e arm with a bayonet, put in prison, and
Brunache along with him. Eight days afterwards, at the second meeting
none are present but Jacobins; naturally, "they are all elected". They
form the new municipality, which, notwithstanding the orders of the
department, not only refuses to liberate the two prisoners, but throws
them into a dungeon.--At Montpellier, the delay in the operation is
greater, but it is only the more complete. The votes are deposited,
the ballot-boxes closed and sealed up and the conservatives obtain
a majority. Thereupon the Jacobin club, with the Society of the
"iron-clubs," calling itself the Executive power, betake themselves in
force to the sectional meetings, burn one of the ballots, use firearms
and kill two men. To restore order the municipality stations each
company of the National Guard at its captain's door, The moderates among
them naturally obey orders, but the violent party do not. They overrun
the town, numbering about 2,000 inhabitants, enter the houses,
kill three men in the street or in their domiciles, and force the
administrative body to suspend its electoral assemblies. In addition
to this they require the disarmament "of the aristocrats," and this
not being done soon enough, they kill an artisan who is walking in the
street with his mother, cut off his head, bear it aloft in triumph, and
suspend it in front of his dwelling. The authorities are now convinced
and accordingly decree a disarmament, and the victors parade the streets
in a body. In exuberance or as a precaution, they fire, as they
pass along, at the windows of suspected houses and happen to kill an
additional man and woman. During the three following days six hundred
families emigrate, while the authorities report that everything is going
on well, and that order is restored. "The elections," they say, "are now
proceeding in the quietest manner since the ill-intentioned voluntarily
keeping away from them, a large number having left the town. "[2134] A
void is created around the ballot-box and this is called the unanimity
of voters.--The effect of such assassinations is great and only a few
are required; especially when they go unpunished, which is always the
case. Henceforth all that the Jacobins have to do is to threaten; people
no longer resist them for they know that it costs too much to face them
down. They do not care to attend electoral meetings where they meet
insult and danger; they acknowledge defeat at the start.