Andyetthisadministrationofjustice，ludicrousandfloutedasitmaybe，isstillasortofbarrier。Whenitfalls，alongwiththeGovernment，everythingisexposedtoplunder，andthereisnosuchthingaspublicproperty。—AfterAugust10，1792，eachcommuneorindividualappropriateswhatevercomesinitsway，eitherproductsorthesoilitself。Someoftheplunderersgosofarastosaythat，sincetheGovernmentnolongerrepressesthem，theyactunderitsauthority。[57]\"Theyhavedestroyedeventherecentplantationofyoungtrees。\"\"OneofthevillagesnearFontainebleauclearedoffanddividedanentiregrove。AtRambouillet，fromAugust10thtotheendofOctober，\"thelossismorethan100，000crowns；theruralagitatorsdemandwiththreatsthepartitionoftheforestamongtheinhabitants。\"Thedestructionisenormous\"everywhere，prolongedforentiremonths，andofsuchakind，saystheminister，astodryupthissourceofpublicrevenueforalongtimetocome。—
Communalpropertyisnomorerespectedthannationalproperty。Ineachcommune，theseboldandneedyfolk，theruralpopulace，areprivilegedtoenjoyandmakethemostofit。Notcontentwithenjoyingit，theydesiretoacquireownershipofit，and，fordaysaftertheKing’sfall，theLegislativeAssembly，losingitsfootingintheuniversalbreakingup，empowerstheindigenttoputinforcetheagrarianlaw。Henceforthitsufficesinanycommuneforone—
thirdofitsinhabitantsofbothsexes，servants，commonlaborers，shepherds，farm—handsorcowherds，andevenpaupers，todemandapartitionofthecommunalpossessions。Allthatthecommuneowns，savepublicedificesandwoods，istobecutupintoasmanyequallotsasthereareheads，thelotstobedrawnfor，andeachindividualtotakepossessionofhisorherportion。[58]TheOperationiscarriedout，for\"thosewhoareleastwelloffareinfinitelyflatteredbyit。\"InthedistrictofArcis—sur—Aube，therearenotadozencommunesoutofninetyinwhichmorethantwo—
thirdsofthevotershadthegoodsensetopronounceagainstit。
>Fromthistimeforththecommuneceasestobeanindependentproprietor；ithasnothingtofallbackupon。Incaseofdistressitisobligedtolayonextrataxesandobtain，ifitcan，afewadditionalsous。Itsfuturerevenueisatpresentinthetightlybuttonedpocketsofthenewproprietors。—Theprevalenceofshort—sightedviewsisoncemoreduetothecovetousnessofindividuals。Whethernationalorcommunal，itisalwayspublicinterestwhichsuccumbs，anditsuccumbsalwaysundertheusurpationsofindigentminorities，atonetimethroughthefeeblenessofpublicauthority，whichdaresnotopposetheirviolence，andatanotherthroughthecomplicityofpublicauthority，whichhasconferreduponthemtherightsofthemajority。