It ran thus: "The agents of the Government, other than the Ministers, cannot be prosecuted for facts relating to their duties except by a decision of the Council of State: in that case the prosecution takes place before the ordinary tribunals." Now, as this decision rested with a body composed almost entirely of the higher officials, it will be seen that the chance of a public prosecution of an official became extremely small.

France was therefore in the first months of 1800 handed over to a hierarchy of officials closely bound together by interest and _esprit de corps_; and local administration, after ten years of democratic experiments, practically reverted to what it had been under the old monarchy.

In fact, the powers of the Prefects were, on the whole, much greater than those of the royal Intendants: for while the latter were hampered by the provincial _Parlements_, the nominees of the First Consul had to deal with councils that retained scarce the shadow of power.

The real authority in local matters rested with the Prefects.

The old elective bodies survived, it is true, but their functions were now mainly advisory; and, lest their advice should be too copious, the sessions of the first two bodies were limited to a fortnight a year.