" - They persist in this
illusion for a long time and remain optimists. As they feel kindly
towards the people, they cannot comprehend that the people should
entertain other sentiments toward them; they firmly believe that the
troubles are transient. Immediately on the proclamation of the
Constitution they return in crowds from Spain, Belgium, and Germany;
at Troyes there are not enough post-horses for many days to supply
the emigrants who are coming back.[7] Thus they accept not only the
abolition of feudalism with civil equality, but also political
equality and numerical sovereignty.
Some consideration for them, some outward signs of respect, a few
bows, would, in all probability, have rallied them sincerely to
democratic institutions. They would soon consent to be confounded
with the crowd, to submit to the common level, and to live as
private individuals. Had they been treated like the bourgeois or
the peasant, their neighbors, had their property and persons been
respected, they might have accepted the new r?gime without any
bitterness of feeling.
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