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cardinal； and minister of State。 It confers on its possessor；
according to the greater or lesser importance of the place； a greater
or lesser portion of the advantages which all men crave and seek for
money； power； patronage； influence； consideration； importance and
social pre…eminence； thus； according to the rank one attains in the
hierarchy； one is something； or of some account； outside of the
hierarchy； one is nothing。
Consequently； the faculty for getting in and advancing one's self in
these lists is the most precious of all： in the new Régime it is
guaranteed by the law as a common right and is open to all Frenchmen。
As no other outlet for them is allowed by the State it owes them this
one； since it invites them and reduces everybody to competing under
its direction it is bound to be an impartial arbiter； since the
quality of citizen； in itself and through it alone； confers the right
to make one's way； all citizens indifferently must enjoy the right of
succeeding in any employment； the very highest； and without any
distinction as to birth； fortune； cult or party。 There must be no more
preliminary exclusions； no more gratuitous preferences； undeserved
favors； anticipated promotions； no more special favors。 … Such is the
rule of the modern State： constituted as it is； that is to say；
monopolizer and omnipresent； it cannot violate this rule for any
length of time with impunity。 In France； at least； the good and bad
spirits of equality agree in exacting adherence to it： on this point；
the French are unanimous； no article of their social code is more
cherished by them； this one flatters their amour…propre and tickles
their imagination； it exalts hope； nourishes illusion； intensifies the
energy and enjoyment of life。 … Thus far； the principle has remained
inert； powerless； held in suspension in the air； in the great void of
speculative declarations and of constitutional promises。 Napoleon
brings it down to the ground and renders it practical； that which the
assemblies had decreed in vain for ten years he brings about for the
first time and in his own interest。 To exclude a class or category of
men from offices and promotion would be equivalent to depriving one's
self gratuitously of all the talents it contains； and； moreover； to
incurring； besides the inevitable rancor of these frustrated talents；
the sullen and lasting discontent of the entire class or category。 The
First Consul would do himself a wrong were he to curb his right to
choose： he needs every available capacity； and he takes them where he
finds them； to the right； to the left； above or below； in order to
keep his regiments full and enroll in his service every legitimate
ambition and every justifiable pretension。
Under the monarchy； an obscure birth debarred even the best endowed
men from the principal offices。 Under the Consulate and the Empire the
two leading personages of the State are Lebrun； Maupeou's old
secretary； a productive translator；＇8＇ a lawyer； formerly councilor in
a provincial court of justice； then third…consul； then Duc de
Plaisance and arch…chancellor of the Empire and Cambacérès； second…
consul； then Duc de Parme and arch…chancellor of the Empire； both of
them being princes。 Similarly； the marshals are new men and soldiers
of fortune； a few of them born in the class of inferior nobles or in
the ordinary bourgeois class； mostly among the people or even amongst
the populace； and； in its lowest ranks； Masséna； the son of a wine…
dealer； once a cabin…boy and then common soldier and non…commissioned
officer for fourteen years； Ney； son of a cooper； Lefebvre； son of a
miller； Murat； son of a tavern…keeper； Lannes； son of an hostler； and
Augereau； son of a mason and a female dealer in fruit and vegetables。
… Under the Republic； noble birth consigned； or confined； the ablest
and best qualified men for their posts to a voluntary obscurity； only
too glad when their names did not condemn them to exile； imprisonment
or to the guillotine。 Under the Empire； M。 de Talleyrand is prince of
Benevento； minister of foreign affairs and vice…grand…elector with a
salary of five hundred thousand francs。 We see personages of old
nobility figuring in the first ranks： among the clergy M。 de
Roquelaure； M。 de Boisgelin； M。 de Broglie； M。 Ferdinand de Rohan； in
the magistracy； M。 Séguier； M。 Pasquier； M。 Molé； on the domestic and
decorative staff of the palace； Comte de Ségur； grand…master of
ceremonies； Comte de Montesquiou…Fézensac； grand…chamberlain； also as
chamberlains； Comtes d'Aubusson de la Feuillade； de Brigode； de Croy；
de Coutades； de Louvois； de Brancas； de Gontaut； de Grammont； de
Beauvau； de Lur…Saluces； d'Haussonville； de Noailles； de Chabot； de
Turenne；＇9＇ and other bearers of historic names。 … During the
Revolution； at each new parliamentarian； popular or military coup
d'état the notabilities of the vanquished party were always excluded
from office and generally outlawed。 After the coup d'état of Brumaire；
not only are the vanquished of the old parties all brought back under
the protection of the law； but； again； their notables are promoted to
the highest offices。 Among the monarchists of the Constituent Assembly
Mabuet is made councilor of State； and Maury archbishop of Paris；
forty…seven other ecclesiastics who； like himself； refused to take the
oath to the civil constitution of the clergy； are appointed； like him；
to episcopal thrones。 Among the Feuillants of the Legislative
Assembly； Vaublanc is made prefect； Beugnot a councilor of State and
minister of the finances in the grand…duchy of Berg； Matthieu Dumas a
brigadier…general and director of reviews； Narbonne becomes the aid…
de…camp and the intimate interlocutor of Napoleon； and then ambassador
to Vienna； if Lafayette had been willing； not to ask for but to accept
the post； he would have been made a marshal of France。 … Among the few
Girondists or Federalists who did not perish after the 2nd June；
Riouffe is prefect and baron； Lanjuinais is senator and count； among
others proscribed； or half proscribed； the new Régime restores to and
places at the head of affairs the superior and special employees whom
the Reign of Terror had driven away； or singled out for slaughter；
particularly the heads of the financial and diplomatic services who；
denounced by Robespierre on the 8th Thermidor； or arrested on the
morning of the 9th already felt their necks under the blade of the
guillotine； Reinhart and Otto are ambassadors； Mollien is count and
treasury minister； Miot becomes councilor of state； Comte de Melito
minister of finances at Naples； while Gaudin is made minister of
finances in France and Duc de Ga？te。 Among the transported or
fugitives of Fructidor； Barthélemy becomes senator； Barbé…Marbois
director of the Treasury and first president of the Cour des Comptes；
Siméon； councilor of State and then minister of justice in Westphalia；
Portalis is made minister of worship； and Fontanes gran