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Latinized the entire Mediterranean coast; he wanted to render all
western Europe French。 The object was; as he declared; 〃to establish
and consecrate at last the empire of reason and the full exercise; the
complete enjoyment of every human faculty。〃 (Mémorial。)
BOOK THIRD。 Object and Merits of the System。
CHAPTER I。 Recovery of Social Order。
I。 Rule as the mass want to be ruled。
How Napoleon comprehends the sovereignty of the people。 … His maxim on
the will of the majority and on the office of government。 … Two groups
of prominent and obvious desires in 1799。
HOWEVER clear and energetic his artistic convictions may be; his mind
is absorbed by the preoccupations of the ruler: It is not enough for
him that his edifice should be monumental; symmetrical; and beautiful。
As he lives in it and derives the greatest benefit from it; he wants
first of all that it should be fit to live in; habitable for Frenchmen
of the year 1800。 Consequently; he takes into account the habits and
dispositions of his tenants; the pressing and permanent wants。 But
these needs must not be theoretic and vague; but verified and defined;
for he is as accurate as he is shrewd; and deals only with positive
facts。
〃My political system;〃 says he to the Council of State;'1' 〃is to rule
men as the mass want to be ruled。 。 。 By constituting myself a
Catholic I put an end to the war in La Vendée; by turning into a
Moslem I established myself in Egypt: by turning ultramontane'2' I
gained over the priests in Italy。 Were I to govern a population of
Jews; I would restore the temple of Solomon。 I shall speak just in
this fashion about liberty in the free part of St。 Domingo; I shall
confirm slavery in the Ile…de…France and even in the slave section of
St。 Domingo; with the reservation of diminishing and limiting slavery
where I maintain it; and of restoring order and keeping up discipline
where I maintain freedom。 I think that is the way to recognize the
sovereignty of the people。〃
〃 Now; in France; at this epoch; there are two groups of preponderant
desires which evidently outweigh all others; one dating back the past
ten years; and the other for a century or more: the question is how to
satisfy these; and the sagacious constructor; who estimates them for
what they are worth; combines to this end the proportions; plan;
arrangement; and entire interior economy of his edifice。
II。 The Revolution Ends。
Necessities dating from the Revolution。 … Lack of security for
Persons; Property; and Consciences。 … Requisite conditions for the
establishment of order。 … End of Civil war; Brigandage; and Anarchy。 …
Universal relief and final security。
The first of these two needs is urgent; almost physical。 For the last
ten years; the government has not done its duty; or has ruled in a
contrary sense。 By turns or at the same time its impotence and
injustice have been deplorable。 It has committed or allowed too many
outrages on persons; property; and consciences。 All in all the
Revolution did nothing else; and it is time that this should stop。
Safety and security for consciences; property; and persons is the loud
and unanimous outcry vibrating in all hears。'3' … To calm things down;
many novelties are required: To start with; the political and
administrative concentration just described; a centralization of all
powers in one hand; local powers conferred by the central power; and;
to exercise this supreme power a resolute chief; equal in intelligence
to his high position。 Next; a regularly paid army;'4' carefully
equipped; properly clothed and fed; strictly disciplined and therefore
obedient and able to do its duty without wavering or faltering; like
any other instrument of precision。 An active police force and
gendarmerie kept on a tight rein。 Administrators independent of those
under their jurisdiction; and judges independent of those due to be
tried。 All appointed; maintained; watched; and restrained from above;
as impartial as possible; sufficiently competent; and; in their
official spheres; capable functionaries。 Finally; freedom of worship;
and; accordingly; a treaty with Rome and the restoration of the
Catholic Church; that is to say; a legal recognition of the orthodox
hierarchy and of the only clergy which the faithful may accept as
legitimate; in other words; the institution of bishops by the Pope;
and of priests by the bishops。
This done; the rest is easily accomplished。 A well…led army corps
marches along and tramples out the embers of the conflagration now
kindling in the West; while religious toleration extinguishes the
smoldering fires of popular insurrection。 Henceforth; there is an end
to civil war。'5' Regiments ready to act in harmony with the military
commissions'6' purge the South and the valley of the Rh?ne;
thenceforth; there are no more roving bands in the rural districts;
while brigandage on a grand scale; constantly repressed; ceases; and
after this; that on a small scale。 No more chouans; chauffeurs; or
barbets;'7' The mail…coach travels without a guard; and the highways
are safe。'8' There is longer any class or category of citizens
oppressed or excluded from the common law; the latest Jacobin decrees
and the forced loan have been at once revoked: noble or plebeian;
ecclesiastic or layman; rich or poor; former émigré or former
terrorist; every man; whatever his past; his condition; or his
opinions; now enjoys his private property and his legal rights; he has
no longer to fear the violence of the opposite party; he may relay on
the protection of the authorities;'9' and on the equity of the
magistrates。'10' So long as he respects the law he can go to bed at
night and sleep tranquilly with the certainty of awaking in freedom on
the morrow; and with the certainty of doing as he pleases the entire
day; with the privilege of working; buying; selling; thinking; amusing
himself;'11' going and coming at his pleasure; and especially of going
to mass or of staying away if he chooses。 No more jacqueries either
rural or urban; no more proscriptions or persecutions and legal or
illegal spoliations; no more intestine and social wars waged with
pikes or by decrees; no more conquests and confiscations made by
Frenchmen against each other。 With universal and unutterable relief
people emerge from the barbarous and anarchical régime which reduced
them to living from one day to another; and return to the pacific and
regular régime which permits them to count on the morrow and make
provision for it。 After ten years of harassing subjection to the
incoherent absolutism of unstable despotism; here; for the first time;
they find a rational and stable government; or; at least; a
reasonable; tolerable; and fixed degree of it。 The First Consul is
carrying out his declarations and he has declared that 〃The Revolution
has ended。〃'12'
III。 Return of the Emigrés。
Lasting effect of revolutionary laws。 … Condition of the émigrés。 …
Progressive and final amnesty。 …They return。 … They recover a portion
of their possessions。 … Many of them enter the new hierarchy。 …
Indemnities for them incomplete。
The main thing now is to dress the severe wounds it has made and which
are still bleeding; with as little torture as possible; for it has cut
down to the quick; and its amputations; whether foolish or outrageous;
have left sharp pains or mute suffering in the social organism。
One hundred and ninety…two thousand names have been inscribed on the
list of émigrés'13' the terms of the law; every émigré is civilly
dead; and his possessions have become the property of the Republic;〃
if he dared return to France; the same law condemned him to death;
there could be no appeal; petition; or respite; it sufficed to prove
identity and the squad of executioners was at once ordered out。 Now;
at the beginning of the Consulate; this murderous law is still in
force; summary proceedings are always applicable;'14' and one hundred
and forty…six thousand names still appear on the mortuary list。 This
constitutes a loss to France of 146;000 Frenchmen; and not those of
the least importance … gentlemen; army and navy officers; members of
parliaments; priests; prominent men of all classes; conscientious
Catholics; liberals of 1789; Feuillantists of the Legislative
assembly; and Constitutionalists of the years III and V。 Worse still;
through their poverty or hostility abroad; they are a discredit or
even a danger for France; as formerly with the Protestants driven out
of the country by Louis XIV。'15' … To these 146;000 exiled Frenchmen
add 200;000 or 300;000 others; residents; but semi…proscribed:'16'
First; those nearly related and allied to each émigré; excluded by the
law from 〃every legislative; administrative; municipal and judicial
function;〃 and even deprived of the elective vote。 Next; all former
nobles or ennobled; deprived by the law of their status