the　municipal　officers　of　the　towns；　three…quarters　of　them；
  prosecutors　or　lawyers；　are　imbued　with　the　new　dogmas；　and　are
  persuaded　that　in　themselves　alone；　the　directly　elected　of　the
  people；　is　vested　all　legitimate　authority。　　Bewildered　by　their
  recent　elevation；　distrustful　as　upstarts；　in　revolt　against　all
  ancient　or　rival　powers；　they　are　additionally　alarmed　by　their
  imagination　and　ignorance；　their　minds　being　vaguely　disturbed　by
  the　contrast　between　their　role　in　the　past　and　their　present　role：
  anxious　on　their　own　account；　they　find　no　security　but　in　abuse　and
  use　of　power。　　The　municipalities；　on　the　strength　of　the　reports
  emanating　from　the　coffee…houses；　decide　that　the　ministry　are
  traitors。　　With　an　obstinacy　of　conviction　and　a　boldness　of
  presumption　alike　extraordinary；　they　believe　that　they　have　the
  right　to　act　without　and　against　their　orders；　and　against　the
  orders　of　the　National　Assembly　itself；　as　if；　in　the　now
  disintegrated　France；　each　municipality　constituted　the　nation。
  Thus；　if　the　armed　force　of　the　country　is　now　obedient　to　any　body；
  it　is　to　them　and　to　them　alone；　and　not　only　the　National　Guard；
  but　also　the　regular　troops　which；　placed　under　the　orders　of
  municipalities　by　a　decree　of　the　National　Assembly；＇17＇　will　comply
  with　no　other。　　Military　commanders　in　the　provinces；　after
  September；　1787；　declare　themselves　powerless；　when　they　and　the
  municipality　give　orders；　it　is　only　those　of　the　municipality　which
  the　troops　recognize。　　〃However　pressing　may　be　the　necessity　for
  moving　the　troops　where　their　presence　is　required；　they　are　stopped
  by　the　resistance　of　the　village　committee。〃＇18＇　〃Without　any
  reasonable　motive；〃　writes　the　commander　of　the　forces　in　Brittany；
  〃Vannes　and　Auray　made　opposition　to　the　detachment　which　I　thought
  it　prudent　to　send　to　Belle…Ile；　to　replace　another　one　。　　。　　。　　The
  Government　cannot　move　without　encountering　obstacles。　　。　　。　　。　　The
  Minister　of　War　no　longer　has　the　direction　of　the　army。　　。　　。　　。
  No　orders　are　executed。　　。　　。　　Every　one　wants　to　command；　and　no
  one　to　obey。　　。　　。　　How　could　the　King；　the　Government；　or　the
  Minister　of　War　send　troops　where　they　are　wanted　if　the　towns
  believe　that　they　have　the　right　to　countermand　the　orders　given　to
  the　regiments　and　change　their　destination？　〃…And　it　is　still　worse；
  for；　〃on　the　false　supposition　of　brigands　and　conspiracies　which　do
  not　exist；＇19＇　the　towns　and　villages　make　demands　on　me　for　arms
  and　even　cannon。　　。　　。　　The　whole　of　Brittany　will　soon　be　in　a
  frightful　　belligerent　state　on　this　account；　for；　having　no　real
  enemies；　they　will　turn　their　arms　against　each　other。〃　　…　This　is
  of　no　consequence。　　The　panic　is　an　〃epidemic。〃　People　are
  determined　to　believe　in　〃brigands　and　enemies。〃　At　Nantes；　the
  assertion　is　constantly　repeated　that　the　Spaniards　are　going　to
  land；　that　the　French　regiments　are　going　to　make　an　attack；　that　an
  army　of　brigands　is　approaching；　that　the　castle　is　threatened；　that
  it　is　threatening；　and　that　it　contains　too　many　engines　of　war。
  The　commandant　of　the　province　writes　in　vain　to　the　mayor　to
  reassure　him；　and　to　explain　to　him　that　〃the　municipality；　being
  master　of　the　chateau；　is　likewise　master　of　its　magazine。　　Why　then
  should　it　entertain　fear　about　that　which　is　in　its　own　possession？
  Why　should　any　surprise　be　manifested　at　an　arsenal　containing　arms
  and　gunpowder？　〃　…　Nothing　is　of　any　effect。　　The　chateau　is
  invaded；　two　hundred　workmen　set　to　work　to　demolish　the
  fortifications；　they　listen　only　to　their　fears；　and　cannot　exercise
  too　great　precaution。　　However　inoffensive　the　citadels　may　be；　they
  are　held　to　be　dangerous；　however　accommodating　the　commanders　may
  be；　they　are　regarded　with　suspicion。　　The　people　chafe　against　the
  bridle；　relaxed　and　slack　as　it　is。　　It　is　broken　and　cast　aside；
  that　it　may　not　be　used　again　when　occasion　requires。　　Each
  municipal　body；　each　company　of　the　National　Guard；　wants　to　reign
  on　its　own　plot　of　ground　out　of　the　way　of　any　foreign　control；　and
  this　is　what　is　called　liberty。　　Its　adversary；　therefore；　is　the
  central　power。　　This　must　be　disarmed　for　fear　that　it　may
  interpose。　　On　all　sides；　with　a　sure　and　persistent　instinct；
  through　the　capture　of　fortresses；　the　pillage　of　arsenals；　the
  seduction　of　the　soldiery；　and　the　expulsion　of　generals；　the
  municipality　ensures　its　omnipotence　by　guaranteeing　itself
