The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
FRANCE / REVOLUTION
I found Paris
in high fermentation. . . . Nor should we wonder
at this pressure, when we consider the monstrous abuses of power under
which this people were ground to powder; when we pass in review the
weight of their taxes, and the inequality of their distribution; the
oppressions of the tithes, the tailles, the corvees, the gabelles, the
farms and the barriers; the shackles on commerce by monopolies; on
industry by guilds and corporations; on the freedom of conscience, of
thought, and of speech; on the freedom of the press by the Censure;
and of the person by Lettres de Cachet; the cruelty of the Criminal
code generally; the atrocities. of the Rack; the venality of the
Judges, and their partialities to the rich; the monopoly of Military
honors by the Noblesse; the enormous expenses of the Queen, the
Princes and the Court; the prodigalities of pensions; and the riches,
luxury, indolence and immorality of the Clergy. Surely under such a
mass of misrule and oppression, a people might justly press for a
thorough reformation, and might even dismount their rough-shod riders,
and leave them to walk on their own legs.
For, while laboring under the want of money for even ordinary
purposes, in a government which required a million of livres a day,
and driven to the last ditch by the universal call for liberty, there
came on a winter of such severe cold, as was without example in the
memory of man, or in the written records of history. The Mercury was
at times 50 [degrees] below the freezing point of Fahrenheit, and 22
[degrees] below that of Reaumur. All outdoor labor was suspended, and
the poor, without the wages of labor, were, of course, without either
bread or fuel. The government found its necessities aggravated by that
of procuring immense quantities of fire-wood, and of keeping great
fires at all the cross streets, around which the people gathered in
crowds, to avoid perishing with cold. Bread, too, was to be bought,
and distributed daily, gratis, until a relaxation of the season should
enable the people to work; and the slender stock of bread stuff had
for some time threatened famine, and had raised that article to an
enormous price. So great, indeed, was the scarcity of bread, that,
from the highest to the lowest citizen, the bakers were permitted to
deal but a scanty allowance per head, even to those who paid for it;
and, in cards of invitation to dine in the richest houses, the guest
was notified to bring his own bread. To eke out the existence of the
people, every person who had the means, was called on for a weekly
subscription, which the Cure's collected, and employed in providing
messes for the nourishment of the poor, and vied with each other in
devising such economical compositions of food, as would subsist the
greatest number with the smallest means. This want of bread had been
foreseen for some time past, and M. de Montinorin had desired me to
notify it in America, and that, in addition to the market price, a
premium should be given on what should be brought from the United
States. Notice was accordingly given, and produced considerable
supplies.
Hitherto no acts of popular violence had been produced by the
struggle for political reformation. Little riots, on ordinary
incidents, had taken place as at other times, in different parts of
the kingdom, in which some lives, perhaps a dozen or twenty had been
lost; but in the month of April, a more serious one occurred in Paris,
unconnected, indeed, with the Revolutionary principle, but making part
of the history of the day. The Fauxbourg St. Antoine is a quarter of
the city inhabited entirely by the class of day laborers and
journeymen in every line. A rumor was spread among them, that a great
paper manufacturer, of the name of Reveillon, had proposed, on some
occasion, that their wages should be lowered to fifteen sous a day.
Inflamed at once into rage, and without inquiring into its truth, they
flew to his house in vast numbers, destroyed everything in it, and in
his magazines and work-shops, without secreting, however, a pin's
worth to themselves, and were continuing this work of devastation,
when the regular troops were called in. Admonitions being disregarded,
they were of necessity fired on, and a regular action ensued, in which
about one hundred of them were killed, before the rest would disperse.
There had rarely passed a year without such a riot, in some part or
other of the Kingdom; and this is distinguished only as cotemporary
with the Revolution, although not produced by it.
The States General were opened on the 5th of May, '89...
