Make France Great Again-Chapter 780 - 771 The 9-Year Reserve System
After the proposal regarding Algeria was overwhelmingly approved by the majority of representatives, Jerome Bonaparte seized the momentum to present his second proposal to the Legislative Corps.
"Distinguished representatives, today I stand here before you, before this sacred Legislative Corps, to present a solemn proposal. I am aware that this proposal might, no, it certainly will be criticized and even opposed by many.
However, I still must speak here in this Bourbon Palace, which represents the will of over thirty million citizens of France." (Jerome Bonaparte deliberately paused, showing a devout expression on his face.)
"Because thirty million French citizens have entrusted their freedom, will, and everything to me! I must take responsibility for them..."
As Jerome Bonaparte started his second proposal, he elevated the tone of the entire proposal significantly. The representatives within the Legislative Corps, whether surprised or curious, all focused their attention on Jerome Bonaparte on the podium. They knew the main event was about to begin.
Jerome Bonaparte then clapped his hands, and under the astonished gaze of the representatives in the Bourbon Palace, a team of 20 people ran out from the right hallway of the Bourbon Palace, jogging to the platform of the Legislative Corps.
Looking at the squad before them, the majority of representatives first thought of a coup.
After all, the success of the Second Empire stemmed from a coup.
Jerome Bonaparte relied on the soldiers from the near Paris suburbs to completely overthrow the Second Republic and establish the Second Empire.
The National Assembly, originally representing the Second Republic’s authority, was also divided by the Emperor into two independent institutions.
Now that the Emperor has absolute power over all of France, why does he still need to do these things to them?
Could it be that His Majesty the Emperor intends to establish an absolutely authoritative state?
As the representatives of the Legislative Corps began to ponder, Jerome Bonaparte ordered the soldiers to distribute the copied documents to them based on the regions they represented.
Quickly, all the documents were distributed, with each legislative representative receiving one or two pages.
The soldiers, having completed their task, gathered again under Jerome Bonaparte’s podium, awaiting his next instructions.
"Alright, representatives, take a look at the National Guard situation under the provinces that elected you to Paris as representatives!" Jerome Bonaparte said while gesturing to the soldiers below the podium, indicating they could leave.
The soldiers immediately understood Jerome Bonaparte’s intention, saluted him, and left.
As time passed, more and more representatives turned their eyes to Jerome Bonaparte on the stage, with a few clever individuals already realizing his next move.
After a good while, when all the representatives had finished reading the report Jerome Bonaparte distributed, he said to the gathered representatives with a tone tinged with indignation, "Representatives, I wonder how you feel after reading the report in your hands!
Now I shall disclose to you my feelings after reading the report.
I have carefully read through each copy of the report provided to you all.
After reading all the reports that arrived, my feelings are only resentment and helplessness!
I don’t know when the National Guard, which was supposed to protect our nation and people, became what it is now!"
At this point, Jerome Bonaparte slammed the table with his hand, as if to vent his dissatisfaction.
The Legislative Corps, which had been somewhat noisy, immediately became silent, with all representatives fixated on Jerome Bonaparte on the podium.
"Representatives, tell me honestly if the current National Guard is still the force that leads our nation and people to resist foreign enemies and march towards victory? Can the current National Guard still undertake the tasks entrusted to them by France?"
Jerome Bonaparte’s repeated questioning made the representatives present even more reticent, only able to listen quietly to his speech.
Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte again asked the representatives present whether the National Guard could bear the responsibility of protecting the safety of French citizens, and many representatives still remained silent.
"I know you all dare not speak! Now I tell you the answer in this sacred hall representing the collective will of thirty million French citizens!
The current National Guard cannot possibly recreate its former glory. Its existence, aside from wasting taxpayers’ money (though it’s not much), serves no purpose!" Jerome Bonaparte stated categorically to those present, "The once glorious National Guard no longer exists. What we see now is a weak force merely donning the guise of the National Guard!
Representatives, should not such a National Guard be immediately abolished and a completely new force established!"
