service would be charged with all the extraordinary expenses occasioned by the disasters of the last campaign; thirty principal bridges had been blown up or burnt; provisional repairs in wood alone would cost 1,800,000 francs. The extent of the mischief was not yet known. The canals were in a better state, but the works far from finished. That of Burgundy, which had already cost 12,000,000, would require five more; and that of the Ourcq, undertaken on too expensive a scale, would yet want at least 18,000,000. The canal of Burgundy, as well as that of St. Quentin, deserve praise. The works of Paris were a favorite object with Bonaparte, because in them he found the means of parading a great magnificence, and of rendering himself popular. Some of them, particularly those of the public markets, were truly useful. The works for the embellishments of the capital, though of a less useful description, would not be abandoned; the total expense of them was estimated at 53,500,000 francs, and more than 24,000,000 had already been laid out on them. All these objects feil under the superintendance of the minister of the interior, the arrears of whose department were not yet ascertained, but were computed at from 40 to 50,000,000. WAR MINISTRY. "With regard to the expenditure of this department, we can only present an approximation. Here was the root of the evil: hence originated the disorder which extended to all the other branches; and the disasters of the three last campaigns have plunged this department, already so complicated, into a complete chaos. "On the 1st of May last the land-forces of France amounted to more than 520,000 men, including gend-armerie, veterans, invalids, and caunoniers, guarding the coasts. Besides this force, there are 122,597 military of all ranks enjoying half-pay. One hundred and sixty thousand prisoners are returning to us from Prussia, Austria, England, and Russia. The staff of the army, including engineers, inspectors, commissaries, &c. amounts to 1,874 individuals. The pay, &c. of men in active service 202,000,000 34,000,000 Total 236,000,000 "The war of 1812 and 1813 destroyed, in artillery and ammunition, a capital of 250 millions; and the fortified places in the countries ceded by France, had, since 1804, cost her 115 millions. The budget of the war ministry, properly so called, had been fixed under all heads, for 1814, at 360 millions. But in consequence of a division which had existed some years, there was, besides CHAP. IX. war administration. The expense of this last BOOK XII. were, in 1812, 238,000,000 francs; in 1813, 374,000,000; and in 1814 they will be 380,000,000; which last sum will, for 1814, occasion a total expense, in these two branches, of 740 millions. "The arrear also of these two branches is enormous; that of the ministry at war amounts, according to present statements, to 104,000,000; and that of the war-administration to 157,000,000, making a total arrear of 261,000,000. "But these statements are not yet complete; the arrears of the armies, during the years 1811, 12, 13, and 14, are still unknown. Neither do they include a sum of 100 millions, ordonnanced by the two ministries, which they no longer reckon their debt, but which the treasury has not been able to pay. We must add, also, to the expenses occasioned by the war, the requisitions of which we have already spoken, the expense of the guards of honor, and of the offers of mounted and equipped horsemen. The expense of the two latter heads, for the departments of Old France, may be estimated at 15,611,000 francs. MINISTRY OF MARINE. "The navy has for fourteen years been weakened by the very means which were used to give it the appearance of strength. "To make upon all the coasts a pompous display of factitious power; to appear to meditate gigantic projects, while the means even amidst their exaggeration was insufficient; to regard seamen as only eventual recruits for the land army,such was the system constantly followed by the departed government; and which brought with it the destruction of our maritime population, and the entire exhaustion of our arsenals. The remonstrances of the most enlightened men, and of the most experienced mariners, and the evidence of facts, were incapable of checking those foolish enterprises, those violent measures which belonged to a plan of dominion oppressive in all its parts. "It was thus, in 1804, the projected invasion of England was pompously announced. Ports which had never yet been entered, except by fishing-boats and packets, were immediately converted into vast maritime arsenals; immense works were commenced on a beach which the winds and tides were incessantly covering with sand; forts, batteries, magazines, workshops, were erected; thousands of vessels were built and bought up on all the coasts of the ocean, and in the interior of the rivers, without considering how they should get to the place of rendezvous: Paris itself saw a dock-yard formed within its walls; and the most valuable materials were employed in the construction of these vessels, which were not even fit for their destination. And what 1814. Here the report makes some observations on the Scheldt, on which the treasures of France were uselessly lavished to render it a great naval depôt. It is remarked that it would have served for a moderate fleet, but a severe winter might have altered the bearing of its bauks, and shut up the channels by which vessels of the first rate would have had to pass. Besides, all that the seamen learned of naval tactics in summer, they forgot while shut up in the docks in winter. AĬL representations to this effect were, however, in vain. The grand works executed at Cherbourg, the fine squadron of Toulon, alone presented useful results; every where else were to be seen only blunders and follies. "All our arsenals are completely dilapidated the immense naval stores collected by Louis XVI. are squandered-and during the last fifteen years France has lost, in ill-judged expeditions, forty-three ships of the line, eighty-two frigates, seventy-six