl ic man n e rs an d

p g p
Ord e r .

T he p roo f O f t his is n ot hard . Fro m the in stan t y ou hav e

b ro u g ht t he pe o pl e t o l imit t heir b e l ie f as t o what re lig io n
hat h t au g ht t he m it is e v id e n t t he y will n o l o n g e r c o n fi d e in
,

t he s o l e au t ho rit y O f re l ig io n an d it wil l t he n re main f

, o r y ou

t o c o n v in c e t he m t hat a pl ic at io n o f re aso n t o t his s u bj e ét

, p
hat h in v ariabl y b e e n p ro d u ctiv e o f e rro r T he pe o pl e to .
,

who m all do ctrin e s are myst e rie s all p re c e p ts an irk so me re ,

s t riction will n o l on g e r re sp e ct n at u ral p rin c ip l e s an d pre c e p ts

, ,

t han t he prin c ipl e s an d pre ce pt s o f re v e l at io n St ill l e s s will .

t he y re sp e ét t he m b ec au se t hat y o ur reason in g s co mb at e d
, ,

b e sid e s by t he So phisms o f t he athe is t an d mat e rialist will be ,

t o t he m a me tap hy sic al an d u n in t e ll ig ibl e j arg o n T he do élrin e s

o f re v e l at io n iv e t he m a mo re se n sib le an d af fe étin id ea o f
'

g g
t he d iv in it y t han c an b e o b t ain e d fro m n atu ral d e d u ction s : t he

G o d o f C hristian it y is mo re p re se n t t o t he min d an d t he he art

t han t he G o d o f phil o sop hy Po sit iv e prec e pts fo rm t he ir man
.

n e rs an d t he ir habit s ; an d p re pare t he m fo r t he pe rfo rman c e

O f t he n at u ra l d u tie s The y k e e p c o n stantly al iv e t he c o al s o f
.

l ig ion whic h b u sin e ss an d t he passio n s t e nd e v e r t o e x

'

re ,

t in g u ish T he ob serv at ion O f po sit iv e p rec ept s c on st itu te s

.
66 a n rx au m a r ro n o r r u n ru m ou r. “

ie ty , an d p iety fo ste rs an d p re serv e s re l ig io n

A phi loso
p .

p h ic al re l ig ion at tac he s ne it he r t he min d no r t he heart E v e ry .

O n e re tren c hin g , o r ad d ing to it according to his characte r ,

hu mo u r an d fanc y , it will with some d eg en erate in to impie ty ,

an d with O the rs in to supe rst it io n . T houg h it were t rue t hat

su c h a re lig ion mig ht it is o b v iou sly ce rtain ,

su f
fic e fo r a sag e ,

t hat it wo u ld n ot su it with the man y ; who in a po litic al v ie w, ,

are t he y t hat stan d most in n e e d o f re l ig io n ? It is wit h t e

lig io n as with the l aws T he l aws o f n at u re are n o t o f t he m

.

se l v e s s u flic ie n t t o main tain o rd e r amo n g s t man k in d : it is t e

q u isite t hat
p o sitiv e l aws be supe radd e d , w it ho u t whic h

n at u ral l aws wo u ld n e ithe r be e n o ug h k n o wn , n o r e n o u g h

re spe cte d It is re q u isite t hat the p rin cipl e s an d p rec ep ts of

.

n at u ra l re l ig ion sho u ld be fixe d , promu lg at e d , an d c o n se c rat e d

by a p o sit iv e re l ig ion . If the re we re n o posit iv e re l ig io n an d
c iv i l laws, the e o l e wo u ld ne ithe r re d law n or re l ig ion
ar
p p g .

To e n s av e lp p l e t o y o ur O in io n s
the
p w
eo ill y o u assu me ,

th e l an ua e o f au tho rit y ?
g g B u t who are
y o u t o b e b e l ie v e d ,

o n t he c re d it O f y o u r word The pe op le b e l ie v e d the ir p rie sts

bec au se t he y spo ke to the m in t he
'
na me of H e av e n , an d be .

cau se t he ir mi ssio n was suppo rt e d , n ot on ly p

on t he j d ices
re u

of e d ucat io n , bu t l
a so o n t he aut ho rit y o f t he Chu rc h, t hat is,

o n t he t e st imo n y o fa i
so c e t y s re a
p d o v er t he wo rld by who m
,

the au t hen t ic facts an d d iv in e do ft in e s which it s fo un de rs

y
t ran smit t e d , hav e b een at te st e d t hro u
g h an u n in te rr u
p t e d s uc

c e ssio n , an d who , in t he c o n stan t in c u lc atio n o f t ru t h, hav e

n ee d ly t o de c lare to day what the y de cl are d ye ste rd ay an
on

au t ho rity o f all o t he rs t he most im re ss iv e a n d t he in fallibi

p ,
~

lity o f whic h wo u ld hav e arise n fro m t he n at u re O f thin g s,

t ho u g h it had n o t b e e n fo u n d e d o n t he ex p re ss pro mise o f him

to who m all po we r is g iv en in H e av e n an d o n e art h B u t y e .

,

who pre te n d to d ictate laws t o thou g ht whe re is y ou r au t ho ri ,

t y ? W hat is y o u r mission ? Reaso n y o u an s we r an d t he t ru t h , , .

B u t the same hath at all time s b e e n t he l an g u ag e o f so phists

'

an d impost ors . In t his v e rg yp a e , so it s

ph ilrou
o p d
so hy , of

t he p re c io u s d og mas which y ou wish t o p re se rv e , hav e had for

t he ir a v e rsarie s
d write rs who as st re n u o usly pro fe sse d to t each
the t ru th on ly , an d to foll o w o n ly reason H en ce it n o d o ubt
’

.
,
68 a n rx a m n a r ro n o r r u n r a t n c u t r s

wo rshi p me d 1 um t hat t ran sm1 t s t o the I

0 o

i s t he l
o o o

an d t hrs po 1 t1 ca

co mmu n ity the l

sa u tar y in fl uen c e of re l ig ion .

O f all kn own mode s o f wo rship , the re is n o one mo re p ro

p e r t han t he C atho lic , e it he r to p re se rv e the dO Ctrin e s , an d

c he rish t he se n t i me n ts o f re lig io n , or to
g ive t he m all the

d raft whic h the in te re st o f so c ie t y d eman ds In t ho se t e m . -o

l e mb e ll ishe d wit h t he mast e rp ie c e s o f t h e fi ne arts ; in

p es ,

t ho se m aj e s t ic fe s t iv al s t hat re v iv e t he c o n so l at o ry e o c h
p s o f
re li io n ; in t ho se day s c o n se c rat e d to re st an d p iet y , the
g ,

p eo
p le for et
g t he ir mise ry :it is d u rin g this re l axatio n from
t heir l ab o u rs , t hat t he y are in st ructe d an d s timu l ate d t o v irt u e
y mb in e s to add re ss the se n se s, the heart , an d t he
j
'

e v er o b ect c o

min d T he sy mb ol o f t hat bl o o d
. whic hfl o we d on t he al tar
t hat t abl e where t he po o r we re ad mitte d at t he sid e o f t he
re at o f t he e arth, an d w hic h was o en o n ly t o in n oc e n c e or
g p
re e n t an ce ; t hat sac re d t rib un e whe re t he o rac l e s o f h a
p e v e n

we re p roc l aime d , those re g en e rat ing baths , mon u men ts o f the

‘

o ath by whic h on en t erin g the wo rld v ic e was re n o u n c e d

, ,

t ho se t rib un al s t o whic h we re c arrie d t he con fe ssion o f fau l ts ,

an d whe re p ard o n o f t he m was o b t ain e d tho se su bl ime an d

a lfe étin so n s whic h so we ll e x re sse d the e at n e ss an d t h

g g p g r e

oo d n ess o f G od an d o u r o wn we ak n ess an d wan t s ; e v ery

g ,

t hin g y ie ld e d t o v irt u e l e s son s mo t iv e s , an d sen time n t s

, , Un .

happ y mu st t hat c o ld man be t hat in sen sibl e p hilo sop he r who , ,

u n de r t h e hau ht y re t e x t o f re d uc in y t h i t
g p g e v e r n
g o re as o n ,

sho u ld wit n e ss witho u t e mo t ion t his au g ust p ro v isio n an d

, , ,

d epart fro m t he se hall owe d asse mbl ies witho ut t he d e sire o f

impro v e men t 1 ’

T he histo ry of the re v o u tion l will dec l are by what in fe rnal

s t rat a ms t he p eopl e hav e b e en d e tac he d from a wo rship they
g e

c he rishe d an d ho w v io l e n c e c om l e ted what hy oc risy an d

, p p
s e d u ftio n had re are d
p p I t w ill also av ow t hat if t he fi rs t at
.
,

t ac k s o f the c o n sp irat o rs were d ire éi ed ag ain st

l ig io n it is re ,

re l i ion t hat hat h fi rs t arisen fro m t he ru in s an d k in dl e d the

g ,

fi rst ho pe s o f t he t e e st abl ishme n t o f mon arc hy

-
T hat weak .

an d perfi dious tol e rat io n which it s pe rse c u to rs were con strain e d

In the o rig in al, I

: ran
g d m
a
’
Dim .
 o r r u n F R E N C H n e v o n v r xo m .
‘
69

t o g ran t , was su fi hie n t to c a forth, t hro u g ho ut Fran ce ,

ll sen

t ime n ts t he more l iv e ly 1n ro o rt io n as t he y had b e e n

p p su
p
p re ss e d . The pe op l e e v en b e g an to fee l the v al ue of re l ig ion ,
whic h the y had su ffe re d t o be rav ishe d f ro m t he m l o udly.

wo u ld the y hav e i n si st e d o n its b ein g re stored if t he y had ,

n ot b e e n silen c e d by t e rro r T he at roc it y o f t he l aws c o u ld

.

s carc e ly sus e n d t he re t u rn o f tho se re l i io u s se n t ime n t s which

p g ,

all me n so muc h n e e d an d whic h so man y c al amit ie s had an

'

,
g
me n te d t he wan t o f to the n u mb e rl e ss v ictims o f the re v olu
tio n . Licen tio u s Spe ctac le s; an d pat riot ic sat u rn al ia mig ht
amaz e an d amu se b ut c ou ld n ot c on so l e the mu l t it u d e n or
, ,

t eac h t he m to b e ar t he ir misfo rt u n es T he p e o pl e wou ld be .

‘
athe ist s fro m con v ic tio n as t he y wou ld be re l ig io u s fro m sen
,

t ime n t It will be n ecessary at l ast to g iv e t he m a rel ig ion

, ,

an d t his re l ig ion alt ho u h it be

g , g ran te d w ill be u n abl e t o ,

c on t e n t t hem wit ho ut a fo rmal an d pu bl ic in st it u t ion o fworship

, .

