The National Register.
London, England, 1815-10-22 00:00:00

1114,1? NATIONAT4 REOISTER.

0 OT.

•
Frenchmen themselves wished to dismember your kingdom,
and s .parate the North from the South. 'Your Majesty
became sensible that it was necessary to recal to their
submisvon 4he blind partisans of a cause whose legitimacy
was acknialisclged ! Our orders vre not listened to: ma=
gistiales whom we sent in your name ware smiticed, by
those who acted in the name of the King; we remained
without pcoker; secret instructions rendered all our efforts
and intentions unavailing. In such circumstances what
could your Majesty's Ministers do ? The Duke of Otranto,
when Napc.leop still reigned, had succeeded h,y negociation
in disarming La Vendee. Your Majesty was scarcely
seated on the throne, when the insurrectiop. broke out in
this same La 'Vendee with more violence than ever. AVhat
could be its object after your restoration ? Your Minister
at War declared that he had no troops with which to sub-
due these prqsincel; it was not the intention of your Court
that this. insurrection should be opposed. We cannot con-
ceal hum yO4, Sire, that these attacks are levelled at your
throne; you suffer legitimate authority to be despised and
trite anthmity of faction supplies its place. Factions pro-
duce rFuc#intiops, sal these who triumph t.) day, may be
over- thrpen to•niqrrnw: your throne will no longer Faye
even the s.-;:port of. their illegitimate authority. Your
always 4uiroted to ypur person, still. endeavoured to
,oppose this re-action ; 'the Princes of your House, the No-
bles of your Pena, designated as crimes, and as attacks
',you .your crovinl thejr efforts to restore order and sub-
mission to the laws; we Inst all influence with your Majes-
ti ; we became guilty in the eyes of the nation. The elec-
Cops Louie; a Actions minority directed them ; that tni- L
no:ity alone is represented. The choke which they re-
ccuurnend ypur Majesty for the Chamber of Peers indi-
cates the same -illinisters, without authority, a prey
to the persecutions of the Coup, without support in the pub-
lic opinion, exposed to the opposition at. the Chambers,
what ;he able to reply tq the clamours of the
people, -when at .I.c.jigth .they shall demand the reasons for
ao many _calamities 2

I%lrAnwlikle fro eigne4s Kasess Francs as a cosuluered coun-
try.; to ..civil ,discord ,thgy ;tic! Abe ,rauage of provinces;.
they dissipate .the.funds which ought to find their.way into!
the trea:ury; they devour the provisions of the people, who
zre threatened with an approicho% famine; they carry off
the magazinei of arms, the ammunition or war, and the ran.
none from the ramparts of our ci i es. You doubtless felici-
tated yourself as much as .ve ble,sed it. That peace was
more 'than honourable ; it
_was glcribus for -you whose pre-.
sence .brought with.it.all the inspirations of virtue ; for the
French who even in their reverses gathered the trihutes of
admiration due to their valour; for the Powers who free
front their resentment, then enchained:it .by their magnani-i
,fairy. To the benefit of .a glorious Peace, your Majesty
imniediatelv,aflrled•that of. a free Constitution, the object
of our desires, the work of your wisdom and the present.
cf yos' love. We began, Sire, to taste the fruit of your
doribLe benefit. The foreign armies .retreated before you,
relying nn your royal word with as much confidence as
on the must .so!, Inn treaties; Europe remained no longer
in arms. except .or protecting the most sacred of causes;
ail thr int.% by defending the legitimacy of power, seemed
rout.ptly to guarantee their own daration; the fatal genius
r.:v was about to disappear before that salutary
dogm.,, even national hatreds were extinguishing along
with civil (Irwin ds ; all nations wished to be friends. With-
in, all the sources of public prosperity were reopened to
Ns ;
.the instice of the Prince brought back. the. reign of the
j4rt ; tLe.empite of good morals was-revived b 7 1410. exam-

075

pies; religion enlightened the minds and reconciled the
hearts-of men ; public prosperity was re-establishing on the
' bases of a constitutional credit ; each day saw unfolding in a
wise progression the freedom of agriculture, commerce, in-
Fleetly, and the noblest liberty of man—that of 'boner!:
. nothing capable of forming the happiness and glory of
human life was foreign to our hopes. A year has passed
away. Fidelity was again deceived, and legitimate power
again torn from ft; The new triumph of usurpation had an _
- ephemeral duration, but it has dreiperl the sources- of our
i prosperity. The Usurper fled, leaving France a prey to rII
. disorders he had introduced, and all the attacks lie had
drawn upon her. The King re appeared. Love received
him in the capital of his kingdom, and sorrow has over
taken him amidst his people full of hopes. Never did so
short a space of time threaten to leave behind it conse-
quences • more deplorable of most unexpected and Eital
changes. At least, Sire, history, in speaking of such pain-
ful alterations, will arrange itself with what remains utialter,
able, the -constancy of the legitimate King, and the devotion
of his faithful subjects. The hour is come, Sire, in which
ail. Frenchmen are about to tally. Your Majesty announces
to us painful communications. A wise and respecifiThee.
serve prescribes to us to wait for them in silence. But we
can declare to you that there is not a single Frenchman who
will not share with us that profound pain which your heart
has already resealed to-us, and that to mitigate i 4 anguish, to
imitate and second your constancy, no effort will appear ditTi-
cult to us, no sacrifice impassible. Your Majesty's sacri;
aces have already preceded ours. The generous relin.
quishment of a considerable portion of your personal re-
venue, the treasury of the.king transferred, by his order, to
the treasury of the state; that example followed with so much
ardour by your august family, will inflame all hearts with
1 a noble and pats iot'e emulation.— Sire, we iecognize in
the augmentation of the number of Deputies from she De
partments the beneficent intentions with which your Mae
jesty is constantly animated. We have the pleasure to hope
that each Deputy will prove one pledge more fgr the firm sta-
bility and salutary union of the royal power and the national
liberties.—All the Peers, Sire, feel the duties which the sa.
credness of their functions, joined to the honour os your
choice, imposes upon them. Hereditary Counsellors of the
Crown, born defenders of the rights ant; liberties of the people,
supreme judges of attempts, which menace the security of
the throne and the State, we will, Sire, always be ready as.
subjects to obey you, as citizens to deyote ourselves to 41.
safety of the country, as Peers of France to strengthen the
Royal prerogative with all the powers which the two Cham-
bers may judge necessary for dissipating factions and causing
.the laws to triumph, Finally, Sire, that full confidence
with which you have beheld us assemble around you, will be
entirely justified. We will always bear in mind those fun-
damental principles which your Majesty has recommended
us never to lose sight of—A .frank 'and loyal Ulll.Oll 11 the
Chambers and the King—respect for the Constitutional Charles.
HThese sacred words.from the mouth of your Majesty shall be
.for ever our rallying cry. In the name of every French-
man, we will swear at your feet to forget internal divisions and
sacrifice personal interests., We will all, with common accord,
assemble round that tutelary Throne which has become the
ate..r of the Country. We will bring with us vows of love
and not ideas of resentment: but we are perfectly confident
that your Majesty will always conciliate %lid) the benefit; et
your clemency the rights of justice, and we dare humbly to
solicit from his equity the necessary rettibutiop of rewards
and punishments, the execution of the existing laws, and the
put ity of public administration. Sire, it is by gut:wing inva.