the origins of contemporary france-2-第56章

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bringing　up　fifty　boarders；　another；　at　Beaulieu；　instructs　one

hundred；　another；　in　Franche…Comté；　has　charge　of　eight　hundred

abandoned　children。＇46＇　　　Evidently；　in　the　presence　of　such

institutions　one　must　pause；　however。　　little　one　may　care　for

justice　and　the　public　interest；　and；　moreover；　because　it　is

useless　to　act　rigorously　against　them　the　legislator　crushes　them

in　vain；　for　they　spring　up　again　of　their　own　accord；　they　are　in

the　blood　of　every　Catholic　nation。　　In　France；　instead　of　thirty…

seven　thousand　nuns；　at　the　present　day　（1866）　there　are　eighty…six

thousand…that　is　to　say；　forty…five　in　every　ten　thousand　women

instead　of　twenty…eight。＇47＇



In　any　case；　if　the　State　deprives　them　of　their　property；　along

with　that　of　other　ecclesiastical　bodies；　it　is　not　the　State　that

ought　to　claim　the　spoil。　　　　The　State　is　not　their　heir；　and

their　land；　furniture；　and　rentals　are　in　their　very　nature　devoted

to　a　special　purpose；　although　they　have　no　designated　proprietor。

This　treasure；　which　consists　of　the　accumulations　of　fourteen

centuries；　has　been　formed；　increased；　and　preserved；　in　view　of　a

certain　object。　　The　millions　of　generous；　repentant；　or　devout

souls　who　have　made　a　gift　of　it；　or　have　managed　it；　did　so　with　a

certain　intention。　　It　was　their　desire　to　ensure　education；

beneficence；　and　religion；　and　nothing　else。　　Their　legitimate

intentions　should　not　be　frustrated：　the　dead　have　rights　in　society

as　well　as　the　living；　for　it　is　the　dead　who　have　made　the　society

which　the　living　enjoy；　and　we　receive　their　heritage　only　on　the

condition　of　executing　their　testamentary　act。　　　　Should　this　be

of　ancient　date；　it　is　undoubtedly　necessary　to　make　a　liberal

interpretation　of　it；　to　supplement　its　scanty　provisions；　and　to

take　new　circumstances　into　consideration。　　The　requirements　for

which　it　provided　have　often　disappeared；　for　instance；　after　the

destruction　of　the　Barbary　pirates；　there　were　no　more　Christians　to

be　ransomed；　and　only　by　transferring　an　endowment　can　it　be

perpetuated。　　　　But　if；　in　the　original　institution；　several

accessory　and　special　clauses　have　become　antiquated；　there　remains

the　one　important；　general　intention；　which　manifestly　continues

imperative　and　permanent；　that　of　providing　for　a　distinct　service；

either　of　charity；　of　worship；　or　of　instruction。　　Let　the

administrators　be　changed；　if　necessary；　also　the　apportionment　of

the　legacy　bequeathed；　but　do　not　divert　any　of　it　to　services　of　an

alien　character；　it　is　inapplicable　to　any　but　that　purpose　or　to

others　strictly　analogous。　　The　four　milliards　of　investment　in　real

property；　the　two　hundred　millions　of　ecclesiastical　income；　form

for　it　an　express　and　special　endowment。　　This　is　not　a　pile　of　gold

abandoned　on　the　highway；　which　the　exchequer　can　appropriate　or

assign　to　those　who　live　by　the　roadside。　　Authentic　titles　to　it

exist；　which；　declaring　its　origin；　fix　its　destination；　and　your

business　is　simply　to　see　that　it　reaches　its　destination。　　Such　was

the　principle　under　the　ancient　régime；　in　spite　of　grave　abuses；

and　under　forced　exactions。　　When　the　ecclesiastical　commission

suppressed　an　ecclesiastical　order；　it　was　not　for　the　purpose　of

making　its　possessions　over　to　the　public　treasury；　but　to　apply

these　to　seminaries；　schools；　and　hospitals。　　In　1789；　the　revenues

of　Saint…Denis　supported　Saint…Cyr；　those　of　Saint　Germain　went　to

the　Economats；　and　the　Government；　although　absolute　and　needy；　was

sufficiently　honest　to　adjust　that　confiscation　was　robbery。　　The

greater　our　power；　the　greater　the　obligation　to　be　just；　and

honesty　always　proves　in　the　end　to　be　the　best　policy。　　　　It　is；

therefore；　both　just　and　useful　that　the　Church；　as　in　England　and

in　America；　that　superior　education；　as　in　England　and　in　Germany；

that　special　instruction；　as　in　America；　and　that　diverse　endowments