The objects for which this body was convened being of the first order
of importance, I felt it very interesting to understand the views of
the parties of which it was composed, and especially the ideas
prevalent as to the organization contemplated for their government. I
went, therefore, daily from Paris to Versailles, and attended their
debates, generally till the hour of adjournment. Those of the Noblesse
were impassioned and tempestuous. They had some able men on both
sides, actuated by equal zeal. The debates of the Commons were
temperate, rational, and inflexibly firm. As preliminary to all other
business, the awful questions came on, shall the State sit in one, or
in distinct apartments? And shall they vote by heads or houses? The
opposition was soon found to consist of the Episcopal order among the
clergy, and two-thirds of the Noblesse; while the Tiers Etat were, to
a man, united and determined. After various propositions of compromise
had failed, the Commons undertook to cut the Gordian knot...
Concluding that their dissolution was now to take place, they repaired
to a building called the "Jeu de paume" (or Tennis court)
and there bound themselves by oath to each other, never to separate,
of their own accord, till they had settled a constitution for the
nation, on a solid basis, arid, if separated by force, that they would
reassemble in some other place. The next day they met in the church of
St. Louis, and were joined by a majority of the clergy. The heads of
the Aristocracy saw that all was lost without some bold exertion. The
King was still at Marly. Nobody was permitted to approach him but
their friends. He was assailed by falsehoods in all shapes. He was
made to believe that the Commons were about to absolve the army from
their oath of fidelity to him, and to raise their pay. The court party
were now all rage and desperation.
The soldiery had not yet indicated which side they should take, and
that which they should support would be sure to prevail. I considered
a successful reformation of government in France, as insuring a
general reformation through Europe, and the resurrection, to a new
life, of their people, now ground to dust by the abuses of the
governing powers. I was much acquainted with the leading patriots of
the Assembly. Being from a country which had successfully passed
through a similar reformation, they were disposed to my acquaintance,
and had some confidence in me. I urged, most strenuously, an immediate
compromise; to secure what the government was now ready to yield, and
trust to future occasions for what might still be wanting.
Violent ferment . . . gained the soldiery, first of the French
guards, extended to those of every other denomination, except the
Swiss, and even to the body guards of the King. They began to quit
their barracks, to assemble in squads, to declare they would defend
the life of the King, but would not be the murderers of their
fellow-citizens. They called themselves the soldiers of
the nation, and left now no doubt on which side they would be,
in case of rupture. Similar accounts came in from the troops in other
parts of the kingdom, giving good reason to believe they would side
with their fathers and brothers, rather than with their officers.
The Assembly now entered on the business of their mission, and first
proceeded to arrange the order in which they would take up the heads
of their constitution, as follows:
First, and as Preliminary to the whole, a general Declaration of the
Rights of Man. Then, specifically, the Principles of the Monarchy;
Rights of the Nation; Rights of the King; Rights of the Citizens;
Organization and Rights of the National Assembly; Forms necessary for
the enactment of Laws; Organization and Functions of the Provincial
and Municipal Assemblies; Duties and Limits of the Judiciary power;
Functions and Duties of the Military power.
A Declaration of the Rights of Man, as the preliminary of their work,
was accordingly prepared and proposed by the Marquis de La Fayette.
But the quiet of their march was soon disturbed by information that
troops, and particularly the foreign troops, were advancing on Paris
from various quarters. The King had probably been advised to this, on
the pretext of preserving peace in Paris. But his advisers were
believed to have other things in contemplation. The Marshal de Broglio
was appointed to their command, a high-flying aristocrat, cool and
capable of everything. Some of the French guards were soon arrested,
under other pretexts, but really, on account of their dispositions in
favor of the National cause. The people of Paris forced their prison,
liberated them, and sent a deputation to the Assembly to solicit a
pardon. The Assembly recommended peace and order to the people of
Paris, the prisoners to the King, and asked from him the removal of
the troops. His answer was negative and dry, saying they might remove
themselves, if they pleased, to Noyons or Soissons. In the meantime,
these troops, to the number of twenty or thirty thousand, had arrived,
and were p6sted in, and between Paris and Versailles. The bridges and
passes were guarded.
