own. At Rouen, July 14, 1790, two surgeons, a printer,
a chaplain at the prison, a widowed Jewess, and four women or children
living in the house,--eight persons in all, pure and not to be
confounded with the mass,[1216] bind themselves together, and form a
distinct association. Their patriotism is of superior quality, and they
take a special view of the social compact;[1217] in swearing fealty to
the constitution they reserve to themselves the Rights of Man, and they
mean to maintain not only the reforms already effected, but to complete
the Revolution just begun.--During the Federation they have welcomed
and indoctrinated their fellows who, on quitting the capital or large
cities, become bearers of instructions to the small towns and hamlets;
they are told what the object of a club is, and how to form one, and,
everywhere, popular associations arise on the same plan, for the same
purpose, and bearing the same name. A month later, sixty of these
associations are in operation; three months later, one hundred; in
March, 1791, two hundred and twenty-nine, and in August, 1791, nearly
four hundred.[1218] After this date a sudden increase takes place, owing
to two simultaneous impulses, which scatter their seeds over the entire
territory.--On the one hand, at then end of July, 1791, all moderate
men, the friends of law and order, who still hold the clubs in check,
all constitutionalists, or Feuillants, withdraw from them and leave them
to exaggeration or the triviality of proposing motions; the political
tone immediately falls to that of the tavern and guard-house, so that
wherever one or the other is found, there is a political club. On the
other hand, a convocation of the electoral body is held at the same
date for the election of a new National Assembly, and for the renewal
of local governments; the prey being in sight, hunting-parties are
everywhere formed to capture it. In two months,[1219] six hundred new
clubs spring up; by the end of September they amount to one thousand,
and in June, 1792, to twelve hundred--as many as there are towns and
walled boroughs. On the fall of the throne, and at the panic caused by
the Prussian invasion, during a period of anarchy which equaled that of
July, 1789, there were, according to Roederer, almost as many clubs as
there were communes, 26,000, one for every village containing five or
six hot-headed, boisterous fellows, or roughs, (tape-durs), with a clerk
able to pen a petition.

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