  beforehand　against　all　repression。
  At　Brest　the　municipal　authorities　insist　that　a　naval　officer　shall
  be　surrendered　to　the　people；　and　on　the　refusal　of　the　King's
  lieutenant　to　give　him　up；　the　permanent　committee　orders　the
  National　Guard　to　load　its　guns。＇20＇　　At　Nantes　the　municipal　body
  refuses　to　recognize　M。　　d'Hervilly；　sent　to　take　command　of　a　camp；
  and　the　towns　of　the　province　write　to　declare　that　they　will　suffer
  no　other　than　the　federated　troops　on　their　territory。　　At　Lille　the
  permanent　committee　insists　that　the　military　authorities　shall
  place　the　keys　of　the　town　in　its　keeping　every　evening；　and；　a　few
  months　after　this；　the　National　Guard；　joined　by　mutinous　soldiers；
  seize　the　citadel　and　the　person　of　Livarot；　its　commander。　　At
  Toulon　the　commander　of　the　arsenal；　M。　　de　Rioms；　and　several　naval
  officers；　are　put　in　the　dungeon。　　At　Montpellier　the　citadel　is
  surprised；　and　the　club　writes　to　the　National　Assembly　to　demand
  its　demolition。　　At　Valence；　the　commandant；　M。　　de　Voisin；　on
  taking　measures　of　defense；　is　massacred；　and　henceforth　the
  municipality　issues　all　orders　to　the　garrison。　　At　Bastia；　Colonel
  de　Rully　falls　under　a　shower　of　bullets；　and　the　National　Guard
  takes　possession　of　the　citadel　and　the　powder　magazine。　　These　are
  not　passing　outbursts：　at　the　end　of　two　years　the　same
  insubordinate　spirit　is　apparent　everywhere。＇21＇　　In　vain　do　the
  commissioners　of　the　National　Assembly　seek　to　transfer　the　Nassau
  regiment　from　Metz。　　Sedan　refuses　to　receive　it；　while　Thionville
  declares　that；　if　it　comes；　she　will　blow　up　the　bridges；　and
  Sarrebuis　threatens；　if　it　approaches；　that　it　will　open　fire　on　it。
  At　Caen　neither　the　municipality　nor　the　directory　dares　enforce　the
  law　which　assigns　the　castle　to　the　troops　of　the　line；　the　National
  Guard　refuses　to　leave　it；　and　forbids　the　director　of　the　artillery
  to　inspect　the　munitions。　…　In　this　state　of　things　a　Government
  subsists　in　name　but　not　in　fact；　for　it　no　longer　possesses　the
  means　of　enforcing　obedience。　　Each　commune　arrogates　to　itself　the
  right　of　suspending　or　preventing　the　execution　of　the　simplest　and
  most　urgent　orders。　　Arnay…le…Duc；　in　spite　of　passports　and　legal
  injunctions；　persists　in　retaining　Mesdames；　Arcis…sur…Aube　retains
  Necker；　and　Montigny　is　about　to　retain　M。　　Caillard；　Ambassador　of
  France。＇22＇　　…　　In　the　month　of　June；　1791；　a　convoy　of　eighty
  thousand　crowns　of　six　livres　sets　out　from　Paris　for　Switzerland；
  this　is　a　repayment　by　the　French　Government　to　that　of　Soleure；　the
  date　of　payment　is　fixed；　the　itinerary　marked　out；　all　the
  necessary　documents　are　provided；　it　is　important　that　it　should
  arrive　on　the　day　when　the　bill　falls　due。　　But　they　have　counted
  without　the　municipalities　and　the　National　Guards。　　Arrested　at
  Bar…sur…Aube；　it　is　only　at　the　end　of　a　month；　and　on　a　decree　of
  the　National　Assembly；　that　the　convoy　can　resume。　　its　march。　　At
  Belfort　it　is　seized　again；　and　it　still　remains　there　in　the　month
  of　November。　　In　vain　has　the　directory　of　the　Bas…Rhin　ordered　its
  release；　the　Belfort　municipality　paid　no　attention　to　the　order。
  In　vain　the　same　directory　dispatches　a　commissioner；　who　is　near
  being　cut　to　pieces。　　The　personal　interference　of　General　Luckner；
  with　the　strong　arm；　is　necessary；　before　the　convoy　can　pass　the
  frontier；　after　five　months　of　delay。＇23＇　In　the　month　of　July　1791；
  a　French　vessel　on　the　way　from　Rouen　to　Caudebec；　said　to　be　loaded
  with　kegs　of　gold　and　silver；　is　stopped。　　On　the　examination　being
  made；　it　has　a　right　to　leave；　its　papers　are　all　correct；　and　the
  department　enjoins　the　district　to　respect　the　law。　　The　district；
  however；　replies　that　it　is　impossible；　since　〃all　the
  municipalities　on　the　banks　of　the　Seine　have　armed　and　are　awaiting
  the　passing　of　the　vessel；〃　and　the　National　Assembly　itself　is
  obliged　to　pass　a　decree　that　the　vessel　shall　be　discharged。
  If　the　rebellion　of　the　small　communes　is　of　this　stamp；　what　must
  be　that　of　the　larger　ones？＇24＇　The　departments　and　districts　summon
  the　municipality　in　vain；　it　disobeys　or　pays　no　attention　to　the
  summons。
  〃Since　the　session　began；〃　writes　the　directory　of　Sa？ne…et…Loire；
  〃the　municipality　of　Ma？on　has　taken　no　step　in　relation　to　us　which
  has　not　been　an　encroachment。　　It　has　not　uttered　a　word；　which　has
  not　been　an　insult。　　It　has　not　entered　upon　a　deliberation　which
  has　not　been　an　outrage。〃
  〃If