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prelates possessing half a million income； the pomp of their palaces；
the hunting equipment of M。 de Dillon； bishop of Evreux； the
confessionals lined with satin of M。 de Barral； bishop of Troyes； and
the innumerable culinary utensils in massive silver of M。 de Rohan；
bishop of Strasbourg。 … Such is the lot of curates at the
established rates； and there are 〃a great many〃 who do not get the
established rates； withheld from them through the ill…will of the
higher clergy； who； with their perquisites； get only from 400 to 500
livres； and who vainly ask for the meager pittance to which they are
entitled by the late edict。 〃Should not such a request；〃 says a
curate； 〃be willingly granted by Messieurs of the upper clergy who
suffer monks to enjoy from 5 to 6；000 livres income each person；
whilst they see curates； who are at least as necessary； reduced to the
lighter portion； as little for themselves as for their parish？ 〃 …
And they yet gnaw on this slight pittance to pay the free gift。 In
this； as in the rest； the poor are charged to discharge the rich。 In
the diocese of Clermont； 〃the curates； even with the simple fixed
rates； are subject to a tax of 60； 80； 100； 120 livres and even more；
the vicars； who live only by the sweat of their brows； are taxed 22
livres。〃 The prelates； on the contrary； pay but little； and 〃it is
still a custom to present bishops on New…Year's day with a receipt for
their taxes。〃＇30＇ … There is no escape for the curates。 Save two or
three small bishoprics of 〃lackeys；〃 all the dignities of the church
are reserved to the nobles； 〃to be a bishop nowadays；〃 says one of
them； 〃a man must be a gentleman。〃 I regard them as sergeants who；
like their fellows in the army； have lost all hope of becoming
officers。 … Hence there are some whose anger bursts its bounds： 〃We；
unfortunate curates at fixed rates； we； commonly assigned to the
largest parishes； like my own which； for two leagues in the woods；
includes hamlets that would form another； we； whose lot makes even the
stones and beams of our miserable dwellings cry aloud；〃 we have to
endure prelates 〃who would still； through their forest…keepers；
prosecute a poor curate for cutting a stick in their forests； his sole
support on his long journeys over the road。〃 On their passing； the
poor man 〃is obliged to jump close against a slope to protect himself
from the feet and the spattering of the horses； as likewise from the
wheels and； perhaps； the whip of an insolent coachman；〃 and then；
〃begrimed with dirt； with his stick in one hand and his hat； such as
it is； in the other； he must salute； humbly and quickly； through the
door of the close； gilded carriage； the counterfeit hierophant who is
snoring on the wool of the flock the poor curate is feeding； and of
which he merely leaves him the dung and the grease。〃 The whole letter
is one long cry of rage； it is rancor of this stamp which is to
fashion Joseph Lebons and Fouchés。 … In this situation and with
these sentiments it is evident that the lower clergy will treat its
chiefs as the provincial nobility treated theirs。＇31＇ They will not
select 〃for representatives those who swim in opulence and who have
always regarded their sufferings with tranquility。〃 The curates； on
all sides 〃will confederate together〃 to send only curates to the
States…General； and to exclude 〃not only canons； abbés； priors and
other beneficiaries； but again the principal superiors； the heads of
the hierarchy；〃 that is to say； the bishops。 In fact； in the States…
General； out of three hundred clerical deputies we count two hundred
and eight curates； and； like the provincial nobles； these bring along
with them the distrust and the ill…will which they have so long
entertained against their chiefs。 Events are soon to prove this。 If
the first two orders are constrained to combine against the communes
it is at the critical moment when the curates withdraw。 If the
institution of an upper chamber is rejected it is owing to the
commonalty of the gentry （la plèbe des gentilshommes） being unwilling
to allow the great families a prerogative which they have abused。
V。 The King's Incompetence and Generosity。
The most privileged of all … Having monopolized all powers； he
takes upon himself their functional activity … The burden of this task
… He evades it or is incompetent … His conscience at ease … France is
his property … How he abuses it … Royalty the center of abuses。
One privilege remains the most considerable of all； that of the
king； for； in his staff of hereditary nobles he is the hereditary
general。 His office； indeed； is not a sinecure； like their rank； but
it involves quite as grave disadvantages and worse temptations。 Two
things are pernicious to Man； the lack of occupation and the lack of
restraint； neither inactivity nor omnipotence are in harmony with his
nature。 The absolute prince who is all…powerful； like the listless
aristocracy with nothing to do； in the end become useless and
mischievous。 … In grasping all powers the king insensibly took upon
himself all functions； an immense undertaking and one surpassing human
strength。 For it is the Monarchy； and not the Revolution； which
endowed France with administrative centralization ＇32＇。 Three
functionaries； one above the other； manage all public business under
the direction of the king's council； the comptroller…general at the
center； the intendant in each generalship；＇33＇ the sub…delegate in
each election； fixing； apportioning and levying taxes and the militia；
laying out and building highways； employing the national police force；
distributing succor； regulating cultivation； imposing their tutelage
on the parishes； and treating municipal magistrates as valets。 〃A
village；〃 says Turgot；＇34＇ 〃is simply an assemblage of houses and
huts； and of inhabitants equally passive。 。 。 。 Your Majesty is
obliged to decide wholly by yourself or through your mandataries。 。 。
。 Each awaits your special instructions to contribute to the public
good； to respect the rights of others； and even sometimes to exercise
his own。〃 Consequently； adds Necker； 〃the government of France is
carried on in the bureaux。 。 。。The clerks； relishing their influence；
never fail to persuade the minister that he cannot separate himself
from command in a single detail。〃 Bureaucratic at the center；
arbitrariness； exceptions and favors everywhere； such is a summary of
the system。 〃Sub…delegates； officers of elections； receivers and
comptrollers of the vingtièmes； commissaires and collectors of the
tailles； officers of the salt…tax； process…servers； voituriers…
buralistes； overseers of the corvées； clerks of the excise； of the
registry； and of dues reserved； all these men belonging to the tax…
service。 Each of these will； aided by his fiscal knowledge and petty
authority； so overwhelm the ignorant and inexperienced tax payer that
he does not recognize that he is being cheated。〃 ＇35＇