The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-06 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE FRENCH CHAMBERS.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
THE EMP EROR'S SPEECH.
The following appeared in successive editions of The Sun
of yesterday evening :

PARIS, NOVEMBER 5.

The French Chambers were opened at one
o'clock today by the Emperor, who delivered the
following Speech :
MESSIEURS THE SENATORS AND MESSIEURS
THE DEPUTIES,

The annual re-union of the great bodies of the
State is always a happy occasion, which brings
together all men devoted to the public good, and
permits them to manifest the truth of their
patriotism to their country.
The freedom of our mutual intercommunications
calms disquietude and strengthens my resolutions.
The legislative corps has been just now renewed
for the third time since the foundation of the Em-
pire, and for the third time, in spite of certain local
contentions, I have had no reason to do otherwise
than congratulate myself upon the result of the
elections. You have each of you taken the same
oath of allegiance. I rely implicitly upon your
concurrence. (Unanimous assent.) Our duty is to
conduct promptly and well the affairs of the
country, remaining faithful to the constitution
which has given us eleven years of prosperity,
and that you have sworn to maintain. (Fresh
applause.)

The exposition of the interior situation will show
you that, in spite of the compulsory stagnation
of work in certain branches, the general progress
has not been relaxed. Our industry has contended
with success against foreign competition, and before
indisputable facts; the fears excited by the Treaty
of Commerce with England have vanished. Our
exportations in the eight first months of the year
1563, compared with those of the corresponding
months of the year 1562, have increased to the
extent of 233,000,000 f. During the same period
the development of maritime navigation has
surpassed that of the preceding epoch to the extent
of 175,000 tone, of which 136,000 are under the
banners of France. The abundant harvest of this
year is a benefaction of Divine Providence, which
ought to give assurance of cheaper sustenance to
the population at large. It evidences also the pros-
perity of our agriculture. Public Works,
meanwhile, have been followed up with
activity. About 1,000 new kilometres of
iwhave opened up communication between
orauiroaY utports and interior. Our rivers, our canals,
our highways continued to be improved.

h lo ee
hopes
tof The session now taking place a little later than
ordinary, the report of tire Ministers of Finance has
not yet been published, it will be so, however,
am
immediately. You will there see that if our
phave not been completely realised, the re-
venuesthe country have steadily continued to ad-
increase, and that without our extraordi-
nvaarnycencl
resourcesa we have rnet the expenses occasioned
by the war in Mexico and in Cochin China.
I ought to notify several reforms deemed
to be opportune, amongst others the de-
crees relative to the freedom of bread
making (de hi Boulangerie) one which
renders maritime inscription less onerous to the
coast pop
ulation—the project which modifies
the law upon coalitions, and that which suppresses
exclusive privileges of the theatres. I direct your
attention to a law destined to augment the pre-
rogatives of the general and commuual councils, and
to modify somewhat the excessive application of the
principle of centralisation. (Loud applause.) In effect
to simplify administrative formalities, to soften the
legislation applicable to the classes worthy of all
our solicitude. Such will be a progress with which
you will surely rejoice to associate yourselves. You
will have also to occupy yourselves with the sugar
question now requiring to be finally solved by
more stable legislation. The projects submitted to
the Council of State, tends to accord to unworthy
produce that facility of exportation which the
sugars of better quality possess. A law will
cause the double decime to disappear and
to replace this overcharge by a more just arrange-
ment.
In Algeria, in spite of the anomaly which places
the same population, the one under the civil power
the other under the military power, the Arabs
have understood how well the French domination
was the equitable protector and repairer, without
the Europeans having less confidence in the pro-
tection of the Government.
Our ancient colonies have seen gigantic barriers
disappear which formerly impeded their progress,
but circumstances have not been favourable to the
development of commerce. The recent establishment
of the institution of credit will tend, I hope, to
ameliorate the general condition. In the midst of
these natural cares, nothing that touches or relates
to religion, to the mind, to morality, has been
neglected. The religious works of benevolence,
the arts, the sciences, and public instruction have
received numerous encouragements.

Since 1848 the multitude of young students have
increased by one•fourth. To-day nearly 5,000,000
children (a third of them gratuitously) have been
received into the primary schools, but our efforts
should not be relaxed, seeing that 600,000 yet re-
main deprived of instruction. The higher studies
have been reanimated in the secondary school to
the end of a more especial re-organisation.
Such measures is an outline of what we have
already done, and of what we still wish to do.
Certainly, the prosperity of our country will
take a still more rapid flight if political
preoccupations should trouble them less. But in
the life of nations unforeseen and inevitable
events arise that one ought to look in
the face without fear, and to sustain with-
out yielding. Of this number are the war in
America, the unavoidable occupation of Mexico and
Cochin China, the Polish insurrection, and neigh-
bouring expeditions which have been the object
of so much criticism have not been the execu-
tion of a pre-meditated plan—the force of
events having necessitated them, and so far they
are not to be regretted.
In Mexico, after an unexpected resistance, sur-
mounted by the courage of our soldiers and sailors,
we have seen the population receive us as liberators;
our efforts will not have been vain, and
be largely reimbursed for our sacrifices
her
destinies of that country, which will owe us .
regeneration, shall have been entrusted to a Prince
when the
whose talents and qualifications render him worthy
of so noble a mission. Let us, therefore, have
i faith in our enterprises beyond the seas. Com-
menced to vindicate our honour, they will termi-
nate by the triumph of our interests ; and if pre-
judiced minds cannot divine the fecundity presented
by the germs laid down for the future, let us not
allow them to calumniate the glory acquired, so
to speak, at the two extremities of the world—at
Pekin and at Mexico.
The Polish question requires to be treated at
greater length. When the insurrection broke out
in Poland, the Russian Government and the Go-
vernment of France ware upon the best possible
terms. Since the conclusion of
Peace, great Euro-
pean questions have found them agreed ; and I do
not hesitate to declare that dating the war in Italy,
as in the annexation of the provinces of Nice and
of Savoy, the Emperor has afforded me the
sincerest and most cordial assistance. This
good understanding required circumspection, and
I must therefore have believed the Polish question
very popular in France, not to hesitate in compro