It i s , howe v er, 1 mpo ssible l e g isl ato rs o f F ran ce

t hat t he ,

aft e r hav in g ab o l ishe d C hrist ian ity sho u ld e st abl ish a worship,

t hat c an u n it e the n at ion an d in v ariably at tac h i t to t ho se re l i

,

ion s rin c ipl e s t he y mig ht se e k to main tain R i t u al obse rv

g p .

an c e s hav in g n o fo u n d at ion m n at u re c an o n ly b e d e te rmin e d

,

by arb itrary reg u lation s whic h the c iv il powe r c an n e v e r

,

s tam with t he c harac t e r o f san c t it y an d t hat au tho rit y whic h

p ,

is re q u isit e t o p roc u re the m t he re spe ét an d sub mission o f the

p peo le . It is t he
p r e ro g a t iv e o f G o d a l o n e t o p re sc rib e t hat

fo rm o f ho mag e whic h he re q u ire s an d t o re g u l at e t he con ,

d ition s u n d e r whic h he d eig n s t o t re at with as H e nc e t hat .

e n e ral an d re v al e n t O in io n amo n st e v e ry p e opl e o n e art h

g p p g ,

t hat re l ig ion d e sc en d e d fro m H eav e n : an O p i n i o n u n q ue st ion ,

ably d e riv e d fro m t ho se p rimit iv e t rad it io n s o f whic h t he

ro u n d s hav e b e en e d amo n st all n at io n s an d s t ill fu r

g p r e se rv g ,

t he r j u s tifi e d by t he id e as whic h reas o n su g g e st s t o u s fro m t he

we ak n e ss o f man an d t he g oo d n ess o f Go d ; an O pin ion t hat ,

t o t he H e b re ws an d t o C hrist ian s
, is con v e rte d in t o faét at
,

t he sig ht o f t he miracl e s an d pro o fs o f e v e ry k in d t hat

fi rm t he d iv ine mission o f Mo se s an d o f C hrist T his O p in io n .

b ein g su ppo se d it is e asy t o c o nce iv e t hat the peo p l e wo ul d

,

su b mit t hemse l v es an d be in v ariab ly at tac he d to t he o bserv

,
.
70 A N e xn mm n r t o u or r u n b um c t r t t s

an c e s o fan e xt e rn al worship . B ut ifo nly a c ere mo n ial in st i

.

t ute by man c an b e p resen te d to t he m, re l ig ion wo u ld be sim

l a re g u l at ion of p o lic e : it s laws c o uld be bu t c iv il l aws at

py
t he b e st ; an d from t hat in st an t t he s tat e c ould g ain n o ad v an ;

t ag e t hrou g h t he in fl u en ce o f them o n t he min d A re l ig io n .

t hat b o rro ws fro m t he c iv il p owe r t he who l e o f it s au t ho r

rit y c an l e n d t he c iv il p ower no fo rc e in re t urn

, T he sp rin g .

o f re l ig ion will sn ap asu n d e r in the han d of an imp ru de nt law

maker who at te mpts t o b end it at his will .

A n o ther re ason whic h will n ot

p mitert he c iv il po we r t o

a anb d on t he in st itu t io n o f re l ig iou s wo rshi is, t hat mo ral

p
.

in st ru étion c o n st it ute s an e ssen t ia l in it ; an d this in st ruc

t ion d e man ds a min istry whose mission be in d e pen sho u ld
d an t o f t hat powe r T o cons id er t he subje ét in a po l it ical
.

v ie w o n ly , mo ral it y is n o fu rt he r o f u se than as it is t rue , ia

v ariabl e , an d in v e ste d with an au t ho rity t hat c o mman d s the

c on sc ie n c e . Bu t mo ral it y n o l o n g e r pos se sse s t he se c haracte rs,

if it b e l on g to t he c iv il po we r t o fix it s princ iple s an d t o reg u
lat e it s in strufi ion .

T ru e mo ral it y is that whic h is fou nd e d on the n at ure o f

man an d the re l ations whic h he b ears to Go d an d his fe ll ow
,

me n .Far from o wing it s au tho rit y t o the c iv il l aws t he c iv il ,

laws are n o farthe r j u st t han as t he y are fo un d t o be c o n fo rm

abl e t o it s p rin c ip l e s T he ru l e s ofmo ral it y are prio r to c iv il
‘

laws an d supe rior n o t on l y to the caprices an d in te re st o f ih

, ,

d iv iduals but al so to t he d el ib e ratio n s an d po l it ic al in te re st

,

o f n ation s B u t t here wo uld n o l on g e r be an y ce rtain t y in

.
,

mo ral it y if it we re n ot suppo rte d by t he will o f G od man i

,

fe sted b y rel ig io n : it wou ld n o l on ge r be fi xed it wo u ld n o ,

l on g e r be t he b on d o f man k in d if ev ery peopl e thou g ht t he y ,

had a rig ht to b en d it t o t heir o wn po l it ical sy ste m it wo u l d

n ot speak t o t he c o n sc ie nc e n o r add au ht to t he o bl i at io n
g , g
o f the c iv il l aws if itse l f we re bu t a b ranc h of t h e le isl atio n ;
, g

T he hu man rac e , phil o so hers

p t hemse v es , o we t o
l C hris
tian ity the kn owl e d g e o f the
g en u ine
p rin c ip e l
s o f mo ral it y .

It is from the G ospel , as Ro u s s xn v has well remarke d , that

 OF THE F R E N C H R E V O L U T IO N .

the y hav e passe d in to our mo de rn b ooks, whic h, on this ac .

c o un t , are so mu c h su e ric r t o t he b e st d éti s o f an t i

p p ro u on .

q u it
y . B ut t his moral it y whic h, in the m o u t h o f J esus, is so

bl ime w w
'

p u re , so su o so afi e ftin
u ld lo se all it s f ere it
g , o rc e ,

s e arat e d fro m the do fl rin e s an d f

p a ét s wh e n c e its mo t iv e s are

de riv e d In stri i fro m Christian it y it s l e rn at u ra

.
pp g
n
p pr o~ su

e rt ic a it mi ht b e re d uc e d t o a s y st e m u n q u e st io n ably more
p , g ,

p e rf e ct t h an P l at o n ism o r S t o ic ism b u t n o t l e ss e x p
,o se d t o t he

c on t rad ift ion s o f h il o so he rs an d e q u ally inc a abl e o f

p p , p g o .

v e rn in t h e mul t it u de I k n o w t hat mo ral t ru t hs are mo re

g .
,

anc ie n t than t he G o spe l but b e fo re t he Go spe l t he y were al

mo st g e n e rally misun d e rs t oo d an d we re me n u se d to re g ard
,

t he G o sp e l as b u t a p hil osophic al b oo k t he y wo u ld so o n be,

forg o t te n T he d isc ov erie s o f n atu ral ist s an d g e o me t ric ians

.

are p re se rv e d in de pe n dan t o f t he au t ho rit y an d n ame s o f t he ir

in v e n t o rs b ec au se afte r hav in g b e en o n ce in forme d in re spe ct
, ,

to t he se o bj e ct s t he re is n o s t ru g g l e b e t wee n re aso n an d t he
,

B u t whe n mo ral t ru ths are in q u e st io n t he passio n s

’

as sio n s
p .
, ,

e xe rt t he mse l v e s in a c o n t in u al e f fo rt ag ain st re ason an d in t his ,

u n e q u al c o mb at re aso n wo u ld in fall ibly be d e fe at e d if au tho

, ,
~

rit y c ame n o t t o it s aid It is by au tho rit y al o n e that C hrist

.

c on v e rt e d t he wo rld H is d octrin e his l ife an d his d e ath

.
, , ,

wo u ld hav e pl ac e d him amon g st the sage s abov e Socrate s b ut

it was by his mirac l e s t hat man k in d we re su bj e éte d t o him .

T he human min d in t ractabl e so l on g t o t he v oic e o f re aso n

, ,

be n t it se l f to t he y o ke O f faéts Reason hat h ac k n o wle ge d

.

that it c o u ld n o t c o mman d t he p assion s bu t by b ec o min g it se l f

o b ed ie n t t o re lig io n Re l ig ion al o n e hath e ffe cte d in t he mo

.

ral world an d amo n g st t he mos t b arb aro u s n at ion s what phi

, ,

lo so phy c o u ld n o t in t he happie st day s o

, f G re ec e u po n a fe w ,

o f its c ho se n d isc ipl e s .

T his e mpire l ig ion ov er the pu bl ic man n ers hath b e en

o f re

su p po rte d af t e r so man y ag e s by t he pe rse v e rin g i n s t ru c tio n

o f th e C hu rc h T he d o étrin e s o f re l ig io n t he p rin c ipl e s O f
. ,

m o ra l it y are i rr e v o c ab ly fi x e d : t he C hu rc h it s e l f is u n a bl e t o

c han e t he m : e v e ry in n o v at io n in d o c t rin e is re c l u d e d b o t h
g p
by it s prin cipl e s an d its v e ry c on st itu t io n 1 t s in s tru ftio n has .

th e tr ip l e c ha ra fi e r o f c e rta in t y im mu t ab ilit y a n,d a u t ho ri ty , .

7 : an e xa m -
s a r ro wo r r u n r n rn c rr u s

,
The i
v o ce it s simpl e st p re ac her is that O f t he Chu rc hat
of

larg e ; an d t he v o ic e o f t he C hu rc h is t hat o f e s u s Christ ,

j
who , in o rd ain in g it t o te ac h all n ation s, hath pro mise d to be
with it to t he c on summatio n of ag e s .

H o w ad mirabl e is t his min istry H ow e xq u isite ly fi t t e d t o

the c haraéte r o f a p e opl e t hat , in t he re l ig io u s , as u e ll as po
lit ic al o rd e r, re q u ires to be le d by it s au t ho rit y Tho u g h t he
p rie st s o f the C at hol ic C hu rc h we re d e re d bu t as t he o f c on si

fi c e rs o f mo ral it y acc o rd in g to t he af
, fe cted appe ll at io n by
which the y hav e l ate ly b e e n d istin g uishe d ho w g reat ly o u g ht ,

t hose t hat g o v e rn t o c he rish an in st it u tio n so l

u se fu t o v irt ue ,

fav o u rabl e to q u il it y ! M o ral it y c an b e t au h

bl ic t ran t
so p u
g
by prie sts al o n e b ec au se mo ral ity is n o thin g whe n it c e ase s t o
, .

b e l o n g t o re l ig io n No t hin g c an be mo re pu e ril e an d ab su rd
.
,

t han t he id e a o f c o n fidin g t his min ist ry t o mu n ic ipal o fiic ers

an d t he O ld me n O f t he c o mmu n e s t o me n al mo st al way s ig n o
,

ran t an d sc an d al o usly v ic io u s d e st it u te o f au t ho rit y b u t fro m

,

e rson al c harac t n e it he r a re e in w it h e ac h o t he r o r t he m
p er , g g
se l v e s an d who se v ain d e c l amat io n s c o uld hav e n o e f
, fe ft bu t
t o hab it uat e t he p e o pl e t o e n dl e ss di sp u te s o n t ho se n ec e ssary

t ru ths whic h re l i io n sho u ld t e ac h t he m t o b e l iev e I n t he

g .

whimsic al in st it ut io n o f decades t he inc ompe te n ce o f o ur leg is

,

lat o rs an d the pe t t in e ss o f the ir v ie ws are n o l e s s pro min e n t

, ,

t han t he ir fan at ic al hat re d t o the C hrist ian re l ig io n No t hin g .

had c o n t rib ute d so mu c h t o ward t he c iv il iz at io n o f t he n atio n s

O f E u ro pe as t he C hrist ian fe st iv al s ; t he y had so ft e n e d t he

man n e rs o f t he in hab itan t s o f t he c o u n t ry ; t hey in spire d t he

e o l e wit h ide as o f o rd e r an d d e c o ru m; t he y re mo v e d by
p p ,

t he rit es an d t he se n t ime n t s o f re l i io n t he d an e rs o f id le
g g , .

n e ss amon g st a g ro ss se t o f men n at u rally d ispo se d t o se e k fo r

,

l e asu re in d e b au c he ry an d e xc e ss I h i ej o ic in s as we ll
p n t e r.r
g
as in t he ir s o rrows t he e o l e hav e n ee d to be un d e r t he e e
p p
,
y
of the ir God .

