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The Feulliant Club Issue Two ------Since 1792

One Will, One People, One France

France is in a state of internal conflict. (Rousseau 65). This social contract that we all

Our great country is being torn apart by violence, abide by in a civil society eliminates our right to oppression and philosophical differences. The take anything we crave. It makes the wants of the sovereign will of the people, the general and ultimate will, is being lost in a tangled web of Table of Contents: private interests. All the factions of France - the -One Will, One People, One France ………… 1 clergy men, radicals and crowd members alike – -This is Madness, Retain the Monarchy! ...... 4 are guilty of this. It is imperative that we all recall -It’s Not Personal, It’s Business ……………... 7 what the general will means, and how it is was originally intended by Rousseau. It is crucial that -Without Compromise France Will Burn….. 10 we all take a step back and remember the social contract itself. “What man loses by the social contract -Letter to the Editor ……………………...... 14 is his natural liberty and the absolute right to anything that temps him and that he can take; what he gains by the social contract is civil liberty and the legal right of property in what he possesses.”

1 people more important than our own. This Now as our National Assembly meets I would most benefit. Within a government there means that in society and government, the see vast improvement from the Estates will always be a majority and minority opinion. sovereign will should always be invested in General, but I still see many imperfections However it is very pivotal that we remember and act as a representation of the general will. within our governing body. Each faction of our the majority opinion of the people in our

assembly claims to represent the general will, legislative body might not be the majority Our government as it existed before the but what we forget is that the this will does not opinion of the citizens of France. revolution had a misrepresentation. The will of consist of the people at our table but the the people of France was being denied by As a legislative body our biggest hurdle majority of the state of France. No one person, secular groups. Their personal interests began is to understand what the general will is. This is or faction, could ever represent the entirety of govern France, as opposed to the general the only way staying true to the sovereign will our people “Thus if the general will is to be will.“There is a great difference between the is possible. If we can follow this path correctly clearly expressed, it is imperative that there will of all and the general will; the general will our government will represent the citizens of should be no sectional associations in the state, studies only the common interest while the will this great country better than any other. The and that every citizen should make up his own of all studies private interest, and is indeed no people of France will be ignited and rise mind for himself” (Rousseau 73). We must more than the sum of individual desires” quickly from the ashes. In order to do this we learn to put our differences aside and (Rousseau 72). And since the general will was must stay focused and selfless. We must not remember that when given the sovereign power being overrun by the will of all, the sovereign conspire with fear or with violence. “We it is your duty to delegate it as the majority of was not invested in the right place. always want what is advantageous to us but we France sees fit - Not how your specific faction do not always discern it. The people is never

2 corrupted, but it is often misled; and only then being, cannot be represented by anyone but They conceive, very does it seem to will what is bad.” (Rousseau itself – power maybe delegated, but the will systematically that all things which give

72). The minute people in our assembly are cannot.” (Rousseau 69). The power of the perpetuity are mischievous and threatened or fed any type of propaganda, the French Government would therefore be therefore they are at inexpiable war general will becomes impossible to find. contingent on how well the sovereign will is with all establishments. They think that

dealt out. government may vary like modes of This legislative body has the ability to dress, and with as little ill effort; that maintain the general will of the people – and I The induction of a constitution would there needs no principle of attachment, believe that all of us can create laws that best completely eradicate the ancient regime. The except a sense of present convenience, represent the majority of France. The King would retain some power as an executive to any constitution of the state. (Burke smoothest way we will transition this branch – but the government of France would 92) government is by the ratification of a be completely revamped. This new system constitution. This constitution will in no way would not only completely rejuvenate the The other European nations doubt our transfer the sovereign will from the people, but people but it would be work better than the intelligence and preparations in regards to our it will serve to protect the power it has preceded form in regards to protecting their new form of government. The revolution is entrusted to the legislative body. “Sovereignty, general will. Speculations from other countries being looked at as a joke, a brash attempt to being nothing other than the exercise of the disagree. take down rule and establishment. We have to general will, can never be alienated; and that come together as a nation to prove them wrong. the sovereign, which is simply a collective

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The creation of a government for the on will vest in the people of our nation. The that will. As long as we do not deviate from people is what France needed to prosper. Now general will, the majority opinion, is what shall this plan, France will rise to be stronger than that we have the tools to create this, we must rule over France and as a legislative body it is any nation. follow through. Ultimate sovereignty from now our duty to distribute our power in regards to -Citizen Lindsey Diffley

This is Madness, Retain the Monarchy!

