The Statesman. — London, England, 1814-04-19 00:00:00

- V i •~~ 1 nied by the cavalry of the National Guard. An Tbise, Gentlemen are, ft seems to tne, the baste immense concourse of people every where accompa- I which are essential and necessary to ensure all rights, nied him. All the avenues oethe palace were filled i trace all ;lodes, secure the continuation of all exist with multitudes of spectators, and his Highness re- ing institutions (assurer tortes les existences); and turned to his apartments, amid unanimous acclama- guarantee our future situation (noire avenir)." tions of Rue is Rue Vive Monsieur! After this discourse, his Royal Highness added— The English General Stewart has set out, charged 44 I thank you, in the name of the King, my bro urt and the Allied Powers, with a mission the r , f or th e s h are you h ave h a d i n the return of our to theiiead-quarters of Marshal Soult and Lord legitimate Sovereign, and for having thus secured the Wellington. happiness of France, for which the King, and all Her Imperial Highness the Arch-duchess Maria his family, are ready to sacrifice their blood. There Louisa, who was at Orleans, set out on the 12th, can be no longer any difference of sentiment among with her son, to repair to Rambouillet. She had us; we must no more recal the past; we must from Am the evening preceding, received dispatches, which henceforward bea nation of brothers. During the time <tyre brought by the Princes Lichtenstein and Ester- that I shall have the pow«r in my hands, which time hazy. Her Imperial Highness will immediJely have I hope will be very short, I shall employ all my an interview with her august father. efforts in labouring for the public happiness." Napoleon Bonaparte is still at Fontainbleau. He One of the Members of the Senate crying out, is detained there by a cutaneous disorder, which " He is a true descendant of Henry IV."—" His obliged him to have recourse to the baths, and a blood," said Monsieur, " really flows in my veins; suitable treatment. I should wish to have his talents, but I am sure of It is said that Napoleon's Mameluke has refused to accompany his master, though he earnestly re. quested him. . PARIS, APRIL 14.—Monsieur has received to (lay, at eight in the evening, the Senate and the Le gislative Body. The Senate was presented to his Royal Highness ' by the Pciaaae-of Benevento, its President, who said— " Mossirexton,—The Senate brings to your Royal Highness the offeritig of its most respectful submission. " It has invited the return of your august House to the throne of France. Too well instructed by the present and the past, it desires, in common with the nation, for e►er to found the Royal Authority on a just division of power, and on public liberty, which are the only securities of the happiness and liberty of all. " Monseigneur,- The Senate, in the moments of public joy, obliged to remain apparently more calm in the limits of its duties, is not less a partaker in the universal sentiments of the people. Your Royal Highness will read in our hearts through the reserve of our language. Each of us, as a French. man, has joined in those of feeling and profound emotions, which have accompanied you ever since vont entrance into t:te capital of your ancestors, and which are still more lively under the roof of this Pa lace, to which hope and joy are at length returned with a descendant of St. Louis and Henry IV. " For myself, my Lord, allow me to congratu late rn; self in being the organ of the Senate which has chosen me to be the interpreter of its sentiments to year Royal Highness. The Senate, knowing my attachment to its Members, has been pleased to re serve for me a delightful and honourable moment.— The most delightful iu , fact, are those in which we approach your Royal Highness, to renew to you the expression of our respect and our love." The following is the Decree of the Senate EXTRACT FROM THE JOURNAL OI THE SENATE, THU RS. DAY, APRIL 14. The Senate, deliberating on the proposal of the Provisional Government, after having heard the Re port of a Committee of seven Members, decrees u follow : having his heart and his lore for the French." After the Senate, the Members of the Legislative Body, who were at Paris at the time of the happy The Senate commits the Provisional Government of France to his Royal Highness the Count d'Arto,is, ender the title of Lieutenant-General of the king dom, until Louis Stanislaus Xavier de France, called to the throne of the French, shall have ac cepted the constitutional Charter. The Senate resolves that the decree of this day, concerning the Provisional Government of France, shall be presented this evening by the Senate in a body to his Royal Highness the Count d'Artois, The President and Secretaries, The Prince• of RENEVLNIO. Colmt tie VALENCE. 