This　treasure；　which　consists　of　the　accumulations　of　fourteen
  centuries；　has　been　formed；　increased；　and　preserved；　in　view　of　a
  certain　object。　　The　millions　of　generous；　repentant；　or　devout
  souls　who　have　made　a　gift　of　it；　or　have　managed　it；　did　so　with　a
  certain　intention。　　It　was　their　desire　to　ensure　education；
  beneficence；　and　religion；　and　nothing　else。　　Their　legitimate
  intentions　should　not　be　frustrated：　the　dead　have　rights　in　society
  as　well　as　the　living；　for　it　is　the　dead　who　have　made　the　society
  which　the　living　enjoy；　and　we　receive　their　heritage　only　on　the
  condition　of　executing　their　testamentary　act。　　　　Should　this　be
  of　ancient　date；　it　is　undoubtedly　necessary　to　make　a　liberal
  interpretation　of　it；　to　supplement　its　scanty　provisions；　and　to
  take　new　circumstances　into　consideration。　　The　requirements　for
  which　it　provided　have　often　disappeared；　for　instance；　after　the
  destruction　of　the　Barbary　pirates；　there　were　no　more　Christians　to
  be　ransomed；　and　only　by　transferring　an　endowment　can　it　be
  perpetuated。　　　　But　if；　in　the　original　institution；　several
  accessory　and　special　clauses　have　become　antiquated；　there　remains
  the　one　important；　general　intention；　which　manifestly　continues
  imperative　and　permanent；　that　of　providing　for　a　distinct　service；
  either　of　charity；　of　worship；　or　of　instruction。　　Let　the
  administrators　be　changed；　if　necessary；　also　the　apportionment　of
  the　legacy　bequeathed；　but　do　not　divert　any　of　it　to　services　of　an
  alien　character；　it　is　inapplicable　to　any　but　that　purpose　or　to
  others　strictly　analogous。　　The　four　milliards　of　investment　in　real
  property；　the　two　hundred　millions　of　ecclesiastical　income；　form
  for　it　an　express　and　special　endowment。　　This　is　not　a　pile　of　gold
  abandoned　on　the　highway；　which　the　exchequer　can　appropriate　or
  assign　to　those　who　live　by　the　roadside。　　Authentic　titles　to　it
  exist；　which；　declaring　its　origin；　fix　its　destination；　and　your
  business　is　simply　to　see　that　it　reaches　its　destination。　　Such　was
  the　principle　under　the　ancient　régime；　in　spite　of　grave　abuses；
  and　under　forced　exactions。　　When　the　ecclesiastical　commission
  suppressed　an　ecclesiastical　order；　it　was　not　for　the　purpose　of
  making　its　possessions　over　to　the　public　treasury；　but　to　apply
  these　to　seminaries；　schools；　and　hospitals。　　In　1789；　the　revenues
  of　Saint…Denis　supported　Saint…Cyr；　those　of　Saint　Germain　went　to
  the　Economats；　and　the　Government；　although　absolute　and　needy；　was
  sufficiently　honest　to　adjust　that　confiscation　was　robbery。　　The
  greater　our　power；　the　greater　the　obligation　to　be　just；　and
  honesty　always　proves　in　the　end　to　be　the　best　policy。　　　　It　is；
  therefore；　both　just　and　useful　that　the　Church；　as　in　England　and
  in　America；　that　superior　education；　as　in　England　and　in　Germany；
  that　special　instruction；　as　in　America；　and　that　diverse　endowments
  for　public　assistance　and　utility；　should　be　unreservedly　secured　in
  the　maintenance　of　their　heritage。　　The　State；　as　testamentary
  executor　of　this　inheritance；　strangely　abuses　its　mandate　when　it
  pockets　the　bequest　in　order　to　choke　the　deficit　of　its　own
  treasury；　risking　it　in　bad　speculations；　and　swallowing　it　up　in
  its　own　bankruptcy；　until　of　this　vast　treasure；　which　has　been
  heaped　up　for　generations　for　the　benefit　of　children；　the　infirm；
  the　sick　and　the　poor；　not　enough　is　left　to　pay　the　salary　of　a
  school…mistress；　the　wages　of　a　parish　nurse；　or　for　a　bowl　of　broth
  in　a　hospital。＇48＇
  The　Assembly　remains　deaf　to　all　these　arguments；　and　that　which
  makes　its　refuse　to　listen　is　not　financial　distress。　　　　The
  Archbishop　of　Aix；　M。　　de　Boisjelin；　offered；　in　the　name　of　the
  clergy；　to　liquidate　at　once　the　debt　of　three　hundred　millions；
  which　was　urgent；　by　a　mortgage…loan　of　four　hundred　millions　on　the
  ecclesiastical　property；　which　was　a　very　good　expedient；　for　at
  this　time　the　credit　of　the　clergy　is　the　only　substantial　one。　　It
  generally　borrows　at　less　than　five　per　cent。；　and　more　money　has
  always　been　offered　to　it　than　it　wanted；　whilst　the　State　borrows
  at　ten　per　cent。；　and；　at　this　moment；　there　are　no　lenders。
  But；　to　our　new　revolutionary　statesmen；　the　cost…benefit　of　a
  service　is　of　much　less　consequence　than　the　application　of　a
  principle。　　In　conformity　with　the　Social　Contract　they　establish
  the　maxim　that　in　the　State　there　is　no　need　of　corporate　bodies：
  they　acknowledge　nothing　but；　on　the　one　hand；　the　State；　the
