keeps liveried servants, who
gives himself a salary of 110,000 livres," who distributes captains'
commissions, who forces peddlers to wear metallic badges, and who
compels newspapers to have signatures to their articles is not only a
tyrant, but a crook, thief and "guilty of lese-nation."--Worse are the
abuses of the National Assembly. To swear fidelity to the constitution,
as this body has just done, to impose its work on us, forcing us to take
a similar oath, disregarding our superior rights to veto or ratify
their decisions,[1105] is to "slight and scorn our sovereignty". By
substituting the will of 1200 individuals for that of the people, "our
representatives have failed to treat us with respect." This is not the
first time, and it is not to be the last. Often do they exceed their
mandate, they disarm, mutilate, and gag their legitimate sovereign and
they pass decrees against the people in the people's name. Such is
their martial law, specially devised for "suppressing the uprising
of citizens", that is to say, the only means left to us against
conspirators, monopolists, and traitors. Such a decree against
publishing any kind of joint placard or petition, is a decree "null
and void," and "constitutes a most flagrant attack on the nation's
rights."[1106] Especially is the electoral law one of these, a law
which, requiring a small qualification tax for electors and a larger one
for those who are eligible, "consecrates the aristocracy of wealth."
The poor, who are excluded by the decree, must regard it as invalid;
register themselves as they please and vote without scruple, because
natural law has precedence over written law. It would simply be "fair
reprisal" if, at the end of the session, the millions of citizens lately
deprived of their vote unjustly, should seize the usurping majority by
the threat and tell them:

"You cut us off from society in your chamber, because you are the
strongest there; we, in our turn, cut you off from the living society,
because we are strongest in the street. You have killed us civilly--we
kill you physically."

Accordingly, from this point of view, all riots are legitimate.
Robespierre from the rostrum[1107] excuses jacqueries, refuses to call
castle-burners brigands, and justifies the insurgents of Soissons,
Nancy, Avignon, and the colonies. Desmoulins, alluding to two men hung
at Douai, states that it was done by the people and soldiers combined,
and declares that: "Henceforth,--I