[Footnote 32167: Register of the Revolutionary Tribunal of Nantes,
copied by M. Chevrier. (M. Chevrier has kindly sent me his manuscript
copy.)--Berryat Saint-Prix, 94.--Archives Nationales, F7. 4591. (Extract
from the acts of the Legislative Committee, session of Floréal 3, year
III. Restitution of the confiscated property of Alexander Long to his
son.) Dartigoyte, at Auch, did what Carrier did at Nantes. "It follows
from the above abstract duly signed that on the 27th Germinal, year II.,
between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, Alexandre Long, Sr.,
was put to death on the public square of the commune of Auch by the
executioner of criminal sentences, without any judgment having been
rendered against the said Long."--In many places an execution becomes
a spectacle for the Jacobins of the town and a party of pleasure. For
instance, at Arras, on the square devoted to executions, a gallery was
erected for spectators with a room for the sale of refreshments, and,
during the execution of M. de Montgon, the "Ça ira" is played on
the bass drum. (Paris, II., 158, and I., 159.) A certain facetious
representative has rehearsals of the performance in his own house.
"Lejeune, to feed his bloodthirsty imagination, had a small guillotine
put up, on which he cut off the heads of all the poultry consumed at his
table.... Often, in the middle of the repast, he had it brought in and
set to work for the amusement of his guests." (Moniteur, XXIV., 607,
session of June 1, 1795, letter from the district of Besançon, and
with the letter, the confirmatory document.) "This guillotine, says the
reporter, is deposited with the Committee of Legislation."]
CHAPTER III. THE RULERS. (continued).
I. The Central Government Administration.
The administrative body at Paris.--Composition of the group
out of which it was recruited.--Deterioration of this
group.--Weeding-out of the Section Assemblies.--Weeding out
of the popular clubs.--Pressure of the government.
To provide these local sovereigns with the subordinate lieutenants and
agents which they require, we have the local Jacobin population, and we
have seen the composition of the recruits,[3301]
* the distressed and the perverted of every class and degree, especially
the lowest,
* the castaways,
* envious and resentful subordinates,
* small shopkeepers in debt,
* the migrating, high-living workers,
* barflies,
* vagrants,
* men of the gutters,
* street-walkers,
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