  depositary　of　all　public　powers；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　a　myriad　of
  solitary　individuals。　　Special　associations；　specific　groups；
  collateral　corporations　are　not　wanted；　even　to　fulfill　functions
  which　the　State　is　incapable　of　fulfilling。　　〃As　soon　as　one　enters
  a　corporation；〃　says　and　orator；　〃one　must　love　it　as　one　loves　a
  family；〃＇49＇　whereas　the　affections　and　obedience　are　all　to　be
  monopolized　by　the　State。　　Moreover；　on　entering　into　an　order　a　man
  receives　special　aid　and　comfort　from　it；　and　whatever　distinguishes
  one　man　from　another；　is　opposed　to　civil　equality。　　Hence；　if　men
  are　to　remain　equal　and　become　citizens　they　must　be　deprived　of
  every　rallying　point　that　might　compete　with　that　of　the　State；　and
  give　to　some　an　advantage　over　others。　　All　natural　or　acquired
  ties；　consequently；　which　bound　men　together　through　geographical
  position；　through　climate；　history；　pursuits；　and　trade；　are
  sundered。　　The　old　provinces；　the　old　provincial　governments；　the
  old　municipal　administrations；　parliaments；　guilds　and　masterships；
  all　are　suppressed。　The　groups　which　spring　up　most　naturally；　those
  which　arise　through　a　community　of　interests；　are　all　dispersed；　and
  the　broadest；　most　express；　and　most　positive　interdictions　are
  promulgated　against　their　revival　under　any　pretext　whatever。＇50＇
  France　is　cut　up　into　geometrical　sections　like　a　chess…board；　and；
  within　these　improvised　limits；　which　are　destined　for　a　long　time
  to　remain　artificial；　nothing　is　allowed　to　subsist　but　isolated
  individuals　in　juxtaposition。　　There　is　no　desire　to　spare　organized
  bodies　where　the　cohesion　is　great；　and　least　of　all　that　of　the
  clergy。
  〃Special　associations；〃　says　Mirabeau；＇51＇　〃in　the　community　at
  large；　break　up　the　unity　of　its　principles　and　destroy　the
  equilibrium　of　its　forces。　　Large　political　bodies　in　a　State　are
  dangerous　through　the　strength　which　results　from　their　coalition
  and　the　resistance　which　is　born　out　of　their　interests。〃　ii
  That　of　the　clergy；　besides；　is　inherently　bad；＇52＇　because　〃its
  system　is　in　constant　antagonism　to　the　rights　of　man。〃　An
  institution　in　which　a　vow　of　obedience　is　necessary　is
  〃incompatible〃　with　the　constitution。　　Congregations　〃subject　to
  independent　chiefs　are　out　of　the　social　pale　and　incompatible　with
  public　spirit。〃　As　to　the　right　of　society　over　these；　and　also　over
  the　Church；　this　is　not　doubtful。　　〃　Corporate　bodies　exist　only
  through　society；　and；　in　destroying　them；　society　merely　takes　back
  the　life　she　has　imparted　to　them。〃　〃They　are　simply　instruments
  fabricated　by　the　law。＇53＇　　What　does　the　workman　do　when　the　tool
  he　works　with　no　longer　suits　him？　He　breaks　or　alters　it。〃　　　This
  primary　sophism　being　admitted　the　conclusion　is　plain。　　Since
  corporate　bodies　are　abolished　they　no　longer　exist；　and　since　they
  no　longer　exist；　they　cannot　again　become　proprietors。
  〃Your　aim　was　to　destroy　ecclesiastical　orders；＇54＇　because　their
  destruction　was　essential　to　the　safety　of　the　State。　　If　the　clergy
  preserve　their　property；　the　clerical　order　is　not　destroyed：　you
  necessarily　leave　it　the　right　of　assembling；　you　sanction　its
  independence。〃　In　no　case　must　ecclesiastics　hold　possessions。　　〃If
  they　are　proprietors　they　are　independent；　and　if　they　are
  independent　they　will　associate　this　independence　with　the　exercise
  of　their　functions。〃　The　clergy；　cost　what　it　will；　must　be　in　the
  hands　of　the　State；　as　simple　functionaries　and　supported　by　its
  subsidies。　　It　would　be　too　dangerous　for　a　nation　；〃to　admit　in　its
  bosom　as　proprietors　a　large　body　of　men　to　whom　so　many　sources　of
  credit　already　give　so　great　power。　　As　religion　is　the　property　of
  all；　its　ministers；　through　this　fact　alone；　should　be　in　the　pay　of
  the　nation；〃　they　are　essentially　〃officers　of　morality　and
  instruction；〃　and　〃salaried〃　like　judges　and　professors。　　Let　us
  fetch　them　back　to　this　condition　of　things；　which　is　the　only　one
  compatible　with　the　rights　of　man；　and　ordain　that　〃　the　clergy；　as
  well　as　all　corporations　and　bodies　with　power　of　inheritance；　are
  now；　and　shall　be　for　ever　incapable　of　holding　any　personal　or
  landed　estate。〃＇55＇
  Who；　now；　is　the　legitimate　heir　of　all　these　vacated　possessions？
  Through　another　sophism；　the　State；　at　once　judge　and　party　in　the
  cause；　assigns　them　to　the　State：
  〃The　founders　presented　them　to　the　Church；　that　is　to　say；　to　the