for　public　assistance　and　utility；　should　be　unreservedly　secured　in

the　maintenance　of　their　heritage。　　The　State；　as　testamentary

executor　of　this　inheritance；　strangely　abuses　its　mandate　when　it

pockets　the　bequest　in　order　to　choke　the　deficit　of　its　own

treasury；　risking　it　in　bad　speculations；　and　swallowing　it　up　in

its　own　bankruptcy；　until　of　this　vast　treasure；　which　has　been

heaped　up　for　generations　for　the　benefit　of　children；　the　infirm；

the　sick　and　the　poor；　not　enough　is　left　to　pay　the　salary　of　a

school…mistress；　the　wages　of　a　parish　nurse；　or　for　a　bowl　of　broth

in　a　hospital。＇48＇



The　Assembly　remains　deaf　to　all　these　arguments；　and　that　which

makes　its　refuse　to　listen　is　not　financial　distress。　　　　The

Archbishop　of　Aix；　M。　　de　Boisjelin；　offered；　in　the　name　of　the

clergy；　to　liquidate　at　once　the　debt　of　three　hundred　millions；

which　was　urgent；　by　a　mortgage…loan　of　four　hundred　millions　on　the

ecclesiastical　property；　which　was　a　very　good　expedient；　for　at

this　time　the　credit　of　the　clergy　is　the　only　substantial　one。　　It

generally　borrows　at　less　than　five　per　cent。；　and　more　money　has

always　been　offered　to　it　than　it　wanted；　whilst　the　State　borrows

at　ten　per　cent。；　and；　at　this　moment；　there　are　no　lenders。　　

But；　to　our　new　revolutionary　statesmen；　the　cost…benefit　of　a

service　is　of　much　less　consequence　than　the　application　of　a

principle。　　In　conformity　with　the　Social　Contract　they　establish

the　maxim　that　in　the　State　there　is　no　need　of　corporate　bodies：

they　acknowledge　nothing　but；　on　the　one　hand；　the　State；　the

depositary　of　all　public　powers；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　a　myriad　of

solitary　individuals。　　Special　associations；　specific　groups；

collateral　corporations　are　not　wanted；　even　to　fulfill　functions

which　the　State　is　incapable　of　fulfilling。　　〃As　soon　as　one　enters

a　corporation；〃　says　and　orator；　〃one　must　love　it　as　one　loves　a

family；〃＇49＇　whereas　the　affections　and　obedience　are　all　to　be

monopolized　by　the　State。　　Moreover；　on　entering　into　an　order　a　man

receives　special　aid　and　comfort　from　it；　and　whatever　distinguishes

one　man　from　another；　is　opposed　to　civil　equality。　　Hence；　if　men

are　to　remain　equal　and　become　citizens　they　must　be　deprived　of

every　rallying　point　that　might　compete　with　that　of　the　State；　and

give　to　some　an　advantage　over　others。　　All　natural　or　acquired

ties；　consequently；　which　bound　men　together　through　geographical

position；　through　climate；　history；　pursuits；　and　trade；　are

sundered。　　The　old　provinces；　the　old　provincial　governments；　the

old　municipal　administrations；　parliaments；　guilds　and　masterships；

all　are　suppressed。　The　groups　which　spring　up　most　naturally；　those

which　arise　through　a　community　of　interests；　are　all　dispersed；　and

the　broadest；　most　express；　and　most　positive　interdictions　are

promulgated　against　their　revival　under　any　pretext　whatever。＇50＇

France　is　cut　up　into　geometrical　sections　like　a　chess…board；　and；

within　these　improvised　limits；　which　are　destined　for　a　long　time

to　remain　artificial；　nothing　is　allowed　to　subsist　but　isolated

individuals　in　juxtaposition。　　There　is　no　desire　to　spare　organized

bodies　where　the　cohesion　is　great；　and　least　of　all　that　of　the

clergy。

　　　〃Special　associations；〃　says　Mirabeau；＇51＇　〃in　the　community　at

large；　break　up　the　unity　of　its　principles　and　destroy　the

equilibrium　of　its　forces。　　Large　political　bodies　in　a　State　are

dangerous　through　the　strength　which　results　from　their　coalition

and　the　resistance　which　is　born　out　of　their　interests。〃　ii　

That　of　the　clergy；　besides；　is　inherently　bad；＇52＇　because　〃its

system　is　in　constant　antagonism　to　the　rights　of　man。〃　An

institution　in　which　a　vow　of　obedience　is　necessary　is

〃incompatible〃　with　the　constitution。　　Congregations　〃subject　to

independent　chiefs　are　out　of　the　social　pale　and　incompatible　with

public　spirit。〃　As　to　the　right　of　society　over　these；　and　also　over

the　Church；　this　is　not　doubtful。　　〃　Corporate　bodies　exist