ew England
soil into rocks. "Stein's main idea," says Vehse, "was, 'the burgher
must become noble.' With this view, he tried to call forth a strong
feeling of nationality and a new spirit in the people. His first step in
introducing his new system of administration was the abolition of
vassalage, and the change of the titles of seignorial property. This was
done by the edict dated Memel, October 9, 1807, which did away with the
monopoly until then claimed by the nobles holding such estates, which
were now allowed to be acquired also by burghers and peasants. It
moreover abolished all the feudal burdens of tenure. In this great law,
Frederick William III. laid down the principle: 'After St. Martin's day,
1810, there will be throughout my dominions none but free people.' This
edict first created in Prussia a _free_ peasantry. Free burghers, on the
other hand, were created by the municipal law from Koenigsberg, November
19, 1808, which restored to the burgesses their ancient municipal rights
of freely electing their magistrates and deputies, and of
self-government within their own civic sphere.... Stein tried in every
way to secure to the burgher his independence, and to protect him
against the despotism of the men in office. With equal energy he tried
to develop the spirit of the people."[50] For five years most of the
Prussian ministers labored in the same spirit. A military force was
created, chiefly by the labors of Scharnhorst, and the limitation of the
Prussian army by Napoleon was in great part evaded. Everything was done
to create a people, and to have ready the moral and material means from
which to create an army, should circumstances arise under which Prussia
might think it safe for her to act. Hardenberg did not go so far as
Stein would have gone, but it is probable that he acted wisely; for very
strong measures might have brought Napoleon's hand upon him. As it was,
the Emperor could not complain of measures that breathed the very spirit
of the French Revolution, of which he was the impersonation and the
champion,--or claimed to be.

But all the labors of Stein, and those other Prussian patriots who acted
with him or followed in his footsteps, would have been of no avail, had
not Napoleon afforded them an opportunity to turn their labors to
account. They might have elevated the people, have accumulated money,
have massed munitions, and have drilled the entire male population to
the business and work of war, ti