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does a creditor let his claims rest and the State always finds reasons
or pretexts to enforce its claims。 Under the threats or trials of
invasion the people； at first； had consented to pay this one； they
regarded it as accidental and temporary。 After victory and when peace
came； its government continues to enforce the claim； it becomes
settled and permanent。 After the treaties of Luneville and Amiens；
Napoleon maintains it in France； after the treaties of Paris and
Vienna； the Prussian government is to maintain it in Prussia。 One war
after another and the institution becomes worse and worse； like a
contagion； it has spread from State to State。 At the present time； it
has overspread the whole of continental Europe and here it reigns
along with its natural companion which always precedes or follows it；
its twin…brother； universal suffrage。 Each more or less conspicuously
〃trotted out〃 and dragging the other along； more or less incomplete
and disguised； both being the blind and formidable leaders or
regulators of future history； one thrusting a ballot into the hands of
every adult； and the other putting a soldier's knapsack on every
adult's back：
* with what promises of massacre and bankruptcy for the twentieth
century；
* with what exasperation of international rancor and distrust；
* with what waste of human labor；
* through what perversion of productive discoveries；
* through what perfection of destructive appliances；
* through what a recoil to the lower and most unwholesome forms of
old militant societies；
* through what retrograde steps towards brutal and selfish instincts；
* towards the sentiments； habits and morality of the antique city and
of the barbarous tribe
is only too well known。＇62＇ It is sufficient for us to place the two
military systems face to face； that of former times and that of to…
day： formerly； in Europe； a few soldiers； some hundreds of thousands ；
to…day； in Europe； 18 millions of actual or eventual soldiers； all the
adults； even the married； even fathers of families summoned or subject
to call for twenty…five years of their life； that is to say； as long
as they continue able…bodied men； formerly； for the heaviest part of
the service in France； no lives are confiscated by decree； only those
bought by contract； and lives suited to this business and elsewhere
idle or mischievous； about one hundred and fifty thousand lives of
inferior quality； of mediocre value； which the State could expend with
less regret than others； and the sacrifice of which is not a serious
injury to society or to civilization。 To…day； for the same service in
France； 4 millions of lives are taken by authority； and； if they
attempt to escape； taken by force； all of them； from the twentieth
year onward； employed in the same manual and murderous pursuit；
including the least suited to the purpose and the best adapted to
other purposes； including the most inventive and the most fecund； the
most delicate and the most cultivated； those remarkable for superior
talent （Page 232/526）who are of almost infinite social value； and
whose forced collapse； or precocious end； is a calamity for the human
species。
Such is the terminal fruit of the new Régime； military duty is here
the counterpart； and as it were； the ransom of political right； the
modern citizen may balance one with the other like two weights in the
scale。 On the one side； he may place his prerogative as sovereign；
that is to say； in point of fact； the faculty every four years of
giving one vote among ten thousand for the election or non…election of
one deputy among six hundred and fifty； on the other side； he may
place his positive； active service； three； four or five years of
barrack life and of passive obedience； and then twenty…eight days
more； then a thirteen…days' summons in honor of the flag； and； for
twenty years； at each rumor of war； anxiously waiting for the word of
command which obliges him to shoulder his gun and slay with his own
hand； or be slain。 He will probably end by discovering that the two
sides of the scales do not balance and that a right so hollow is poor
compensation for so heavy a burden。
Of course； in 1789； he foresaw nothing like that； he was optimistic；
pacific； liberal； humanitarian； he knew nothing of Europe nor of
history； nothing of the past nor of the present。 When the Constituent
Assembly constituted him a sovereign； he let things go on； he did not
know what he engaged to do； he had no idea of having allowed such a
heavy claim against him。 But； in signing the social contract； he made
himself responsible； in 1793； the note came due and the Convention
collected it。＇63＇ Then comes Napoleon who put things in order。
Henceforth； every male； able…bodied adult must pay the debt of blood；
no more exemptions in the way of military service：＇64＇ all young men
who had reached the required age drew lots in the conscription and set
out in turn according to the order fixed by their drafted number。＇65＇
But Napoleon is an intelligent creditor； he knows that this debt is
〃most frightful and most detestable for families；〃 that his debtors
are real； living men and therefore different in kind； that the head of
the State should keep these differences in mind； that is to say their
condition； their education； their sensibility and their vocation；
that； not only in their private interest； but again in the interest of
the public； not merely through prudence but also through equity； all
should not be indistinguishably restricted to the same mechanical
pursuit； to the same manual labor； to the same prolonged and
indefinite servitude of soul and body。 Already； under the Directory；
the law had exempted young married men and widowers or divorced
persons who were fathers。＇66＇ Napoleon also exempts the conscript who
has a brother in the active army； the only son of a widow； the eldest
of three orphans； the son of a father seventy…one years old dependent
on his labor； all of whom are family supports。 He joins with these all
young men who enlist in one of his civil militias； in his
ecclesiastical militia or in his university militia； pupils of the
école Normale； ignorantin brothers； seminarians for the priesthood； on
condition that they shall engage to do service in their vocation and
do it effectively； some for ten years； others for life； subject to a
discipline more rigid； or nearly as rigid； as military discipline。＇67＇
Finally； he sanctions or institutes volunteer substitutes； through
private agreement between a conscript and the able…bodied； certified
volunteer substitute for whom the conscript is responsible。＇68＇ If
such a bargain is made between them it is done freely； knowing what
they are about； and because each man finds the exchange to his
advantage； the State has no right to deprive either of them uselessly
of this advantage； and oppose an exchange by which it does not suffer。
So far from suffering it often gains by it。 For； what it needs is not
this or that man； Peter or Paul； but a man as capable as Peter or Paul
of firing a gun； of marching long distances； of resisting
inclemencies； and such are the substitutes it accepts。 They must all
be＇69＇ 〃of sound health and robust constitution；〃 and sufficiently
tall； as a matter of fact； being poorer than those replaced； they are
more accustomed to privation and fatigue； most of them； having reached
maturity； are worth more for the service than youths who have been
recruited by anticipation and too young； some are old soldiers： and in
this case the substitute is worth twice as much as the new conscript
who has never donned the knapsack or bivouacked in the open air。
Consequently； those who are allowed to obtain substitutes are 〃the
drafted and conscripts of all classes； 。 。 。 unable to endure the
fatigues of war； and those who shall be recognized of greater use to
the State by continuing their labors and studies than in forming a
part of the army。 。 。 。〃＇70＇
Napoleon had too much sense to be led by the blind existences of
democratic formulae； his eyes； which penetrated beyond mere words； at
once perceived that the life of a simple soldier； for a young man well
brought up and a peasant or for day…laborer； is unequal。 A tolerable
bed； sufficient clothing； good shoes； certainty of daily bread； a
piece of meat regularly； are novelties for the latter but not for the
former； and； consequently； enjoyments； that the promiscuity and odor
of the barrack chamber； the corporal's cursing and swearing and rude
orders； the mess…dish and camp…bread； physical hardships all day and
every other day； are for the former； but not for the latter； novelties
and； consequently； sufferings。 From which it follows that； if literal
equality is applied； positive inequality is established； and that by
virtue even of the new creed； it is necessary； in the name of true
equality as in the name of true liberty； to allow the former； who
would suffer most；