'Could de PASTORET. event which restores us our King, and the deputies of the neighbouring departments, who have eagerly repaired to Paris, were admitted to\n audience of his Royal Highness, Mr. Felix Fauleon, the Vigil* President, spoke as follows : 1, . " MY LORD,—Tbe long misfortunes which have oppressed France, have at last reached their period, the Throne will now again be filled by the descend. ants of that good llenry, n hom the French pebple are proud and delighted to call their own ; and the Legislative Body is happy in expressing this day to your Royal Highness, the joy and the hopes of the nation : the deep wounds of our country cannot be healed, but by the tutelary concurrence of the will of all. No more divisions ; your Royal Highness has said, at the first •tep you took ha this capital; it was worthy of your Highness to pronounce these sweet words, which have already re-echoed in every heart." Monsieur expressed his happiness at being in the midst of the people. Representatives of the French 46 We are all Frenchmen, said his Royal High. ness, we are all brothers. The King will soon ar rive amongst us ; his only happiness will be to secure thekimppiness of France, and to make its past mis. fortunes forgotten. Let us think only on the fu ture. I congratulate yon, Gentlemen of the Lees. lative Body, on your courageous resistance to ty ranny while there was still great danger iu it. At length we are all Frenchmen.". The speech of his Royal Highness was followed by universal acclamations. The Deputies of the De- ; partments will relate to their fellow-citisens the , lively impressions which they hue eaperiettoed in ad dressing, for the first time, the wishes of France to a descendant of oar Kings, in the Palace of Louis XIV. Champagny, Duke of Cadore ; Savory, Duke of Itoriego ; and Count Moli, are at Paris, and have signified their adhesion. FRENCH FUNDS. April 13, 61 f. 75c. The House of Commons met last night, pursuant to adjournment. From the short discussions which took place, it will be seen how confidently Ministers rely on the transient ascendency w hick recent suc cesses, have acquired for them. The Papers respect ing the negotiation at Chatillon, which the country is extremely anxious to see, are to be withheld not merely at present, but altogether. They were to have been laid before Parliament immediately after the recess, by the Executive Power, without any demand being made for them. And now Mr. VAI'l strrAwr lets us know, in his great, and generous, and condescending moderation, that " he had not meant to preclude the House from calling for the Papers, i if their production should be thought necessary at! any future time."—The meaning of which is simply 1 this :—" The laying them before you will not be a Ministerial act ; the Opposition may call for them if they like, but we the Ministers have a majority, and they %ill not be granted."—lt is evidently in tended that these Papers should not be made public, I and this greatly encreases our desire to see them.—A new Negociation has been entered upon, and a dif ferent Treaty is about to be concluded with other Au thorities than those who were parties to the late con-. ferences, and this is, doubtless, a good reason why the publication of the documents in question should be deferred, because the past might affect the pending negociations ; because they may, on many points, be linked together ; because the developments of poli s, tical projects and designs, occasioned by the former, cannot be unimportant to the conduct and progress of the latter. But do not these very reasons plac in the clearest evidence the necessity of the am talon documents, to the formation of a correct opinion respecting the negociatione now carrying { nn, and the treaty likely to result from them. Per haps Ministers intend, in their omnipotence, to divest Parliament, for the first time, of the right of judging as to the propriety of treaties concluded by the Ex ecutive Power. If such be their design let them avow it, and not mock the Senate and the people of England, by calling upon them to pronounce an opi• nion, whilst they withhold , the necessary means of information. There will, we are persuaded, be con siderable difference between the terms to be insisted on by our Government in treating with the Bova•, 'ERMAN. sows, Ind those to wideli they base laid cloths, or those etas vrhieb they might hives obtained in the recent negociation. Some difference will be looked for, and may not excite say dissatisfaction in the country. It is, however, necessary, that we should know the Meat of this difference ; that the two negociations should be exposed to our com parison ; and that, content, as we may be to Mid that we hate paid something for the restoration of the Bonnboas, we should be enabled to ascertain how much it has actually cost us. Whatever importance may be generally attached to this event, few persons will deny that it might be purchased too dear.