On the 29th of August the incarceration of wealthy prisoners began. At one o’clock in the night commissioners from the Commune were sent all over the city to carry out the inquisition known as “ domiciliary visits,” which consisted in arresting all citizens the Commune chose to regard as “ suspect.”
Peltier has vividly described the horror of this beautiful summer night, whilst the silence of death reigned over the once brilliant city. “ All the shops are shut ; every one withdraws into his home and trembles for his life and property… . Everywhere people and possessions are being hidden, everywhere is heard the intermittent sound of the http://yamaguchy.netfirms.com/webster/frenchrev/fr_rev_06.html (11 of 61)5.4.2006 10:40:30
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padded hammer striking slow muffled blows to complete a hiding-place. Roofs, attics, sewers, chimneys—all are the same to fear that takes no risks into calculation. This man withdrawn behind the panelling that has been nailed over him seems to be part of the wall, and is almost deprived of breath and life ; that one stretched along a strong wide beam in a closet covers himself with all the dust the place contains … another suffocates with fear and heat between two mattresses, another rolled up in a barrel loses all sensation of life by the tension of his nerves. Fear is greater than pain ; they tremble but they do not weep, their hearts are withered up, their eyes are dull, their breasts contracted. Women surpassed themselves on this occasion ; it was intrepid women who hid the greater number of the men.” [36]
During the three nights of August 29 to 31 that the domiciliary visits lasted an enormous number of people were arrested—according to some accounts 3000, according to others 8000. A certain proportion were released, the rest were collected at the Hôtel de Ville to await incarceration in the different prisons.
Pillage on a large scale took place during these visits, and, in order to make sure of sufficient booty, the priests—whose houses no doubt offered small opportunity for looting—were told that they would shortly he sent on a long journey, and must, therefore, provide themselves with money ; they were advised, in fact, to carry all their valuables on their persons.[37] By this means the victims of the massacres were found in
possession of all the gold watches, snuff-boxes, money and jewels that afterwards found their way into the hands of the Commune. [38]
The greater number of priests thus arrested were accused of no crime but that of refusing to violate their consciences by taking the oath of fidelity to the civil constitution of the clergy. Some, however, seem to have been the objects of private vengeance on the part of members of the Commune. Amongst these was a certain Abbé Sicard, who had devoted his life to the teaching of deaf-mutes.[39] On the 26th of August the Abbé was
accordingly arrested. A few days later a deputation of his pupils presented themselves at the Assembly with a touching petition for his release ; the Assembly harshly replied that no exception could be made in favour of the Abbé, and the deaf-mutes were sent away with the empty consolation that “ they had been accorded the honours of the sitting.” [40]
The members of the Commune, however, were well able to make exceptions in the case of people in whom they were interested ; thus Danton secured the release of a friend of his who was a thief, Camille Desmoulins that of a priest to whom he was attached, and Fabre d’Églantine that of his cook, whom he had had arrested for stealing from him. [41]
At the same time money played its part, and many aristocrats obtained their liberty by means of largesse judiciously distributed amongst the demagogues.
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