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equality as in the name of true liberty； to allow the former； who
would suffer most； to treat fairly and squarely with the latter； who
will suffer less。 And all the more because； by this arrangement； the
civil staff preserves for itself its future recruits； it is from
nineteen to twenty…six that the future chiefs and under…chiefs of the
great work of peaceful and fruitful labor； the savants； artists or
scholars； the jurisconsults； engineers or physicians； the enterprising
men of commerce or of industry； receive and undertake for themselves a
special and superior education； discover or acquire their leading
ideas； and elaborate their originality or their competency。 If talent
is to be deprived of these productive years their growth is arrested
in full vegetation； and civil capacities； not less precious for the
State than military capacities； are rendered abortive。＇71＇ … Towards
1804；＇72＇ owing to substitution； one conscript out of five in the
rural districts； one conscript out of seven in the towns； and； on the
average； one conscript out of ten in France； escapes this forced
abortive condition； in 1806； the price of a substitute varies from
eighteen hundred to four thousand francs；＇73＇ and as capital is
scarce； and ready money still more so； a sum like this is sufficiently
large。 Accordingly； it is the rich or well…to…do class； in other words
the more or less cultivated class； which buys off its sons： reliance
may be placed on their giving them more or less complete culture。 In
this way； it prevents the State from mowing down all its sprouting
wheat and preserves a nursery of subjects among which society is to
find its future élite。 … Thus attenuated； the military law is still
rigid enough： nevertheless it remains endurable。 It is only towards
1807＇74＇ that it becomes monstrous and grows worse and worse from year
to year until it becomes the sepulcher of all French youth； even to
taking as canon fodder the adolescent under age and men already exempt
or free by purchase。 But； as before these excesses； it may still be
maintained with certain modifications； it suffices almost to retouch
it； to establish exemptions and the privilege of substitution as
rights； which were once simply favors；＇75＇ reduce the annual
contingent； limit the term of service； guarantee their lasting freedom
to those liberated； and thus secure in 1818 a recruiting law
satisfactory and efficacious which； for more than half a century； will
attain its ends without being too detrimental or too odious； and
which； among so many laws of the same sort； all mischievous； is
perhaps the least pernicious。
_________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 book II。； ch。 2； 3； 4； and book V。 （Laff。 I。
pp。 95 to 125 and pp。 245 to 308。）
＇2＇ La Bruyère is； I believe； the first of these precursors。 Cf。 his
chapters on 〃The Great；〃 on 〃Personal Merit；〃 on 〃The Sovereign and
the Republic；〃 and his chapter on 〃Man；〃 his passages on 〃The
Peasants；〃 on 〃Provincial Notes；〃 etc。 These appeals； later on； excite
the applause given to the 〃Marriage of Figaro。〃 But； in the
anticipatory indictment； they strike deeper； there is no gayety in
them； the dominant sentiment being one of sadness； resignation； and
bitterness。
＇3＇ 〃Discours prononcé par l'ordre du roi et en sa presence； le 22
février 1787；〃 by M。 de Calonne； contr？1eur…général； p。22。 〃What
remains then to fill this fearful void （in the finances）？ Abuses。 The
abuses now demanding suppression for the public weal are the most
considerable and the best protected； those that are the deepest rooted
and which send out the most branches。 They are the abuses which weigh
most heavily on the working and producing classes； the abuses of
financial privileges； the exceptions to the common law and to so many
unjust exemptions which relieve only a portion of the taxpayers by
aggravating the lot of the others； general inequality in the
distribution of subsidies and the enormous disproportion which exists
in the taxation of different provinces and among the offices filled by
subjects of the same sovereign； severity and arbitrariness in the
collection of the taille； bureaux of internal transportation； and
obstacles that render different parts of the same kingdom strangers to
each other； rights that discourage industry； those of which the
collection requires excessive expenditure and innumerable collectors。〃
＇4＇ De Ségur； 〃 Mémoires；〃 III。； 591。 In 1791； on his return from
