After the proposal regarding Algeria was overwhelmingly approved by the majority of representatives, Jero Bonaparte seized the montum 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." (Jero Bonaparte deliberately paused, showing a devout expression on his face.)
"Because thirty million French citizens have entrusted their freedom, will, and everything to ! I must take responsibility for them..."
As Jero 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 Jero Bonaparte on the podium. They knew the main event was about to begin.
Jero 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 stemd from a coup.
Jero 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, Jero Bonaparte ordered the soldiers to distribute the copied docunts to them based on the regions they represented.
Quickly, all the docunts were distributed, with each legislative representative receiving one or two pages.
The soldiers, having completed their task, gathered again under Jero 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!" Jero Bonaparte said while gesturing to the soldiers below the podium, indicating they could leave.
The soldiers imdiately understood Jero Bonaparte’s intention, saluted him, and left.
As ti passed, more and more representatives turned their eyes to Jero 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 Jero 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 resentnt and helplessness!
I don’t know when the National Guard, which was supposed to protect our nation and people, beca what it is now!"
At this point, Jero Bonaparte slamd the table with his hand, as if to vent his dissatisfaction.
The Legislative Corps, which had been sowhat noisy, imdiately beca silent, with all representatives fixated on Jero Bonaparte on the podium.
"Representatives, tell 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?"
Jero Bonaparte’s repeated questioning made the representatives present even more reticent, only able to listen quietly to his speech.
Subsequently, Jero 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 forr glory. Its existence, aside from wasting taxpayers’ money (though it’s not much), serves no purpose!" Jero Bonaparte stated categorically to those present, "The once glorious National Guard no longer exists. What we see now is a weak force rely donning the guise of the National Guard!
Representatives, should not such a National Guard be imdiately abolished and a completely new force established!"
With these words, all representatives within the Legislative Corps understood Jero Bonaparte’s intent.
Jero Bonaparte generously delivered a lengthy speech with the core aim of abolishing the National Guard.
This made so 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 so representatives stood up and subtly opposed Jero Bonaparte.
The representatives said the National Guard and France shared a complentary relationship, and without the forr 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?" Jero 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 reford National Guard will once again beco 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?" Jero Bonaparte asked the Moderate Republican representative with a still friendly deanor.
"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 Jero Bonaparte.
Faced with the suggestion from the Moderate Republican representative, Jero Bonaparte sneered dismissively.
If, according to the Republican theory, those National Guardsn entrusted to governors and mayors would utterly beco 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 establishnt,
The original plan was to form 400,000 Mobile Guards, but in the end, only about 90,000 were ford, 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 reford National Guard will be a military force capable of going to war?" Jero Bonaparte retorted.
"This..." The Moderate Republican representative hesitated for a mont, then shook his head at Jero 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!" Jero Bonaparte chuckled lightly and then asked, "Representative sir, can you tell 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!!"
Jero Bonaparte’s aggressive posture left the Moderate Republican representative without any reason to refute, and Favre quickly stood up and responded to Jero Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, please allow to answer this question!"
"Mr. Favre, go ahead!" Jero 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 Jero Bonaparte.
"So, after the establishnt of the Empire, does the National Guard no longer need to assu the task of protecting France?" Jero Bonaparte once again questioned, "If it’s solely about maintaining dostic territorial security, then a certain number of gendars 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, Jero 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 (Jero Bonaparte understated), and they cannot fight against two or three tis that number!
At this point, if we do not count on the National Guard, whom else can we count on?"
Jero Bonaparte’s words plunged the representatives present into deep thought.
After a while, Favre asked Jero Bonaparte what he would use as a replacent after the National Guard was abolished.
Jero Bonaparte told Favre that after abolishing the National Guard, he would implent a nine-year conscription system (five years of regular army service and four years of reserve service) to prevent insufficient reserves of French troops.
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