ld at one blow cause the instant disappearance of
every friend to kings and feudalism.--Beaulieu, "Essai," V. 200. M.
d'Antonelle thought, "like most of the revolutionary clubs, that, to
constitute a republic, an approximate equality of property should
be established; and to do this, a third of the population should be
suppressed."--"This was the general idea among the fanatics of the
Revolution. "--Larevelliere-Lepaux, "Memoires," I.150 "Jean Bon St.
Andre... suggested that for the solid foundation of the Republic in
France, the population should be reduced one-half." He is violently
interrupted by Larevelliere-Lepeaux, but continues and insists on
this.--Guffroy, deputy of the Pas-de-Calais, proposed in his journal a
still larger amputation; he wanted to reduce France to five millions of
inhabitants.]

BOOK SECOND. THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CONQUEST.

CHAPTER I. THE JACOBINS COME INTO IN POWER.

The Elections Of 1791.--Proportion Of Places Gained By Them.

In June, 1791, and during the five following months, the class of active
citizens[2101] are convoked to elect their representatives, which, as we
know, according to the law, are of every kind and degree. In the first
place, there are 40,000 members of electoral colleges of the second
degree and 745 deputies. Next, there are one-half of the administrators
of 83 departments, one-half of the administrators of 544 districts,
one-half of the administrators of 41,000 communes, and finally, in each
municipality, the mayor and syndic-attorney. Then in each department
they have to elect the president of the criminal court and the
prosecuting-attorney, and, throughout France, officers of the National
Guard; in short, almost the entire body of the agents and depositories
of legal authority. The garrison of the public citadel is to be renewed,
which is the second and even the third time since 1789.--At each time
the Jacobins have crept into the place, in small bands, but this time
they enter in large bodies. Petion becomes mayor of Paris, Manual,
syndic-attorney, and Danton the deputy of Manuel. Robespierre is elected
prosecuting-attorney in criminal cases. The very first week,[2102] 136
new deputies enter their names on the club's register. In the Assembly
the party numbers about 250 members. On passing all the posts of the
fortress in review, we may estimate the besiegers as occupying one-third
of them, and perhaps more. Their siege for two years has been c