[History of the Girondists, Volume I by Alphonse de Lamartine]@TWC D-Link book
History of the Girondists, Volume I

BOOK IV
4/60

Wandering orators, inspired or hired by the different parties, took their stand there and commented aloud on these impassioned productions:--Loustalot, in the _Revolutions de Paris_, founded by Prudhomme, and continued alternately by Chaumette and Fabre d'Eglantine; Marat, in the _Publiciste_ and the _Ami du Peuple_; Brissot, in the _Patriote Francaise_; Gorsas, in the _Courier de Versailles_; Condorcet, in the _Chronique de Paris_, Cerutti, in the _Feuille Villageoise_; Camille Desmoulins, in the _Discours de la Lanterne_, and the _Revolutions de Brabant_; Freron, in the _Orateur du Peuple_; Hebert and Manuel, in the _Pere Duchesne_; Carra, in the _Annales Patriotiques;_ Fleydel, in the _Observateur_; Laclos, in the _Journal des Jacobins_; Fauchet, in the _Bouche de Fer_; Royon, in the _Ami du Roi_; Champcenetz-Rivarol, in the _Actes des Apotres_; Suleau and Andre Chenier, in several _royaliste_ or _moderee_ papers,--excited and disputed dominion over the minds of the people.

It was the ancient tribune transported to the dwelling of each citizen, and adapting its language to the comprehension of all men, even the most illiterate.
Anger, suspicion, hatred, envy, fanaticism, credulity, invective, thirst of blood, sudden panics, madness and reflection, treason and fidelity, eloquence and folly, had each their organ in this concert of every passion and feeling in which the city revelled each night.

All toil was at an end; the only labour in their eyes was to watch the throne, to frustrate the real or fancied plots of the aristocracy, and to save their country.

The hoarse bawling of the vendors of the public journals, the patriotic chaunts of the Jacobins as they quitted their clubs, the tumultuous assemblies, the convocations to the patriotic ceremonies, fallacious fears as to the failure of provisions--kept the population of the city and faubourgs in a perpetual state of excitement, which suffered no one to remain inactive; indifference would have been considered treason; and it was necessary to feign enthusiasm in order to be in accordance with public opinion.

Each fresh event quickened this feverish excitement, which the press constantly instilled into the veins of the people.


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