The mere confidence felt in the minister's ability and honesty had caused the money to flow into the treasury.
M.Necker did not stop there: a foreigner by birth, he felt no respect for the great tradition of French administration; practised in the handling of funds, he had conceived as to the internal government of the finances theories opposed to the old system; the superintendents established a while ago by Richelieu had become powerful in the central administration as well as in the provinces, and the comptroller-general was in the habit of accounting with them; they nearly all belonged to old and notable families; some of them had attracted the public regard and esteem.

The new minister suppressed several offices and diminished the importance of some others; he had taken away from M.Trudaine, administrator of gabels and heavy revenues (_grosses fermes_), the right of doing business with the king; M.Trudaine sent in his resignation; he was much respected, and this reform was not approved of.

"M.

Necker," people said, "wants to be assisted by none but removable slaves." At the same time the treasurers-general, numbering forty-eight, were reduced to a dozen, and the twenty-seven treasurers of marine and war to two; the farmings-general (of taxes) were renewed with an advantage to the treasury of fifteen millions.

The posts at court likewise underwent reform; the courtiers saw at one blow the improper sources of their revenues in the financial administration cut off, and obsolete and ridiculous appointments, to which numerous pensions, were attached, reduced.