The Express.
London, England, 1858-01-19 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPEROR

NEW MEASURES OF REPRESSION.

The foilowinr is the speech delivered by the
Emperor of the French to the Senator, and Deputies
at the opening of th,e session of the new Legislature
yesterday (Monday) :
Massimo LES SISATECIAL
MF9SIZCIL4 LIS Dzrurza,
Every year, at tbs period of the meeting of the
Chambers, I give you an account of what has been
done during your absence, and I ask for your assis-
tance in the measures lobe adopted. Since last year
the government has continued its progressive and
grater march, free from all vain ostentation. It has

often been alleged that in order to govern France it
was requisite incessantly to be supplying the public
mind with some great theatrical incident. I believe,
on the contrary, that it is sufficient to seek ex-
clash ely to do good, in order to merit the
confidence of the country. The Action of the
government, then, has limited itself to simply doing
what was most useful, according to circumstances, in
the different branches of the administration.
For the interest of agriculture, the exportation
and the distillation of grain have again been
authorised, and the support of the Bank has been
afforded to strengthen the Credit Foncier. The
Ludes also begin to be cultivated.
In the department of public works, the most im-
portant results obtained are 1,330 kilometres of
railway opened to traffic in 1867, and the creation
of 2,800 kilometres additional conceded.
The dock of St. Nszaire, and the canal which eon-
necti Caen with the sea, have been opened to naviga-
tion. Important investigations have been terminated
to devise the means of preventing the scourge of
inundatioe. The improvement of our ports, and
amongst others of Marseilles, Toulon, and Bayonne
—the development of new mineral riches in the
north and east of France—the inauguration at Paris
of the Louvre and the Alike de Vincennes—and,
lastly, both in the capital and at Lyons, the opening
up of certain quarters of the town to admit, for the
first time during centuries, the ingress of light and
air—the religious edifices throughout France in
course of reconstruction, or arising from their ruins
—these are works which mark the progress of in-
ternal improvement.
The system of instruction appointed by the State
dive/ op. itself aide by side with free teaching,
which is faithfully protected. The number of Lyeeee
has been augmented by 1,500. Education, which
has been rendered more religious and moral, elevates
itself with a tendency towards the healthy humani-
ties and the useful sciences. The College of Franco
has been reorganised. Primary instruction responds
with moms to the efforts made for its diffusion. It
Is the will of the government that the principle of
liberty of worship should be sincerely applied,
without forgetting that the Catholic religion
is that of the great majority of the French.
That religion has therefore never been more res-
pected, and never more free, than at present The
provincial councils meet without restrictions, and
the bishops enjoy the full exercise of their sacred
office. The Lutheran and Reformed rites, as well's
that of the Israelites, share in jut proportion the
subventions of the State, and are equally protected
by it.

The augmentation of the price of all commodities
has obliged us since last year to increase the salaries
attached to the least highly paid tame is the
administration. The pay of the soldier has been
raised, and that of the officers of the lower
grades has also been increased. The budget for
1839 raises the salary of curates, that of professors
sad teachers, and lastly that of juges de pair.
Amongst the measures of relief, I will allude to the
extension of the system of clubs of mutual aid—in
the rural districts, to the extension of the system of
(Antonia medical officers—and in the towns, to the
cstsbl.stiment of cheap ovens. One million francs
have been distributed to relieve the populations
eff,cted most seriously by the accidental interrup-
tion of week.

The budget of 1859, which im to be laid before you,
will show a surplus of revenue, and the operation of
the Sinking Fund may be re-established; the Grand
Lien may be closed, and the reduction of the float-
ing debt secured.

Trade has lately had sufferings to experience, and
a period of stoppage. Bat the firmness of its atti-
tude, in the midst of • crisis which may be said to
bare been universal, does France honour in the eyes
of all nun, and justifies the economical principles
recommended by the government with regard to
commerce, finances, and credit.

The augmentation of the direct and indirect
reN trans during the year just ended has amounted to
thirty millions.

Amongst the different measures of general interest
which will be submitted to you, I will indicate a law
on patents, which will relieve the measlier taxpayers,
—a new military code for the navy—and a proposal
to apply the twenty millions which remain from the
loans to the completion of the works destined to
protect towns from inundations.

Algeria has been connected with France by the
electric wire, and our troops there have covered
themselves with new glory by the submission of
RAbylia. That expedition, ably conducted and
vigorously executed, has made our dominion com-
plete. The army, which has no more enemies to
combat, will have to contend against new difficulties,
in opening the railway, which are so necessary to
develop the prosperity of our colony.
In Prance the army will in the camp of Chalon'
And • great school by which military spirit and
training will be kept op to the degree already at-
tained. The Emperor Napoleon Lad bequeathed, to
his old comrades in glory, his own private
estate, and his extraordinary domain. The
State absorbed these under the reign of the Reite-
ration. In order to execute in a proper manner this
pious legacy you have voted on the one hand a sum
of eight millions annually for the relief of aged
soldiers. Nevertheless, I have been desirous that •
medal should be hued to remind all those who had
an in our armies of the last thought of
their former chief. More than three hundred
thousand men in France and abroad have claimed
this Lidal, a souvenir of the Imperial time,
•nd have been enabled to say proudly on receiving
it, "1, too, formed part of the great army," lbolos
words which were rightly suggested to them by
the Emperor at Austerlitz u their title of nobility
ID the future.
The establishments of our arsenals are occupied
with the alterations which are so necessary in the
structure of ships. Our navy upholds on every
sea the honour of our flag. In China it combats, in
concert with the English fleet, to obtain redress for
common injuries, and to avenge the blood of our,
miaio••ries who have been cruelly measured.
The relations of France with foreign power, have
never been better than at present. Our old allies,
hittigul to the sentiments arising out of our CONIAMS

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