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body and mind； as gendarme and as elector。 … How burdensome this
service of gendarme must be； can be judged by the number of riots。
How burdensome that of elector must be； the list of elections will
show。
In February； March； April； and May； 1789； there are prolonged parish
meetings； for the purpose of choosing electors and writing out
grievances； also bailiwick meetings of still longer duration to
choose deputies and draw up the memorial。 During the months of July
and August； 1789； there are spontaneous gatherings to elect or
confirm the municipal bodies； other spontaneous meetings by which
the militia is formed and officered； and then； following these；
constant meetings of this same militia to fuse themselves into a
National Guard； to renew officers and appoint deputies to the
federative assemblies。 In December； 1789； and January； 1790； there
are primary meetings； to elect municipal officers and their
councils。 In May； 1790； there are primary and secondary meetings；
to appoint district and departmental administrators。 In October；
1790； there are primary meetings； to elect the justice of the peace
and his assessors； also secondary meetings； to elect the district
courts。 In November； 1790； there are primary meetings； to renew
one…half of the municipal bodies。 In February and March； 1791；
there are secondary meetings； to nominate the bishop and curés。 In
June； July； August； September； 1791； there are primary and secondary
meetings； to renew one…half of the district and departmental
administrators； to nominate the president； the public prosecutor；
and the clerk of the criminal court； and to choose deputies。 In
November； 1791； there are primary meetings to renew one…half of the
municipal council。 Observe that many of these elections drag along
because the voters lack experience； because the formalities are
complicated； and because opinions are divided。 In August and
September； 1791； at Tours； they are prolonged for thirteen days；＇27＇
at Troyes； in January； 1790； instead of three days they last for
three weeks； at Paris； in September and October； 1791； only for the
purpose of choosing deputies； they last for thirty…seven days； in
many places their proceedings are contested； annulled； and begun
over again。 To these universal gatherings； which put all France in
motion； we must add the local gatherings by which a commune approves
or gainsays its municipal officers； makes claims on the department；
on the King； or on the Assembly； demands the maintenance of its
parish priest； the provisioning of its market； the arrival or
dispatch of a military detachment； … and think of all that these
meetings； petitions； and nominations presuppose in the way of
preparatory committees and preliminary meetings and debates！ Every
public representation begins with rehearsals in secret session。 In
the choice of a candidate； and； above all； of a list of candidates；
in the appointment in each commune of from three to twenty…one
municipal officers； and from six to forty…two notables； in the
selection of twelve district administrators and thirty…six
departmental administrators； especially as the list must be of a
double length and contain twice as many officers as there are places
to fill； immediate agreement is impossible。 In every important
election the electors are sure to be in a state of agitation a month
beforehand； while four weeks of discussion and caucus is not too
much to give to inquiries about candidates； and to canvassing
voters。 Let us add； accordingly； this long preface to each of the
elections； so long and so often repeated； and now sum up the
troubles and disturbances； all this loss of time； all the labor
which the process demands。 Each convocation of the primary
assemblies； summons to the town…hall or principal town of the
canton； for one or for several days； about three million five
hundred thousand electors of the first degree。 Each convocation of
the assemblies of the second class compels the attendance and
sojourn at the principal town of the department； and again in the
principal town of the district； of about three hundred and fifty
thousand elected electors。 Each revision or re…election in the
National Guard gathers together on the public square； or subjects to
roll…call at the town…hall； three or four millions of National
Guards。 Each federation； after exacting the same gathering or the
same roll…call； sends delegates by hundreds of thousands to the
principal towns of the districts and departments； and tens of
thousands to Paris。 … The powers thus instituted at the cost of so
great an effort； require an equal effort to make them work； one
branch alone of the administration＇28＇ keeps 2；988 officials busy in
the departments； 6；950 in the districts； 1；175；000 in the communes …
in all； nearly one million two hundred thousand administrators；
whose places； as we have seen above； are no sinecures。 Never did a
political machine require so prodigious an expenditure of force to
set it up and keep it in motion。 In the United States； where it is
now （around 1875） deranged by its own action； it has been estimated
that； to meet the intentions of the law and keep each wheel in its
proper place； it would be necessary for each citizen to give one
whole day in each week； or on…sixth of his time； to public business。
In France； under the newly adopted system； where disorder is
universal； where the duty of National Guard is added to and
complicates that of elector and administrator； I estimate that two
days would be necessary。 This is what the Constitution comes to；
this is its essential and supreme requirement： each active citizen
has to give up one…third of his time to public affairs。
Now； these twelve hundred thousand administrators and three or four
million electors and National Guards； are just the men in France who
have the least leisure。 The class of active citizens； indeed；
comprises about all the men who labor with their hands or with their
heads。 The law exempts only domestics devoted to personal service
or common laborers who； possessing no property or income； earn less
than twenty…one sous a day。 Every journeyman…miller； the smallest
farmer； every village proprietor of a cottage or of a vegetable…
garden； any ordinary workman； votes at the primary meetings； and may
become a municipal officer。 Again； if he pays ten francs a year
direct tax； if he is a farmer or yeomen on any property which brings
him in four hundred francs； if his rent is one hundred and fifty
francs； he may become an elected elector and an administrator of the
district or department。 According to this standard the eligible are
innumerable； in Doubs； in 1790；＇29＇ they form two…thirds of the
active citizens。 Thus； the way to office is open to all； or almost
all； and the law has taken no precaution whatever to reserve or
provide places for the elite； who could best fill them。 On the
contrary； the nobles； the ecclesiastical dignitarie