Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/369

 FRENCH REVOLUTION AND FRENCH REPUBLIC 357 legislation. Hence the First Consul was in effect a complete autocrat, who even held in his own hands the appointment of all the local authorities possessed of any powers. The title, borrowed from Republican Rome, lasted for a little more than four years, when it was exchanged for that of Emperor ; but for all practical purposes Napoleon was thenceforth the absolute monarch of France.