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（Letter from Belves； in Perigord； December 7。） … Ibid。； January
22； 29； 1791。 （Letter from M。 de Clarac； January 18。）
＇72＇ December 17； 1790。
＇73＇ January 7； 1791。
＇74＇ Revolutionary archives of the department of Creuse； by Duval。
（Letter of the administrators of the department； March 31； 1791。） …
〃 Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 3209。 （Deliberation of the Directory of
the Department； May 12； 1791 … Minutes of the meeting of the
municipality of La Souterraine； August 23； 1791。）
＇75＇ 〃Archives Nationales〃； F7； 3269。 … Order of the directory of
the district of Ribérac； August 5； 1791； and requisitions of the
prosecuting attorney of the department； August 24； and September 11。
… Letter of the king's commissioner； August 22。
＇76＇ A sort of export duty。…＇TR。＇
＇77＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 P7； 3204。 … Letter； from the
Directory of the Department； June 2； 1791； September 8 and 22。 …
Letter from the Minister of Justice； May 15； 1791。 … Letter from
M。 de Lentilhac； September 2。 … Letter from M。 Melon…Padon； Royal
Commissioner； September。 … Mercure de France； May 14； 1791。
（Letter of an eye…witness； M。de Loyac； April 25； 1791。）
＇78＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 F7。 3204。 Letters from M。 de Saint…
Victour； September 25； October 2 and 10； 1791。 … Letter from the
steward of his estate； September 18。
CHAPTER III。 Development of the ruling Passion。
I。 Attitude of the nobles。 Their moderate resistance。
IF popular passion ended in murder it was not because resistance was
great or violent。 On the contrary； never did an aristocracy undergo
dispossession with so much patience； or employ less force in the
defense of its prerogatives； or even of its property。 To speak with
exactness； the class in question receives blows without returning
them； and when it does take up arms； it is always with the bourgeois
and the National Guard； at the request of the magistrates； in
conformity with the law； and for the protection of persons and
property。 The nobles try to avoid being either killed or robbed；
nothing more： for nearly three years they raise no political banner。
In the towns where they exert the most influence and which are
denounced as rebellious； for ex…ample in Mende and Arles； their
opposition is limited to the suppression of riots； the restraining
of the common people； and ensuring respect for the law； It is not
the new order of things against which they conspire； but against
brutal disorder。 … At Mende；〃 says the municipal body；＇1＇ 〃we had
the honor of being the first to furnish the contributions of 1790。
We supplied the place of our bishop and installed his successor
without disturbance； and without the assistance of any foreign force
。 。 。 。 We dispersed the members of a cathedral body to which we
were attached by the ties of blood and friendship； we dismissed all；
from the bishop down to the children of the choir。 We had but three
communities of mendicant monks； and all three have been suppressed。
We have sold all national possessions without exception。〃 … The
commander of their gendarmerie is； in fact； an old member of the
body…guard； while the superior officers of the National Guard are
gentlemen； or belong to the order of Saint…Louis。 It is very
evident that； if they defend themselves against Jacobins； they are
not insurgent against the National Assembly。 … In Arles；＇2＇ which
has put down its populace； which has armed itself； which has shut
its gates； and which passes for a focus of royalist conspiracy； the
commissioners sent by the King and by the National Assembly； men of
discretion and of consideration； find nothing； after a month's
investigation； but submission to the decrees and zeal for the public
welfare。
〃Such；〃 they say； 〃are the men who have been calumniated because；
cherishing the Constitution； they hold fanaticism； demagogues and
anarchy； in horror。 If the citizens had not roused themselves when
the moment of danger arrived； they would have been slaughtered like
their neighbors （of Avignon）。 It is this insurrection against crime
which the brigands have slandered。〃 If their gates were shut it was
because 〃the National Guard of Marseilles； the same which behaved so
badly in the Comtat； flocked there under the pretext of maintaining
liberty and of forestalling the counter…revolution； but； in reality；
to village the town。〃
Vive la Nation！ Vive la Loi！ Vive le Roi were the only cries heard
at the very quiet and orderly elections that had just taken place。
〃The attachment of the citizens to the Constitution has been spoken
of。 。 。 。 Obedience to the laws； the readiest disposition to
discharge public contributions； were remarked by us among these
pretended counter…revolutionaries。 Those who are subject to the
license…tax came in crowds to the H？tel…de…Ville。〃 Scarcely 〃was the
bureau of receipts opened when it was filled with respectable
people； those on the contrary who style themselves good patriots；
republicans or anarchists； were not conspicuous on this occasion；
but a very small number among them have made their submission。 The
rest are surprised at being called upon for money； they had been
given a quite different hope。〃
In short； during more than thirty months； and under a steady fire of
threats； outrages； and plunder； the nobles who remain in France
neither commit nor undertake any hostile act against the Government
that persecutes them。 None of them； not even M。 de Bouillé； attempts
to carry out any real plan of civil war； I find but one resolute man
in their ranks at this date； ready for action； and who labors to
form one militant party against another militant party： he is really
a politician and conspirator； he has an understanding with the Comte
d'Artois； he gets petitions signed for the freedom of the King and
of the Church； he organizes armed companies； he recruits the
peasants； he prepares a Vendée for Languedoc and Provence； and this
person is a bourgeois； Froment of N？mes。＇3＇ But； at the moment of
action； he finds only three out of eighteen companies； supposed by
him to be enlisted in his cause； that are willing to march with him。
Others remain in their quarters until； Froment being overcome； they
are found there and slaughtered； the survivors； who escape to Jalès；
find； not a stronghold； but a temporary asylum； where they never
succeed in transforming their inclinations into determinations。＇4＇
… The nobles too； like other Frenchmen； have been subject to the
lasting pressure of monarchical centralization。 They no longer form
one body。； they have lost the instinct of association。 They no
longer know how to act for themselves； they are the puppets of
administration awaiting an impulse from the center； while at the
center the King； their hereditary general； a captive in the hands of
the people； commands them to be resigned and to do nothing。＇5＇
Moreover； like other Frenchmen； they have been bro