During this most revolutionary period, the people of France have (Burke 81). What better body for the spirit of France to reside in than that decided they must have a voice in the government that decides all of their of your anointed king? When his majesty Louis XVI was crowned at the futures. Of course the people have a right to decide what happens to them, Cathedral of Reims not twenty years ago, he took something intangible but recent talk of all this occurring without the consent or need for a king is into himself as the new ruler of the French people. The body politic of all preposterous, as well as dangerous to the future of France. As our English the past kings of France came to reside in our king, blessing him and neighbor Edmund Burke has so rightly said, “I do most heartily wish that forwarding the wish that the Bourbon line should be the one to rule over all

France may be animated by a spirit of rational liberty…I think you of France. bound…to provide a permanent body in which that spirit may reside”

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We have all been allowed a chance to stand side by side with our since birth, along with a myriad of his most trusted and able ministers are king and forge a new way towards an even more glorious monarchy, but quite capable of making laws without the help of common men, or (God instead we have ignored this opportunity for change and allowed it to slip forbid!) women. Having King Louis on the throne doing what he was bred by. When a king comes to fear his own people that is when the world has to do allows the people of France to go about living their daily lives with truly turned on its head. King Louis has sat through these most heinous and routine and repetition, which is what they need in this most precarious of libelous proceedings of the National Assembly virtually silent, unable to times. There is no reason for the masses to delve into the inner workings of defend himself for fear of attacks from voting members of his Assembly or a government which their uneducated, amateur minds cannot understand. worse, the mobs. Can it be any wonder to When there are children is the streets crying out us why our king chose to seek help from for bread and shelter, where should their others outside of the nation? He does not protectors be found? Hard at work for the money mean to destroy us, but to find some peace to feed them, or standing about in some meeting of mind for himself and his family, house for hours simply for the opportunity of especially his son, our beloved Dauphin signing their name to a sheet of paper?! It is an who will ensure the future happiness and idea not to be endured. If King Louis is forced prosperity of France. out of the picture, who will we look to for

guidance? Maximilien Robespierre? He and his radical Jacobins will Why the common people of France would want to waste their time crowd the streets crying for blood, and there will be no one to restrain them working on legislations and bills in government is beyond my from taking the lives of whomever they see fit. Men like Robespierre and comprehension. Having a king who has been prepared for his position

5 that despicable invalid Jean-Paul Marat has “taught kings to tremble at the government. Why is it that England has never experienced such a total delusive plausibilities of moral politicians” (Burke 83). These “politicians” upheaval as we French must now deal with? I believe it is because when are nothing more than bastardized lovers of Rousseau who seek to use that the English nobles faced the resurgence of a Catholic monarchy with the man’s guidelines of a perfect world for their own violent means in this birth of a son to the newly Catholic James II, they acted quickly and imperfect state. Burke understands the mindset of these usurpers, and decisively. They worked with William of Orange to invade, dethrone

“whenever the supreme authority is…placed in the hands of men not James II, and established a Bill of Rights and a constitutional monarchy. taught habitually to respect themselves…who could not be expected to The National Assembly has created its own declaration for the rights of all bear with moderation, or to conduct with discretion, a power which they men, and as we work to complete a constitution, I must wonder why if themselves…must be surprised to find in their hands” (Burke 86). These King William is given the chance to accept the limits placed on his rule, men of “litigious dispositions” are sure to revert back to the forwarding of why not King Louis? If France cannot retain our glorious tradition of a their own private interests, caring nothing for the people who placed them monarchy, how long before other peoples follow the example of the rebels at the top and setting themselves up for a long and painful journey back and take to the streets? As Burke points out, “France has always more or down. less influenced manners in England; and when your fountain is choked up

and polluted, the stream will not run long, or not run clear, with us or I believe that we are drowning in our own righteousness and must perhaps with any nation” (Burke 96). We have an obligation to the rest of revert back to the groundwork of our government if we are to make the world to be the model on which a new government is built that respects progress. We must look to our neighbor England for inspiration as they and honors the past while still looking towards the future. The spirit of have looked to us for example in all things cultural. There can be no doubt rationality and brotherhood could eventually be found to rest inside the that we are superior in language, dress, manner, customs, everything but

6 heart of the king, giving the monarchy purpose and spurring the king, as well as France, on to greatness.