The King was now completely in the hands of men, the principal among
whom had been noted, through their lives, for the Turkish despotism of
their characters, and who were associated around the King, as proper
instruments for what was to be executed. The news of this change began
to be known at Paris, about one or two o'clock. In the afternoon, a
body of about one hundred German cavalry were advanced, and drawn up
in the Place Louis XV., and about two hundred Swiss posted at a little
distance in their rear. This drew people to the spot, who thus
accidentally found themselves in front of the troops, merely at first
as spectators; but, as their numbers increased, their indignation
rose. They retired a few steps, and posted themselves on and behind
large piles of stones, large and small, collected in that place for a
bridge, which was to be built adjacent to it. In this position,
happening to be in my carriage on a visit, I passed through the lane
they had formed, without interruption. But the moment after I had
passed, the people attacked the cavalry with stones. They charged, but
the advantageous position of the people, and the showers of stones,
obliged the horse to retire, and quit the field altogether, leaving
one of their number on the ground, and the Swiss in the rear not
moving to their aid. This was the signal for universal insurrection,
and this body of cavalry, to avoid being massacred, retired towards
Versailles. The people now armed themselves with such weapons as they
could find in armorers' shops, and private houses, and with bludgeons;
and were roaming all night, through all parts of the city, without any
decided object. The next day (the 13th,) the Assembly pressed on the
King to send away the troops, to permit the Bourgeoisie of Paris to
arm for the preservation of order in the city, and offered to send a
deputation from their body to tranquillize them; but their
propositions were refused. A committee of magistrates and electors of
the city were appointed by those bodies, to take upon them its
government. The people, now openly joined by the French guards, forced
the prison of St. Lazare, released all the prisoners, and took a great
store of corn, which they carried to the cornmarket. Here they got
some arms, and the French guards began to form and train them. The
city-committee determined to raise forty-eight thousand Bourgeoise, or
rather to restrain their numbers to forty-eight thousand. On the 14th,
they sent one of their members (Monsieur de Corny) to the Hotel des
Invalides, to ask arms for their Garde Bourgeoise. He was followed by,
and he found there, a great collection of people. The Governor of the
Invalides came out, and represented the impossibility of his
delivering arms, without the orders of those from whom he received
them. De Corny advised the people then to retire, and retired himself;
but the people took possession of the arms. It was remarkable, that
not only the Invalides themselves made no opposition, but that a body
of five thousand foreign troops, within four hundred yards, never
stirred. M. de Corny, and five others, were then sent to ask arms of
M. de Launay, Governor of the Bastile. They found a great collection
of people already before the place, and they immediately planted a
flag of truce, which was answered by a like flag hoisted on the
parapet. The deputation prevailed on the people to fall back a little,
advanced themselves to make their demand of the Governor, and in that
instant, a discharge from the Bastile killed four persons of those
nearest to the deputies. The deputies retired. I happened to be at the
house of M. de Corny, when he returned to it, and received from him a
narrative of these transactions. On the retirement of the deputies,
the people rushed forward, and almost in an instant, were in
possession of a fortification of infinite strength, defended by one
hundred men, which in other times had stood several regular sieges,
and had never been taken. How they forced their entrance has never
been explained. They took all the arms, discharged the prisoners, and
such of the garrison as were not killed in the first moment of fury
carried the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, to the Place de Greve,
(the place of public execution,) cut off their heads, and sent them
through the city, in triumph, to the Palais royal.
The decapitation of de Launay worked powerfully through the night on
the whole Aristocratic party; insomuch, that in the morning, those of
the greatest influence on the Count d'Artois, represented to him the
absolute necessity that the King should give up everything to the
Assembly.
In the evening of August the 4th, and on the motion of the Viscount
de Noailles, brother in law of La Fayette, the Assembly abolished all
titles of rank, all the abusive privileges of feudalism, the tithes
and casuals of the Clergy, all Provincial privileges, and, in fine,
the Feudal regimen generally.