T heb l ition o f the C athol ic wo rship in Fran ce c arrie d

a o

with it t he ab ol ition o f all wo rship all rel ig io n all mo ral it y, , .

T his pro sc rip t io n o f C atho l ic ism is n o t t o be c o mp are d with

t hat re v ol u tio n whic h 1 n t he sixt ee n th c e n t u ry to o k l ac e in
,
p ,
 o r r u n rau n c n u nv onn r t o n .
73
'

in the sixte e n th ce n t u r y , t oo k plac e in se v e ral o f the stat e s o f

E uro e
p . Lu the r Z viin g le
,
'
, C al v in d ire ae d t he ir mo rtal b lows
ag ain st t he anc ie n t d o étrin e o f t he C hu rc h b u t t he y re s e éte d
p ,

t he fu n d ame n tal p rin c iple s o f C hrist ian ity : in all co mme

n ion s t he G os pe l hath c o n t in ue d t o b e re v e re d as d iv in e . T he
C at holic re li
g io n in so me c o un t rie s hath b e en p ro sc rib e d but
C hrist ian it y is, nOt wit hstan din g , main t ain e d with tho se moral
t ru t hs whic h are
p art ic u ar l lyp bl iin te re st ing
c ord er t o the u .

B u t in Fran ce it is n ot ag ain st t he do étrine s pec u l iar to t he

,

C atholic C hu rc h it is ag ain st C hristian ity it sel f t hat war hath

,

b een d ec l are d ; an d wit h Chris tian it y all rel ig io u s opin ion s

an d moral ity must fall In v ain will be ev e ry e ffo rt to e sta
. ‘

bl ish D eism o r what is c all e d n at ural re l ig ion A doftrine

, .

whic h has n o se tt l e d prin c ipl e s wo rship min iste rs nor autho , , ,

rit y c an n e v e r bec ome a po pu lar relig io n It was thro ugh

'

.
,

C hri stian it y that the pe o pl e ad he re d t o t ho se fi rst prin cipl es

whic h philo so phers hav e had so muc h d iffic u l t y to recon c il e .

T he y b e l ie v e d in Go d v irt u e an d an o t he r l ife b ec au se t hey

, , ,

we re C hrist ian s T he y abj u re d C hris t ian it y on l y to pl u n ge

. ,

wit ho u t remorse into the g ro sse st immoral it y T hey will be

, .

c o me mo re c orru pt wit h ou t b e in g mo re e n l ig ht e n e d
,
In st ead .

o f be l ie v in fro m hab it an d se n t ime n t t he d octrin e s whic h

g , ,

re st ricte d t he m t o t he ir d u t y t he y will adopt at su gge stio n an d

, ,

witho ut c o mpre he n d in g t he m t he O pin ion s t hat le t t hem l oose

,

t o e v ery sort of v ice St ill ho we v e r t he y fi n d in the rec e ss

.
, ,

o f t he ir he art s, an d in t he v o ic e o f co n sc ien c e , t he
p roo f o f
t ho se p rin c i
pl es , o r, will prej ud ic e s t he pre se rv ativ e s
if y o u , ,

o f v irt u e an d o f soc ial o rde r whil st t ho se immo ral an d pe rn i

,

c io n s O pin io n s , e v e r in O
ppo sit io n t o t he se n t i men t s o f n at u re ,
hav e n o t hin
g t o su ppo rt t he mb ut a v ie w to in tere st an d the

momen tary impu l se o f t he passion s .

If, afte r t he lo ss fpu bl ic mo ral s t he re yet re main augh

o t to ,

s o u ld me n t io n t ho se mag n ifi c e n t e stab lishme n t s

re g re t , I
h
whic h C hrist ian c harity had formed t hro ug hou t all t he c it ie s
o f the k in d o m, in f av ou r o f t he sic k an d t he in d ig en t , an d o f
g
which t he fu n d s hav e b e en swall owe d u p in t he wre c k o f cc
c le siastic al p rope rt y I sho u ld c ite t hose in st it u t io n s, who se
.

me mb e rs, d e v oting themsel v e s t o the c on so l ation o f su fferin g

74 . A ll 3 1 1 11 1 8 1 7 1 0 ! 0? T B ! P l l N C IP LI S

hu manity , an d to which an un g rate ful an d stu pid pe ople hav e

impu te d as a c rime that re lig io n
, whe n ce the y deriv e d t he
,

mot iv e s of a be n e fi ce n c e so mu c h abo v e n atu re . I shoul d

spe a k o f t he scie n c e s an d the arts , whicho we so mu cht o C hris
t ian ity , an d in part ic ular t o t he C at ho l ic c hu rc h. I sho u ld
re c it e t he imme nse
labo u rs an d the b rill ian t succ ess o f the cle r
f F i y d e art me n t o f l e t t e rs I sho u ld s he w
gy o ran c e n ev e r
p . ,

t hat t o the ho pe s whic h t he C hu rc h p re se n t e d t he e d uc at ion ,

it g av e the inst ru éto rs it fo rme d F ranc e hat h be en ihde bte d

, ,

fo r the g re ate r part o f t ho se write rs by whic h it is re n o wn e d .

I sho u ld say t hat in F ran c e as in Italy arc hit e au re p ain t

, , , ,

in g sc u lpt u re an d mu sic hav e rec e iv e d from the C at ho l ic

, , , ,

wo rship their most po we rfu l inc itemen ts

, .

B ut what wou ld it av ai t o l mak e the c rie s o f the mise rable

he ard by t he frien d s o f a re v o u t io n l whic h o we s all its su cc e ss

to lu st , e g o tism, an d an u t t e r fo rg e t fu l n e ss o f e v e ry se n time n t
o f hu man it y ? W ith what re re t c o u ld I, in f a v o ur o f t he
g
sc ie n c e s an d t he fin e arts , in spire leg isl ators v oid o f taste , e le
v at io n an d sen si b il it y , who , d e g rad in g the mse l v e s to a lev el
with t he v il e s t o f the mo b, imp re ss on all t he ir in stitu tion s
the c haraéte r o f t he ir b an ishin g from t he c om
b ase n e ss , an d

me rc e o f soc ie t y t hose atten tion s t hat d ec o rum an d po l it e n ess

,

whic h fo re ig n n atio n s c ame to st u dy amo n g st u s ? W hat c ou ld

. I say t o a pe opl e in tox ic ate d with e q u al ity t hat n o mo re par ,

don s a su pe rio rity o f l ig ht an d o f tal e n t s t han o f ran k an d of

riches se n sibl e t é n o l o ry bu t t hat o f war n o me an s o f ro
g p ,

sperit y bu t plu n d er ; th at co n so l e s itse l f for the ho rro rs of

famin e by t he e xc e sse s o f l ic e n t io u sn e ss d est ro y s in its c ities
t hemon umen ts of g eniu s an d t he be n e fi ce nce o f its ance stors,
an d ima in e s itse l f re en e rat e d fro m hav in j i d h
g g g o n e t o t e c or

ru pt ion of its an cien t mann ers the ig n orance an d feroc ity of

the V an dal s ?
7 6 A N xx a m n n r ro n or w e r n ru c rr n s s

t he p i
r nc i
pl esmsel v es o f the Fre nc h mon archy e stabl ishe d
t he , ,

an d c on sec rate d by a s ole mn ac q u ie sc e n c e o f the n at ion : in

mo st o f the m t he ackn o wl e d g me n t o f t he ro y al au thorit y fu l l

,

an d ab so l u te the d istin élio n o f t he t hre e o rd e rs o f the state

, ,

re spe c t fo r the re l ig ion o f o u r fore fat he rs t he main ten an c e o f,

t he parl iame n ts an d o the r t rib un als t he div ision o f t he ro

,
p
v in c e s an d the pre serv at io n of the ir c u st oms an d riv il e e s
, p g ,

t he g u aran tee o f rig hts an d o f prope rt y : n o o the r in n ov atio n

b u t t he g e n e ro us o ffe r fro m the c l e rg y an d n o ble sse t o d iv ide

with the third estate the impo sitio ns an d p ubl ic c harge s .

T he se re i
re se n tat on s
p were n o t a simple in stru ction to the
d eput ie s , b u t a law whic h the y could we d e part fro m witho ut
fo rfe itin g t he rig ht O f re pre se n ting the p ro v in c e s an d t he
d e rs which had se n t the m F ro m t he in stan t the se faithless
.

an d pe rj u re d de l e g at e s p roc l aime d t he msel v e s l eg isl ato rs t he y ,

c e ase d t o hav e a p u bl ic c haraéle r T he State s G e n e ral were

.

u t an e nd to , an d wit h t he m the missio n o f t he d e pu t ie s , t he

p
day on which the y d ec lare d t he mse l v e s a Nat iom l Assembly
‘

fo r t he y had n o au tho rit y bu t in t he co n v oc at ion o f t he k in g ,

an d in t he e l e ctio n o f t he b ail iwic k s B u t t he asse mbly , c o n
.

v o k e d by the k in g , an d f o rme d by t he e l e ctio n s o f t he b ail i

Wic k s, was n o n ational asse mbly, bu t an assembly of the t hree
o r ers o f the state .
d

T he Nat ion al A ssembly itself was so

p e rsuade d t hat it had
d ed its po we rs, that , t o prec l u d e o f in c o m
the re p ro ac h
'

e xc e e

p e ten c e , it tho u g ht prope r to d e c l are it se lf a C onst it uen t d u m

bly . A s if, t o acq u ire a n e w rig ht , an d t o pl ace itse l f ab ov e
t ho se t hey rep re se n te d , it we re e n ou g h fo r t he ir d eleg at e s t o

iv e th e mse l v e s a n e w d en o min at io n as if, an ass e mbly ,

g
t h h co t it t c o ld ha t he c o nst it u t io n o f it s c o un l
o u
g n s u en , u c n
g e .

t ry , I do n o t say , wit ho u t t he ex
p re ss c o n se n t , bu t co n t rar y to

the will of the who l e n ation c l e arly mad e man ifest It is an .

ax io m o f la w an d o f re a s o n t hat t he re is n o
g re at e r d e fe fl :

th an t hat o f o we r B u t t he Nat ion al As se mbly had n e v e r the

p .

p o w e r o f al te rin
g t he co n st it u t io n o f t he mon arc hy it had n o t

at t he mo me n t whe n it was fo rme d in t o t he Stat e s G e n e ral it

co u ld n ut a fter w ar ds a r ro
g a t e to it se lf su c h a po w e r , bu t on
 o r r u e r n an c n u n v ar u r ro n .
77

the suppo sition of hav in g the rig ht to assume it, a supposition

b
t oo a sur d to de serv e i1 tat ion .
a seriou s co n f

An arg u me n t so mple
si an d c on c u siv e
l mu st , on e mig ht
thin k hav e O y e s o f all F ran c e
en e d t he e B ut t he Nat io n al
, p .

