The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke Volume III Part 25

[119] See two books ent.i.tled, "Einige Originalschriften des Illuminatenordens,"--"System und Folgen des Illuminatenordens." Munchen, 1787.

[120] A leading member of the a.s.sembly, M. Rabaut de St. etienne, has expressed the principle of all their proceedings as clearly as possible; nothing can be more simple:--"_Tous les etabliss.e.m.e.ns en France couronnent le malheur du peuple: pour le rendre heureux, il faut le renouveler, changer ses idees, changer ses loix, changer ses murs, ...

changer les hommes, changer les choses, changer ses mots, ... tout detruire; oui, tout detruire; puisque tout est a recreer_."--This gentleman was chosen president in an a.s.sembly not sitting at _Quinze-Vingt_ or the _Pet.i.tes Maisons_, and composed of persons giving themselves out to be rational beings; but neither his ideas, language, or conduct differ in the smallest degree from the discourses, opinions, and actions of those, within and without the a.s.sembly, who direct the operations of the machine now at work in France.

[121] The a.s.sembly, in executing the plan of their committee, made some alterations. They have struck out one stage in these gradations; this removes a part of the objection; but the main objection, namely, that in their scheme the first const.i.tuent voter has no connection with the representative legislator, remains in all its force. There are other alterations, some possibly for the better, some certainly for the worse: but to the author the merit or demerit of these smaller alterations appears to be of no moment, where the scheme itself is fundamentally vicious and absurd.

[122] "Non, ut olim, universae legiones deducebantur, c.u.m tribunis, et centurionibus, et sui cujusque ordinis militibus, ut consensu et caritate rempublicam efficerent; sed ignoti inter se, diversis manipulis, sine rectore, sine affectibus mutuis, quasi ex alio genere mortalium repente in unum collecti, numerus magis quam colonia."--Tac.

Annal. lib. 14, sect. 27.--All this will be still more applicable to the unconnected, rotatory, biennial national a.s.semblies, in this absurd and senseless const.i.tution.

[123] Qualitas, Relatio, Actio, Pa.s.sio, Ubi, Quando, Situs, Habitus.

[124] See l'etat de la France, p. 363.

[125] In reality three, to reckon the provincial republican establishments.

[126] For further elucidations upon the subject of all these judicatures and of the Committee of Research, see M. de Calonne's work.

[127] "Comme sa Majeste a reconnu, non un systeme d'a.s.sociations particulieres, mais une reunion de volontes de tous les Francois pour la liberte et la prosperite communes, ainsi pour le maintien de l'ordre publique, il a pense qu'il convenoit que chaque regiment prit part a ces fetes civiques pour multiplier les rapports, et resserrer les liens d'union entre les citoyens et les troupes."--Lest I should not be credited, I insert the words authorizing the troops to feast with the popular confederacies.

[128] This war minister has since quitted the school and resigned his office.

[129] Courrier Francois, 30 July, 1790. a.s.semblee Nationale, Numero 210.

[130] I see by M. Necker's account, that the national guards of Paris have received, over and above the money levied within their own city, about 145,000_l._ sterling out of the public treasure. Whether this be an actual payment for the nine months of their existence, or an estimate of their yearly charge, I do not clearly perceive. It is of no great importance, as certainly they may take whatever they please.

[131] The reader will observe that I have but lightly touched (my plan demanded nothing more) on the condition of the French finances as connected with the demands upon them. If I had intended to do otherwise, the materials in my hands for such a task are not altogether perfect. On this subject I refer the reader to M. de Calonne's work, and the tremendous display that he has made of the havoc and devastation in the public estate, and in all the affairs of France, caused by the presumptuous good intentions of ignorance and incapacity. Such effects those causes will always produce. Looking over that account with a pretty strict eye, and, with perhaps too much rigor, deducting everything which may be placed to the account of a financier out of place, who might be supposed by his enemies desirous of making the most of his cause, I believe it will be found that a more salutary lesson of caution against the daring spirit of innovators than what has been supplied at the expense of France never was at any time furnished to mankind.

[132] La Bruyere of Bossuet.

[133] "Ce n'est point a l'a.s.semblee entiere que je m'adresse ici; je ne parle qu'a ceux qui l'egarent, en lui cachant sous des gazes seduisantes le but ou ils l'entrainent. C'est a eux que je dis: Votre objet, vous n'en disconviendrez pas, c'est d'oter tout espoir au clerge, et de consommer sa ruine; c'est-la, en ne vous soupconnant d'aucune combinaison de cupidite, d'aucun regard sur le jeu des effets publics, c'est-la ce qu'on doit croire que vous avez en vue dans la terrible operation que vous proposez; c'est ce qui doit en etre le fruit. Mais le peuple qui vous y interessez, quel avantage peut-il y trouver? En vous servant sans cesse de lui, que faites-vous pour lui? Rien, absolument rien; et, au contraire, vous faites ce qui ne conduit qu'a l'accabler de nouvelles charges. Vous avez rejete, a son prejudice, une offre de 400 millions, dont l'acceptation pouvoit devenir un moyen de soulagement en sa faveur; et a cette ressource, aussi profitable que legitime, vous avez subst.i.tue une injustice ruineuse, qui, de votre propre aveu, charge le tresor public, et par consequent le peuple, d'un surcroit de depense annuelle de 50 millions an moins, et d'un rembours.e.m.e.nt de 150 millions.

"Malheureux peuple! voila ce que vous vaut en dernier resultat l'expropriation de l'eglise, et la durete des decrets taxateurs du traitement des ministres d'une religion bienfaisante; et desormais ils scront a votre charge: leurs charites soulageoient les pauvres; et vous allez etre imposes pour subvenir a leur entretien!"--_De l'etat de la France,_ p. 81. See also p. 92, and the following pages.

END OF VOL. III.