[Footnote 53: For a summary of the report of the Committee, with list of articles embraced under it, and for various interesting details, see Villeneuve Bargemont, "Histoire de l'Economie Politique," vol. ii, pp. 213-239; also Levasseur, as above. For curious examples of severe penalties for very slight infringements on the law on the subject, see Louis Blanc, "Histoire de la Révolution française," tome x, p. 144. For Louis XIVth's claim see "Memoirs of Louis XIV for the Instruction of the Dauphin."] For a simple exposition of the way in which the exercise of this power became simply confiscation of all private property in France, see Mallet Du Pan's "Memoirs," London, 1852, vol. ii, p. 14.] [Footnote 54: See Du Pont's arguments, as given by Levasseur.] [Footnote 55: Louis Blanc calls attention to this very fact in showing the superiority of the French _assignats_ to the old American Continental currency, See his "Histoire de la Révolution française," tome xii, p. 98.] [Footnote 56: See Sumner, as above, p. 220.] [Footnote 57: See Levasseur, as above, vol. i, p. 178.] [Footnote 58: See Cambon's "Report," Aug. 15, 1793, pp. 49-60; also, "Decree of Aug. 24, 1793," sec. 31, chapters XCVI-CIII. Also, "Tableaux de la dépréciation de papier monnaie dans le department de la Seine."] [Footnote 59: For the example of Metz and other authorities, see Levasseur, as above, vol. i, p. 180.] [Footnote 60: See Von Sybel, vol. iii, p. 173.] [Footnote 61: See Thiers; also, for curious details of measures taken to compel farmers and merchants, see Senior, Lectures on "Results of Paper Money," pp. 86, 87.] [Footnote 62: See Von Sybel, vol. iv, p. 231.] [Footnote 63: See Von Sybel, vol. iv, p. 330; also tables of depreciation in "Moniteur"; also official reports in the White Collection; also Caron's "Tables," etc.] [Footnote 64: For a lifelike sketch of the way in which these exchanges of _assignats_ for valuable property went on at periods of the rapid depreciation of paper, see Challamel, "Les français sous la Révolution," p. 309; also Say, "Economic Politique."] [Footnote 65: For a very complete table of the depreciation from day to day, see "Supplement to the Moniteur" of October 2, 1797; also Caron, as above. For the market prices of the _louis d'or_ at the first of every month, as the collapse approached, see Montgaillard. See also "Official Lists" in the White Collection. For a table showing the steady rise of the franc in gold during a single week, from 251 to 280 _francs_, see Dewarmin, as above, vol. i, p. 136.] [Footnote 66: See "Mèmoires de Thibaudeau," vol. ii, p. 26, also Mercier, "Lo Nouveau Paris," vol. ii, p. 90; for curious example of the scales of depreciation see the White Collection. See also extended table of comparative values in 1790 and 1795. See Levasseur, as above, vol. i, pp. 223-4.] [Footnote 67: For a striking similar case in our own country, see Sumner, "History of American Currency," p. 47.]