Asse mbly had k n o wn ho wt o su rro u n d it se l f wit ha force ag ain st

whic h n o arg umen t co uld hav e an y av ail All the passio n s .
,

all the l it t l e int e re sts we re rall ie d ab ou t it the v an ity of

the t o wn sme n t he cre d ul it y o f t he l o we r peopl e , t he av arice

,

of t hose who had c apit al s t he smat terin g o f k n owl e d e an d

, g
ut te r co rru t ion o f t he me n o f l e t t e rs the t u rb ul e n t an d se d i
p ,

tiou s sp irit o f o n e se ct e xaspe rat e d by it s fo re se e n rev e rse an d ,

emb o ld e n e d by t he ho pe s t h at an impo l itic e dift av e it

g ,

Pre s by t e rian ism c ou n te n ance d by an o t he r se ct ; which t o rise ,

abov e the c on temp t in t o whic h it had fall e n aime d on ly t o be ,

come c o n spic u ou s by it s re v ol t ag ain st t he C hu rc h; t he l o v e o f

n o v e l t y an d t hat re st l e s sne s s o f spirit so c o mmo n in a friv o l ou s

,

nation forme d rat he r t o fe e l t han t o t hin k

, Fro m all t he se e le .

me n t s c o mb in e d by wic k e d han d s an o pin ion was ad v an ce d

, ,

whic h t he faétiou s fail e d n o t t o rep re sen t as the wish o f t he

’

n at io n Fro m t his pe rio d t he re was n o l on g er an y l ib e rt y in

.

Franc e : d el ib e rat io n was suppl an te d by in su rre ctio n : the wise ,

t he l e arn e d the v irt uous we re sil en t or we re n o l ong e r v o uch

, . , .

safe d a hearin g o l it ic a l q ue st ion s we re d e b ate d in t he st ree t s

p
an d in wo rk shop s ; t he pu bl ic b u sin e ss was d e c id e d by n u m
be r an d fo rce ; in the whol e e xt e n t o f t he k in g dom as in t he ,

Nat io n al Asse mbly v o te s we re c o u n t e d by head s an d t he fac

,

tiou s maj o rit y o f t he Asse mbly had n o d if fi c u l t y in o b tain in g

a san élio n t o their dec rees from an ig n o ran t maj o rit y o f t he

nation .

To g i
c o n ce al the O rin al n ul lit y o f the c on stit u t ion , an d t he

p
rad ical in c o mpe t e nc e o f it s au tho rs t he mu l t i l ie d add re sse s
,

hav e b ee n alle dg ed , whic h, at a g iv e n p o in t , c ame fro m all t he

mu n icipal it ie s o f the k in g d om, e ithe r t o c all fo rt h o r c o n fi rm
t he d ec re es O f t he Nation al A sse mbly . T wo l
re fe ctio n s , ho w,

e v e r will d ec isiv e ly she w t hat the se

, atte station s shou ld be
counted for nothing .
7 3 an s xa m n n r ro n o r r u n r a w c xn zs

In the fi rst place , this man n e r o f sig n ify in g the n ation al

se n t was ill e g al , un c o nst it u tion al , an d e ssen ti lly n u ll T h
a e .

n at ion , c ompose d o f thre e o rd e rs, was represen te d b y its de p u

t im : no ug h t remain e d fo r it but to wait t he exe c u tion of t he

man date s it had g iv e n o r ifit thou g ht prope r t o i111p art an y

,

n e w in st ru éiion s, t he k in g s assen t b ec ame n ec essary t o a n e w

’

mee tin g of the b ail iwic ks T he National A sse mbly which de

.
,
.

riv e d it s ow e rs an d it s b e in g from t hese are nt al asse mbl ie s,

p p
an d which d read e d t he ir su pe rin t en danc e haste ne d to pro sc ribe ,

t he m . By this parric id al p ol ic y it free d itse lf fro m all re ,

s o n sib ility t o wards it s c o n s tit u en t s b u t it at the same t ime

p
ann ihil at e d the o n ly t itl e whic h c o u ld l e al ize it s t ran saél io n s
g .

T he t umu l tu ary me e t in g s of to wn sme n wo rk peo l e an d

p , ,

rust ic s whic h succ ee de d t o t he assembl e d bail iwic k s had n o

, ,

mo re t he rig ht o f v o tin g o n the t ran saél ion s o f the Nat io n al

A sse mbly t han t he rig ht o f re pre se n tin g the n at ion e sse n t ially
, ,

c o m o se d o f t he c l e rg y t he n o bl e sse an d t he t hird e st ate

p , , .

The y held t he ir p re te n de d powe rs o n ly fro m t he Nat io n al A s

se mbly : t h e y e x iste d o nly by it an d from it s de c re e s, It was .

bu t a p ue ril e circ l e t o p re t en d t o re n d e r v al id t he d ec re e s o f
t he Nation al A sse mb ly by t he ad he re n ce o f primary as semblies,

whic h were n o thin g mo re t han t he Nation al A sse mbly sho win g

it se l f u n d er pop ul ar fo rms an d whic h t o withd raw it se l f fro m
, ,

t he disav o wal o f it s c o nstit u e n ts ratifi e d its o wn d e c re e s

, by ,

a e arin t su b m it th m t bl i i i
pp g o e o a
p u c r ev s o n .

In the secon d l
p c a e , ev e r y on e 1 s ac
q d w
u ain te ith t he in

trig u es, t he e x e d ie n t s
p , t he v io l e n c es which p red omin ate d at
t he p re
parat ion o f t he se a d u l atory add re sses . T he g re at part
o f th e m, fab ric ate d in Nation al A ssembly ,
t he of
fi c e s o f the
we re hawk e d thro u g h c itie s an d v ill ag e s by t he de pu t ie s the m
se l v e s who pro mise d t hre aten e d whe edl e d , an d with full
, , , ,

ha n d s thre,w ab ou t mon e y ; hired emissarie s tampe re d with

t he o
p pulac e : t he a dd re ss c ame
b ac k t o the asse mbly c ov e re d
wit h u n k n o wn name s an d a who l e c it
y l e arn e d fro m t he j o u r
n als ,t hat it had v ote d an ad he re n c e t o all the d ec re e s made
,

an d to be made by t he Nat io n al A sse mbly Su c h was t he atte s

, .

t at ion in f v o u r o f the c on st 1 t u t1 o n
a w hic h w a s h eld fo rth as
,
 ‘
o r r an rn s u c n Rs v o n rr ro st .
79

t he sol e mn homag e F rance t o the wisd o m o f ou r l eg isla

o f all

tors by s o me o f t he wre tc he d o u t l e t s o f Paris p aid t o app e ar ,

in d ec e n t c l o t hin g an d who st yl e d t he mse l v e s t he ambassad o rs

,

of t he u n iv e rse W ill an y o n e be e nou g h hardy ag ain to al

.

le g e t he o at h so o ften repe at e d to main tain t he c on stit ution

dec re e d in 1 7 89 1 7 9 0 an d 1 7 9 1 ? T hat o ath is a p erj u ry
, , ,

bec au se it was c on t rary t o t he all eg ian c e whic h all Fran ce

owe d t o its k in an d t he an c ien t c on st it u t ion o f the k in d o m
g g .

It is n o j u stifi c ation t o say t hat t he co n stit u t ion was ac c ep te d

by the k in g : be sid e s that t he k in g had n o powe r to c o n sen t
an d l e al iz e the ab o l itio n o f t he t w fi d f t h
g o rs t o r e rs o e s tat e ,

an d t he su b v e rsio n o f t he mo n arc hy t his ac c e tat ion e x to rte d

p , ,

fro m a k in g whi l st a p riso n e r was re v o k e d by a p u bl ic dec la

,

ratio n , the mo me n t he t ho u ht himse l f fre e T h e o at h is a

g .

n u ll it y ,b ec au se it had n o immed iate an d d e termin ate o bj e ct

an d b ec ause t he con st it u t io n whic h all Fran c e had swo rn to
,

main tain was an ab sol u te n o n e n t it y

, St ran g e in d e e d wo u ld
-
.

it be if the au thors o f t he c on st it u t ion sho u ld t o fav o u r it

, , ,

c all in t he re l i ion o f an o at h wh o t he mse l v e s c o mme n c e d

g ,

t he ir l e g isl at iv e c aree r wit h t rampl in g u po n t he o at h t he y had

t ak e n t o t heir c on st it u e n ts who had b roke n t he v ery bo n d o f

an o at h by d e st ro y in g in t he pop u l ar min d t ho se sac re d p rin
, , ,

c i le s whe n c e all it s forc e was ac q u ire d ; who in a wo rd

p , ,

hav e by a n e w o ath pro sc rib e d that c o n st it u tion the y so o ften

, ,

had s wo rn the y t o d eath wo u ld de fe n d T he t ru th is t he se .

,

o aths so scan dal o u sly mu l t i l ie d an d whic h se v e rally d e stro y

p ,

o n e an o t he r p ro v e o n ly in tho se who d ic
, , tate d t he m an ab u se ,

o f t he fo rc e an d in t ho se who repe ate d t he m n o u ht bu t t heir

, g ,

e n t hu sias m inc on sid e rat e ne ss we ak n e ss an d fe ar

, , , .

T he c on st it u t ibn , in it s o rig in a n u ll ity , was n ot rat ifi e d by

the c on sen t o f t he n at ion In t he actual st ate o f thin g s, it had
.

ag ain st it all t he v o ic e s whic h mig ht hav e g iv e n it an e he

p
me ral e xistenc e an d if an y st re ss be l aid on t he su f
fra e g of

a stu
p id fe roc iou s popu lac e ,the au tho rs o f it st an d c o n
an d

d e mn e d b e fo re that v e ry t rib un al the y had t he imp u den c e t q

raise , who se d ec ision s the y hav e c o n sec rate d as man y as
an d ,

t he y k n ew how to diftate Le t u s see howe v e r what we are

. , ,

to thin k o f the con stitu tion c on sid ere d in it s prin c ipl es .

80 A N EX A M IN A T IO N 0? r un P R IN C I P L E S

By the l e s of the c on st it u t ion I un d erstan d no thin

rinc i
p p g
more t han t he l ib e rt y e q ual ity so v ere ig n ty of t he pe o p le
, , ,

rig ht of in surre c tio n an d tol eratio n or rathe r the c on temp t an d

,

ro sc ription o f all mod e s o f wo rship ; in a wo rd t he d ec l ara

p ,

t ion o f the rig hts o f man Upon this c od e o f se ditio n an d

.

an arc hy it w as im ossible t h
p at an y so l id g ov ern me n t c o u l d be

fo un d e d . B ut b esid e s this fun dame n tal v ice t his c on st it u t io n ,

c arrie d in it t he v ery prin c ip l e s o f in e v itabl e an d spe e d y d is

so l utio n . Such amo ng st o the rs were t wo c ap ital d isp o sit io n s,

, ,

o ne o n t he authority of t he kin the other o n the po we r of

g ,

the p eopl e .

T he c onstitu t ion rec o

g n iz es t he k in g as an e sse n tial an d

in t eg ral part Fre n c h g ov e rn men t in him alo n e res id es

o f t he

t he e x ec u tiv e powe r ; he is th e su reme head o f t he army an d

p
t ri un a s , the
b l he re d itary rep re se n tativ e o f the n ation and in , ,

t his q ual ity a n ec essary me mbe r o f the l e g islat iv e b o dy whose

, ,

d el ib e ration s hav e n o l eg al forc e t ill in v este d by his san fl ion

, .
i

H is person is in v io lable : re sponsib il it y b e lon g s on ly to his

min isters .Su ch is the p art t hat the Co n st it uen t A sse mbly ,

afte r hav in g de t hron e d t he k in g of Franc e c o n d esc e n de d to ,

iv e to the k in g o f the Fre n c h B u t in this it is e x ose d to

g .
p
t he rep roac h of d o in g too mu c h o r too l itt l e fo r it s co nstitu
, , .

t io n al k in g t oo muc h if it mean t the const itu tion to s u bsist ;

,

too l it tl e to preserv e the g ov ern ment monarc hical

, .

