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the emperor and； opposite to it； the name of the person recommending
him。〃 All； even at a distance； felt that the master's eyes were on
them。 〃I worked；〃 says Beugnot；＇32＇ 〃from night to morning； with
singular ardor； I astonished the natives of the country who did not
know that the emperor exercised over his servitors； however far from
him they might be； the miracle of the real presence。 I thought I saw
him standing over me as I worked shut up in my cabinet。〃 … 〃Under
him；〃 writes Roederer； 〃there is no man of any merit who； as a reward
for long and difficult labor； does not feel himself better compensated
by a new task than by the most honorable leisure。〃 Never did positions
less resemble sinecures。 Never was the happiness of successful
candidates or the misery of unsuccessful candidates better justified。
Never the compliance； the difficulty； the risks of a required task
have been compensated more fairly by the enjoyment of the allocated
rewards nor moderated the bitterness of the frustrated
pretensions。＇33＇ Never were public functions assigned or fulfilled in
a way to better satisfy the legitimate craving for advancement； the
dominant desire of democracy and of the century； and in a way to
better disarm the bad passions of democracy and of the century；
consisting of an envious leveling； anti…social rancor and the
inconsolable regrets of the man who has failed。 Never did human
competition encounter a similar judge； so constant； so expert and so
justified。 … He is himself conscious of the unique part he plays。 His
own ambition； the highest and most insatiate of all； enables him to
comprehend the ambition of others； to place everywhere the man who
suits the post in the post which suits the man … this is what he has
done for himself and what he does for others。 He knows that in this
lies his power； his deep…seated popularity； his social utility。
〃Nobody；〃 says Napoleon；＇34＇ 〃is interested in overthrowing a
government in
which all the deserving are employed。〃
Then； again； comes his significant exclamation at the end； his summary
of modern society； a solemn grandiose figure of speech found in the
legendary souvenirs of a glorious antiquity； a classic reminiscence of
the noble Olympian games；
〃Henceforth； all careers are open to talent！〃
IV。 The Struggle for Office and Title。
Competition and prizes。 … Multitude of offices。 … How their number is
increased by the extension of central patronage and of the French
territory。 … Situation of a Frenchman abroad。 … It gives him rank。 …
Rapidity of promotion。 … Constant elimination and multiplicity of
vacancies in the army。 … Preliminary elimination in the civil service。
… Proscription of cultivated men and interruption of education during
the Revolution。 … General or special instruction rare in 1800。… Small
number of competent candidates。 … Easy promotion due to the lack of
competitors。 … Importance and attraction the prizes offered。 … The
Legion of Honor。 … The imperial nobility。 … Dotations and majorities。
… Emulation。
Let us now consider the career which he thus opens to them and the
prizes he offers。 These prizes are in full view； ranged along each
racecourse； graduated according to distances and more and more
striking and magnificent。 Every ambition is provided for； the highest
as well as the lowest； and these are countless； for they consist of
offices of every grade in the civil and military hierarchies of a
great centralized State whose intervention is universal； under a
government which systematically tolerates no authority or influence
outside of itself and which monopolizes every species of social
importance for its own functionaries。＇35＇ … All these prizes； even the
smallest and most insignificant； are awarded by it。 In the first
place； Napoleon has two or three times as many offices to bestow； on
the soil of old France alone； as the former kings； for； even in the
choice of their staff of officials； the latter were not always free；
in many places they did not have； or no longer had the right of
appointment。 At one time； this right be longed from time immemorial to
provincial or municipal corporations； laic or ecclesiastic； to a
certain chapter； abbey or collegiate church； to a bishop in his
diocese； to the seignior in his seignory。 At another time the king；
once possessing the right； had surrendered or alienated it； in whole
or in part through gratuitous favor and the concession of a
survivorship or for money and through the sale of an office； in brief；
his hands were tied fast by hereditary or acquired privileges There
are no privileges now to fetter the hands of the First Consul。 The
entire civil organization dates from him。 The whole body of officials
is thus of his own selection； and under him it is much more numerous
than that of the ancient Régime； for he has extended the attributions
of the State beyond all former bounds。 Directly or indirectly； he
appoints by hundreds of thousands the mayors and councilors of
municipalities and the members of general councils； the entire staff
of the administration； of the finances； of the judicature； of the
clergy； of the University； of public works and of public charity。
Besides all this； myriads of ministerial and notarial officials
lawyers； ushers； auctioneers； and by way of surplus； or as a natural
result； the members of every great private association since no
collective enterprise； from the Bank of France and the press to stage
lines and tontines； may be established without his permission； nor
exist without his tolerance。 Not counting the latter； and after
deducting likewise the military or active duty and the functionaries
who draw pay； the prefect from the earliest years report that； since
1789； the number of people 〃employed or under government pay〃 has more
than doubled： In Doubs； in the year IX； instead of 916 there are 1820；
in Meurthe in the year XIII； instead of 1828 there are 3091； in Ain；
in 1806 instead of 955 there are 1771＇36＇。 As to the army； it has
tripled； and according to the First Consul's own calculations； instead
of 9；000 or 10；000 officers as in 1789； there are more than 20；000。 …
These figures go on increasing on the old territory through the very
development of the new organization； through the enormous increase of
the army； through the re…establishment of religious worship； through
the installation of droits réunis； through the institution of the
University； owing to the increasing number of officials； curés and
assistant…priests； of professors and school…teachers； and of retired
and pensioned invalids。＇37＇
And these figures； which already swell of themselves； are to swell an
additional half through the extension of the ancient territory。
Instead of 86 departments with a population of 26 millions； France
ends in comprising 130 departments with 42 million inhabitants …
Belgium and Piedmont； then Hanover； Tuscany； Central Italy； Illyria；
Holland and the Hanseatic provinces； that is to say 44 departments and
16 millions of annexed Frenchmen；＇38＇ affording another large outlet
for little and big ambitions。 … Add still another； as a surplus and
not less extensive outlet； outside of France： for the subject princes
and the vassal kings； Eugène； Louis； Jerome； Murat； and Joseph； each
with their governments； import into their realms a more or less
numerous body of French officials； familiars； court dignitaries；
generals； ministers； administrators； even clerks and other
indispensable subalterns； if for no other purpose than to bring the
natives within the military and civil compartments of the new Régime
and teach them on the spot the conscription； the administration； the
civil code； and systems of accounts like those of Paris。 Even in the
independent or allied States； in Prussia； in Poland； in the
confederation of the Rhine； there are； at intervals or permanently；
Frenchmen in position and in authority to command contingent forces；
to garrison fortresses； to receive supplies and secure the payment of
war contributions。 Even with the corporal and custom…house inspector
on duty on coast at Dantzig and at Reggio； the sentiment of victorious
priority equals the possession of rank； in their eyes the natives of
the country are semi…barbarians or semi…savages； a backward or
prejudiced lot； not even knowing how to speak their language； they
feel themselves superior； as formerly the se？or soldado of the
sixteenth century； or the civis romanus。 Never since the great Spanish
monarchy and the Old Roman empire has a conquering State and
propagator of a new régime afforded its subjects such gratifications
of self…esteem； nor opened so vast a career to their ambitions。
For； having once adopted their career； they know better than the
Spaniards under Charles V。 or the Romans under Augustus； how far they
can go and how fast they can get ahead。 No obstacle impedes them；
nobody feels himself confin