The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-21

and man puts forth his best powers
In proportion to his hopes of advance
ment." But ambition. once aroused,
never is satisfied. The more it has the
more 1t wants. Mere batons did not
long suffice the marshals, who clam
ored for more and yet more.
Naturally men are not content to
serve throne as cheaply as hey will
serve a people, that is to say, serve
themselves. The generals of the French
republic were happy with $4,000 year,
while the American republic has put
larger armies in the field than We're
enrolled under the empire of Napol-
con and yet never has found it neces-
sary to pay it's greatest generals more
than S13,500 year
When the title deed to France had
been made out anew in the name of
one man and the nation became the
patrimony of his heirs, the peasant
marshals soon had to be appeased with
hereditary titles and estates that they
could transmit to their children. The
Emperor therefore. established an arts
tocracy with his marshals for its pill
lars.
once he had proclaimed the empire
and set up a throne. this step may
have been a necessity, as 1T surely
was a pleasure for Napoleon. He was
always glad to share his fortunes with
those around him, and now he opened
riches in a torrent He scattered
abroad in 10 years more titular hon
ors than ever fell from another throne
in 100, creating $4,000 chevalers of the
Legion of Honor, 1000 barons, SSS
counts, 81 dukes and four princes.
With each patent of nobility he
made gift enabling the recipient to
support his title. But he prudently
took care not to burden the French
taxpayers with the upkeep of the
newly made aristocracy. He did not
venture to challenge the dormant re-
publicanism of the country by drawing
even the bare titles from France. On
the contrary he drew upon conquered
lands for his ducal names, the marshals
often being ennobled by titles that re-
called to French pride victories on
alien battlefields.
Just as it was his practice to quar-
ter his army on foreigners. and make
it cost the people of Farnce as little
as possible, he quartered his nobility
on foreign countries. He distributed
among his military men some $4,000
900 that he brought back from his
Prussian campaign and besides he be-
slowed upon the marshals and their
heirs forever fixed percentage oil
the yearly revenues of crown domains
wrested from conquered sovereigns and
of ancient fiefs in Italy, Dalmatia, Po-
land and Germany.
Lannes received at once $250.000 in
cash and $4,000 year: Pavout $780,
600 in cash and nearly $4,000 a year;
Berthier 100000 in cash and $4,000
year; Ney 100000 in cash and $4,000
year. and thus the donations ranged.
From time to time they were en-
larged as fresh rewards were won un-
til the most fortunate drew s25o.00o
a year
"Pillage not the Emperor ahiured
% Wi <riu NO, f1,a,,
can take" His beneficialies fell upon
the entire army. Including the pri-
Yates, every rank receiving It's share.
Dwarfs and Giants
1t was the Emperor's boast that he
made giants out of dwarfs among his
marshals but II is equally true that in
few cases he made dwarfs out of
giants His genius developed the lesser
men but arrested the development of
the larger natures. The former shone
in his reflected glory, but the latter lam
guished in his shadow. Those fitted
only to obey clinched to fame on his
shoulders while those capable of COM
mand lost their native independence
81 alone know what I want DONE" he
gave all his marshals to understand.
THE Emperor" his chief of staff
nounced to them. has no need Of adj
vice or of anyone acting on his own
thoughts; 1t is our duty to obey
Napoleon could add nothing to the
stature of Massena, Soult Davout and
Suchet born leaders whom he led until
their power OF Initiative was weakened.
Not that they would have been really
great in any circumstances; yet they
might have been stronger but for his
overwhelming strength.
On the other hand. marshals like Mu-
rat, Ney, Berthier. Lefebre. 9ugureau.
Bessieres. were perhaps only ordinary
men, each with some extraordinary
quality which Napoleon knew how to
employ without suffering from the con-
sequences of their defects and their Ill
balanced characters. For he was not
afraid of the widest genius and was
confident that he could bride and ride
it.
II know the depth and draft of all my
generals" he said This one was stu
pid, that one mad, this one was an
ass, that one a tiger; this one was too
slow, that one too swift; this one had
no nerve. that one had no prudence. But
when yoked together and guided and
goaeed by the master hand. those
strangely assorted marshals Of the en,-
pire were such team as never has been