T houg hthe Constitu e n t Assembly had often , an d in the most

l mn man ner d ec lare d that the French g o v ern me nt
so e , was mo
n arc hie s ] it was e asy to see that the principl e s an d spirit of
,

t he c on st itu t ion in c l in e d to d e moc rac y ; an d all the forms re

p
sc rib ed for ele ftio n s we re e v iden tly ad ap te d to a po pu lar o
g
v e rn men t . B ut in a g o v e rn me n t o f t his nat ure , ro yalt y , . with
all t he p re ro
g at iv es which t he had at t rib u te d to
c on st itu tion

it , was n ot on ly use l ess, bu t a p erpe tual principl e o f in testine

div ision s .T he k in g an d t he l eg isl at iv e assembly forme d in
t he state two riv al po we rs , whic h u n ite d by n o bon d , an d hav
in g no intermediate po wer to p reserv e a c oun te rpo ise , an d ba
lan c e them, a con tin u al co n fliét must hav e foll o we d , t il l the
tion of one or the Other must hav e en de d in a
'

e n tire d estruc
 o r r u n r u n n e rs a s v o mr r t o n . 81

de mocrac y , de spo tism so muc h t he more ab solute as in ou r

'

or ,

an c ien t c on st it u t ion by t he priv ile g e s o f t he two fi rst orde rs

, ,

an d by tho se po we rfu l c o rpo ratio n s who se maxims an d he re d i ,

tary sp irit O pp o se d an in su rmo un tabl e resistan c e to the arb i

t rar will o f the so v e re ig n

y .

B ut, b y e stabl ishin g this pe rpetu al st rug g le b et ween the le

islat iV e o we r an d the e xec u t iv e , t he Nat io n al A sse mbly had
g p
c o n t riv e d a ce rtain an d e as y v icto ry . Part ic u l ar d isposition s
to o k fro m the k in g all t ho se d min istration whic h
p art s o f t he a ,

t he e n e ral id e a o f the c o n st it u tio n se eme d t o hav e e xc l u si v e l

g y
g i v e n him T
. h e asse mbly whic h had d iv id e d t he
po w e rs t o ,

d e p riv e t he mo n arc hy o f the l eg isl ativ e u n it e d the m on ce ,

more an e w to take fro m it the exec u t iv e E ac h day was dis

, .

t in g u ishe d by so me n e w u surpat ion o f t he l e isl at iv e b ody ;

g
an d su c h in fac, t was t he c on st it u tion o f the F re n chmo n arc hy
, ,

t hat t he ! in g e v e n e nj o y e d n u t t he rig ht s o f a c it iz e n T he .

n e c e ss it y o f t he ro y al san ftio n had b e en d e cre e d : t his was t he

'

on ly b arrie r whic h t he c o n st it u tio n had raise d ag ain st t he le

islat iv e A sse mbly B u t t o what was t he rig ht o f c on sen tin g

g .

o r re fu s in re d u c e d in an im ris o n e d k in a ain s t who m e ac h

g p g g ,

r fu sal w as foll o we d b y a c ommo t ion an d t o who m e ac h c o rn

e ,

mo t io n re t rac e d t he bl o o dy imag e o f his g u ard s massac re d at

his fe e t ? A n d had he fe l t the c o u rag e t o reje ct at t he p e ril ,

o f his he ad d ec re e s impo l it ic o r b arb aro u s mig ht n o t the A s

, ,

s e mb ly who had t he su p re me c o n t ro l o f t he fi n an c e s t he army

, , ,

an d O p in ion hav e tak e n fro m t he k in g t he c o n st it u t io n al e x

,

e rc is e o f a p re rog at iv e it had c o n fi d e d t o him fo r n o p u rp o se ,

b u t to l e g al iz e it s e nc ro ac hme n t s ? A n d hat h n ot t he popu l ar

will b ee n at all time s in t he han d s o f the faétiou s who di ,

re éte d t he mo v e me n t s o f t he pop u l ac e an d t he d e lib erat ion s of

t he A ssembly ?

O n t he on e
part , in t e ll ig e nt me n saw n o thin g in the con

s t it u t io n bu t an in c o he re n t mixt u re o f t he d emo cratic p

s irit

wit h mo n arc hic fo rms . On t he o t he r, t he mass o f t he p eop e l

‘
c o m l ain e d t hat t he y fo u n d n ot in it that l iberty an d o we r
p p
wit h which t hey we re flat te re d .

M
83 an e s n o r: o r r u e r a r n c rn
e r a su r
-
rs

T he blis hed two c las ses o f c itize n s n a iv e

co n stit u t ion e sta

c it iz en s who al on e c o nc u rre d afi i v ely an d passiv e ly in e le c

,

t io n s an d in d ie : cit iz en s who ro e rly s eak in

p p p w e re b u t
, , g ,

s ubj e as an d e nj o ye d n o ri ht o f the cit y T he se t wo c las s e s

, g .

we re se parat e d by t he q u o ta o f t ax impo se d ; an d tho u g h t he

d e c re e s had e x te n de d the c las s o f afi iv e c itize ns mu c h fu r t he r
than was e xpe d ie n t fo r t he g oo d ad min is t rat io n an d t ran q u ili t
y
o f t he s tat e it is n o t see n why o n t he prin c ip l e s o f the c o n s t i
, ,

t u t ion e v e ry F ren c h
, man whe the r p ro prie to r o r n o t s ho u ld
, ,

n o t be ac kn o wle e d a c it ize n A ft e r hav in lai d i t d w a s a

g .
g o n

fu n d amen tal max im t hat all me n are bo rn e q ual an d c o n tin u e

, ,

e q u al in ri hts h o w d u rst t he re re se n tativ e o f t he p eo l e

g , p s p
p ro n o u nc e t hat t he
g re a t e st
p ar t o f t he
p p
e o l e s ho u ld ha v e no

p a rt in t he e x e rc is e o f t h e so v e re i n t y ?
g W a s t his t h e o b j e ct
o f d e st ro y in
g w h a t w as cal l e d an aris t oc rac y o f b irt h an d dig

n itie s t o su b st itu te an arist oc rac y o f ric he s 3

,

Su ch a disp osit ion c o u ld n ev er su b sist T he republican fac .

s

t io u t h at be g an to she w itse lf was arme d fro m the p rin c ipl e s

, ,

o f t he c on st it u tion to co mbat the c on st itu tio narie s wit h adv an

,

tag e . T he s ec o n d l e g isl at u re was bo rn e alo n g by the p o pu l ar

t o rre n t E v e ry dist in aio n be twee n ric h an d poo r was abo l ish
.

ed q y
e ualit i n t he n at ion al o at h su
pp lan te d t he con st it u t ion

an d t h at c las s o f av aric io u s an d sho rt sig ht e d pro p rie t o rs -

,

t he to wn sme n who had app lau d e d t he ru in o f t he c l e rg y an d

,

n o bl e s fo u n d t he mse l v e s in t he ir t u rn
, mas t e re d by t he po pa
, ,

lace who by the same t itl e o f n u mb e r an d st ren g t h in v aded

, , ,

e v e ry 1 p ro pe rt y .

T hus bl ic in 1 7 9 2 spran g from t he c on stit u tion of

the re pu

1 79 1 was fo ste re d by it s spir it an d de fe n d e d by it s maxims

,
.

T he c on s t it u t io n was g u il t y n o t o n ly o f t he c rime s t hat esta

,

blishe d an d s u ppo rt e d it bu t al so o f tho se whic h o v e rt urned

,

it an d o f t hat d re ad fu l c on c ate nat io n o f ho rro rs whic h stan ds

, ,

fo rt h u n e xamp le d in t he wo rst o f time s an d the mo st barba ,

rou s n ation s .

It is no j u st ificat io n t o asse rt , t hat its dec ree s breathed no

thin but d l ibert y rso n a l safet y an d re sPe fl for pro
g o r e r, , p e ,
84. a n s x x u rn x r ro n o r r u n r arn c rn zs

fe r
of to prov e that the c on stitu t io n is mo re perfe ct t han o ur
g o v e rn me n t
b efo re it A w o rd
. wil l su ffice to an swe r t he ir
s e aso n in g s t he F renc h g ov e rn me nt all barbaro us as y o u te rm
,

i t b ad su b siste d with g lo ry fo r fo u rtee n c e n t urie s whil st y o u r

, ,

su bl ime con st it u t io n c o u ld no t s u t it l ff th b i f d
.
pp o r se o r e r e u ce

rat ion o f as man y mont hs .

It was al ready d bl e c rime in t he C on st itue n t

an u n par o n a

A ssembly to hav e sac rifice d t he happin ess an d t ran q u il it y o f

t he st ate to its v an ity amb it io n an d t he u n ce rtain t y o f e v en t s ,
, ,

B u t what hath d ev ote d it t o t he e xe c ration ofpost e rit y is t hat ,

all the c rime s c ommitt e d f ro m t hat fatal mome n t whe n it se ize d Q

o n t he s o v e re i n t y are b u t t he faithfu l imitation o f it s o wn

g ,

o pe rat io n s or t h e d ev e l op e me n t o f t ho se erms of an arc hy

, g ,

irre l ig io n an d immoralit which 1 t had sown in t he c on stit u

,
y ,

t ion itse l f,

It is n e ce ssar de mon st rat e t h

to at the C on st it u e n t A sse m
y
b ly g av e t he fi rst e xampl e o f re be ll1 on t hat it ro v o ke d en
p ,

co urag ,
e d re warde d t he p ill a e
g o f se i n io rie s , t he
g re v o tl o f
l
v assa s, t he mu t in y o f t ro ops an d the c omb ine d fu rie s o f t he
,

opu lac e a ain st t h v ictim s mark e d by it s e missari es E e ry

p g e v .

ro v in c e e v e ry c it y c an l o u dly n a m e th o se o f it s d e u t ie s
p ,
p
who c ame pe riod ically t o re kin dl e the ir patri ot i sm an d bl ow
u p t he c o al s o f se dit io n : t he re will be n o wan t o f j u ridical

oo f s whe n t he day o f j u st ic e shall be in t o d awn u po n

p r , g
F ran c e O f the Co n st it ue n t A ssembly an ac cou n t will be re
.

q u ire d o f all the bl o o d t hat hat h flowe d f rom t he u n u n ishe d

p
assassin at ion s of De Fle se lle s an d Laun ay t o t ho se mas sac re s

o f Se pt e mb er, whe n it is d o u b t f u l whic h mo st t o d e t e s t e it he r

'

t he b arbarit y o f the M arse llbis, w ho pu t t he m t o d e at h o r t he

'

c o ward ice o f t he Parisian s t hat su f fe red t he m ; t o tho se p ro

sc r ip tion s that a Marat and a Ro b e spierre con st it u t ion ally en

j o in e d ih the name of a free an d sov e reig n p e opl e Upo n. the

C on st1 tu u o n al A sse mbly will l the bl oo d o f Lo uis

also rec o i ,

A n to in e tte an d the v irt uo u s t he an g el ic E l iz abe th It was

, ,
.