-Bishop Mara Berkoff

It’s Not Personal, It’s Business

At the last meeting of the National protection and the prosperity of its members” For example, the women of France hosted

Assembly, the Feulliants stirred controversy (Rousseau 130). Therefore, double standards salon gatherings, which entail helped the due to their radical decisions to endorse female are acceptable if they are rationally constructed suffrage and, yet, to denounce freedom rights and intended to better one’s nation. for slaves. To understand the reasoning behind The Feulliants decision to endorse these choices, it is important to remember that female suffrage was an acceptable and rational the Feulliant Club is fundamentally political stance for three undeniable reasons. First, and is not swayed by moral dilemmas. The women have played an active role in nurturing chief concern of a political association is, “the the philosophical thoughts of the revolution.

7 literary underground to impact the minds of that they will represent the general will of our by philosophical purity. Morals do not have revolutionists with great intensity and rapidity. nation in a rational manner. fixed measurable values; hence, the Feulliants

Second, women are the dominant caregiver of rely on rational thought. the private sphere. Therefore, there is no one The sole interest the Feulliants have in Due to the fact that the Feulliants more qualified to inform the National maintaining slavery in the Caribbean colonies endorsed female suffrage, the members of the Assembly about the grievances facing family is to preserve the economic welfare of National Assembly were quite surprised when life and child rearing. Third, women have France. Antoine Barnave, one of the founders they did not advocate freedom for the slaves in shown immense courage, as well as of the Feulliant Club, rationally stated this Saint-Dominigue. As noted at the latest unwavering dedication to fulfill their duty as when he warned that, “The interest of the Assembly meeting, there is much controversy nurturer. These traits were exhibited when they French nation [lies] in supporting its over the Feulliants’ traditional view point. marched to the Palace of Versailles on October commerce, preserving its colonies, and References to Rousseau were used to expresses 5, 1789 and fearlessly demanded bread from favoring their prosperity by every means the moral wrongness of slavery to the the King. The pieces of evidence stated [possible].” Feulliants. One such example stated, “Force is previously, have successfully persuaded the a physical power; I do not see how its effects The Feulliants decision to support Feulliants to support women’s suffrage.The could produce morality” (Rousseau 52). slavery was a wise business choice. In our Feulliants have full confidence in the women Although Rousseau argues a just point, I must economy, sugar is King. The sugar trade has from France and can tell from their past history reiterate that the Feulliant Club is not steered become essential to the lives of two to four

8 million Frenchmen and the French island France’s economy from plummeting. The colony of Saint-Domingue yields its highest Feulliants take great comfort in knowing that The double standard held by the production. Maintaining control over Saint- Rousseau, too, teaches that, in dire situations, Feulliants is not fair; but then again, life is not Dominigue is critical. The sale of sugar slavery is an acceptable means if it will ensure fair. In times of a revolution, actions cannot be produced by the colony has been highly your nation’s survival. Rousseau explains this expected to be morally just. By succumbing to beneficial to France’s recovering economy and when he states, “There are some situations so the temptations of ethical purity, we are putting has been a vital source from keeping France unfortunate that one can preserve one’s the survival of our nation is at risk. It is time from declaring bankruptcy. If the abolition of freedom only at the expense of the freedom of for us to act in a rational manner. We must slavery stays intact, France will plunge into someone else; and the citizen can be perfectly release all preconceived notions of right and economic turmoil and the future of the free only if the slave is absolutely a slave” wrong, and instead act with our minds. The revolution will be endangered (Rousseau 143). members of the Feulliant Club will not let their

From a rational viewpoint, France’s emotions master their reason. The abolition of economic dependency on slavery outweighs slavery has caused France’s economy to the importance of Saint-Dominigue’s slave drastically diminish. How much more must population’s desire for freedom. The Feulliants France suffer before the National Assembly agree that it is regrettable that numerous blacks learns to act with reason? are enslaved on the island; however, we know -Editor in Chief Bethany Salzano that slavery is a necessary method to keep

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Without Compromise France will Burn

The Assembly floors are stained with blood. It is guaranteed that when this Assembly gathers violence will erupt, shouts will bombard the podium, and heated arguments between citizens will end in hostility. There is not a single club who, when setting their political agenda, removes themselves from selfish antics and leaves room for compromise. Is this really the revolution we wanted? More importantly, is this the Revolution that France needed? The

crowds still cry out for food in the streets, the National Assembly is divided, and

now Austria has declared war on France. Yet, we still do not have a constitution to

show for all of our pain and misfortune. It is clear to me that we have accomplished

little over these past few weeks. Citizens remember what we are here for. We must

adhere to voice of the general will and fulfill our duty in glorifying France. It is my

intent to point out the many flaws that have plagued this revolution and address the

key issues presented in the National Assembly. More specifically, when addressing

the role of the monarch in France, I stress the importance of unifying our factions

and implore the clubs to compromise on the issue.