Many days were employed in putting
into the form of laws, the numerous demolitions of ancient abuses;
which done, they proceeded to the preliminary work of a Declaration of
Bights. There being much concord of sentiment on the elements of this
instrument, it was liberally framed, and passed with a very general
approbation. They then appointed a Committee for the "reduction
of a projet" of a constitution, at the head of which was the
Archbishop of Bordeaux. I received from him, as chairman of the
Committee, a letter of July 20th, requesting me to attend and assist
at their deliberations; but I excused myself, on the obvious
considerations, that my mission was to the King as Chief Magistrate of
the nation, that my duties were limited to the concerns of my own
country, and forbade me to intermeddle with the internal transactions
of that, in which I had been received under a specific character only.
Their plan of a constitution was discussed in sections, and so
reported from time to time, as agreed to by the Committee. The first
respected the general frame of the government; and that this should be
formed into three departments, Executive, Legislative and Judiciary,
was generally agreed. But when they proceeded to subordinate
developments, many and various shades of opinion came into conflict,
and schism, strongly marked, broke the Patriots into fragments of very
discordant principles.
The Aristocracy was cemented by a common principle, of preserving the
ancient regime, or whatever should be nearest to it. Making this their
polar star, they moved in phalanx, gave preponderance on every
question to the minorities of the Patriots, and always to those who
advocated the least change. The features of the new constitution were
thus assuming a fearful aspect, and great alarm was produced among the
honest Patriots by these dissensions in their ranks.
In this uneasy state of things, I received one day a note from the
Marquis de La Fayette, informing me that he should bring a party of
six or eight friends to ask a dinner of me the next day. I assured him
of their welcome. When they arrived, they were La Fayette himself,
Duport, Barnave, Alexander la Meth, Blacon, Mounier, Maubourg, and
Dagout. These were leading Patriots, of honest but differing opinions,
sensible of the necessity of effecting a coalition by mutual
sacrifices, knowing each other, and not afraid, therefore, to unbosom
themselves mutually. This last was a material principle in the
selection. With this view, the Marquis had invited the conference, and
had fixed the time and place inadvertently, as to the embarrassment
under which it might place me. The cloth being removed, and wine set
on the table, after the American manner, the Marquis introduced the
objects of the conference, by summarily reminding them of the state of
things in the Assembly, the course which the principles of the
Constitution were taking, and the inevitable result, unless checked by
more concord among the Patriots themselves. He observed, that although
he also had his opinion, he was ready to sacrifice it to that of his
brethren of the same cause; but that a common opinion must now be
formed, or the Aristocracy would carry everything, and that, whatever
they should now agree on, he, at the head of the National force, would
maintain. The discussions began at the hour of four, and were
continued till ten o'clock in the evening; during which time, I was a
silent witness to a coolness and candor of argument, unusual in the
conflicts of political opinion; to a logical reasoning, and chaste
eloquence, disfigured by no gaudy tinsel of rhetoric or declamation,
and truly worthy of being placed in parallel with the finest dialogues
of antiquity, as handed to us by Xenophon, by Plato and Cicero. The
result was, that the King should have a suspensive veto on the laws,
that the legislature should be composed of a single body only, and
that to be chosen by the people. This Concordat decided the fate of
the constitution. The Patriots all rallied to the principles thus
settled, carried every question agreeably to them, and reduced the
Aristocracy to insignificance and impotence. But duties of exculpation
were now incumbent on me. I waited on Count Montmorin the next
morning, and explained to him, with truth and candor, how it had
happened that my house had been trade the scene of conferences of such
a character. He told me, he already knew everything which had passed,
that so far from taking umbrage at the use made of my house on that
occasion, he earnestly wished I would habitually assist at such
conferences, being sure I should be useful in moderating the warmer
spirits, and promoting a wholesome and practicable reformation only. I
told him, I knew too well the duties I owed to the King, to the
nation, and to my own country, to take any part in councils concerning
their internal government, and that I should persevere, with care, in
the character of a neutral and passive spectator, with wishes only,
and very sincere ones, that those measures might prevail which would
be for the greatest good of the nation.
from Notes for an Autobiography, 6 January 1821
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