Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-07-13

ne IS regarded IA no other light IMAM as q
machine, the powers Of which may be de-
voted to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the great
nation and Its ihustrious emperor.
These observations have reference to the
system of CONSUMPTION which prevails in
France. And as this system is the soul
which, animates the French empire, and
the weapon with which it prostrates all the
governments of tEurope, it may notsbe a..
miss to enquire into its origin and nature.
The idea Of conscription was. not orig inal
with Carnot who introduced it into France,
but was borrowed from the Constitution OF
the Roman republic. 1t is well knownsthat
all the institutions Of that famous republic
were calculated for the promotion OF one
grand object, the conquest OF the world
70 accomplish this it was necessary that the
state should have the military services of
all the citizens continually at its disposal.
The consuls were accordingly invested with
the.power IF determining what number OF
men should be annually levied; and the
military tribunes selected, man by man, the
requisite number. Every citizen between
the ages of seventeen and fifty was Liable to
the CONSUMPTION, except those who held
certain offices under the government, those
who were physically incapable OF perform
ing military duties, and those who had al
ready served twenty gears, or been ex.
empted from the operation of the conscrip-
ton laws, as a reward for their good eon-
duct. Refractory conscripts were punished
at the discretion of the consul, with stripes,
imprisonment or infamy. Grants OF land
in the conquered countries, however, re.
Enumerated the Roman citizens for the pri-
vations, the tolls and the perils.of war. 1t
was thissystem which Contributed, more than
any else thing, to place Rome at the head
of the civilized world and it has been a
dopted by France, with the expectation that
it will produce the same result IN modern
as in ancient times.
But the French people are too proud of
their genius to be the servile eopyists of e.
ven Roman institutions. They can boast OF
having formed system, in which all the
worst features of the old are preserved, and
rendered thousand times more terrific.
The first law concerning the consumption
in France, was enacted in the year 1793.-
An ordinance of the convention had declar.
ed every Frenchman soldier,and liable to
compulsory service whenever the state
should be pronounced in danger. The di-
rectorial law commando that when no par
t;cular emergency existed 1.-THE wants ofthe
army should be supplied by the conscrip-
tion."* Many subsequent laws have been
enacted by the direotorial, consular and lin
-
perial governments, which have extended
the operation of the system, and increased
the severity of the punishments. OF the
system as it now stands, shall endeavor TO
give brief outline, without at all pretend
inp to enter into the minutle OF its arrange
ments.
The French empire, including all the con-
quered and Incorporated provinces except
TUSCANY, is divided into one hundred and
twenty two departments /; each OF these is
governed by military project, assisted by
certain ss.counsellors of prefecture" The
DEPARTMENTS are subdivided into arondse-
ments or districts, governed by sab-pre
fects ,the districts into eaRtons, and the can
tons into municipalitie ofwhi ch there are
in the French empire hfty-6ve thousand
The officers presiding over these divisions
and subdivisions, are all strictly subordinate
and Responsible, each one to his superiors.
All the males in the empire, married and
unmarried,t between the full ages Of TWEEN
tv and twenty-five years, are subject to the
CONSUMPTION. When the government has
determined to levy certain number OF men
it transmits an order to the project of each
department.. The project is obliged BY law
to apportion the number to be raised in his
department among the districts thereof, &C