The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-18 00:00:00


PROCLAMATION QF THE EMPEROR

NAPOLEON.

The Emperor Napoleon has Wined the following Pro-
clamation to the French people, dated the Bth instant:—
" Betrayed by fortune, (have preserved since nag captivity
that profound silence which Is misfortune's mourning. So
long as the armies of Prance and Germany confronted one
another I abstained from all steps or words which might
have divided the public mind. I Can no longer be silent in
Noe of the disasters of Mg country without appearing
to be insensible to its sufferings. When I was
compelled to conceder myself • prisoner I could
not treat for Peace ; my decisions would have seemed
dlctakd by personal considerations; heft to the Govern-
ment of the Pegent the duty of deciding whether the
Interests of the nation required • continuance of the
struggle. Notwithstanding unheard of reverses France was
not subdued. Our strongholds still held out, few Depart.
manta were invaded, Parts was in a state of defence, and the
area of our misfortunes might have been limited.
•' Rut while attention was fired upon the enemy an insur-
rection broke out in Paris. The seat of the National Repre-
sentatives was ViJIMCII, the safety Of Vhe Repress was
threatened, a Government installed itself by surpriao In the
Heel de N'Ple. tool the Itmpire, wlich the whole sation had
Just acclaimed for the third time, was overthrown, strati-
dared by those who should have been Its defenders iirttitig
aside for a time iny presentiment., I exclaimed, • What
matter the dynasty if the country cat be saved !' Nlll,
instead of protesting against the violer.ce done against right,
I desired the klUenaill of the National Defence. and I have
admired the patriotic; devotion showu by the offspring of all
classes and of all parties.
"bow that the struggle Is suspended, that the Capital,
notwithstandleg an heroic resistance, has succumbed, and
that all reonsta!e chance of victory has disappeared, it is
time to ask for an account from those who have 11.111 pod
power of the blood stied without beerier ty, the ruin heaped
up without reason, the resources of the c euntry squandered
without eontrol.

"The destinies cf France cminot he abandoned to a
Government without a commts,ton, which, while dlsorg4niz-
leg the adMiulttration, has not left standing • single
Phortty emanating from universal suitt4ge. The cation
cannot long obey these who have no right to command.
Order, C .ntilence, and solid peace will not to rest, rod till
the people has been .onsulted as to which Is tbe Govern-
ment most capable of repairing the national disasters.
" In the solemn ctrenmstances in which we are situated,
In the face of an invasion, and with Europe attentive, it is
important that France should be one in her aims and her
desires as well ILB in her decisions. Such is the object
towards which the s fferts of all good citizens should tend.

t. As regards myself, bruised by so much Injustice and such
bitter deception. I to not ufrne forward to-day to claim
rights e blob four time. In twenty years you freely confirmed.
In the presence of the calamities which uttllct us there Is no
royal for personal ambition. But so long as the people
regularly assembled In Its comitia shall not have manifested
Its will it will be my t'uty to address myself to the nation
as Its real representative, and to tell It that all that may be
doms without your direct pyrtfolpation Is illegitimate there
is but one li,ivernment which has issued from the national
sovereignty, and which, rising above the selfishness of par-
ties, has the strength to heal your wounds, to reopen your
hearts to hope, ant your profaned churches to your prayers,
and to bring back industry, concord, and peace to the bosom
of the country."

It may be interesting just now, to give Louis
Nsti,leon s Address to the French people, when in
1848 he offered timself as a candidate for tic Pre-
sidency of the French Republic, in opposition to
General Cavaignac : - -
'' I am not go ambitious ts., to dream sometimes of the Sal
pier, sometimes of war, sometimes of the application of sub-
versive theories. Educated In free countries, in the school
of mieforttene, I shall always remalr faithful to the duties
which your suffrages may impoye upon me. If I become
Presldemt, I shall recoil from no danger, no sheriff:is, to •
fend society so audaciously attacked : I shall der .te myself,
body and soul, without arriere peruke, to the corsolidation
of a Republic wise by its laws, honourable by Its Ititentloas,
great and powerful by its actions I shall cog eider my
honour pledged alike i :Oration of four years to leave to my
successor power confirmed, liberty intact, real progress 11C-
complt,hed. Whatever may be the result of tne
Von, I shall ly.,ev to the will of the people; and my
support is Vetiveil betireband to any goveruinin: which
nay re,stabllsh order in nien's minds, as in materbil things
effectually protect reilgion, faintly property, the eternal
bases of every social itate; which may anticipate precut:Al
reforms, calm netts,* reconcile parties, and penult a die
-
quieted country to count upon the morrow. To re-establish
order is to restore confider:co, to pr.ivide by credit for the
passing tub tern sment of our Ca ince., to restore the
revenue, to reanimate commerce. To protect religion end
family rights is to secure lliverty of worship and education.
Fri protect property is to maintain the inviolability of the
produce of lab. or, to guarantee the indi pendeoce and
security of possession, the indispensable fvundatious of civil
hinny.
.r •• • " • " ' '

to possible reforms, the following appear to me to be
the most Indispensable : To admit every economy which,
without disorganising the public service, may permit an alle-
viation of the Imposts m, at burdensome to the people; to
encourage enterprise, which, by developing the riches of
agriculture, may, to "'ranee and Algeria, furnish work to the
unemployed; to provide for the relief of old age by en-
nraging foresight among lab weirs, and to introduce into
the laws affecting ludnstry 1130.11fiC8tIODS which, without
raining the rich for the benefit of the poor, may found the
wellbeing of each upon the prosperity of all ; to restrain
within ilea limits the Lumber of etnplo)ments which depend
on lower, and often convert a free people into a nation of
beggars ; to avoid that Wel tendency which prompts the
State to undertake itself whvt can be better done ey I rlvate
individuals. The centralisation of Wet eats is the policy of
ueepotism ; the nature of a re, üblic escluries the idea of
monopoly. to One, to &reserve the Press from its two
dangers—Arbitrary oppression, and its own licentiousness

_
"War would bring us no alleviation of our evils. Peace Is
the dearest object of my desires. Franco, during the &A
Revolution, was warlike because Europe compelled her to
become so. She answered invasion by conquest. Now that
It is not provoked, it Is at liberty to consecrate its resource.
to pacific amelloratioras, without renouncing a loyal and re-
k °lute policy. A great nation should either remain Went, or
raver speak in vain. To think of the national dignity is to
thick of the army, whcs; noble and disiuterested. patriotism
has so often been misunderstood. It le necessary, while
maintaining the fundamental laws which constitute the
strer.rh of our military ergarateation, le lighten Ailli not ir-
crease the burden of the cdercripsi an. lii. time t 3 devise
me,stares for the per sent nc d Parke weal-king not only of
the clii era but of the sat -3iiietre and soldiers, and to pro•
cure for luso, who have long served their ebuntry, a com-
fortable existence. The Republic should be geraeroue, abd
have trust kilts fortune.. For my own part, having knee n
cotta and captivity, I daily invoke for nay country the day
when It can with safety terminate all proscr plena, and
•II Ice the last traces of our civil wars. the task is
Lice udaslory Immense, boll shall never desdair of mini log
it when calling to nay aid all those, without distinction of
party, whom public opinion has recommended, by their en-
lightened Intelligence and approved probity. When you
have the honour to be at the head of the French people,
there is a sure mode of doing good, which is to wish It."