's name, and, besides, this inscription: 'To the
guardian of the commune, a grateful country.'"

Instead of these semi-poetic honors adapted to the imaginations of the
year VIII, take the positive honors adapted to the imaginations of the
year XII, and the following years, brevets and grades, decorations of
the Legion d'Honneur, the titles of chevalier, baron, and count,[4134]
presents and endowments,--the rewards offered to the representatives of
local society, the same as to the other functionaries, but on the same
condition that they will likewise be functionaries, that is to say,
tools in the hands of the government. In this respect, every precaution
is taken, especially against those who, forming a collective body,
may be tempted to consider themselves a deliberative assembly, such
as municipal and general councils, less easily handled than single
individuals and, at times, capable of not being quite so docile. None of
these can hold sessions of more than fifteen days in the year; each must
accept its budget of receipts and expenses, almost complete and ready
made, from the prefecture. In the way of receipts, its powers consist
wholly in voting certain additional and optional centimes, more or less
numerous, at will, "within the limits established by law";[4135] again,
even within these limits, its decision can be carried out only after an
examination and approval at the prefecture. There is the same regulation
in regard to expenses; the council, indeed, municipal or general, is
simply consultative; the government delegates the mayor, sub-prefect, or
prefect, who prescribes what must be done. As the preliminary steps are
taken by him, and he has constant direction of the local council for two
weeks, and finally the right of confirmation, he controls it, and
then for eleven months and a half, having sole charge of the daily and
consecutive execution of its acts, he reigns in the local community.
Undoubtedly, having received and expended money for the community, he
is accountable and will present his yearly accounts at the following
session; the law says[4136] that in the commune, "the municipal council
shall listen to and may discuss the account of municipal receipts and
expenses." But read the text through to the end, and note the part which
the law, in this case, assigns to the municipal council. It plays
the part of the chorus in the antique tragedy: it attends, listens,
approves, or disapproves, in the background