Jourdan law

Extracts from the Law

• "Every Frenchman is a soldier and must defend the country."
• "Outside of the case of danger to the country, the army is formed from voluntary enrollment and by way of military conscription."

• May voluntarily enter the French army if between the ages of 18 and 30, with a certificate of good conduct signed by the mayor of their municipality and the justice of the peace.
• The act of voluntary enrollment is registered in town hall. It mentions the citizen's identity, size, home and physical description.

• "Military conscription includes all French people from 20 to 25 years of age."

• The administrations of communes and townships must have "lists on which all French of their district are registered" who are 20 years old..
• From these lists, the central administrations classify the general lists of the conscripts of their respective departments.