t h e C o n st it u e n t A s se m bly t ha t d e l iv e re d u
p t h o se a u
g u s t v ic

t im th a t a e d t he sc af fo ld t h a t p r on o u n c e d t he se n te n ce
;
s , p p
r e r ,

h e Nation al Con v en tion bu t suppl ie d t h e e xc c u tion ers

t .
 or r m: ru xc n n av o n u r ro u . 85

T he c o n st it u t io nalist s hav e att em t e

p d , bu t in v ain , to thro w
up o n t he
j ac o b in s all t he c ri me s by whic h t he history of the
re v o lu t io n is i
sta n e d . B esides t hat the mse l v e s fi rst se t the ex
M p le , it is n ot oriou s that re spe ft fo r re l ig ion , and the se n

ti me n t s o f u st ic e an d j human ity , we re ex tin g u ishe d in the mass

e by the ir v e ry measu re s an d de c re e s
’
o f t he l All h
p p eo t e .

d iffe r e nc e b e t wixt t he m an d t he j aco b in s is t hat when the y , ,

saw t he ac c u mu l at e d ru in s t hat ro se b e n eat h t he ir fe e t t he y ,

wis he d to amp and e nd t he de v astatio n ; whil st the j ac ob in s ,

mo r e in t re pid in c rime s an d c on siste n t d e te rmin ate ly foll o we d

, ,

t he c o u rse o f the re v o l u tion T he d e c l arat ion o f the rig hts o f

.

man had l aid t he fou n d at ion o f the repu bl ic the c on stitu tion ,

c o n tain e d it s g e rm ; t he j ac o b in s did n o mo re t han d e v e l ope an d

mat u re it If t he pe o pl e be s o v e re ig n it mig ht re s u me fro m
. ,

i t s re p re s e n tativ e s t he pre cio u s au tho rity it had d e l eg ate d t o

t he m ; it mig ht e ithe r n ame o t he r min iste rs or o v e rn it se lf
g , .

A fte r hav in g d e st roy e d t he mon arc hy it had an inc on t e s t ibl e ,

r i ht t o o v e rt hrow t he c o n st it u t ion E v e ry o v e rn me n t he
g g .

co
,
me s le g it imat e t he in stan t it is adapt e d : In e v e ry st at e ,
.

fro m p rin c ipl e , ’

say s t he au thor o f t he Social C on t r aéi a ,

p p
e o e a l l ways po sse sse s the u n c on t ro u lable r ig ht o f c han g irg
f i t s l aws e v e n t he v e ry b e s t
,
For if it c hose t o inj u re itse l f
.
,

f who hath a rig ht to hin d e r it i ’

T he rev o l u t ion of 1 an d all t hat c an s rinfrom t h t

793 , p g a

ch ao s in t o w h ic h F ra n c e is
p l un
g e d , a re j ust ifie d fro m the
g re at
p rin c i l e of the sov e re ig n t y o f t he pe O ple
p T h e
p o wer .

o f the p e o l e is e sse n t ially u n b o u n d e d ; it kn o ws n o law b u t

p
it s W ill , n o moral ity bu t its passion s ; c rime s tak e the c harac
!

te r o f c iv ism , w h e n t ha t co mm a n d s o r e x ecu t e s the m T he .

so v e re i n p e op l e is a su sp ic io u s an d a re l e n t l e ss d e spo t It
g .

se e s n o n e bu t trait o rs an d c on sp irato rs aro u n Whoe v e r

d it :
b e c o me s p i
su ss
g u il ty
e éi e d j u dic ial fo rms wo u ld impe d e its
marc h, an d sn atc h fro m it it s v iétims ; it is at o n c e ac c u se r,
'

j u dg e , an d e xec u tio n e r W he n t he c o un t ry is in dan g e r, an d

.

t he l re i t he c ou n t r y is in c e ssan t ly t hre ate n e d; t he

p eop e
g n ,

ro p e rt y t he l ibe rty t he bl o o d o f c it iz e n s b el o ng t o the re

p , ,

p u bl ic , t hat is , t he fe w v ill ain s t hat hav e had t he c raft to

p l ace ,

emse v e sl at the head fairs.

o f af H en c e t he exactio n s, t he
th
86 a n e x s u rx a r ro x o r r a g r a rx c rr t z s

re qu isition s , the co mpu l siv e e n ro l men ts , t he ac c u sation s , t he

i t io ns t he arb it rary im riso n me n ts , the bl i la
p ro sc r
p , p pu c
p c e s

c ro wd e d wit h sc affo lds , an d all the ho rrors t o whic h F ra n c e

hath be e n c o n sig n e d , i
s nce it hath boast e d the. ac q u isit io n o f
fre e do m . T hu s do t he p eo
p l e g o v e rn . B ut whe n c e ca u
g ht

t he l
e op e t he fatal am bitio n o f re i n in l fro m t he
p g g , u n e ss c on

st it u t ion t hat p u t all

powe r in t o t he ir han d s ? T he C on s t i t u

ent A sse mbly d ec ree d t he p rinciple ; the National C o n v e n t io n

t he c on se q u e n c e s ; an d the pe opl e in its c on v ulsion s an d ,

hre nzy hav e bu t simply e xe rted the rig ht t hat their l eg isla
p ,

to rs rec og n ise d iu them .

 ‘
or rn r r as n c n a av o u t r ro N .
'
87

CH A PT E R X .

‘
Ol TH E

FR E N C H R E PUB LIC .

UV the fi rst Nat ion al A ssembly was e re élin g , u pon

t he ru n s o f the mo n arc hy , the po mpo us an d frail e dific e o f t he

i
c o n s t itu tion , an o t he r faétio n , mo re wic k e d an d su b t l e , we re

la y in g in o b sc u rit y t he fou n d at io n s o f t he re pu b lic A t t he .

fi r st s ig n al l
o f a re v o u t io n , in all t he c it ies o f t he k in g d om
c lu b s or
p at rio t ic soc ie t e si we re fo rme d ; a v ile c oll e ction o f
a ll t he in t rig u e rs , t he fact io u s, an d t he p ro flig at e , who had
r u in e d t he mse l v e s
by e x t rav ag an c e an d d e bauc he rie s De .

s ise d in t he o u t s e t by all me n o f wo rth b u t c o u n t e n anc e d by

p ,

t he Nat io n al A sse mbly who se o pe rat io n s t he y o we rfu lly se

,
p
c o n de d by preparin g the in su rre ction s an d c rime s o f whic h
'

t he y had n e e d t he c l u b s we re n o t l o n g in mak in g t he mse lv e s

,

fo rmidabl e b o d ie s t he y d ispo se d o f the O pin ion o f the mu l ti

tu de an d t he ir arms ; t he y d ist rib u te d amo n st t ho se who
,
g
we re afiiliated by t hem all t he plac e s o f t he n e w ad min ist ra
,

t io n t he y c o v e re d F ran c e wit h s ie s d e l at o rs a d a ssin s

p n ss
, a , .

T he y ac c e l e rate d o r su spe n d e d at pleasu re t he prog re ss o f t he

, ,

re v o l u tio n V io l e n t p ro mo t e rs o f t he c o n s titu t io n whil st t he y

.
,

t ho u ht it n ec e ssary t o c o m l e te t he d e st ru fi ion o f re li io n an d
g p g
t he mo n arc hy ; t he y o v e rt u rn e d t his sc af fo ld in g o f d e mo lit io n ,

whe n t he y saw t he g ro u n d c l e are d l e v e le d an d re ad y to ad , ,

mit t he fo u n d ation s o f t hat sy s te mat ic an arc hy whic h was t o

b rin g to the ir han ds all t he po we r an d t he ric he s o f t he n a
t io n . T hose say s M O N T A I G N E
,
’
who g iv e t he fi rst shoc k
,

t o a s tat e are t he fi rst v o l u n t e e rs ov e rwhe l me d in its r uin

, .

T he fru it o f c o mmo tio n hard ly e v e r re main s wit h him t hat ‘

b e g an it : he b e at s an d t ro u bl e s t he wat e rs fo r o t he rs t o fi sh
in T he c o n st it u t io n had sac rific e d t he c le rg y t o t he av a
’
.

ric e an d v an ity o f t he t hird e st at e t he po p u l ac e rou se d an d ,

‘
led o n by t he j ac ob in s re sol v e d t o e fi e t t a re v ol u t io n an d the
'

, ,

re u bl ic w a p roc l aimed
p s .
 A N I X A M I N A T IO N O F T H E P ll l N C l P LB S

A re p u bl ic fo u n d e d o n t he n o t ion s o f t he sov e re i nt y O f t he
g
l e an d o f e q ual ity Cou ld be n o o t he r t han a u re d e mo
p p
eo , p
c rac y . Be sid e s t he re p ubl ic was the c re atu re o f the mu l t i
,

t u d e an d t he mu l t it u d e had n e v e r con se n t e d t o d iv id e t he
,

au tho rit y .B u t in a re pu bl ic from t hirt y t o fo rty t hou s an d

,

l e ag u e s sq uare an d pe o pl e d by t we n t y fo u r mill io n s o f me n
,
-
,

it is imp o ss ibl e t hat t he pe opl e t hems e l v e s should e xe rc ise the

fu n ct io n s o f so v e re ig n ty It was t he refo re re q u isit e to ad o p t
.

t he re p re se n tativ e g o v e rn me n t an d c on fi d e to a fe w o f t he
,

c it iz e n s all t he p o we rs o f t he n at io n T his was to su b st it u t e .

arist oc rac y fo r mo n arc hy an d an n ihil at e po l it ic al l ib e rt y by t he

,

v e ry aft that see me d t o c re at e it Fo r as Ro u s s xa v hat h

.
,

o b se rv e d ,at the in st an t t hat a p e op l e g iv es it se l f re pre se n o

t at iv e s it is n o mo re fre e ; it is n o mo re
,
’
Un de r a re pre .

se n tat iv e o v e rn men t t h e o l e is o n ly free an d so v e re i n

g e p p ,
g
at t he in s tan t it na mes its re pre se n tat iv e s B u t fo r the g re ate s t
.

'

p art o f t h l e t o what is t he e x e rc ise o f t he so v ere i n t y

e
p p eo
g
b ro u g ht ? T o a bl in d n omin ation an d u n de r the in flu e nc e o f ,

a d o min e e rin g factio n o f the t y ran t s t hat are tO O pp re ss it

, .

In a c o rru pt n at io n po pu lar e l e ct io n s p rod uc e bu t an e xe c rable

,

c ho ic e : t he re su l t o f c han c e wo u ld be b et t e r for it c an n o t c a ,

j o l e n or y e t b ribe .

T he F re nc h re pu blic is a mo n ste r in pol icy T wo o bstac l es .

inc e ssan tly o ppo se t he mse l v e s to t he e stabl ishme n t an d so l idit y

o f t his so rt o f v e rn me n t t h t d l i f
g o e v as e x te n t an
, o
p p u at on o
Franc e arid l ik e wise the mann e rs o f t he n at io n
, .

All c irc u mst an c e s c o n sid e re d , y s ag ain the au thor o f the

’
sa

Social Con t raét I do n o t se e t hat it will he re aft e r be p o s sibl e

,

fo r a so v e re ig n that is t he e o l e t o a m
,
p p ,
p re se rv e o n
g st ,u s
t he e x e rc ise o f his ri ht s if t he c it y be n o t v e ry small B ’
g ,
y .

t he fo rc e d c o n c e ss io n o f t he l e islato r o f the F re n c h re v olu

g
t io n t he o u l ar m t b d m i e d i i y of
,
p p g o v e rn e n c a n n o t e a t t n a c t
t we n t y fo u r mill io n s O f in ha b itan ts T he anc ie n t re p u bl ic s o f
.