When you sit in the National Assembly I ask you to look around. There is

such a diverse group of people who sit and debate. The poor, rich, men, women,

10 soldiers, artisans, clergy members, and even the King himself sit at the same table. We are here to enact sovereignty. Sovereignty that Social Contract defines as:

Sovereignty, being nothing other than the exercise of the general will, can never be alienated; and that the sovereign, which is simply a

collective being, cannot be represented by anyone but itself- power may be delegated, but the will cannot be (Rousseau 69).

All of us here have been delegated the power to enact the general will, but we can never control it. We have fought for the goals and objectives of our own clubs without remorse for those we are suppressing. Remember that our clubs are just a part of the general will but together all of our factions create sovereignty. This sovereignty must represent the general will of the people and thus compromise is crucial between our alliances.

To this date, compromise has seldom presented itself, but now, the time to unite could not be more opportune. A common enemy has presented itself… Austria has declared war on France. We may finally divert our passion, anger, and frustration onto these foreigners. If we do not unite it will be impossible to defeat such a massive threat. As Rousseau explains:

Since men cannot create new forces, but merely combine and control those which already exist, the only way in which they can

preserve themselves is by uniting their separate powers in a combination strong enough to overcome any resistance, uniting

them so that their powers are directed by a singled motive and act in concert (Rousseau 60).

I ask each member of the Assembly to move forward as a single body with glorious France being our single motive. There are some key issues that must be addressed in order to do so. What is to become of the King and what roll will he play in the formation of a constitution that would best fit France?

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The foreigners who declare war on this revolution would reinstate the government as it were established prior to the Revolution. Undeniably, Austria has been corrupted by the teachings of outsiders. Publications like Reflections on the Revolution in France, by Edmund Burke, have taught foreign countries to oppose all forms of revolution. How could a British man know what is best for France? These anti revolutionaries believe that reforming our government is wrong. Burke described the relationship between society and government as an indestructible contract when he stated:

It is to be looked on with other reverence, because it is not a partnership in things subservient only to the gross animal existence

of a temporary and perishable nature. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue and

in all perfection (Burke 101).

Burke would be correct if our government had rightfully represented the

general will. However, before the revolution, the needs of the people were not

heard. Where was the government when famine swept our fields, when the

French Reserve went dry, and when the people demanded their rights? Greed

and the selfish pursuit of private interests had superseded the general will. At

this point, reform was impossible. It was the right of every Frenchman to rise

up, abolish this flawed system and reestablish the general will of France.

Today, the general will of the people is split. Many would like to see

the monarch abolished while numerous Frenchmen would keep our King.

Such polarization could only be corrected without compromise. Indeed our

monarch, as it stood, was not fit for France. But let us not forget that the

12 monarch has been a staple of our French culture for nearly a millennium. The King may still be of use. In fact, Rousseau explains that a monarch would be best suited to rule a massive state, like our own, in Social Contract. He states:

If in each particular state the number of supreme magistrates should be in inverse ratio to the number of citizens, it follows that,

in general, democratic government suits small states, aristocratic governments suits states of intermediate size and monarchy

suits large states (Rousseau 111).

I do not suggest that we bring back the monarchs as it were before. Rather I think it would be wise to establish some form of a constitutional monarch. This certainly would be a compromise between factions. Clearly the Jacobins would like to see the monarch abolished and have already formed a unicameral system of government within the Assembly. On the other hand the friends of the King and the Feuillants would like to see the King remain present as a way to check the power of the Assembly. Let the right meet the left and compromise. There is certainly room in France for both of these governing bodies. Even

Social Contract would support such modifications to be made to our government. “For often the government which is in itself the best becomes the most evil unless its relations with the state are modified to meet the defects of the body politic to which it belongs” (Rousseau 107). There are Frenchman who support the unicameral government and Frenchmen who support the monarch. The Feuillants have purposed that our unicameral system of government function alongside the King whose power would be severely limited. They believe in the constitutional monarch because it represents compromise. With this proposal, the Feuillants have made an attempt to support the general will of France.

