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himself；＇11＇ going and coming at his pleasure； and especially of going
to mass or of staying away if he chooses。 No more jacqueries either
rural or urban； no more proscriptions or persecutions and legal or
illegal spoliations； no more intestine and social wars waged with
pikes or by decrees； no more conquests and confiscations made by
Frenchmen against each other。 With universal and unutterable relief
people emerge from the barbarous and anarchical régime which reduced
them to living from one day to another； and return to the pacific and
regular régime which permits them to count on the morrow and make
provision for it。 After ten years of harassing subjection to the
incoherent absolutism of unstable despotism； here； for the first time；
they find a rational and stable government； or； at least； a
reasonable； tolerable； and fixed degree of it。 The First Consul is
carrying out his declarations and he has declared that 〃The Revolution
has ended。〃＇12＇
III。 Return of the Emigrés。
Lasting effect of revolutionary laws。 … Condition of the émigrés。 …
Progressive and final amnesty。 …They return。 … They recover a portion
of their possessions。 … Many of them enter the new hierarchy。 …
Indemnities for them incomplete。
The main thing now is to dress the severe wounds it has made and which
are still bleeding； with as little torture as possible； for it has cut
down to the quick； and its amputations； whether foolish or outrageous；
have left sharp pains or mute suffering in the social organism。
One hundred and ninety…two thousand names have been inscribed on the
list of émigrés＇13＇ the terms of the law； every émigré is civilly
dead； and his possessions have become the property of the Republic；〃
if he dared return to France； the same law condemned him to death；
there could be no appeal； petition； or respite； it sufficed to prove
identity and the squad of executioners was at once ordered out。 Now；
at the beginning of the Consulate； this murderous law is still in
force； summary proceedings are always applicable；＇14＇ and one hundred
and forty…six thousand names still appear on the mortuary list。 This
constitutes a loss to France of 146；000 Frenchmen； and not those of
the least importance … gentlemen； army and navy officers； members of
parliaments； priests； prominent men of all classes； conscientious
Catholics； liberals of 1789； Feuillantists of the Legislative
assembly； and Constitutionalists of the years III and V。 Worse still；
through their poverty or hostility abroad； they are a discredit or
even a danger for France； as formerly with the Protestants driven out
of the country by Louis XIV。＇15＇ … To these 146；000 exiled Frenchmen
add 200；000 or 300；000 others； residents； but semi…proscribed：＇16＇
First； those nearly related and allied to each émigré； excluded by the
law from 〃every legislative； administrative； municipal and judicial
function；〃 and even deprived of the elective vote。 Next； all former
nobles or ennobled； deprived by the law of their status as Frenchmen
and obliged to re…naturalize themselves according to the formalities。
It is； accordingly； almost the entire elite of old France which is
wanting in the new France； like a limb violently wrenched and half…
detached by the unskillful and brutal scalpel of the revolutionary
〃sawbones〃； for both the organ and the body are not only living； but
they are still feverish and extremely sensitive； it is important to
avoid too great irritation； inflammation of any kind would be
dangerous。 A skilful surgeon； therefore； must mark the places for the
stitches； not force the junctures； but anticipate and prepare for the
final healing process； and await the gradual and slow results of vital
effort and spontaneous renewal。 Above all he must not alarm the
patient。 The First Consul is far from doing this； on the contrary his
expressions are all encouraging。 Let the patient keep quiet； there
shall be no re…stitching； the wound shall not be touched。 The
constitution solemnly declares that the French people shall never
allow the return of the émigrés；＇17＇ and； on this point； the hands of
future legislators are already tied fast； it prohibits any exception
being added to the old ones。 … But； first； by virtue of the same
constitution； every Frenchman not an émigré or banished has the right
to vote； to be elected； to exercise every species of public function；
consequently； twelve days later；＇18＇ a mere order of the Council of
State restores civil and political rights to former nobles and the
ennobled； to the kinsmen and relations of émigrés； to all who have
been dubbed émigrés of the interior and whom Jacobin intolerance had
excluded； if not from the territory； at least from the civic body：
here are 200；000 or 300；000 Frenchmen already brought back into
political communion if not to the soil。 … They had succumbed to the
coup…d'état of Fructidor； naturally； the leading fugitives or those
transported； suffering under the same coup…d'état； were restored to
political rights along with them and thus to the territory … Carnot；
Barthélémy； Lafont…Ladébat； Siméon； Poissy d'Anglas； Mathieu Dumas； in
all thirty…nine； designated by name；＇19＇ very soon after。 Through a
simple extension of the same resolution； others of the Fructidor
victims； a crowd of priests huddled together and pining away on the
Ile…de…Ré； the most unfortunate and most inoffensive of all。＇20＇ … Two
months later； a law declares that the list of émigrés is definitely
closed；＇21＇ a resolution orders immediate investigation into the
claims of those who are to be struck off the list； a second resolution
strikes off the first founders of the new order of things； the members
of the National Assembly 〃who voted for the establishment of equality
and the abolition of nobility；〃 and； day after day； new erasures
succeed each other； all specific and by name； under cover of
toleration； pardon； and exception：＇22＇ on the 19th of October 1800；
there are already 1200 of them。 Bonaparte； at this date； had gained
the battle of Marengo； the surgical restorer feels that his hands are
more free； he can operate on a larger scale and take in whole bodies
collectively。 On the 20th of October 1800； a resolution strikes off
entire categories from the list； all whose condemnation is too grossly
unjust or malicious；＇23＇ at first； minors under sixteen and the wives
of émigrés； next； farmers； artisans； workmen； journeymen and servants
with their wives and children and at last 18；000 ecclesiastics who；
banished by law； left the country only in obedience to the law。
Besides these； 〃all individuals inscribed collectively and without
individual denomination；〃 those already struck off； but provisionally；
by local administrations； also still other classes。 Moreover； a good
many emigrants； yet standing on the lists； steal back one by one into
France； and the government tolerates them。＇24＇ Finally； eighteen
months later； after the peace of Am