友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the origins of contemporary france-5-第60章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




be governed by it from and after the 1st of January。〃 … The same with

Dantzic: 〃Insinuate gently and not by writing to the King of Bavaria;

the Prince…primate; the grand…dukes of Hesse…Darmstadt and of Baden;

that the civil code should be established in their states by

suppressing all customary law and confining themselves wholly to the

code Napoleon。〃 (Letter to M。 de Champagny; Oct。 31; 1807。) … 〃 The

Romans gave their laws to their allies。 Why should not France have its

laws adopted in Holland? 。 。 。 It is equally essential that you should

adopt the French monetary system。〃 (Letter to Louis; King of Holland;

Nov。 13; 1807。)  … To the Spaniards: 〃Your nephews will honor me as

their regenerator。〃 (Allocution addressed to Madrid Dec。 9; 1808。)  …

〃Spain must be French。 The country must be French and the government

must be French。〃 (Roederer; III。; 529; 536; words of Napoleon; Feb。

11; 1809。) … In short; following the example of Rome; which had

Latinized the entire Mediterranean coast; he wanted to render all

western Europe French。 The object was; as he declared; 〃to establish

and consecrate at last the empire of reason and the full exercise; the

complete enjoyment of every human faculty。〃 (Mémorial。)









BOOK THIRD。 Object and Merits of the System。



CHAPTER I。  Recovery of Social Order。



I。 Rule as the mass want to be ruled。



How Napoleon comprehends the sovereignty of the people。 … His maxim on

the will of the majority and on the office of government。 … Two groups

of prominent and obvious desires in 1799。



HOWEVER clear and energetic his artistic convictions may be; his mind

is absorbed by the preoccupations of the ruler: It is not enough for

him that his edifice should be monumental; symmetrical; and beautiful。

As he lives in it and derives the greatest benefit from it; he wants

first of all that it should be fit to live in; habitable for Frenchmen

of the year 1800。 Consequently; he takes into account the habits and

dispositions of his tenants; the pressing and permanent wants。 But

these needs must not be theoretic and vague; but verified and defined;

for he is as accurate as he is shrewd; and deals only with positive

facts。



〃My political system;〃 says he to the Council of State;'1' 〃is to rule

men as the mass want to be ruled。 。 。  By constituting myself a

Catholic I put an end to the war in La Vendée; by turning into a

Moslem I established myself in Egypt: by turning ultramontane'2' I

gained over the priests in Italy。 Were I to govern a population of

Jews; I would restore the temple of Solomon。 I shall speak just in

this fashion about liberty in the free part of St。 Domingo; I shall

confirm slavery in the Ile…de…France and even in the slave section of

St。 Domingo; with the reservation of diminishing and limiting slavery

where I maintain it; and of restoring order and keeping up discipline

where I maintain freedom。 I think that is the way to recognize the

sovereignty of the people。〃



〃 Now; in France; at this epoch; there are two groups of preponderant

desires which evidently outweigh all others; one dating back the past

ten years; and the other for a century or more: the question is how to

satisfy these; and the sagacious constructor; who estimates them for

what they are worth; combines to this end the proportions; plan;

arrangement; and entire interior economy of his edifice。



II。 The Revolution Ends。



Necessities dating from the Revolution。 … Lack of security for

Persons; Property; and Consciences。 … Requisite conditions for the

establishment of order。 … End of Civil war; Brigandage; and Anarchy。 …

Universal relief and final security。



The first of these two needs is urgent; almost physical。 For the last

ten years; the government has not done its duty; or has ruled in a

contrary sense。 By turns or at the same time its impotence and

injustice have been deplorable。 It has committed or allowed too many

outrages on persons; property; and consciences。 All in all the

Revolution did nothing else; and it is time that this should stop。

Safety and security for consciences; property; and persons is the loud

and unanimous outcry vibrating in all hears。'3' … To calm things down;

many novelties are required: To start with; the political and

administrative concentration just described; a centralization of all

powers in one hand; local powers conferred by the central power; and;

to exercise this supreme power a resolute chief; equal in intelligence

to his high position。 Next; a regularly paid army;'4' carefully

equipped; properly clothed and fed; strictly disciplined and therefore

obedient and able to do its duty without wavering or faltering; like

any other instrument of precision。 An active police force and

gendarmerie kept on a tight rein。 Administrators independent of those

under their jurisdiction; and judges independent of those due to be

tried。 All appointed; maintained; watched; and restrained from above;

as impartial as possible; sufficiently competent; and; in their

official spheres; capable functionaries。 Finally; freedom of worship;

and; accordingly; a treaty with Rome and the restoration of the

Catholic Church; that is to say; a legal recognition of the orthodox

hierarchy and of the only clergy which the faithful may accept as

legitimate; in other words; the institution of bishops by the Pope;

and of priests by the bishops。



This done; the rest is easily accomplished。 A well…led army corps

marches along and tramples out the embers of the conflagration now

kindling in the West; while religious toleration extinguishes the

smoldering fires of popular insurrection。 Henceforth; there is an end

to civil war。'5' Regiments ready to act in harmony with the military

commissions'6' purge the South and the valley of the Rh?ne;

thenceforth; there are no more roving bands in the rural districts;

while brigandage on a grand scale; constantly repressed; ceases; and

after this; that on a small scale。 No more chouans; chauffeurs; or

barbets;'7' The mail…coach travels without a guard; and the highways

are safe。'8' There is longer any class or category of citizens

oppressed or excluded from the common law; the latest Jacobin decrees

and the forced loan have been at once revoked: noble or plebeian;

ecclesiastic or layman; rich or poor; former émigré or former

terrorist; every man; whatever his past; his condition; or his

opinions; now enjoys his private property and his legal rights; he has

no longer to fear the violence of the opposite party; he may relay on

the protection of the authorities;'9' and on the equity of the

magistrates。'10' So long as he respects the law he can go to bed at

night and sleep tranquilly with the certainty of awaking in freedom on

the morrow; and with the certainty of doing as he pleases the entire

day; with the privilege of working; buying; selling; thinking; amusing

himself;'11' going and coming at his pleasure; and especially of going

to mass or of staying aw
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!