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

No. 408.

PoLITIC 9 L DISQUISITION.

FRENCH CONSTITUTIONS.

Whilst the silence of the daily press in France gives to
that country a delusive appearance of tranquillity, private
advices, even from those most interested in the existence

of the p.v,ent goveitiment, state that the clash of parties is

as frequent and as violent as ever. The unholy league of
the Jacobins and Buonapartists is renewed, and their

efforts continue to divide opinions and to hold forth the
prospect of fresh political convulsions. Such intelligence,
instead of surprising us, only serves to confirm the antici-
pations which we gave in our last. The destinies of
France are rushing on with increased limpidity, and per-
haps it is more consistent with the interests of mankind,

that the storm should burst at once and pass away, than
that its lowering terrors should long distract, before it
once more ravaged the world.
The hopes of the Bourbons are chiefly founded on the
unanimity, which, during the first days of their sittings,
prevailed amongst the Members of both Chambers. But
what is the stability of a government which cannot bear
the shock of an opposition ? To rely on constant una-
nimity would. be to proclaim that none but the agents of
a party have been elected as the representatives of the
nation, and consequently that despotism is established
under the forms of freedom. To dread opposition as a
fatal enemy is to acknowledge a degree of weakness
which is very nearly related to helplessness. The 'real
foundation of security, is justice, liberal and unambitious
justice; which respects the rights of a people, and binds its
affections round the pillars of the throne. With such a
foe, party spirit can have but little hopes or victory : for
however biassed the hearts of men may be by the impulse
of the moment, when that subsides, they will recover their
power of investigating and appreciating the real merits of
i•
principles and of actions, and will decide in favour of that
government which they see guided by just views and pure
intentions. had any of the departed authorities of France
Attended to that important point with unremitting care
and watchfulness, they would not have been so easily
uprooted by each passing storm. Instead of th
pursued wild theories, in which real happiness
Val/. No, CCCCPII!.

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ticed to the impracticable attainment of an imaginary
good. - Others only used the public weal as a cloak to
their own designs and- pretensions, and at length undis-
guised ambition set the whole aside and raised up its owu
will in its stead. To this insincerity on the part of suc-
cessive governments, aided by the fickleness and credulity
of the-people, France owes.the variety of Constitutions,
of which the last twenty-five years have witnessed the
rise.atid fall. • -Atnongst us, 'the -Revolution produced but
one Constitution, which subsequent legislators may hails
improved in its details, but without shaking the great
basis on which it was erected. In France fourteen Con-

of her revo-

lutionary era ! Many of theseare in direct opposition -to
each other, and shew to what extent the variations of the
national mind may be carried by the artifice Of. a few
enthusiastic or ambitious individuals. The folloNiing 14 a
correct enumeration of the fourteen French Cohstitutioas,
each of .which was pronounced at its birth a prodigy of
human wisdom, and at the elute of a few years, and some.
times a few mouths, was abblished with every-mark of
contempt and abhorrence. :act.
Ist. The Collection of the Botkits of the Three Orders,
in 1789 :
2nd. The Constitution of the Assemblee Constiter Rat',
in 1791 : a •
3rd. The same with alterations at the beginn►ug, of.

1792:
4th. The Republican Constitution of 1793:
sth. The Decrees of the Convention creating a legs
Revolutionary goVernment :
6th. The Constitution of the Year 3d of the Repot)h.-,
with a Directory :
7th. The Constitution of the Year Bth, with three
Consuls • -

. .

fir

Bth. The Imperial Consiilution:
'• • 9th. The pespotic Government established by Senates
t.:onsulta :
!
10th. The Const:tution of the Senate, in 21 Articles)
made at the surrender of Paris, in April, ISI-1: •
...v.tn • 11th. The Royal Olarter, in June, 181.1:
12th.'. The Additiomtl Act to the Constitutions ..ef • tl,e
lire in Mw. 1 ‘l., :
•
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