it stands aloof and independent; it declines to admit into its code any
special articles of faith in a future beyond the bounds to which it
limits its design and its force. That design unites us; to go beyond
would divide. We all agree to destroy the Napoleonic dynasty; none of us
might agree as to what we should place in its stead. All of us here
present might say, 'A republic.' Ay, but of what kind? Vanderstegen
would have it socialistic; Monnier goes further, and would have it
communistic, on the principles of Fourier; Le Noy adheres to the policy
of Danton, and would commence the republic by a reign of terror; our
Italian ally abhors the notion of general massacre, and advocates
individual assassination. Ruvigny would annihilate the worship of a
Deity; Monnier holds with Voltaire and Robespierre, that, 'if there were
no Deity, it would be necessary to man to create one.' Bref, we could
not agree upon any plan for the new edifice, and therefore we refuse to
discuss one till the ploughshare has gone over the ruins of the old. But
I have another and more practical reason for keeping our council distinct
from all societies with professed objects beyond that of demolition. We
need a certain command of money. It is I who bring to you that, and--
how? Not from my own resources,--they but suffice to support myself; not
by contributions from _ouvriers_ who, as you well know, will subscribe
only for their own ends in the victory of workmen over masters. I bring
money to you from the coffers of the rich malcontents. Their politics
are not those of most present; their politics are what they term
moderate. Some are indeed for a republic, but for a republic strong in
defence of order, in support of property; others--and they are more
numerous and the more rich--for a constitutional monarchy, and, if
possible, for the abridgment of universal suffrage, which in their eyes
tends only to anarchy in the towns and arbitrary rule under priestly
influence in the rural districts. They would not subscribe a sou if they
thought it went to further the designs whether of Ruvigny the atheist, or