ers are formed, it
is for the purpose of defending established institutions. This is the
object of the Federation, and, for six months, people embrace each other
and exchange oaths of fidelity.--After this, July 14, 1790, they
retire into private life, and I have no doubt that, from this date,
the political ambition of a large plurality of the French people is
satisfied, for, although Rousseau's denunciation of the social hierarchy
are still cited by them, they, at bottom, desire but little more than
the suppression of administrative brutality and state favoritism.[1207]
All this is obtained, and plenty of other things besides; the august
title of sovereign, the respect of the public authorities, honors to all
who wield a pen or make a speech, and, better still, actual sovereignty
in the appointment to office of all local land national administrators;
not only do the people elect their deputies, but every species of
functionary of every degree, those of commune, district, and department,
officers in the national guard, civil and criminal magistrates, bishops
and priests. Again, to ensure the responsibility of the elected to their
electors, the term of office fixed by law is a short one,[1208]
the electoral machine which summons the sovereign to exercise his
sovereignty being set agoing about every four months.--This was a good
deal, and too much, as the sovereign himself soon discovers. Voting so
frequently becomes unendurable; so many prerogatives end in getting to
be drudgery. Early in 1790, and after this date, the majority forego
the privilege of voting and the number of absentees becomes enormous.
At Chartres, in May, 1790,[1209] 1,447 out of 1,551 voters do not attend
preliminary meetings. At Besancon, in January, 1790, on the election of
mayor and municipal officers, 2,141 out of 3,200 registered electors are
recorded as absent from the polls, and 2,900 in the following month of
November.[1210] At Grenoble, in August and November of this year, out of
2,500 registered voters, more than 2,000 are noted as absent.[1211] At
Limoges, out of about the same number, there are only 150 voters. At
Paris, out of 81,400 electors, in August, 1790, 67,200 do not vote, and,
three months later, the number of absentees is 71,408.[1212]

Thus for every elector that votes, there are four, six, eight, ten, and
even sixteen that abstain from voting.--In the election of deputies,
the case is the same. At the primary meetings of 1791, i