The civilian, on the other hand, only looks to the general welfare.

The characteristic of the soldier is to wish to do everything despotically: that of the civilian is to submit everything to discussion, truth, and reason.

The superiority thus unquestionably belongs to the civilian." In these noble words we can discern the secret of Bonaparte's supremacy both in politics and in warfare.

Uniting in his own person the ablest qualities of the statesman and the warrior, he naturally desired that his new order of merit should quicken the vitality of France in every direction, knowing full well that the results would speedily be felt in the army itself.

When admitted to its ranks, the new member swore: "To devote himself to the service of the Republic, to the maintenance of the integrity of its territory, the defence of its government, laws, and of the property which they have consecrated; to fight by all methods authorized by justice, reason, and law, against every attempt to re-establish the feudal _regime_ or to reproduce the titles and qualities thereto belonging; and finally to strive to the uttermost to maintain liberty and equality." It is not surprising that the Tribunate, despite the recent purging of its most independent members, judged liberty and equality to be endangered by the method of defence now proposed.