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[ "The Revolution," I. 161.—Archives nationales. (Reports of the Directory commissioners from the cantons and departments.—There are hundreds of these reports, of which the following are specimens.)—F7, 7108. (Canton of Passavent, Doubs, Ventôse 7, year IV.) "The sway of religious opinions is much more extensive here than before the revolution, because the mass of the people did not concern themselves about them, while nowadays they form among the generality the subject of conversation and complaint."—F7, 7127. (Canton of Goux, Doubs, Pluviôse 13, year IV.) "The hunting down of unsworn priests, coupled with the dilapidation and destruction of the temples, displeased the people, who want a religion and a cult; the government became hateful to them."—Ibid. (Dordogne, canton of Livrac, Ventôse 13, year IV.) "The demolition of altars, the closing of the churches, had rendered the people furious under the Tyranny."—F7, 7129. (Seine-Infèrieure, canton of Canteleu, Pluviôse 12, year IV.) "I knew enlightened men who, in the ancient regime, never went near a church, and yet who harbored refractory priests."—Archives nationales, cartons 3144-3145, No. 1004. (Missions of the councillors of state in the year IX.) At this date, worship was everywhere established and spontaneously. (Report by Lacuée.) In Eure-et-Loire, "nearly every village has its church and minister; the temples are open in the towns and are well attended."—In Seine-et-Oise, "the Roman Catholic cult prevails in all the communes of the department."—In Oise, "worship is carried on in all the communes of the department."-In Loiret, "the churches are attended by the multitude almost as regularly as before 1788. One-sixth of the communes (only) have neither worship nor minister and, in these communes, both are strongly desired.">[
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[ Archives nationales, F7, 7129. (Tarn, canton of Vielmur, Germinal 10, year IV.) "The ignorant now regard patriot and brigand as synonymous.">[
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[ Archives nationales, F7, 7108. (Doubs, canton of Vercel, Pluviôse 20, year IV.) "Under the law of Prairial II, the unsworn priests were all recalled by their former parishioners. Their hold on the people is so strong that there is no sacrifice that they will not make, no ruse nor measures that they will not employ to keep them and elude the rigor of the laws bearing on them"—(Ibid., canton of Pontarlier, Pluviôse 3, year IV.) "In the primary assemblies, the aristocracy, together with spite, have induced the ignorant people not to accept the constitution except on condition of the recall of their transported or emigrant priests for the exercise of their worship."—(Ibid., canton of Labergement, Pluviôse 14, year IV.) "The cultivators adore them.... I am the only citizen of my canton who, along with my family, offers up prayers to the Eternal without any intermediary."—F7, 7127. (Côte-d'Or, canton of Beaune, Ventôse 5, year IV.) "Fanaticism is a power of great influence."—(Ibid., canton of Frolois, Pluviôse 9, year IV.) "Two unsworn priests returned eighteen months ago; they are hidden away and hold nocturnal meetings. .. They have seduced and corrupted at least three-quarters of the people of both sexes."—(Ibid., canton of Ivry, Pluviôse 1, year IV.) "Fanaticism and popery have perverted the public mind."—F7, 7119. (Puy-de-Dôme, canton of Ambert, Ventôse 15, year IV.) "Five returned priests have celebrated the mass here, and each time were followed by 3000 or 4000 persons."—F7, 7127. (Dordogne, canton of Carlux, Pluviôse 18, year IV.) "The people are so attached to the Catholic faith, they walk fully two leagues to attend mass."—F7, 7119. (Ardèche, canton of Saint-Barthélemy, Pluviôse 15, year IV.) "The unsubmissive priests have become absolute masters of popular opinion."—(Orne, canton of Alençon, Ventôse 22, year IV.) "Presidents, members of the municipal councils, instead of arresting the refractory priests and bringing them into court, admit them to their table, lodge them and impart to them the secrets of the government."—F7, 7129. (Seine-et-Oise, canton of Jouy, Pluviôse 8, year IV.) "Forty-nine out of fifty citizens seem to have the greatest desire to profess the Catholic faith."—Ibid., canton of Dammartin, Pluviôse 7, year IV.) "The Catholic religion has full sway; those who do not accept it are frowned upon."—At the same date (Pluviôse 9, year IV), the commissioner at Chamarande writes: "I see persons giving what they call blessed bread and yet having nothing to eat.">[
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[ Ibid., cartons 3144 and 3145, No. 1004, missions of the councillors of state, year IX.—(Report of Barbé-Marbois on Brittany.) "At Vannes, I entered the cathedral on the jour des Rois, where the constitutional mass was being celebrated; there were only one priest and two or three poor people there. A little farther on I found a large crowd barring the way in the street; these people could not enter a chapel which was already full and where the mass called for by the Catholics was being celebrated.—Elsewhere, the churches in the town were likewise deserted, and the people went to hear mass by a priest just arrived from England."—(Report by Français de Nantes on Vaucluse and Provence.) One tenth of the population follows the constitutional priests; the rest follow the returned emigré priests; the latter have on their side the rich and influential portion of society."—(Report of Lacuée on Paris and the seven surrounding departments.) "The situation of the unsubmissive priests is more advantageous than that of the submissive priests.... The latter are neglected and abandoned; it is not fashionable to join them... (The former) are venerated by their adherents as martyrs; they excite tender interest, especially from the women.">[
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[ Archives nationales, cartons 3144 and 3145, No.1004, missions of the councillors of state, year IX.—(Report by Lacuée.) "The wants of the people in this way seem at this moment to be confined... to a vain spectacle, to ceremonies: going to mass, the sermon and vespers, which is all very well; but confession, the communion, fasting, doing without meat, is not common anywhere.... In the country, where there are no priests, the village schoolmaster officiates, and people are content; they would prefer bells without priests rather than priests without bells."—This regret for bells is very frequent and survives even in the cantons which are lukewarm.—(Creuse, Pluviôse 10, year IV.) "They persist in replanting the crosses which the priests have dug up; they put back the ropes to the bells which the magistrate has taken away.">[