-- If the negociations at Chatillon should not be fully unfolded, who will not conclude that it is only because they would cast a shade on those by which they were succeeded, or give too great a notoriety to the advantages we have surrendered In favour of the restored dynasty. The discussion on the Colonial Officers' Residence Bill is well 4eserv. lag of attention. It presents a picture to the coml. try 40 the liberal manner its which its wealth is distri buted amongst the supporters of Administration, and the facility with which the duties of office, even when their performance is guaranteed by special legislative enactment, may be evaded. To enforce the law re ,speoting residence, would compel the present occu 100111rif inany luersiflie situations to resign,and this, Iforsioth, is a reason in favour of relaxing it. "We are content to receive the pay, but if we must needs alsO'do the work, we resign." And yet to torn men out of their situations who employ this lin page, is deemed a violation of right. How tetier I add ' indulgeut ! It would appear truly as if the , Haase of Commons dreaded every act which, by the midst impikdent sophistry, could be deemed a violation olibt, spore than the most unceasing and flagrant vielstiouswf the rights of the people. " But," says an eloquent and ingenious Member, " If you force the prom occupants to resign, you throw a great mass of patronage into the hands of the Ministers of the day." We say, "no such thing." The remedy to Me abuse is not to substitute one set of useless bikers by another, but to abolish offices altogether, which the constant absence of their possessors have I proved to be a needless encumbrance in the State, and a gratuitous addition to the people's burdens. ;; a ';,t rr-- His Majesty Louts XVIII. we are now enabled positively to state, leaves Hartwell for London to morrow (Wednesday) morning, and will be met at Stanmore by the PRINCE REGENT. The procession, which will be very grand, will move through Hyde Park and Piccadilly, to Albemarle-street, where Gftimon's Hotel has been prepared for his Majesty's reception. We understand that eight of the PRINCE REGENT'S carriages will be sent for his Majesty and Suite, and that his Royal Highness will proceed to meat MM tilialoraft escort of cavalry. All the corps of cavalry in the metropolis and its neighbourhood will precede the Royal carriages .to town, and the road from Hyde Park to Albemarle-street will be lined with infantry. On his Majesty's arrival, It Royal salute will be tired from the Park and Tower guns. On Thursday his Majesty Louis XVIII. dines with the PRINCE REGENT at Carlton-House, and on Saturday he goes to Dover • from whence he will be conveyed to Calais in the Royal yacht, accompanied by a squadron of men of war, under the•command of the Admiral of the Fleet, his Royal Highness the Duke Of CLARENCE. Yesterday advice.; of a late date were received from Bourdeaux. By these we learn, that in con sequence of preparations by the British to destroy the remainder of the French shipping in the Ga ronne, the French Commandant in that quarter caused the Regulus man of war, of 74 guns, and other French ships, to be destroye d by Are. The orders were car ried into effect, according to our account, an the 9th inst. The Earl of H.tanowav is to be the British Mi nister at the approaching Congress. His Lordship will afterwards be our Ambassador at the Court of his Most Christian Majesty Louis XVIII. The appointment renders the post of President of the Council vacant. It will he filled by the Earl of Bucithciumasmite, who retires from the Board of Controul. Lord MELVILLE quits the Admiialty and returns to the Board of Controul. And Mr. CANNING is to be the new First Lord of the Admiralty, in the room of Lord MFLVILLE. Letters by the Malta Mail will not be delivered until to-morrow. Louis XVIII.—The following requisition was yesterday presented to the LORD MAYOR:—" We, the undersigned, request your Lordship to convene a Court of Common Council, on an early day, for the purpose of taking into consideration an Address to his Majesty Louis XVIII. congratulating his Ma jesty on the late happy and glorious events, which have released the people of France from a despotism unparalleled in the history of Europe, and restored, in his Royal Person, the succession of their ancient and legimitate Monarchs."