Fromthetimewhenpowerfulministersmadeitapoliticalprincipletopreventtheconvocationofanationalassembly，oneconsequencehassucceededanother，untilthedeliberationsoftheinhabitantsofavillagearedeclarednullwhentheyhavenotbeenauthorizedbytheIntendant。Ofcourse，ifthecommunityhasanexpensiveundertakingtocarrythrough，itmustremainunderthecontrolofthesub—delegateoftheIntendant，and，consequently，followtheplanheproposes，employhisfavoriteworkmen，paythemaccordingtohispleasure;andifanactionatlawisdeemednecessary，theIntendant’spermissionmustbeobtained。Thecausemustbepleadedbeforethisfirsttribunal，previoustoitsbeingcarriedintoapubliccourt;andiftheopinionoftheIntendantisopposedtothatoftheinhabitants，oriftheiradversaryenjoyshisfavor，thecommunityisdeprivedofthepowerofdefendingitsrights。Sucharethemeans，Sire，whichhavebeenexertedtoextinguishthemunicipalspiritinFrance;andtostifle，ifpossible，theopinionsofthecitizens。
Thenationmaybesaidtolieunderaninterdict，andtobeinwardshipunderguardians。\"Whatcouldbesaidmoretothepurposeatthepresentday，whentheRevolutionhasachievedwhatarecalleditsvictoriesincentralization？
In1789，JeffersonwrotefromParistooneofhisfriends:—
\"Thereisnocountrywherethemaniaforover—governinghastakendeeperrootthaninFrance，orbeenthesourceofgreatermischief。\"（LettertoMadison，August28，1789。）Thefactis，thatforseveralcenturiespastthecentralpowerofFrancehasdoneeverythingitcouldtoextendcentraladministration;ithasacknowledgednootherlimitsthanitsownstrength。ThecentralpowertowhichtheRevolutiongavebirthmademorerapidadvancesthananyofitspredecessors，becauseitwasstrongerandwiserthantheyhadbeen;LouisXIVcommittedthewelfareofsuchcommunitiestothecapriceofanintendant;NapoleonleftthemtothatoftheMinister。Thesameprinciplegovernedboth，thoughitsconsequencesweremoreorlessremote。
AppendixL