With these words, all representatives within the Legislative Corps understood Jerome Bonaparte’s intent.
Jerome Bonaparte generously delivered a lengthy speech with the core aim of abolishing the National Guard.
This made some Moderate Republican representatives uneasy (since the news from the Legislative Corps had never been made public, the citizens within the Legislative Corps were able to communicate freely), so some representatives stood up and subtly opposed Jerome Bonaparte.
The representatives said the National Guard and France shared a complementary relationship, and without the former National Guard, the current Empire would not exist.
Hence, France could not lose the National Guard, and even if the National Guard were abolished, who could guarantee that the next military organization would be better than the National Guard?
"What alternative reform suggestions do you have?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired warmly of the Moderate Republican representative.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the urgent matter for the French Empire is not to completely abolish the National Guard, but to reform it! I am confident that the reformed National Guard will once again become the pillar of France!" The Moderate Republican representative asserted his opinion clearly.
"Sir, whom do you think should be entrusted with the reform of the National Guard?" Jerome Bonaparte asked the Moderate Republican representative with a still friendly demeanor.
"Your Majesty, I personally believe this matter can be entrusted to the governors and mayors of each province and city," the Moderate Republicans responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
Faced with the suggestion from the Moderate Republican representative, Jerome Bonaparte sneered dismissively.
If, according to the Republican theory, those National Guardsmen entrusted to governors and mayors would utterly become lucrative tools for provincial and city-level leaders, thus completely losing the function that belongs to the military.
Historically, the Mobile Guard was attacked by the Republican faction within the Legislative Corps, forcing the Mobile Guard to be handed over to provincial and city-level leaders for establishment,
The original plan was to form 400,000 Mobile Guards, but in the end, only about 90,000 were formed, yet not a single expenditure was saved.
All the money ended up in the pockets of the provincial and city leaders.
"Can you guarantee that the reformed National Guard will be a military force capable of going to war?" Jerome Bonaparte retorted.
"This..." The Moderate Republican representative hesitated for a moment, then shook his head at Jerome Bonaparte and said, "Your Majesty, on this issue, I cannot guarantee it!
However, the National Guard was never a military force expected to fight abroad! Therefore, it should not undertake responsibilities that do not belong to it!"
"Not expected to fight abroad!" Jerome Bonaparte chuckled lightly and then asked, "Representative sir, can you tell me which military force in the world is not expected to fight!
In other words, is a military force that does not engage in warfare still a military force!
If the National Guard is not expected to fight, then what was our purpose in establishing the National Guard in the first place!!"
Jerome Bonaparte’s aggressive posture left the Moderate Republican representative without any reason to refute, and Favre quickly stood up and responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, please allow me to answer this question!"
"Mr. Favre, go ahead!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Favre.
"Your Majesty, the purpose of the National Guard was indeed to protect France, but its initial purpose was to protect the Republic!" Favre stated bluntly to Jerome Bonaparte.
"So, after the establishment of the Empire, does the National Guard no longer need to assume the task of protecting France?" Jerome Bonaparte once again questioned, "If it’s solely about maintaining domestic territorial security, then a certain number of gendarmes would suffice!
The purpose of the National Guard’s existence is not just to ensure that France’s frontline troops can quickly obtain enough qualified soldiers! (Here, Jerome Bonaparte was distorting the purpose of the National Guard)
If one day, our country is attacked by hundreds of thousands, or even millions of troops!
What shall we do?
We cannot always place our hopes on active-duty soldiers, because their numbers are limited!
Take right now, for example, the entire Empire can mobilize only about 350,000 troops (Jerome Bonaparte understated), and they cannot fight against two or three times that number!
At this point, if we do not count on the National Guard, whom else can we count on?"
Jerome Bonaparte’s words plunged the representatives present into deep thought.
After a while, Favre asked Jerome Bonaparte what he would use as a replacement after the National Guard was abolished.
Jerome Bonaparte told Favre that after abolishing the National Guard, he would implement a nine-year conscription system (five years of regular army service and four years of reserve service) to prevent insufficient reserves of French troops.
