man
Powers -- Metternich's Policy -- Its Effect in Prussia -- Prussia
and her King -- The New Nation -- The Treaty of Kalish -- The
Sixth Coalition.

This magic was wrought, moreover, without any assistance from the
precious army lists which Napoleon delighted to call his library, for
those volumes had either been lost, destroyed, or left behind in
distant headquarters: it was not merely by recalling his old powers,
but by a supreme effort of memory so comprehensive that not even
superlatives can describe it, that the great captain brought order
into his military estate. No wonder that under such a strain the other
tasks which demanded consideration were not so perfectly performed.
The financial situation, the social uncertainty, the religious
problem, none of these could be overlooked, and each in turn was
clamorous for attention. In the methods employed to meet these
emergencies the revolutionary training of the Emperor comes to light.
To cover the enormous expense of his new army, contributions were
"invited" from the rich corporations and financiers, and it was
announced that any private person who was disposed to maintain a horse
and rider for the imperial service would earn the Emperor's special
gratitude. To any increase of the direct taxes the despot would not
listen. "Credit," he said, "is but a dispensation from paying cash."
In spite of Mollien's protest, however, a new issue of paper money was
ordered, but for this there was collateral security. It was found in
certain plots of land or domains belonging respectively to each of
many thousand communes, by the rentals of which they severally
diminished their direct local taxes. Worth three hundred and seventy
million francs, these properties yielded only nine millions, although
their prospective returns would be far larger. With government five
per cents. selling at seventy-five, an investment of a hundred and
thirty-five millions would yield the interest actually received. This
step was taken, the lands were seized, and the government cleared two
hundred and thirty-five millions; a hundred and forty millions of the
five per cents. were set aside to cover the income charges, and used
simultaneously as collateral for notes to pay current expenses until
the lands could be sold. These last were kept at a fair price by
taking seventy-one millions of treasure from the Tuileries vaults for
their purchase. Throughout the previous year the moribund le