Russia； his brother says to him； speaking of the Revolution：
〃Everybody； at first； wanted it 。 。 From the king down to the most
insignificant man in the kingdom； everybody did something to help it
along； one let it come on up to his shoe…buckle； another up to his
garter； another to his waist； another to his breast； and some will not
be content until their head is attacked！〃
＇5＇ My French dictionary tells me that the Carmagnole is not only a
popular revolutionary dance but also a short and tight jacket worn by
the revolutionaries between 1792 and 1795 and that it came via
Marseille with workers from the town of Carmagnola in Piedmont。 （SR。）
＇6＇ 〃The Revolution；〃 pp。 271…279。 （Laff。 I。 505 to 509。） …Stourm 〃
Les Finances de 1'ancien régime et de la Révolution；〃 I。； 171 to 177。
… （Report by Ramel； January 31； 1796。） 〃One would scarcely believe it
… the holders of real…estate now owe the public treasury over 13
milliards。〃… （Report by Gaudin； Germinal； year X。 on the assessment
and collection of direct taxes。） 〃This state of things constituted a
permanent； annual deficit of 200 millions。〃
＇7＇ 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 p。 99； and 〃The Revolution；〃 p。407。 （Laff。
I。 pp 77…78 and II。 300） （About 1；200 millions per annum in bread for
Paris； instead of 45 millions for the civil and military household of
the King at Versailles。）
＇8＇ 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 p。 68。 （Laff。 I。 p。 55） … Madame Campan；
〃Mémoires；〃 I。； 291； 292。
＇9＇ 〃The Revolution；〃 II。； 151； and III。； 500。 （Laff。 II。 282…283）
＇10＇ 〃Mémorial。〃 （Napoleon's own words。） 〃The day when； adopting the
unity and concentration of power； which could alone save us； 。 。 。 the
destinies of France depended solely on the character； measures and
conscience of him who had been clothed with this accidental
dictatorship … beginning with that day； public affairs； that is to
stay the State； was myself 。 。 。 I was the keystone of an entirely new
building and how slight the foundation！ Its destiny depended on each
of my battles。 Had I been defeated at Marengo you would have then had
a complete 1814 and 1815。〃
＇11＇ Beugnot； 〃Mémoires；〃II。； 317。 〃To be dressed； taxed； and ordered
to take up arms； like most folks； seemed a punishment as soon as one
had found a privilege within reach；〃 such； for example； as the title
of 〃déchireur de bateaux〃 （one who condemns unseaworthy craft and
profits by it）； or inspector of fresh butter （using his fingers in
tasting it）； or tide…waiter and inspector of salt fish。 These titles
raised a man above the common level； and there were over twenty
thousand of them。
＇12＇ See 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 p。 129。 （Laff。 I。 p。 99）
＇13＇ Madame de Rémusat； 〃Mémoires；〃 III。； 316； 317。
＇14＇ De Beausset； 〃Intérieur du palais de Napoléon 〃 I。； p。 9 et seq。。
For the year 1805 the total expense is 2；338；167 francs； for the year
1806 it reaches 2；770；861 francs； because funds were assigned 〃for the
annual augmentation of plate； 1；000 silver plates and other objects。〃
… 〃Napoleon knew； every New Year's day； what he expended （for his
household） and nobody ever dared overpass the credits he allowed。〃
＇15＇ 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 pp。 35o…357。（Laff。 I。 259…266）
＇16＇ 〃The Revolution；〃 I。 pp。 276…281。（Laff。 pp。 508…510） … Stourm；
ibid。； 168…171。 （Speech by Bénard…Lagrave to the Five Hundred；
Pluvi？se II； year IV。） 〃It cannot be concealed that； for many years；
people were willingly accustoming themselves to the non…payment of
taxes。〃
＇17＇ Stourm； ibid。；II。； 365。 （Speech of Ozanam to the Five Hundred；
Pluvi？se 14； year VII。） 〃Scandalous traffic。 。 。 。 Most of the （tax）
collectors in the republic are heads and managers of banks。〃 …
（Circular of the minister of the finances； Floréal 25 year VII。）
〃Stock…jobbing of the worst kind to which many collectors give
themselves up； using bonds and other public securities received in
payment of taxes。〃 … （Report by Gros…Cassaud Florimond； Sep。19； 1799。）
〃Among the corruptible and corrupting agents there are only too many
public functionaries。〃 … Mollien； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。； 222。 （In 1800； he
had just been appointed director of the sinking…fund。） 〃The
commonplace compliment which was everywhere paid to me （and even by
statesmen who affected the sternest morality） was as follows … you are
very fortunate to have an office in which one may legitimately
accumulate the largest fortune in Fran