If the monarch is abolished and the King’s head rolls then Austria will certainly invade. They do not understand the Revolution and would stop at nothing to destroy it. France is mighty but I am unsure if she would be able to defend her boarders adequately if she were attacked. Our resources and funds are strained as it is. Could we afford to sacrifice anything more? I do not believe that the poor, who have little to eat now, would be willing to have their food ration or the rich give up more of their money for the sake of France. A war would only worsen France’s growing bread crisis. Should the monarch remain

13 perhaps Austria would step down from their anti-revolutionary actions. Remember that the King and the King alone has the power to request that Austria step down. What King would call for Peace should the Assembly demand his head?

Ultimately our survival comes down to compromise. If the interest of each club is to implement only their system of beliefs then France will remain divided and the general will shall be lost amidst the bickering. There are many of us in the assembly who are willing to sit down and work on a system that each faction could agree upon, but, compromise is impossible unless every member of the assembly is unified. I ask you leaders of the clubs, will you all meet in the middle, or would you rather see France burn? -Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette

Letter to the Editor

To those whose best interests are for the general will:

Let me, again, begin by thanking the editor of the Feuillant faction for publishing my letter in the newspaper. It is nice to know that even though

I am a quiet soul from the small town of Lyons, my voice and the voice of will on the basis of our financial crisis. Our economy is in great turmoil. those whom I represent can be heard. I speak, hereafter, for the general Something needs to be done. If I may quote from Rousseau’s Social

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Contract, “Every man has a natural right to what he needs…” (Rousseau facing is the fact that the government has a sizable army and navy to

66). In this current situation, I believe that the greatest desire or interest of maintain, which, while mainly at war, is an expenditure of particular our people as a whole is to fix this economic corruption. This “natural importance. To make matters worse, there has been unlawful spending right” is not being satisfied. The general will needs to be given a voice. that is increasing our debt day by day. A particular situation that bothers

the general will is the extravagant costs associated with the upkeep of King Our economic problems started when France prolonged its involvement in the Seven Years’ War from 1756–1763, and also in the Louis XVI’s palace at Versailles and the frivolous spending of the queen,

American Revolution from 1775-1783. Another problem that we are Marie-Antoinette. The French Nobility and the clergy have also been of

no help because they have become increasingly egregious in their abuses

of power. They have bound the French peasantry into compromising

feudal obligations. They are oppressing the people! The general will!

The people, the general will, cannot afford bread! May I also remind

whomever it may interest, that there is unfair taxation? France has long

been recognized as a prosperous country, and were it not for its

involvement in costly wars and its aristocracy’s extravagant spending, we,

as a country and general will, might still be prosperous. However, this is

not the case.

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Can someone please enlighten me? How have we let this happen? supervisor of finances. Calonne found exactly the same problems that I

How have we, France, let our economy become so corrupted? And while have previously stated and thus convinced the King to call together a we have just recently passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and gathering of the nobility, in order to try and persuade them to either agree

Citizen, why aren’t the words written being enforced? Let me be more to a new form of taxation, or to forfeit their exemption to the current specific; according to the document, right number 13 states, “For the taxation. Unsurprisingly, they refused. So be it. History is history. What maintenance of the public force and for the expenses of administration a I ask now is for the nobility to reconsider. It is almost a decade later, our general tax is indispensable; it ought to be equally apportioned among all economy is becoming more and more corrupted and by creating fair the citizens…” (Carnes 60). To continue, right number 14 states, “All taxation, regulating it, monitoring it, maybe we can begin to pull ourselves citizens have the right to ascertain, by themselves or by their out of this growing problem. representatives the necessity of the public tax, to consent to it freely, to I don’t know if this is where to begin. All I know is that the follow the employment of it, and to determine the quota, the assessment, general will, economically speaking, is in trouble, and something needs to the collection, and the duration of it” (Carnes 60). I completely agree with be done, so why aren’t we doing anything? I believe we, the creators of these rights. So why aren’t we doing anything to enforce them? the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, have already written To create a beginning, it is a well known fact that the nobility does down what means we need to enforce or support the general will, but are not pay taxes, for whatever ludicrous excuse they deem worthy. As may either too lazy or too ignorant to know where to begin. Or perhaps, we be recalled, in 1783, King Louis XVI appointed Charles De Calonne as a

16 think that other things are more important. But in truth, what is more important than helping starving citizens? Our general will?

Sincerely,

Delegate from Lyons

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