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the origins of contemporary france-4-第193部分

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… 〃The Constitution of the year III。  will not work;〃 said Baudin; one

of the Five Hundred; to Cornet; one of the Ancients; 〃only I do not

see where to find the executive arm。〃 The Jacobin republic still

lives; and its servants; its doctors; already speak aloud of its

interment the same as strangers and heirs in the room of a dying man

who has become unconscious; like Tiberius when sinking in his palace

at Misene。'144' … If the expiring man does not go fast enough some one

will help him。  The old monster; borne down with crimes and rotten

with vices; rattles in his throat on his purple cushions; his eyes are

closed; his pulse is feeble; and he gasps for breath。  Here and there;

around is bed; stand groups of those who minister to his debauches at

Capri and his murders at Rome; his minions and executioners who

publicly take part in the new reign; the old one is finished; one need

no longer be circumspect and mute before corpse。  Suddenly the dying

man opens his eyes; speaks and asks for food。  The military tribune; 〃

the executive arm;〃 boldly clears the apartment; he throws a pile of

bedclothes over the old man's head and quickens the last sigh。  Such

is the final blow; an hour later and breathing stops。



X。    Contrast between Civil and Military France。



Anti…social character of the sect and the faction。  … Contrast between

civil and military France。  … Elements of reorganization in

institutions; habits; and in military sentiments。  … Character of the

régime instituted on the 18th of Brumaire; year VIII。



If the Jacobin Republic dies; it is not merely on account of decay;

nor because of its murders; but; and above all; because it is not born

viable: at the outset it harbored within itself a principle of

dissolution an innate mortal poison; not alone for others but for

itself。 … That which maintains a political society is the mutual

respect of its members; especially the respect of the governed for its

rulers and of the rulers for the governed; and; therefore; habits of

mutual trust and confidence。  On the part of the governed; a well…

grounded certainty that the rulers will not attack private rights;

and; on the part of the rulers; a well…founded certainty that the

governed will not attack public powers; both inwardly recognizing that

these rights; more or less broad or restricted; are inviolable; that

these powers; more or less ample or limited; are legitimate。  Finally;

each being convinced that; in case of conflict; the trial will be

conducted according to forms which law or custom provide; that pending

the discussion; the strongest will not abuse his strength; and that;

when the discussion is over; the successful party will not wholly

sacrifice the loser。  Only on this condition can there be harmony

between governors and the governed; participation of all in the common

work; internal tranquility; and; accordingly; stability; security;

well…being and force。  Without this deep and persistent disposition of

minds and hearts; the bond of union among men is absent。  It

constitutes the brightest of social sentiments; it may be said that

this is the soul of which the State is the body。  … Now; in the

Jacobin State; this soul has perished; it has not died out through

unforeseen accidents; but through a forced result of the system;

through a practical effect of the speculative theory; which;

converting each man into an absolute sovereign; sets every man warring

against other men; and which; under the pretence of regenerating the

human species; lets loose; authorizes and consecrates the worst

instincts of human nature; all the lusts of license; tyranny and

domination。  … In the name of a non…existent ideal people whom it

declares sovereign; the Jacobins have violently usurped all public

powers; brutally abolished all private rights; regarding the actual

living people as a beast of burden; and yet worse; as a robot;

subjecting their human machine to the cruelest restraints in order to

mechanically maintain it in the unnatural; rigid posture; which;

according to principles; they inflict upon it。  Thenceforth; all ties

are sundered between them and the nation; to prey upon; bleed and

starve this nation; to re…conquer it after it bad escaped them; to

repeatedly enchain and gag it … all this they could well do; but to

reconcile it to their government; never! … Between them; and for the

same reason; through another consequence of the same theory; and

another effect of the same lusts; no bond between them would hold。

Each faction inside of the party; having forged its ideal people

according to its own logical process and necessities; exercised the

orthodox privilege of claiming the monopoly of sovereignty。'145' To

secure the benefits of omnipotence; it has combated its rivals with

falsified; annulled or constrained elections; with plots and

mendacity; with ambushes and sudden assaults; with the pikes of the

rabble and with the bayonets of soldiers。  It has then massacred;

guillotined; shot; and deported the vanquished as tyrants; traitors or

rebels; and survivors do not forget this。  They have learnt what their

so called eternal constitutions amount to; they know how to estimate

their proclamations and oaths; their respect for law; justice; their

humanity; they understand them and know that they are all so many

fraternal Cains;'146' all more or less debased; dangerous; soiled and

depraved by their work; the distrust is irremediable。  They can still

turn out manifests; decrees and cabals; and get up revolutions; but

they can no longer agree amongst themselves and heartily defer to the

justified ascendancy and recognized authority of any one or among

their own body。  … After ten years of mutual assault there is not one

among the three thousand legislators who have sat in the sovereign

assemblies that can count on the deference and loyalty of a hundred

Frenchmen。  The social body is disintegrated; amongst the millions of

disconnected atoms not a nucleus of spontaneous cohesion and stable

co…ordination remains。  It is impossible for civil France to

reconstruct itself; as impossible as it would be to build a Notre Dame

of Paris; or a St。  Peter's of Rome out of the slime of the streets or

the dust of the highways。



With military France it is otherwise。  Here; men have made trial of

each other; and are devoted to each other; subordinates to their

leaders; and all to one great work。  The sentiments are strong and

healthy which bind human wills in a cluster of mutual sympathy; trust;

esteem and admiration; and all these super abound; while the free

companionship which still subsists between inferior and superior;'147'

that gay unrestrained familiarity so dear to the French; draws the

knot still closer。  In this world unsullied by political defilements

and ennobled by habits of abnegation;'148' there is all that

constitutes an organized and visible society; a hierarchy; not

external and veneered; but moral and deep…seated; with uncon
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