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that his title is defective; it lacks one clause and a capital one;
that of the surrender and cession; the formal renunciation; the
authentic withdrawal of the former owner。 The State; the first seller;
owes this voucher to the purchasers; let it procure this and negotiate
accordingly; let it apply for this to the rightful party; to the
owners whom it has dispossessed; to the immemorial and legitimate
authorities; I mean to the ancient corporations。 These have been
dissolved by revolutionary law and have no longer a representative who
can sign for them。 Nevertheless; in spite of revolutionary law; one of
these corporations; with more vitality than the rest; still subsists
with its proper; if not legal; representative; its regular and
undisputed chief。 This chief is qualified and authorized to bind the
body; for; institutionally; he is supreme; and the conscience of all
its members is in his hand。 His signature is of the highest value; it
is very important to obtain this; and the First Consul concludes the
Concordat with the Pope。
By this Concordat; the Pope 〃declares that neither himself nor his
successors shall in any manner disturb the purchasers of alienated
ecclesiastical property; and that the ownership of the said property;
the rights and revenues derived there from; shall consequently remain
in commutable in their hands or in those of their assigns。〃'93'
Henceforth the possession of this property is no longer a sin; at
least; it is not condemned by the spiritual authority; by that
external conscience which; in Catholic countries; governs the inward
conscience and often supplies its place; the Church; the moral head;
removes with its own hands the moral scruple; the last small stone;
troublesome and dangerous; which; lying underneath the cornerstone of
lay society; breaks the level of the entire structure and compromises
the equilibrium of the new government。 … In exchange; the State endows
the Church。 By the same Concordat; and by the decrees which follow it;
〃the government'94' ensures a suitable salary to bishops and cure's;〃
15;000 francs to each archbishop; 10;000 francs to each bishop; 1500
francs to each curé of the first class and 1000 francs to each curé of
the second class;'95' also; later on;'96' a maximum of 500 francs and a
minimum of 300 francs to each assistant…priest or vicar。 〃If
circumstances require it;'97' the conseils…généraux of the large
communes may grant to prelates or to curés an increase of salary out
of their rural possessions or octrois。〃 In all cases; archbishops;
bishops; curés and priests shall be lodged; or receive a lodging
indemnity。 So much for the support of persons。…As to real
property;'98' 〃all the metropolitan churches; cathedrals; parochial
buildings and others; not alienated; and needed for the purposes of
worship; shall be subject to the disposition of the bishops。〃 … The
parsonages and gardens attached to these; not alienated; shall be
given up to the curés and assistant…priests。〃 … 〃 The possessions of
the fabriques;'99' not alienated; as well as the rentals they enjoyed;
and which have not been transferred; shall be restored to their
original purpose。 … As to the outlay and expenditure for worship;'100'
for the parochial center or cathedral; if its revenue is not
sufficient; this shall receive aid from its commune or from its
department; besides; 〃an assessment of 10 %。'101' shall be laid on
the revenues of all the real estate of the communes; such as houses;
woods; and rural possessions; for the formation of a common fund of
subsidy;〃 a general sum with which to provide for 〃acquisitions;
reconstructions or repairs of churches; 。 。 。 seminaries and
parsonages。〃 Moreover;'102' the government allows 〃the French
Catholics to make endowments; if so disposed; in favor of churches 。 。
。 for the support of ministers and the exercise of worship;〃 that is
to say to bequeath or make gifts to the fabriques or seminaries; in
fine; it exempts seminarists; the future cure's; from the
conscription。
It also exempts the 〃Ignorantins;〃 or brethren of the Christian
schools; who are the instructors of the common people。 With respect to
these and in relation to every other Catholic institution; it follows
the same utilitarian principle; the fundamental maxim of laic and
practical good sense: when religious vocations make their appearance
and serve the public; it welcomes and makes use of them; it grants
them facilities; dispensations and favors; its protection; its
donations; or at least its tolerance。 Not only does it turn their zeal
to account; but it authorizes their association。'103' Numerous
societies of men or of women again spring up with the assent of the
public authorities … the 〃Ignorantins;〃 the 〃Filles de la Charité;〃
the 〃Seurs Hospitalières;〃 the 〃S?urs de Saint…Thomas;〃 the 〃S?urs de
Saint…Charles;〃 the 〃S?urs Vatelottes。〃 The Council of State accepts
and approves of their statutes; vows; hierarchy; and internal
regulations。 They again become proprietors; they may accept donations
and legacies。 The State frequently makes presents to them。 In
1808;'104' thirty…one communities of Sisters of Charity; and mostly
educational; thus obtain the buildings and furniture they ask for; in
full possession and gratuitously。 The State; also; frequently supports
them;'105' it repeatedly decides that in this asylum; or in that
school; the 〃sisters〃 designated by the ancient foundation shall
resume their work and be paid out of the income of the asylum or
school。 Better still; and notwithstanding threatening decrees;'106'
Napoleon; between 1804 and 1814; allows fifty…four communities to
arise and exist; outside of the congregations authorized by him; which
do not submit their statutes to him and which dispense with his
permission to exist; he lets them live and does not disturb them; he
judges'107' 〃that there is every sort of character and imagination; that
eccentricities even should not be repressed when they do no harm;〃
that; for certain people; an ascetic life in common is the only
refuge; if that is all they desire they should not be disturbed; and
it is easy to feign ignorance of them; but let them remain quiet and
be sufficient unto themselves! … Such is the new growth of the regular
clergy alongside of the secular clergy; the two main branches of the
Catholic trunk。 Owing to the help; or to the authorization; or to the
connivance of the State; inside or outside of its limitations; both
clerical bodies; legally or in reality; recover a civil existence; and
thus obtain; or at least nearly so; their physical maintenance。'108'
And nothing more。 Nobody; better than Napoleon; knows how to make a
good bargain; that is to say; to give a little in order to gain a
great deal。 In this treaty with the Church he tightens his purse…
strings and especially avoids parting with his ready money。 Six
hundred and fifty thousand francs for fifty bishops and ten
archbishops; a little more than four million francs for the three or
four thousand cantonal curés; in all five million francs per annum; is
all that the State promises to the new clergy。 Later on;'109' he takes
it on himself to pay those who officiate in the branch chapels;
nevertheless; in 1807; the entire appropriation for public worship
costs the State only twelve million francs a year;'110' the rest; as a
rule; and especially the salaries of the forty thousand assistant…
priests and vicars; must be provided by the fabriques and the
communes。'111' Let the clergy benefit by occasional
contributions;'112' let it appeal to the piety of believers for its
monstrances; chalices; albs and chasubles; for decorations and the
other expenses of worship; they are not prohibited from being liberal
to it; not only during the services; on making collections; but in
their houses; within closed doors; from hand to hand。 Moreover; they
have the right of making gifts or bequests before a notary; of
establishing foundations in favor of seminaries and churches ; the
foundation; after verification and approval by the Council of State;
becomes operative; only;'113' it must consist of state securities;
because; in this shape; it helps maintain their value and the credit
of the government; in no case must it be composed of real estate;'114'
should the clergy become land…owners it would enjoy too much local
influence。 No bishop; no curé must feel himself independent; he must
be and always remain a mere functionary; a hired workman for whom the
State provides work in a shop with a roof overhead; a suitable and
indispensable atelier; in other words; the house of prayer well known
in each parish as 〃one of the edifices formerly assigned to worship。〃
This edifice is not restored to the Christian community; nor to its
representatives; it is simply 〃placed at the disposition of the
bishop。〃'115' The State retains the ownership of it; or transfers
this to the communes; it con