The State of Society in France Before the Revolution of 1789: And the Causes Which Led to That EventTocqueville, Alexis de
History
The State of Society in France Before the Revolution of 1789: And the Causes Which Led to That Event
Tocqueville, Alexis de
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Causes
Both colonies resulted in the formation of a completely democratic
state of society; but in one, so long at least as Canada still belonged
to France, equality was united with absolutism; in the other it was
combined with liberty. As far as the material consequences of the two
colonial systems were concerned, we know that in 1763, the period of
the Conquest, the population of Canada consisted of 60,000 souls, and
that of the English provinces of 3,000,000.
Note (XXV.)--Page 52, line 10.
ONE EXAMPLE, AMONG MANY, OF THE GENERAL REGULATIONS CONTINUALLY MADE
BY THE COUNCIL OF STATE, WHICH HAD THE FORCE OF LAWS THROUGHOUT
FRANCE, AND CREATED SPECIAL OFFENCES, OF WHICH THE ADMINISTRATIVE
TRIBUNALS WERE THE SOLE JUDGES.
I take the first which comes to hand: an order in council of the 29th
April, 1779, which directs that throughout the kingdom the breeders and
sellers of sheep shall mark their flocks in a particular manner, under
a penalty of 300 livres. His Majesty, it declares, enjoins upon the
Intendants the duty of enforcing the execution of the present order,
which infers that the Intendant is to pronounce the penalty on its
infraction. Another example: an order in council, 21st December, 1778,
prohibiting the carriers and drivers to warehouse the goods entrusted
to them, under a penalty of 300 livres. His Majesty enjoins upon the
Lieutenant-General of Police and the Intendants to enforce this order.
Note (XXVI.)--Page 60, line 39.
RURAL POLICE.
The provincial assembly of Upper Guienne urgently demanded the creation
of fresh brigades of the maréchaussée, just as now-a-days the general
council of Aveyron or Lot doubtless requests the formation of fresh
brigades of gendarmerie. The same idea always prevails--the gendarmerie
is the symbol of order, and order can only be sent by Government
through the gendarme. The report continues: ‘Complaints are made
every day that there is no police in the rural districts’ (how should
there be? the nobles took no part in affairs, the burghers were all
in the towns, and the townships, represented by a vulgar peasant,
had no power), ‘and it must be admitted that with the exception of a
few cantons in which just and benevolent seigneurs make use of the
influence which their position gives them over their vassals in order
to prevent those acts of violence to which the country people are
naturally inclined, by the coarseness of their manners and the asperity
of their character, there nowhere exists any means of restraining these
ignorant, rude, and violent men.’
Such were the terms in which the nobles of the Provincial Assembly
allowed themselves to be spoken of, and in which the members of the
_Tiers-Etat_, who made up half the assembly, spoke of the people in
public documents!
Note (XXVII.)--Page 61, line 24.
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