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communities in the place； formed an intermittent municipal council the
same as to…day； but much more ample； which voted and passed
resolutions on important occasions； there was a board of management at
the head of it； 〃the town corps；〃 comprising the various municipal
officials； the mayor； his lieutenant； sheriffs； prosecuting attorney；
treasurer； and clerk；＇14＇ now elected by the deliberative assembly；
now the legal purchasers； heirs； and proprietors of their office； the
same as a notary or advocate of to…day owns his office； protected
against administrative caprices by a royal acquittance； and； for a
money consideration； titular in their towns； the same as a
parliamentarian in his parliament； and hence planted in； or grafted
upon； the commune like a parliamentarian among his peers； and； like
him； defenders of local interests against the central power。 … In the
village； the heads of families met together on the public square；
deliberated in common over common affairs； elected the syndic；
likewise the collectors of the taille； and deputies to the intendant；
of their own accord； but with his approval； they taxed themselves for
the support of the school； for repairs to the church or fountain； and
for beginning or carrying on a suit in court。 … All these remains of
the ancient provincial and communal initiative； respected or tolerated
by monarchical centralization； are crushed out and extinguished。 The
First Consul very soon falls upon these local societies and seizes
them in his claws； in the eyes of the new legislator they scarcely
seem to exist； there must not be any local personalities for him。 The
commune and department； in his eyes； are merely territorial districts；
physical portions of the public domain； provincial workshops to which
the central State transfers and uses its tools； in order to work
effectively and on the spot。 Here； as elsewhere； he takes the business
entirely in his own hands； if he employs interested parties it is only
as auxiliaries； at odd times； for a few days； to operate with more
discernment and more economy； to listen to complaints and promises； to
become better informed and the better to apportion changes； but；
except this occasional and subordinate help； the members of the local
society must remain passive in the local society； they are to pay and
obey； and nothing more。 Their community no longer belongs to them； but
to the government； its chiefs are functionaries who depend on him； and
not on it； it no longer issues its mandate； all its legal mandatories；
all its representatives and directors； municipal or general
councilors； mayors； sub…prefects or prefects； are imposed on it from
above； by a foreign hand； and； willingly or not； instead of choosing
them； it has to put up with them。
VI。 Local Elections under the First Consul。
Lists of notables。 … Sénatus…consultes of the year X。 … Liberal
institution becomes a reigning instrument。 … Mechanism of the system
of appointments and candidatures。 … Decree of 1806 and suppression of
candidatures。
At the beginning； an effort was made to put in practice the
constitutional principle proposed by Sieyès： Power in future；
according the accepted formula； must come from above and confidence
from below。 To this end； in the year IX； the assembled citizens
appointed one…tenth of their number； about 500；000 communal notables；
and these； likewise assembled； appointed also one…tenth of their
number； about 50；000 departmental notables。 The government selected
from this list the municipal councilors of each commune； and； from
this second list； the general councilors of each department。 … The
machine； however； is clumsy； difficult to set going； still more
difficult to manage； and too unreliable in its operation。 According to
the First Consul； it is an absurd system； 〃a childish piece of
ideology； a great nation should not be organized in this way。〃＇15＇ At
bottom；＇16＇ 〃he does not want notables accepted by the nation。 In his
system； he is to declare who the notables of the nation shall be and
stamp them with the seal of the State； it is not for the nation to
present them to the head of the State stamped with the national seal。〃
Consequently； at the end of a year； he becomes； through the
establishment of electoral colleges； the veritable grand…elector of
all the notables； he has transformed； with his usual address； a
liberal institution into a reigning instrumentality。＇17＇
Provisionally； he holds on to the list of communal notables； 〃because
it is the work of the people； the result of a grand movement which
must not prove useless； and because； moreover； it contains a large
number of names。 。 。 。 offering a wide margin from which to make good
selections。＇18＇ He brings together these notables in each canton； and
invites them to designate their trusty men； the candidates from which
he will choose municipal councilors。 But； as there are very few
cultivated men in the rural districts； 〃nearly always it is the old
seignior who would get himself designated〃；＇19＇ it is essential that
the hand of the government should not be forced； that its faculty of
choosing should not be restricted。 Thus； the presentation of municipal
councilors of that category must cease； there must no longer be any
preliminary candidates。 Now； according the sénatus…consulte； this
category is a large one； for it comprises all communes of less than
5000 souls； and therefore over 35；000 municipal councils out of
36；000； whose members are appointed arbitrarily； without the citizens
whom they represent taking any part in their nomination。 … Four or
five hundred average or large communes still remain； in which for each
municipal post； the cantonal assembly designates two candidates
between whom the government chooses。 Let us see this assembly duly
installed and at work。
Its president； as a precautionary step； is imposed upon it。 He is
appointed in advance by the government； and is well informed as to
what the government wants。 He alone controls the police of the chamber
and the order of all deliberations。 On opening the session； he draws a
list from his pocket； which list； furnished by the government；
contains the names of one hundred of the heaviest taxpayers of the
canton； from whom the assembly must select its candidates。 The lists
lies spread out on the table； and the electors advance in turn； spell
the names； and try to read it over。 The president would not be very
adroit and show but little zeal did he not help them in reading it；
and if he did not point out by some sign； a tone of the voice； or even
a direct word； what names were agreeable to the government。 Now； this
government； which has five hundred thousand bayonets at command；
dislikes opposition： the electors know it； and look twice before
expressing any counter opinion； it is very probable that most of the
names suggested by the government are found on their ballots； were
only one…half of them there； these would suffice； of