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nobles or ennobled； deprived by the law of their status as Frenchmen
and obliged to re…naturalize themselves according to the formalities。
It is； accordingly； almost the entire elite of old France which is
wanting in the new France； like a limb violently wrenched and half…
detached by the unskillful and brutal scalpel of the revolutionary
〃sawbones〃； for both the organ and the body are not only living； but
they are still feverish and extremely sensitive； it is important to
avoid too great irritation； inflammation of any kind would be
dangerous。 A skilful surgeon； therefore； must mark the places for the
stitches； not force the junctures； but anticipate and prepare for the
final healing process； and await the gradual and slow results of vital
effort and spontaneous renewal。 Above all he must not alarm the
patient。 The First Consul is far from doing this； on the contrary his
expressions are all encouraging。 Let the patient keep quiet； there
shall be no re…stitching； the wound shall not be touched。 The
constitution solemnly declares that the French people shall never
allow the return of the émigrés；＇17＇ and； on this point； the hands of
future legislators are already tied fast； it prohibits any exception
being added to the old ones。 … But； first； by virtue of the same
constitution； every Frenchman not an émigré or banished has the right
to vote； to be elected； to exercise every species of public function；
consequently； twelve days later；＇18＇ a mere order of the Council of
State restores civil and political rights to former nobles and the
ennobled； to the kinsmen and relations of émigrés； to all who have
been dubbed émigrés of the interior and whom Jacobin intolerance had
excluded； if not from the territory； at least from the civic body：
here are 200；000 or 300；000 Frenchmen already brought back into
political communion if not to the soil。 … They had succumbed to the
coup…d'état of Fructidor； naturally； the leading fugitives or those
transported； suffering under the same coup…d'état； were restored to
political rights along with them and thus to the territory … Carnot；
Barthélémy； Lafont…Ladébat； Siméon； Poissy d'Anglas； Mathieu Dumas； in
all thirty…nine； designated by name；＇19＇ very soon after。 Through a
simple extension of the same resolution； others of the Fructidor
victims； a crowd of priests huddled together and pining away on the
Ile…de…Ré； the most unfortunate and most inoffensive of all。＇20＇ … Two
months later； a law declares that the list of émigrés is definitely
closed；＇21＇ a resolution orders immediate investigation into the
claims of those who are to be struck off the list； a second resolution
strikes off the first founders of the new order of things； the members
of the National Assembly 〃who voted for the establishment of equality
and the abolition of nobility；〃 and； day after day； new erasures
succeed each other； all specific and by name； under cover of
toleration； pardon； and exception：＇22＇ on the 19th of October 1800；
there are already 1200 of them。 Bonaparte； at this date； had gained
the battle of Marengo； the surgical restorer feels that his hands are
more free； he can operate on a larger scale and take in whole bodies
collectively。 On the 20th of October 1800； a resolution strikes off
entire categories from the list； all whose condemnation is too grossly
unjust or malicious；＇23＇ at first； minors under sixteen and the wives
of émigrés； next； farmers； artisans； workmen； journeymen and servants
with their wives and children and at last 18；000 ecclesiastics who；
banished by law； left the country only in obedience to the law。
Besides these； 〃all individuals inscribed collectively and without
individual denomination；〃 those already struck off； but provisionally；
by local administrations； also still other classes。 Moreover； a good
many emigrants； yet standing on the lists； steal back one by one into
France； and the government tolerates them。＇24＇ Finally； eighteen
months later； after the peace of Amiens and the Concord at；＇25＇ a
sénatus…consulte ends the great operation； an amnesty relieves all who
are not yet struck off； except the declared leaders of the militant
emigration； its notables； and who are not to exceed one thousand； the
rest may come back and enjoy their civic rights； only； they must
promise 〃loyalty to the government established under the constitution
and not maintain directly or indirectly any connection or
correspondence with the enemies of the State。〃 On this condition the
doors of France are thrown open to them and they return in crowds。
But their bodily presence is not of itself sufficient； it is moreover
essential that they should not be absent in feeling； as strangers and
merely domiciliated in the new society。 Were these mutilated fragments
of old France； these human shreds put back in their old places； simply
attached or placed in juxtaposition to modern France； they would prove
useless； troublesome and even mischievous。 Let us strive； then； to
have them grafted on afresh through adherence or complete fusion； and
first； to effect this； they must not be allowed to die of inanition；
they must take root physically and be able to live。 In private life；
how can former proprietors； the noblesse； the parliamentarians； the
upper bourgeoisie； support themselves； especially those without a
profession or pursuit； and who； before 1789； maintained themselves；
not by their labor； but by their income？ Once at home； they can no
longer earn their living as they did abroad； they can no longer give
lessons in French； in dancing； or in fencing。 … There is no doubt but
that the sénatus…consulte which amnesties them restores to them a part
of their unsold possessions；＇26＇ but most of these are sold and； on
the other hand； the First Consul； who is not disposed to re…establish
large fortunes for royalists；＇27＇ retains and maintains the largest
portion of what they have been despoiled of in the national domain：
all woods and forests of 300 arpents＇28＇ and over； their stock and
property rights in the great canals； and their personal property
already devoted to the public service。 The effective restitution is
therefore only moderate； the émigrés who return recover but little
more than one…twentieth of their patrimony； one hundred millions＇29＇
out of more than two milliards。 Observe； besides； that by virtue even
of the law and as admitted by the First Consul；＇30＇ this alms is badly
distributed； the most needy and the greatest number remain empty…
handed； consisting of the lesser and medium class of rural
proprietors； especially of country gentlemen whose domain； worth less
than 50；000 francs； brings in only 2000 or 3000 francs income；＇31＇ a
domain of this size came within reach of a great many purses； and
hence found purchasers more readily and with greater facility than a
large holding； the State was almost always the seller； and thenceforth
the old proprietor could make no further claim or pretension。 … Thus；
for many of the émigrés； 〃the sénatus…consulte of the year X is simply
a permit to starve to death in France 〃and；＇32＇ four years later；＇33＇
Napoleon himself estimates that 〃40；000 are without the means of
subsistence。〃 They manage to keep life and soul together and nothing
more；＇34＇ many； taken in and cared for by their friends or relations；
are supported as guests or parasites； somewhat through compassion and
again on humanitarian grounds。 One recovers his silver plate； buried
in a cellar； another finds notes payable to bearer； forgotten in an
old chest。 Sometimes； the purchaser of a piece of property； an honest
man； gives it back at the price he paid for it； or even gratis； if；
during the time he had held it； he had derived sufficient profit from
it。 Occasionally； when the adjudication happens to have been
fraudulent； or the sale too irregular； and subject to legal
proceedings； the dishonest purchaser does not refuse a compromise。 But
these cases are rare； and the evicted owner； if he desires to dine
regularly； will wisely seek a small remunerative position and serve as
clerk； book…keeper or accountant。 M。 des Echerolles； formerly a
brigadier…general； keeps the office of the new line of diligences at
Lyons； and earns 1200 francs a year。 M。 de Puymaigre； who； in 1789；
was worth two millions； becomes a contr？leur des droits réunis at
Briey with a salary of 2400 francs。 … In every branch of the new
administration a royalist is welcome to apply for a post；＇35＇ however
slightly recommended； he obtains the place。 Sometimes he even receives
one without having asked for it； M。 de Vitrolles＇36＇ thus becomes； in
spite of himself； inspector of the imperial sheepfolds； this fixes his
position and makes it appear as if he had given in his adhesion to the
government。 … Naturally； the great political recruiter singles out the
tallest and most imposing subjects； that is to say； belonging to the
first families of the ancien