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the origins of contemporary france-2-第54章

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along with the Prince de Condé; received at their houses the evening

before they left a list of the proscribed on which their names

appeared; and a reward was promised to whoever would bring their

heads to the cellar of the Palais…Royal   Others; in larger

numbers; left after the occurrences of the 6th of October。  

During the last months of the Constituent Assembly;'35'



 〃the emigration goes on in companies composed of men of every

condition。  。  。。  Twelve hundred gentlemen have left Poitou alone;

Auvergne; Limousin; and ten other provinces have been equally

depopulated of their landowners。  There are towns in which nobody

remains but common。  workmen; a club; and the crowd of devouring

office…holders created by the Constitution。  All the nobles in

Brittany have left; and the emigration has begun in Normandy; and is

going on in the frontier provinces。



 〃More than two…thirds of the army will be without officers。〃 On

being called upon to take the new oath in which the King's name is

purposely omitted; 〃six thousand officers send in their

resignation。〃



The example gradually becomes contagious; they are men of the sword;

and their honor is at stake。  Many of them join the princes at

Coblentz; and。  subsequently do battle against France in the belief

that they are contending only against their executioners。



The treatment of the nobles by the Assembly is the same as the

treatment of the Protestants by Louis XIV。'36' In both cases the

oppressed are a superior class of men。  In both cases France has

been made uninhabitable for them。  In both cases they are reduced to

exile; and they are punished because they exiled them selves。  In

both cases it ended in a confiscation of their property; and in the

penalty of death to all who should harbor them。  In both cases; by

dint of persecution; they are driven to revolt。  The insurrection of

La Vendée corresponds with the insurrection of the Cévennes; and the

emigrants; like the refugees of former times; will be found under。

the flags of Prussia and of England。  One hundred thousand Frenchmen

driven out at the end of the seventeenth century; and one hundred

thousand driven out at the end of the eighteenth century!  Mark how

an intolerant democracy completes the work of an intolerant

monarchy。  The moral aristocracy was mowed down in the name of

uniformity; the social aristocracy is mowed down in the name of

equality。  For the second time; an absolute principle; and with the

same effect; buries its blade in the heart of a living society。



The success is complete。  One of the deputies of the Legislative

Assembly; early in its session; on being informed of the great

increase in emigration; joyfully exclaims;



〃SO MUCH THE BETTER; FRANCE IS BEING PURGED!〃



She is; in truth; being depleted of one…half of her best blood。







IV。



Abuse and lukewarmness in 1789 in the ecclesiastical bodies。  … How

the State used its right of overseeing and reforming them。  … Social

usefulness of corporations。… The sound part in the monastic

institution。  … Zeal and services of nuns。  … How ecclesiastical

possessions should be employed。  … Principle of the Assembly as to

private communities; feudal rights and trust…funds。  … Abolition and

expropriation all corporations。  … Uncompensated suppression of

tithes。… Confiscation of ecclesiastical possessions。  … Effect on

the Treasury and on expropriated services。  …The civil constitution

of the clergy。… Rights of the Church in relation to the State。  …

Certainty and effects of a conflict。  … Priests considered as State…

functionaries。… Principal stipulations of the law。  … Obligations of

the oath。  … The majority of priests refuse to take it。  … The

majority of believes on their side。  … Persecution of believers and

of priests。





There remained the corporate; ecclesiastic; and lay bodies; and;

notably; the oldest; most opulent; and most considerable of all the

regular and secular clergy。   Grave abuses existed here also; for;

the institution being founded on ancient requirements; had not

accommodated itself to new necessities。'37'  There were too many

episcopal sees; and these were arranged according to the Christian

distribution of the population in the fourth century; a revenue

still more badly apportioned   bishops and abbés with one hundred

thousand livres a year; leading the lives of amiable idlers; while

curés; overburdened with work; have but seven hundred; in one

monastery nineteen monks instead of eighty; and in another four

instead of fifty;'38' a number of monasteries reduced to three or to

two inhabitants; and even to one; almost all the congregations of

men going to decay; and many of them dying out for lack of

novices;'39' a general lukewarmness among the members; great laxity

in many establishments; and with scandals in some of them; scarcely

one…third taking an interest in their calling; while the remaining

two…thirds wish to go back to the world;'40'   it is evident from

all this that the primitive inspiration has been diverted or has

cooled; that the endowment only partially fulfills its ends; that

one…half of its resources are employed in the wrong way or remain

sterile; in short; that there is a need of reformation in the body。

  That this ought to be effected with the co…operation of the

State and even under its direction is not less certain。  For a

corporation is not an individual like other individuals; and; in

order that it may acquire or possess the privileges of an ordinary

citizen; something supplementary must be added; some fiction; some

expedient of the law。  If the law is disposed to overlook the fact

that a corporation is not a natural personage; if it gives to it a

civil personality; if it declares it to be capable of inheriting; of

acquiring and of selling; if it becomes a protected and respected

proprietor; this is due to the favors of the State which places its

tribunal and gendarmes at its service; and which; in exchange for

this service; justly imposes conditions on it; and; among others;

that of being useful and remaining useful; or at least that of never

becoming harmful。  Such was the rule under the Ancient Régime; and

especially since the Government has for the last quarter of a

century gradually and efficaciously worked out a reform。  Not only;

in 1749; had it prohibited the Church from accepting land; either by

donation; by testament; or in exchange; without royal letters…patent

registered in Parliament; not only in 1764 had it abolished the

order of Jesuits; closed their colleges and sold their possessions;

but also; since 1766; a permanent commission; formed by the King's

order and instructed by him; had lopped off all the dying and dead

branches of the ecclesiastical tree。'41' There was a revision of the

primitive Constitutions; a prohibition to every institution to have

more than two monasteries at Paris and more than one in other towns;

a postponement of the age for taking vows   that of sixteen being

no longer permitted   to twenty…one for men and eighteen for

women; an obligatory minimum of monks and nuns for each

establishment; which varies from fifteen to nine according to

circumstances; if this is not kept up there follows a suppression or

prohibition to receive novices: owing to these measures; rigorously

executed; at the end of twelve years 〃the Grammontins; the Servites;

the Celestins; the ancient order of Saint…Bénédict; that of the Holy

Ghost of Montpellier; and those of Sainte…Brigitte; Sainte…Croix…de…

la…Bretonnerie; Saint…Ruff; and Saint…Antoine;〃 … in short; nine

complete congregations had disappeared。  At the end of twenty years

three hundred and eighty…six establishments had been suppressed; the

number of monks and nuns had diminished one…third; the larger

portion of possessions which had escheated were usefully applied;

and the congregations of men lacked novices and complained that they

could not fill

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