months
of arguing; then seven of raging; then finally some fifteen months now
of fighting, and even of hanging. For already in February 1790, the
Papal Aristocrats had set up four gibbets, for a sign; but the People
rose in June, in retributive frenzy; and, forcing the public Hangman to
act, hanged four Aristocrats, on each Papal gibbet a Papal Haman. Then
were Avignon Emigrations, Papal Aristocrats emigrating over the Rhone
River; demission of Papal Consul, flight, victory: re-entrance of
Papal Legate, truce, and new onslaught; and the various turns of war.
Petitions there were to National Assembly; Congresses of Townships;
three-score and odd Townships voting for French Reunion, and the
blessings of Liberty; while some twelve of the smaller, manipulated by
Aristocrats, gave vote the other way: with shrieks and discord! Township
against Township, Town against Town: Carpentras, long jealous of
Avignon, is now turned out in open war with it;--and Jourdan Coupe-tete,
your first General being killed in mutiny, closes his dye-shop; and does
there visibly, with siege-artillery, above all with bluster and tumult,
with the 'brave Brigands of Avignon,' beleaguer the rival Town, for two
months, in the face of the world!

Feats were done, doubt it not, far-famed in Parish History; but to
Universal History unknown. Gibbets we see rise, on the one side and on
the other; and wretched carcasses swinging there, a dozen in the row;
wretched Mayor of Vaison buried before dead. (Barbaroux, Memoires, p.
26.) The fruitful seedfield, lie unreaped, the vineyards trampled down;
there is red cruelty, madness of universal choler and gall. Havoc and
anarchy everywhere; a combustion most fierce, but unlucent, not to be
noticed here!--Finally, as we saw, on the 14th of September last, the
National Constituent Assembly, having sent Commissioners and heard them;
(Lescene Desmaisons: Compte rendu a l'Assemblee Nationale, 10 Septembre
1791 (Choix des Rapports, vii. 273-93).) having heard Petitions, held
Debates, month after month ever since August 1789; and on the whole
'spent thirty sittings' on this matter, did solemnly decree that Avignon
and the Comtat were incorporated with France, and His Holiness the Pope
should have what indemnity was reasonable.

And so hereby all is amnestied and finished? Alas, when madness of
choler has gone through the blood of men, and gibbets have swung on this
side and on that, what will a parchment Decree and Lafayet