G re e c e and o f Sic ily wo u ld sc arc e ly e q u al o u r ci t ie s o f t he

se c on d an d t h i rd o rd e r All the mo d e rn repu bl ic s are o f l it t le
.

e xt e n t whe n tak e n in c o m ariso n wit h F ran c e a n d t he d e mo

,
p
c rat ic are le ss t han t h e aristoc ratic : the l at te r a a h i
pp ro c n
g
 o r r u n r u n n e rs a s v o n u r ro n . 89

mo re n e ar ly mo n arc hy , hav e a g o v e rn me n t mo re fi rm an d
to
act iv e , an d c an e mb rac e a l arg er t e rrito rial ex te n t A pu re .

d e mo c rac y l ik e
, t hat e st a b lishe d by t he c o n st it u t ion o f 1 7 9 3,
wo u ld i
n o t s u t e v en t he c ity o f G e n e v a .

T he o rato rs o f t he Nat ion al C o n v en tion hav e fre qu e n tly i

c it e d t o t he Parisian s t he e xam l e o f t he Ro man s B u t t his

p .

e xam p l e , whic his fo re ig n t o t he F re n c h re p u b lic as t he g ov e rn ,

m e n t o f Ro me was arist oc rat ic in part ag ain c o me s in t o t he ,

su rtf t h in c i l e , t hat a at stat e c an n o t ad o t t he

p p o oe
p r
p g re
p
re
p u b l ic an
g o v e rn m e n t T he re
p u bl ic
.
, a ft e r i t s c o n q ue s t s ,

r e m ain e d s hu t u
p w it hin a
p art o f It aly : t he
p ro v in c e s we re

d e s p o t ic ally g o v e rn e d by p ro c o n su l s : l ib e rt y e xiste d in t he
c e n t re , an d ty ran n y at t he e x t re mit ie s A u g u st u s afte r arriv .
,

in g at mo n arc hy d isc o v e re d a d ispo sit io n t o re st o re t he re u b

,
p .

lic : by t his appare n t mag n an imit y he wo uld hav e d o n e mo re

e v il t o t he Ro man s t han he had d o n e t he m by t he c ru e l tie s

o f t he T riu mv irate Ro me whe n s mall p o o r an d v irt u o u s

.
, , , ,

fo u n d e d t he re pu b lic Ro me po we rfu l o p u l e n t an d c o rru pt e d

.
, , , ,

c o u ld be sav e d o n ly by t he o v e rn me n t o f an in d iv id u al D i
g r .

c orda tt t ir
p a t ri w n ot: alzu d meazu m, gu am t i a b u n o reg t rt t u r
re ,

(T A c rr Us .
) F ran c e , d e siro u s o f pas sin g fro m a mo n arc hic ar
t o a re p u b lic an ime n , was in c irc u ms t an c e s p rec is e ly imi
re
g s

lar to t ho sewhic h fo rc e d t he Ro man s to q uit t he re u

p b lic an , to

t t he msel v e s to a mo n arc hy
s u bj e c .

T he H e l v e tic c an t o n s , t he
p ro v in c e s o f t he Lo w C o un t rie s ,

t he Un it e d St at e s o f A me ric a, hav e
b e e n c au t io u s n o t t o c o n
s t it u t e t he mse l v e s a democra t i c r epu é lic on e a n d in t/1 0 1 5 1 5 13 T he y .

re main d iv id e d in t o small st at e s an d f o rm f e d e ral re u blic s o f

, p ,

whic h all t he me mb e rs as in t he A c hziian l e ag u e an d t he G e r

,

man ic e mp ire are at o n c e u n it e d by a c o mmo n in te re st an d

, ,

se
p arat e d by d iffere n t c o n stit u t io n s Suc h also was t he plan .

o f t he C al v in ist s who u n de r Lo u is X III p roj e c

, , te d t he d is .

me mb e rme n t o f t he F re n ch mo n arc hy Le ss e xpe rt t han o u r .

re v o l u t io n ary p hil o so phe rs in t he art o f o v e rt hro win g g ov e rn

me n t s t he y b e t te r k n e wt hat o fre b u ild in g t he m

/

.
,

No t on ly is Fran c e t oo e xt e n si v e , but it is peopl e d by na

N
90 AN EX AM I NA T I O N OF TH E P R IN C I P L E S

t io n s t oo d iffe ren t to ad mit t he po ssib ilit y o f b e in g g o v e rn e d

as a re u bl ic T h is f o rm o f o v e rn me n t su o ses in t he c it i
p .
g pp
z e n s at lar e an id e n t it y o f man n e rs h ab it s an d ‘in t e re s t s
g , , ,

an d o n e j uris ru d e n c e in c o mmo n : e v e ry d iv e rsit y in e it he r

p
re s e €t wo u ld be in c o m at ibl e wit h re u bl ic an e q u al it y B ut
p p p .

n e v e r t o t his u n ifo rmit y will F ran c e b e re d u c e d T he F re n c h .

e m ire ac q u ire d its

p g q
re at n e s s fro m a se rie s o f c o n ue st s s u c ,

c e ssio n s an d v o l un tary u n ion s

, E ac h p ro v in ce be fo re it s ac
.
,

c e ssion t o t he mo n arc hy had it s o wn j u rispru de n c e fo un d e d

, ,

o n anc ie n t u sa e s t he c haracte r o f t he eo l e t he n at u re o f
g ,
p p ,

t he c l imat e an d its t e rritorial p ro d u ctio n s

, T he j u stice an d .

t he po l ic y o f o u r k in g s had c o n s tan t ly { e spe éte d t he se l o c al

hab it u d e s in t he su bj e ét io n o f t he m t o t ho se g e n e ral laws whic h

,

t he u n it y o f o v e rn me n t re q u ire d
g N e v e r d id t he y att e m t
.
p
t o c o mp e l n at u re an d O p in ion s t o iv e t he e o l e o f t he n ort h
p p
g ,

t he man n e rs o f t he so u th By the re v ol ut ion ary c on c u ssio n

.

all hat h b e en c o n fo u n d e d : t he l e v e ll in o f t he se e q u al iz ers

g
hat h cau se d i n an i n stan t t ho se in e q u al it ie s t o v an ish which
, , ,

had b ee n pro d u c e d by t he sl o w O p e rat ion s o f ag e s an d o f c li

mat e . B u t b e sid e s t hat v io l e n c e is mo re p ro per t o con fi rm
,

t han d e st ro y an c ien t an d po p u l ar hab it s p hy sic al an d mo ral ,

c au s e s will re sume t he ir e m ire ; an d t h

p a t f o rce d asse mbl a e
g
o f mu n ic ipal it ie s d ist rict s d epart me n t s the repu bl ic o n e an d
, , ,

in d iv isibl e will be parce ll e d o u t in to a mu l t it u d e o f pe t ty in

,

d e pe n dan t an d ho st il e state s ; at l e ast t he p ro v in c e s u n d erstan d ,

in g t he ir re al in t e re st s will u n ite o n ly in u n an imo u s re v ol t

,

ag ain st t he t y ran t s t hat hav e d e p riv e d t he m o f the ir o v ern

.
g
me n t their priv e le g e s an d their v e ry n ame
, , .

T he bl ic an g o v e rn me n t as the au tho r o f H e Spirit of

re pu ,

Law : hat h e xc e ll e n t ly p rov e d mo re t han e v e ry o the r re q uire s

,

v irt ue b o t h in t he o v e rn o rs an d the d U o n this

g g o v e rn e
p .

ro u n d al o n e it s u it s n o t with F ranc e Lu x u ry t he l ov e o f
g , .
,

mo n e y d e p rav ity of man n e rs lic e n t io u sn e s o f o pin ion s and

, , , ,

abo v e all p h il o sop hic e g o tism that c o ld po ison whic h k ills

, ,

all t he soc ial af fe ctio n s hav e b ee n the re al c au se s o f o u r re v o

,

l u t ic a T he n at ion was too v ic io us t o su ppo rt e v en that form

.

o f g ov e rn me n t whic h d e man d e d the l e ast o f v irt u e : ho w t h en

c o u ld it be restrain e d by d emoc rat ical o v e rnmen t w h i h f

g c o , ,
9 2 A N EX A M IN A T IO N OF T H E P R I NC I PL ES

c ho se n to g iv e the y o f t he ir phil o sophy a t rial ! Fran ce

the o r

was a b ody b ro u g ht lo w by the ab u se o f it s stre n g t h b u t po s ,

s e s sin a v ig o ro u s c o n s t it u t io n whic h j u d ic io u s re g ime n c o u ld

g ,

hav e we ll rec o r e re d E mp iric s u n d e rt o o k it s re g e n erat ion b u t

.
,

with sk ill on ly t o imit at e tho se d au g hte rs in t he fabl e who t o , ,

re st o re t he ir fathe r to y o u th c u t asu n d e r his thro at an d dis

, ,

membe re d his c arc ase . In to a n at ion arriv e d at t he u t mo st

b o un d s o f c iv il izat io n t he y hav e in t ro d uc e d p rin c ipl e s whic h
wou ld sc arc ely su it e v e n sav ag e ho rd e s whe n fi rs t d rawn fro m
t he ir fo re st s . T he y hav e tak en fro m t he F re n c h what mo ral
rin c i l e s re main e d t o b rin
g t he m t o a fo rm o f m t
p p ,
g o v e rn e n

re q u iri n t he au s t e re st man n e rs O f a e o l e O f Syb arit e s

g .
p p
t he y hav e mad e C an n ib al s an d t hu s hav e t he y
p pre are d f o r it

a l ib e rt y that t he v irt u e o f t he S art an s c o u ld sc arc e ly su ort E

p pp
A n d t his amid st a war t o whic h t he y hav e p ro v o k e d all E u
ro e an d in whic h t he h a u rc hase d t he ir s u c c e ss by t he
p , y v e
p
d e pop u l at io n o f t he ir c o u n t ry it is whe n all F ran c e l ik e a
, , .

b e sie g e d c it y is a p re y to the ho rro rs o f famin e ; whe n it s

,

fi n anc e s it s cre d it an d its c o mme rc e are ab o l ishe d ; whe n e v e ry

,

assmn is c all e d fo rth e v e ry s p irit e xas e rat e d whe n ra e an d

p ,
p , g
d e spair are in e v e ry he art t he n is it t hat t he y c o o ly me d itate
t he fu n étio n o f a g o v e rn me n t whic h b e y o n d all o t h rs tak e s
, ,
e ,

fo r g ran te d t he ac c o rd an c e o f e v e ry in te re st an d t he c o n c e rt
,

o f e v e ry will Le t u s o ppo se to the m o n c e mo re t he au tho rity

O f t he ir O racl e .Usu rp e rs say s R o u s s e a u f al way s b rin g
,
’
,

On o r c ho o se t ho se t ime s o f t ro u bl e
, t o p ro c u re
, u n d e r t he
,

fav o u r o f p u bl ic al arm suc h de stru étiv e l aws as t he peo

,

le 1 n c old bl o o d wo u ld n e v e r hav e ad o te d T h e c hoic e

p p .

o f t he m
mo me n t o f in st it u t ion is o n e o f the o st c e rt ain c ha~
rafte rs b y whic h t he wo rk o f a l e isl at or ma be d istin u ish
g y g .

e d fro m t hat o f a t ran t

’
y .

