[Footnote 3210: "Mémorial." (Napoleon's own words.) "The day when, adopting the unity and concentration of power, which could alone save us,... the destinies of France depended solely on the character, measures and conscience of him who had been clothed with this accidental dictatorship--beginning with that day, public affairs, that is to stay the State, was myself... I was the keystone of an entirely new building and how slight the foundation! Its destiny depended on each of my battles. Had I been defeated at Marengo you would have then had a complete 1814 and 1815."] [Footnote 3211: Beugnot, "Mémoires," II., 317. "To be dressed, taxed, and ordered to take up arms, like most folks, seemed a punishment as soon as one had found a privilege within reach," such, for example, as the title of "déchireur de bateaux" (one who condemns unseaworthy craft and profits by it), or inspector of fresh butter (using his fingers in tasting it), or tide-waiter and inspector of salt fish. These titles raised a man above the common level, and there were over twenty thousand of them.] [Footnote 3212: See "The Ancient Régime," p. 129. (Laff. I. p. 99)] [Footnote 3213: Madame de Rémusat, "Mémoires," III., 316, 317.] [Footnote 3214: De Beausset, "Intérieur du palais de Napoléon" I., p. 9 et seq.. For the year 1805 the total expense is 2,338,167 francs; for the year 1806 it reaches 2,770,861 francs, because funds were assigned "for the annual augmentation of plate, 1,000 silver plates and other objects."--"Napoleon knew, every New Year's day, what he expended (for his household) and nobody ever dared overpass the credits he allowed."] [Footnote 3215: "The Ancient Régime," pp. 350-357.(Laff. I. 259-266)] [Footnote 3216: "The Revolution," I. pp. 276-281.(Laff. pp. 508-510)--Stourm, ibid., 168-171. (Speech by Bénard-Lagrave to the Five Hundred, Pluviôse II, year IV.) "It cannot be concealed that, for many years, people were willingly accustoming themselves to the non-payment of taxes."]