—Their adherence to their ancient inſtitutions, and attachment to their Gentry and Clergy, when the former were aboliſhed and the latter proſcribed, might warrant a preſumption that they were happy under the one, and kindly treated by the other: for though individuals may ſometimes perſevere in affections or habits from which they derive neither felicity nor advantage, whole bodies of men can ſcarcely be ſuppoſed eager to riſk their lives in defence of privileges that have oppreſſed them, or of a religion from which they draw no conſolation.
But whatever the cauſe, the new doctrines, both civil and religious, were received in La Vendee with a diſguſt, which was not only expreſſed by murmurs, but occaſionally by little revolts, by diſobedience to the conſtitutional authorities, and a rejection of the conſtitutional clergy.
Some time previous to the depoſition of the King, Commiſſioners were ſent to ſuppreſs theſe diſorders; and though I doubt not but all poſſible means were taken to conciliate, I can eaſily believe, that neither the King nor his Miniſters might be deſirous of ſubduing by force a people who erred only from piety or loyalty. What effect this ſyſtem of indulgence might have produced cannot now be decided; becauſe the ſubſequent overthrow of the monarchy, and the maſſacre or baniſhment of the prieſts, muſt have totally alienated their minds, and precluded all hope of reconcilement.—Diſaffection, therefore, continued to increaſe, and the Briſſotines are ſuſpected of having rather foſtered than repreſſed theſe inteſtine commotions,* for the ſame purpoſe which induced them to provoke the war with England, and to extend that of the Continent.
* Le Brun, one of the Briſſotin Miniſters, concealed the progreſs of this war for ſix months before he thought fit to report it to the Convention.
—It is impoſſible to aſſign a good motive to any act of this literary intriguer.
—Perhaps, while they determined to eſtabliſh their faction by "braving all Europe," they might think it equally politic to perplex and overawe Paris by a near and dangerous enemy, which would render their continuance in power neceſſary, or whom they might join, if expelled from it.*
* This laſt reaſon might afterwards have given way to their apprehenſions, and the Briſſotins have preferred the creation of new civil wars, to a confidence in the royaliſts. Theſe men, who condemned the King for a ſuppoſed intention of defending an authority tranſmitted to him through whole ages, and recently ſanctioned by the voice of the people, did not ſcruple to excite a civil war in defence of their ſix monthſ' ſovereignty over a republic, proclaimed by a ferocious comedian, and certainly without the aſſent of the nation. Had the ill-fated Monarch dared thus to trifle with the lives of his ſubjects, he might have ſaved France and himſelf from ruin.
When men gratify their ambition by means ſo ſanguinary and atrocious aſ thoſe reſorted to by the Briſſotines, we are authorized in concluding they will not be more ſcrupulous in the uſe or preſervation of power, than they were in attaining it; and we can have no doubt but that the fomenting or ſuppreſſing the progreſs of civil diſcord, was, with them, a mere queſtion of expediency.
The decree which took place in March, 1793, for raiſing three hundred thouſand men in the departments, changed the partial inſurrections of La Vendee to an open and connected rebellion; and every where the young people refuſed going, and joined in preference the ſtandard of revolt. In the beginning of the ſummer, the brigandſ* (as they were called) grew ſo numerous, that the government, now in the hands of Robeſpierre and hiſ party, began to take ſerious meaſures to combat them.
* Robberſ—banditti—The name was firſt given, probably, to the inſurgents of La Vendee, in order to inſinuate a belief that the diſorders were but of a ſlight and predatory nature.