corvettes, and sixty-two transports and packets, which could not be replaced at an expense of 200 millions. "The port of Brest, the finest, the best perhaps in Europe, where immense fleets can be collected in safety, where there exist vast and magnificent establishments, has been entirely neglected. it; and hence arose in the finances a considera ble arrear. The report states, that the total of the sums thus anticipated, consumed beforehand, and misapplied from their appropriate uses, amounted to 805,469,000 francs. To this were also to be added the arrears in the different ministries, which were not yet exactly known, but which could not be estimated at less than 500 millions; the total amount of the abovementioned anticipations and arrear would therefore be 1,305,469,000 francs. "If to this be added the creation of seventeen millions of perpetual annuities, representing a capital of 340 millions, of which one-half, indeed, has been employed in the payment of debts anterior to the year eight, we shall have the sum of 1,645,469,000 francs, as the total of the increase of the debts of the state during the course of thirteen years. "This computation is doubtless alarming; but the evil is not without remedy. The minister of finance will explain to you what sums are immediately demandable, what can be demanded at periods still distant, and those which resolve into a simple charge of interest. Our only business has been to present an exposition of the actual state of the kingdom; and in fulfilling this painful, though important task, we have concealed nothing; the documents adjoined contain the details and the proof of the facts which we have summarily sketched. They will shew you the principle of activity which France has constantly "As the arsenals were neglected, so the ships maintained amidst all her losses; you will be also were stripped of real seamen, whose places astonished to see so fertile and well-cultivated were supplied with conscripts, while they them- those fields which have been long exposed to selves received the organization of regiments of every kind of devastation. If alarmed at the the line, and lost in camps their professional ha- debt of government, you will still see, on the other bits and attachments. Many of these ships' crews hand, numerous capitals in the hands of indiwere seen traversing the plains of Germany and viduals, ready to enter into every useful enterthe mountains of the Asturias: commanded by prise. bfave chiefs, they contributed to support the renown of the French arms, though they became totally unfit for seamen. The total debt of the navy amounts to 61,300,000 francs." FINANCES. Under this head the Report, after stating the manner in which the late government contrived to conceal the general results, declares, that the budgets of 1812 and 13 present a deficit of 312,053,000 francs. "The Head of that government was by no means ignorant of these deficits; but he always hoped to make them good, either by the foreign tributes which had proved so valuable to him in his early campaigns, or by deriving resources from special funds, the extraordinary domain, the redemption chest, &c. It was thus that almost all these funds, which were not destined to the expenses of the war, were, notwithstanding, employed upon "But the cares of government will not be confined to the restoration of a prosperity purely physical other sources of happiness and of glory have been cruelly assailed. Morals, like public wealth, could not escape the pernicious influence of a bad government. That which has terminated, increased to their utmost the moral calamities caused by the revolution; it only reestablished religion to make it a tool; public education was subjected to the same state of dependence; it must resume a more liberal tendency to place it on a footing with the intelligence of Europe. 66 Unhappily we cannot also restore at once to France those moral habits, and that public spirit, which cruel misfortunes and long oppressions have there almost annihilated! Noble sentiments were oppressed, generous ideas were stifled; the government, not content with condemning to inaction the virtues which it dreaded, excited and fo mented the passions, which could do it service; to suppress public spirit, it called personal interest to its aid; it offered its favors to ambition, in order to silence conscience; it left no other state but that of serving it, no other hope but those which it could alone fulfill; no ambition appeared indiscreet, no pretension exaggerated; hence that incessant agitation of all interests and of all wishes; hence that instability of situation which left hardly any man the virtues of his condition, because all thought only of emerging from it; hence, in fine, incessant attacks upon every kind of probity by seductions against which the most generous characters could hardly defend themselves. "Such were the melancholy effects of that corruptive system which we have now to combat. The difficulties of the moment are great, but much may be expected from time; the nation will feel that its zealous concurrence is necessary to hasten the return of its own happiness; its confidence in the intentions of its king, the lights and wisdom of the two chambers, will render the task of government more easy. If any thing can prevent the speedy realization of those hopes, it will be that restless turbulence which wishes to enjoy, without delay, the blessings of which it has the prospect. "While regretting the benefits which must still be waited for, let us enjoy those which are offered to our acceptance: already peace re-opens our ports; liberty restores to the merchant his speculations, and to the mechanic his labours; every -one sees the end of his calamities. Can we be indifferent to this future repose, after having so long lived amidst storms and alarms? You, gentlemen, will not be insensible to this consideration. The king confides equally in his people and in their deputies, and France expects every thing from their generous union." Such were the contents of this paper, interesting not only to France, but to all Europe. Their importance in the opinion of the chamber of deputies was testified by a vote ordering, that the report, with its accompanying documents, should be printed, and six copies given to each member. The exposé being laid before the chamber of peers was deliberated upon, and a committee was appointed for drawing up an address to the king on its contents. While attempts were thus making to open the eyes of the nation to the errors and vices of the late government, the expedience of preserving some of its popular institutions was manifested in a royal ordinance, confirming the establishment of the legion of honor. In the preamble this institution is praised as rewarding, in a way analogous to the manners of France, every kind of service rendered to the country, and as furnishing the sovereign authority with the power of 72. 