—His Lordship fixed neat Thursday for the consideration of the Address. rrhe following is a correct return of the prices of provisions, &c. in the severalmarketsof Paris, viz. Wheat Sts. per quarter. 60Ibs. the bushel. Oats is. 6d. per (pouter, 401Iss. to the bushel. Bristi lid. Per Di. ablei Sid. qsartern loaf. Bed bd. per lb. Tgp four a ply. Port Wine 14d. perbottle. Burgundy 91. 9d. Or bottle. A Proclamation is expected to be issued imme diately for the cessation of hostilities between France and this country, by sea and land. Orders have al• ready been sent to Plymouth and other places for the prisoners to prepare themselves to be liberated in 10 days. BREAD.—The LORD MAYOR having inspected the Mea!weighers' Returns, ordered the price of Bread to be lowered 3d. in the peck loaf, which is 4cl. in the qoartern ; the price then will be 110. per qoartern. Poarsaoora, APRIL 18.— Arrived an armed cutter from Cherbnorgli, with dispatches for the French Admiral, Trout, of the Polimaise French 74. nu ROYAL BIGnNEqs AxswErato. 44 GENTLEMEN,—.I have acquainted myself with the constitutional Act which recals to the throne of France, the kiiig,• my august brother. I have not received from him the power to accept the Constitu tion ; but I know his sentiments and his principles, and I do not fear to be disavowed by him, when I assure you, in his name, that he will admit the basis of it. 64 The King in declaring, that he would maintain the actual form of Government, has then acknow ledged that the monarchy ought to be balanced by a representative Government, divided into two ❑ouses. These two houses (chulbres) are the Senate and the House of the Deputies of the Departments ; that the taxes shall be freely granted by the representatives of the nation ; public and private liberty secured ; the freedom of the. press respected, under the restrictions necessary for public order and tranquillity ; the li berty of worship guaranteed ; that property shall be inviolable and sacred; the Ministers responsible, liable to be accused and prosecuted by the representatives of the nation ; that the Judges shall be for life, the judicial power independent, no one being liable to be tried by any other than his natural Judges ; that the public debt shall be guaranteed; the pensions, dignities, and military honour shall be preserved, as well as the new and ancient the Nobility ; the Legion of Honour maintained, the King will fiz its insignia; that every Frenchman shall be capable of military and civil employments ; that no individual can be called to account for his opinions and his votes ; that tke sale of national estates shall be irrevocable. I+AT, f raEDi glit,--My it written under present. At knew that the that the Semite, der their intlte BONAPARTE, for I tried and maim !evident that they were usurping rights which pro= j perly belonged to the whole nation t this act of jposition, therefore, appeared 'to me quite extra-offs: cial and illegal: it seetned to me as, monstrous, as it would have been to have deposed BONAPARTt j by a Court-Martial of Russians or Prussians assents j bled at the drum-head. I regarded it as peculiarly offensive, that a ConservaticeSeuate should arrow* to themseless the right of overthrowing a Govern: mut ; their office being to maintain and preserve it. All power become. unlawful when it is used to or: poses contrary to those for which it is confided: If a • man is entrusted with the care of a ward, a house, of of land, and should abuse the person of the ward, in stead of protecting her, or pull dowd the house, or alienate the land, he would act as contrary to his duty, as a Senate appointed to be the Csesserwdoes of a Constitution, can do by pulling to pieces that very Constitution of which they are the guardians. Another circumstance. deserves attention : the Con. servative Senate ground their act of deposition on Icertain violations of the Constitution committed by BONAPARTE, contrary to his oath. These, no doubt, were great crimes, supposing them to be proved ; but no man ought to be condemned unheard. It was a principle with our ancestors, at all times, that a Prince who violates his Coronation Oath, for ; feits or abdicates (for the words mean the same thing) by that very act, his right of office ; and I do not know any point in politics, which would .more tend to the welfare and happiness of mankind to adhere to, than this. Indeed, without it, every effort that can be made by any nation to preserve