Through constraint they suffered the king to appropriate to himself the public portion.

The primitive foundation remains, property as organized in ancient times, the fettered or exhausted land supporting a social conformation that has melted away, in short, an order of privileges and of thralldom of which the cause and the purpose have disappeared.

[1230] V.They may be justified by local and general services.
All this does not suffice to render this order detrimental or even useless.

In reality, the local chief who no longer performs his ancient service may perform a new one in exchange for it.

Instituted for war when life was militant, he may serve in quiet times when the regime is pacific, while the advantage to the nation is great in which this transformation is accomplished; for, retaining its chiefs, it is relieved of the uncertain and perilous operation which consists in creating others.