1814. exerting the noblest influence on the national BOOK XII. The opening of the French budget, in the 1814. BOOK XII. amounted to more than 1,300 millions of francs; but the arrears actually demandable, and for the CHAP. IX. payment of which it was absolutely necessary to provide, amounted only to 759 millions. For the liquidation of this sum it was proposed, that bonds of the royal treasury should be issued, payable at the end of three years, and bearing a yearly interest of eight per cent., the holders of which should have the power of converting them into inscriptions in the great book of the five per cent. consols, with a bonus. To meet these obligatious, a quantity of forest-lands was to be sold, and the produce to be employed as a sinkingfund in buying them up. The minister, in mentioning this resource, said, "The good effects of a well-combined plan of a sinking-fund, prosecuted with perseverance, may be seen on a comparison of the vigour of the credit of England and the weakness of our own. The credit of England has remained invaluable amidst all shocks, in spite of the increase of her debt. The credit of France has languished under similar circumstances, notwithstanding the diminution of her's. It is the fidelity with which they fulfil their en- . gagements, that has produced among our neigh bours a phenomenon so different from that which we exhibit. This principle gave birth in England to the idea of placing by the side of a heavy debt, a counterpoise which lightens it, and continually tends to restore the equilibrium. We regret that we are not yet able to introduce into the administration of our finances a similar germ of prosperity, and to propose to you to set apart a portion of our ordinary revenues for the redemption of the constitutional debt." Such, in its main points, was the French budget; concerning which, the reflection that will probably first arise in the mind of the English reader, is the smallness of the sum of debt incurred, after all its wars and disasters, by that powerful kingdom, compared with that of Great Britain; and the prospect, that with peace and good management, France might have been set entirely free, while this country is still labouring under a burden, the discharge of which, under the most favorable circumstances, cannot be effected within a period of time that the mind startles to contemplate. The budget was presented to the chamber of peers, on the 8th of September, by Talleyrand, the minister for foreign affairs, in a speech stating the principal articles of which it consisted, and explaining the new financial system, as had been done by the minister of finance in the chamber of deputies. In order to exhibit the general principles and opinions of that extraordinary man, on this subject, we shall make the following extract from his speech. "Amidst all the calculations," says he," into which the present discussion leads us, it will be pleasing, and perhaps instructive, to remark, in the relative state of our burthens with those of nations whose prosperity is the most striking, how fine the situation of France still is, after so many storms. "According to the last census, the population of France was 28,000,000. Dividing equally among all the annual amount of the taxes, which we take at 600,000,000 the quota paid by each is a little under twenty-two francs. In England the produce of the taxes, not including those of Ireland, has risen of late years to at least 60,000,000 sterling, which divided among 12,000,000 of inhabitants, give five pounds sterling or 120 francs as the contribution for each individual;-that is to say, upwards of five times as much as the amount for each individual in France. "In the United States of America the receipts of the customs, which, previous to the two last years of war, formed almost the only revenue, produced annually 16,000,000 of dollars, (about 85,000,000 of francs.) This sum divided among 7,000,000 of inhabitants, gives about twelve francs for each individual; to which must be added the taxes peculiar to each state, amounting to about eleven francs more, making twenty-three francs for each individual. Hence it follows, that under every point of view, whether of population, extent of territory, or taxable substance, the advantages of France above both these nations are in a high proportion. These comparisons are sufficient to make us feel the motives of confidence which remain to us, and to encourage a nation active and industrious like our's, to devote itself with ardour to all the useful enterprises of agriculture, industry, and commerce. "The question relative to our power of discharging our burthens and paying off our debts is thus resolved. It might seem useless, therefore, to say much on the second question; for to demonstrate that we can liquidate is also to show that we ought. But let us shortly attend to the abstract principles of justice and morals, from which governments, like individuals, can never depart with impunity; and examine whether reasons drawn from the interest of the state alone are not sufficient to make us adopt the principles of a prompt and full liquidation. "It must be acknowledged, that government in