The Sun.
London, England, 1830-08-10 00:00:00

CONSTITUTIONAL CHARTER.

" Louis, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre, to
all whom these presents shall come, greeting.
" Whereas Divine Providence, in calling us to our kingdom
after a long absence, has imposed on us great obligations. Peace
was.the first want of our subjects; We have been occupied with-
out intermission in establishing it—and this peace, as necessary
to France as to the rest of Europe, is signed. A Constituticmal
Charter was solicited by the existing Government of the king.
dom. We have promised it, and we now publish it. We have
considered that it is desirable that all authority should rest in
France in the person of the King. Yet our predecessors have
not hesitated to limit its exercise according to the diffident pe.
vied, In which they have lived. It IS thus that the Commons
owed their freedom to Louis-le-Gros, the coulirmation and ex.
tension of their rights to St. Louis, and to • Philippe.le-Bel. It
was thus that the judiciary order was established and developed
by the laws of Louis XL, of Henry 11., and of Charles IX.. and,
in tine, that Louis XIV. sealed almost all parts of the piddle ad.
ministration by diffbrent Ordonnances, the wisdom of which no.
thing has ever surpassed. From the examples of Kings, our
predecessors we have learnt how to appreciate the °litchi of the
proves. of civilization, the increased intelligence which its prd.
gress has introduced in society, the bias given to the mind fur the
last half century, and the grave alterations which have been the
results. We have known that the wishes of Our subjects for a
Constitutional Charter has been areal want; but, in acceding to
this wise desire, we have taken every precaution that this Char.
ter should be worthy of us and of the people-AVO are proud to rule
over. Wise men have taken upon them, in the highest classes
of the State, to unite together to be Judges of our Council, and
to assist in effbeting this important object. At the same time
that we acknowledge that a free and monarchical Constitution
ought to answer the expectations of enlightened Europe, we
have felt that we ought to remember also that our first duty
towards our people is to preserve for their interest and advantage
the, rights and the prerogatives of our Crown. We have hoped
that, instructed by experience, our subjects will be convinced
that supreme authority can only give to established institutions
that force, permanence, and majesty with which it is itself
clothed. It is thus when the wisdom of. Kings agrees freely with
the wishes of the people that a Constitutional Charter can remain
permanent ; but where, on the other hand, violence forces con-
cessions from a weak and unstable Government, public liberty is
not less in danger than the Throne itself. We have, however,
sought fir the principles of the t onstitutional Charter in the
French character, and in the venerable monuments of the past
centuries. Thus we have seen in the revival of the Peerage a
true national institution, and which ought to be dear to all our
remembrances and our hopes, reminding ancient as well us
modern times. We have replaced, by the Chamber of Deputies
the ancient assemblies of the Champs de Mars et de Mel, and of
the Tiers Flat which so often gave every possible Koala zeal
for the interests of the people, of fidelity and respect for the au.
thority of Kings.
1e In endeavouring thus to unite the history of the past with
the present, which unfortunate events so long interrupted, we
have effiteed from our memory, as we would if we could efflice
from the pages of history, all the evils which have afflicted our
country during our absence. We aro happy to find ourselves in
the bosom of a large family. We have not known how to reply
to the love of which we havereceivcd so many proofs, but in pro-
nouncing the words of peace and consplation ; the wishes most
dear to our hearts are, that ail Frenchmen should livens brothers,
and that no bitter feeling should trouble the security which
ought to follow this solemn act which we agree to this day.—
Feeling assured of the nature of our intentions and wishes,
shown in our conscientious intentions, we engage ourselves
before the assembly who listens to us to be faithful to this Con.
stitutional Charter, which we propose to swear to maintain with
a new solemnity, and pledge before the altar of Him who weighs
in the same balance Kings and nations.
For these reasons ate have voluntarily, and in free exercise
of our Royal authority, agreed and consented to make conces-
sions, and grant to our subjects, as well for us as for our succes-
sors, and for ever, the Constitutional Charter, which Is as
follows