its freedom will be rain. It is as essential to confer the quality of a free citizen, as Lord CIII:iTERFIELD'S grace; to constitute a fine gentleman ; all the labours of the dancing.master will he useless with rot the one; and all the projects of Constitltion-ni. , kers without the other : it is that esseutill article, that sine qua non, without which, ns his Lordship expresses it, o;ni futicae vane. If, therefore, liaror.ses violated 1103 Constitution, and consequently his oath, he ought to have been deposed by the nation at large, but not by the very men. who were his accomplices in the crime. For it was the duty of the Conservative Senate to prevent this very violation ; but instead of : opposing it, they seem (u far as! can judge) to have , allowed, or permitted ,it; and consequently, if 130. trarAwrs deserted deposition ; they clawed it like. wise. These points bore very strongly upon my mind when I wrote the letter above-mentioned ; but the grand difficulty is now entirely removed by the voluntary renunciation of Boompaant :,--that has opened way for the Bovaaosts to the Throne, which no Decrees of the Conservative. Senate, in violation of their oaths, their conservative office, and the aggree gate rights of the whole French Nation, could have done: but I apprehend that this voluntary rettuit. ciation is more than was expected. BovArAato's leading passion has always been supposed (hy the people of this country at least) to be the lose of dominion ; not the ambition of doing great things for the people over whom he reigned ; and, there. fore, it was never imagined that he possessed great. ness of soul sufficient voluntarily to descend into private life, in order (as he observes) to give peace to France ; and, indeed, it is impossible to impute to him any other motive for so doing. Suppo sing that NsroLcoN was conscious to himself that he had not violated the Constitution, and, consequently, that his right to the Throne of France was as good Hyatt CAPET's ever was (the • founder of the present race); then, I must say, that he made one of the greatest sacrifices that ever was made by man : but supposing (which, perhaps, is nearer the mark), that he was conscious that both , the Senate and himself, impelled by the urgency of circumstances, had transgressed the bounds of the Constitution ; and• that he saw the very men who were accessary to this wrong were disposed to throw on him the whole punishment and disgrace attached to it, in that case, we may well believe that a certain disgust at the treachery of mankind would operate in diminishing in his mind the value of the sacrifice he made. Be this as it may, I heartily rejoice that he took the resolution he did. All men in office ought to act from the same principle . ; and however un doubted the right of any Prince may be, he ought to consider that there is a vast difference between rights that are petional, and such as are only official. A man may do as he will with his own private rights, but a Chief Magistrate ougbt not even to elect his due, if the consequences would be injurious to the community at large ; for it is for the benefit of that community only that he has any right; at all.— ,When I consider that it Is necessary .te get quit !of an old right before a new one eim be created, when I reflect upon the power-possessed by, SA ea. Lue, and the attachment of the whole nation to him, 6 1 am overwhelmed with astonishment at the contem plation of the late events in France. Of all the transactions recorded in' history, nothing can, as far as I am able to judge, be placed In cUmpetition with it. It is not by force of emit ;it is not by • another kind of force more potent than that of arms —a force which warns all mankind from the straight line of duty, and triumphs over the honesty, the patriotism, and valour of one sex, as well as over the modesty of the other ; no, it is not by these means that this wonderful event has been brought about, they would have beast incompetent to such a mighty purpose, had they not been assisted by arts the most subtle, the most specious, anu the most; fatal that human ingenuity ever practised upon the credulity of mankind. By arts like these the sweet ness of affiance must be totally destroyed ; no se- • • Ns ' • / 4 ' ' 'DITOR or ran STATBSMAN. 1 last letter; dated 16 11th List. wad! circumstances very different from thd . .l the time I writ that letter ; I only • Allies had got possession of Paris, and ... P y acting as any one must suppose ens lenge, had launched a decree against or the purpose of depnsing him ; nn= lard ; and in doing this I considered it "1 , , , ' .' , i • •• 0 . 3 I .11 II