France has derived very little power from fidelity to its engagements; and in this respect we must less accuse men than the nature of things: for the theory of a regular and steady credit cannot be established but under a representative and constitutional government, such as that which the munificence of the king has enabled us to enjoy for the first time. It was because we were without this powerful resource, that France, situated under the most happy climate, possessing the richest soil, covered with a numerous, active, and industrious population, heaped, in fine, with all The the elements of prosperity, yet remained, in some respects, below the position which she ought to take. Hence may be explained, during the times we have just passed through, and in former periods, the disadvantages under which some operations of our government laboured. exactness of our present government in fulfilling all its engagements will give to France a new vigour, and one hitherto too much despised. Ministers have thought that they could not give a better pledge for the future than by paying the creditors who contracted in good faith with the late administration, and by promptly relieving the future from all the embarrassments of the past. "And if examples were necessary to prove the utility of the honorable system which the government proposes to follow, and which it means to make the basis of our laws and our financial administration, we could quote the prodigious benefits which other nations have derived from it. "The first example is still furnished us by England, whose government, by an inviolable fidelity in fulfilling all its engagements towards its creditors, has remained in a condition, notwithstand ing twenty years of war, in spite of the fetters and prohibitions which expelled, from almost every port on the continent, her ships and merchandize, to borrow every year, for upwards of ten years, at a moderate interest, more than 25,000,000 sterling, a sum equal to our ordinary revenue, estimated at 600,000,000 of francs. "And if the state of exhaustion to which twenty years of revolution have brought us, be objected against us, I shall answer, by pointing to the analogous example of America; where the government, by following the system which we are desirous to see adopted, raised itself from the most critical to the most prosperous circumstances. "Issuing from a revolution, and a ruinous and bloody war, that country had still to struggle against all the embarrassments which a miserable paper-money leaves behind it; the lands were without cultivation and without purchasers; the population did not exceed 2,000,000 and a half; the government had to provide for an arrear of 70,000,000 of dollars, i. e. 383,000,000 of francs; the capital of the debt was with difficulty sold at from ten to twelve per cent. It was in this situation that the United States, impressed with the great and numerous advantages of fidelity to their engagements, provided for the full payment of the 70,000,000 of dollars. A year afterwards, the same stock which could have been purchased at from ten to twelve per cent. of its nominal value was at par. The property was thus immediately increased by 346,000,000 of francs. "And this resolution created, as if by enchantment, capitals, which are the first want of a coun CHAP. IX. destroy them. The interest of money soon sunk BOOK XII. to its due level; farmers, manufacturers, merchants, found in the capitalists that extensive aid with which they could give new extent to all their enterprises. "If such were the effects of the good faith and fidelity of the United States towards their creditors, such and still greater must they be in France. It is in France, especially, that credit and a low rate of interest must produce every kind of prosperity; her situation wants only capitals, in order to see the multiplication of useful labours, and enterprises which give brilliance and grandeur to nations, and lay the bases of their prosperity. "The government thinks it has prepared these happy results by the measures which we have the honor to propose to you. One of these measures tends directly to lower the interest of money; it is that which provides for the opening of loans, for the purchase or extinction of the treasury-bonds: this power of borrowing gives the government the means of offering to the holders of bonds their re-payment, if they do not choose to assent to a reduction of interest, This option will be proposed to them as often as it shall be possible to borrow at an interest lower than that of the bonds, and then the circumstance of having assigned to these bonds a high rate of interest will be a matter of indifference. "It must be acknowledged that our financial system still wants for its completion the establishment of a sinking-fund. The economy which you must remark in all parts of the budget, in all the expenses of the branches of service, has opposed a temporary obstacle to it; and it is from respect to such an institution, that the king's ministers have deemed it their duty to postpone every proposition relating thereto. They thought that its final success should not be compromised by too much anxiety to establish it, for a sinking-fund derives its utility and effects from its permanence and immutability. The law which creates it should be inviolable; a single change in its appropriation may cause the loss of all its fruits; for, on the principles of accumulation, it is time, continuity, and perseverance which produce those prodigious results, which the system of numbers alone appears capable of explaining. I take pleasure, however, in announcing, with confidence, that this system will enter into the plans of the budget of next year, as an essential and fundamental part." Talleyrand concluded his speech with a striking contrast between the principles which guided, and the spirit which animated, the present government of France, and those which actuated Bonaparte; and with anticipating the happiest results to the prosperity and welfare of all descriptions of peo 1814. |