T he F rench repu b lic hat h hithe rto sub siste d on ly be c au se it ,

hat h n o l aws n o r g o v e rn me n t and b e c au se re g re ts j e al o u sie s

, , ,

an d d isc o n t e n t s hav e b e e n e v e n t e d o r s mo t he re d by e n t hu s i
p r

asm o r te rro r .T e mo me n t whe n t he repu bl ic an c o n st it u t io n

is p ro c l aime d wi be t he e po c h o f t he fall o f t he re p u bl ic ,

b e c au se a c on st itu tio n ho we v e r popu lar it is su ppo se d mu st

, ,

ten d to the re storation o f o rd er an d b ec ause t he peop le are

,
 o r r u n r u n n e rs s av o u rt ro n .
-

93

at t ac he d t o the p re u bl ic , fo r the m
l ic en t io u sn e ss
ise the y p ro

t he mse l v e s fro m it T he c o n st it u t io n o f 1 7 9 1 fe ll piec e meal

.
-

a s u n d e r, whe n at te mpte d t o be pu t in t o actio n T he same .

fa t e awai ts t he repu bl ic an c o n st it u t io n : t he Nat io n al Gou v e a

t i o n are n o t ig n o ran t o f it ; an d it was n o t wit ho u t po we rful

r e aso n s t hat the b rin in fo rward the re at wo rk o f o r an iz in

g g g g g
t he g o v e rn me n t was so l o n g d e fe rre d Fo r al mo st t hre e y e ars
.

i t had mad e n o law bu t fo r e me rg e n c ie s : d e c ree s we re issu e d

o n d e c re e s t o e xpl ain ho w an d u n d e r what pre te x t s it re se rv e d
, ,

t he rig ht o f t ak in g away t he pro p e rt y the l ib e rt y an d t he l ife ,

,
,

o f c it ize n s t o assassin at io n it hath g iv e n j u rid ic al fo rms it

hat h d ig e st e d a c o de whic h mig ht hav e t he tau g ht Syl la an d

T riu mv irs t o hav e e x e rc ise d t he ir p ro sc ript io n s wit h mo re re

fi n e me n t , an d n o t l e ss c ru el t y ; t at mig ht hav e t aug ht Tibe
h '

riu s t he art o f en c o u rag in g d e l ato rs , an d mad e t he whole na

t io n at o n c e t he acc o mp l ic e o r v ictim o f t y ran n y The se pro .

v is io n al o r re v ol u t io n ary laws a t he C o n v e n t io n hat h st yl e d

,
s ,

t he m may af
, fo rd u s so me ide a o f t he ir d e st in e d c on s t it u t io n
b u t in a wo rd t his c o n st it u t ion is still p ro mise d ; an d what
, ,

hath b e e n hit he rt o c all e d the re p u bl ic is on ly a bl o o dy an ar ,

c hy in whic h d u rin g a fe w mo n t hs F ran c e b v t he s wo rd o f

, , , ,

t he law hat h l o st mo re in noc e n t pe rso n s t han it saw c rimin al s

, ,

e ish fro m t h e v e ry f o un datio n o f its mon arc hy

p r .

T he factio n which at p re se nt ig n s in t he C on v e n t io n ,
re

t hro ws all t he se ho rro rs on t he me mo ry o f Ro be spie rre It .

t hin it se l fj u st ifi e d by t he e xc isio n o f that ab omin able v ill a1 n

ks
it v au n t s itse l f o n hav in g d e s t ro y e d the re ig n O f te rro r, to e s .

t ablish t hat O f j u s t ic e an d mod e ration .

G re at G od what j u st ic e what mo d e rat ion Re l ig io n dis

, .
,

so l v e d in te ars impl o re s he r min ist e rs an d al tars in v ain ; t he

,

at rimo n y o f t he C hu rch an d its familie s t he p il lag e O f te m

p ,

l e s an d o f se ig n io rie s are st ill the p re y O f rav a e rs ; with o u r

p ,
g
p rin c e s w,it h t he n o bl e sse hon o u r is b an is he d f
, ro m F ran c e

a se c o n d g d
re ic i e h at h b e e n
p p
e r e rat e d
t — an d d are the y s eak
p
o f mo d e rat io n an d j u st ic e 3

If the thirst fo r bl o od be apparen tly assua e

g d , it is n ot to
 AN EXA M I NA T I O N O l’ T I‘IB P R IN C I P L E !
94

t he j ust ic e the human it y o f the C on v en tio n bu t t o its pol icy

, ,

an d i t s d an
g e r t hat it m u s t b e a sc ri b e d W hi l st t y ran n y b o re
.

hard o n o pu l e n c e an d v irt ue t he C o n v en tion strain e d e v e ry

,

n e rv e t o se con d its e f fo rts ; it p repare d t he c rime s o f Ro b e

sp ie rre by it s d ec ree s ; it p e rp e t rat e d t he m by it s c o mmis sio n e rs .

B ut whe n in its tu rn it saw itse l f me n ac e d whe n o f it s me m

, , ,

be rs n u mb e rs read t he ir n ame s in t he l ist o f prosc rip t io n t he ,

C on v en tion d iv id e d t he d ictat o r was assassinat e d an d t he p re

, ,

d o min an t faétion proc l aime d as an act o f j ust ic e the pu n ish

'

, ,

me n t o f a mon ste r it had sac rific e d o n ly to it s own sec u rit y .

Un de r Rob espie rre the C o n v e n tio n had made t e rro r the o rd e r

,

o f t he d ay ; t o j us t ify his death an d mak e po pu l ar t he n e w,

re v o l u t io n it was n ec e ssary t o sl ac k e n t he sp rin g o f ty ran n y

, ,

whic h v e ry so on O f it se l f wo uld hav e b rok en Lik e o n e ac .

c u se d le d b ac k fro m t he q u e s t io n t o beplu n e d a ain in to his

g ,
g
d u n g e o n Fran ce fe l t g rat e fu l t o he r e xec u t io n e rs for t he s us
,

e n sion O f he r t orme n t s : she fan c ie d he rse lf al mo st se t f re e

p
b e c au s e d es
p o t is m had p u t O n a m a sk le ss at ro c i o u s .

Some pe rson s hav e fe are d le st t he C onv e n t io n , by that sort

o fj u st ic e an d mo d e rat io n wit h whic h it f o ll o we d t he fe ro c iou s
'

ov e rn me n t o f Ro b e spie rre , sho u ld su cc ee d in g iv in g c o n sist

g
e n c y t o t he re p ubl ic T he se fe ars, howe v e r, are g ro un dl e ss
. .

A ft e r t h e d e at h o f C ha rl e s I E n
g l an d was
. so o n c l o y e d wit h
r p
e u bl i ca n is m : u n d e r t he m o d e st n ame o f Pro te c to r it g av e it
sel f a d e spo t , an d at l ast t ho u g ht it se l f happ y t o pl ac e o n t he

thro n e t he so n o f that k in g it had se e n p e rish o n fo

a sc af ld .

T he e xte n t o f France ,it s popu l atio n , it s c on t in e n tal positio n ,

it s rel atio n s with O the r state s, t he characte r an d real man
n e rs of the n at io n , fo rb id it , still l ess than E n l an d , t o se e k
g
an y whe re bu t in a mon archy for t ran q y
ui
l it at ho me , or con .

se q uence ab road .

B eside the se n atu ra l o b stac l e s , the re are O thers that sprin g

from t he rev ol u tion it sel f Lice nt iou sn ess u n d e r t he n ame o f

.

libe rty , in su b ord in ation u n d e r that o f e u al it y , re v ol t c all in g q

itsel f in surre ction , an d irrre ligio n an d immo ral it y , t ol e rat ion
an d phil o sophy ; the se are t he prin cip l e s whic h p ro d uc e d the
.

i
re v olut on . B ut I would ask an
y man Of reflection what con sti
9 6 an e x asu wa r ro n o r r u n r n rn c t r t r s

d itse l f by the me an s o n ly it has b o rrowe d from d e s

S up po rt e

O t ism by l aws mo re at ro c io u s t han those o f j apan by t e rro r

p , ,

an d t or me n t s .

who l e fo rc e o f the C on v en tion re side s in those inn u

T he
me rable armie s with whic h it has d iv ide d t he ric he s o f F ran c e ,

an d o f t ho se c o u n t rie s t hat had t he imp ru den c e to in v it e t he m .

T he F re n c h repu bl ic is no d e moc rac y : it is a military alig a r

by t hat is , a c o m o sit ion o f t wo men ts the mo st e s se n
r
p g o v e rn

t ially ic ious, a t y rann y a t ho u san d t ime s mo re o re ss iv e

v
pp
t han t hat o f a Su l tan su rro u n de d by his j an issarie s . T he wan t s
o fa d espo t an d his whims hav e t he ir b o un d s his in te re s t will
b rin g him o ft e n t i me s bac k to j u st ic e an d hu man it y ; a b ad

re ig n le av e s t he hope o f on e l e ss e rn ic io us . B u t in an asse m
'

p
bly o f se v e n hu n d re d y ran ts t he passio n s are in sat iabl e ; pit y
t ,

shame re mo rs e
,
are n o t fe l t ; in d iv id u al e n mit ie s t ak e in who l e
,

famil ie s ; t he sp irit o f ty ran n y n e v e r d ie s ; t he o pp osition s o f

in t e re st s b e g e t c iv il wars t he ir u n io n re in fo rc e s an d ag g ra
,

v at e s O p p re ssio n W he n C ro mwe ll b ro k e u p the Repu bl ic an

.

Parl iamen t E n g l an d ag ain b e g an t o b re athe b e c au se it passe d

, ,

fro m man y ty ran t s t o o n e l f F ran c e o n t he c o n t rary afte r

.
, ,

t he p u n ishmen t o f Rob e spierre saw t he fu rie s o f t y ran n y re

,

l e n t it was b e c ause t hat atroc io u s man b e in g d e stitu te o f g e

, ,
.

n iu s k n e w n o t ho w l ik e C ro mwe ll
, , to
p ro c u re the fre e d o m
,

o f his u su rp at io n by a c o n t rast o f c l e me n c y to t he c ru e l t ie s t hat

,

rec ed e d It was b ec au se t hat b e in t o o we ak o f himse lf he

p .
g , ,

c o u ld n o t aspire t o t he pe rpe tu al d ic t at orship witho u t d e c larin g

himsel f t he he ad o f t hat san g u in ary fact io n u n d e r whic h all
F ran ce had b ee n b e n t It in a wo rd was b ec au se his acc o m
.
, , ,

li b e c o min h is assassin s h a st e n e d t o t u rn asid e o n his

p ces , g ,

me mo ry all t he hat re d an d t he v e n g e an c e t hat so man y c rime s ,

had c all e d d o wn o n t he ir he ads

‘
.

B ut mod e rat ion whic h the y so p rou dly affe ct an d

the ,

t hat j u st ic e who se l an g u ag e t he y a s su me hav e n o pl ac e in t he ir ,

he art s .Po l ic y e v e r in te rd ict s all re t u rn to hu man ity ; the

re in s o f g o v e rn me n t will s o o n fal l fro m t he ir han d s if the y ,

d are to be mo d e rat e an d j us t Le t the m hate u s p rov ide d

.
,

t he y fear u s, oderirzt , dam mrt u an t , is t he d e v ic e of t y ran t s .