The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-05 00:00:00

PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF PEERS.

" Sire,—Time passes on, events succeed each other,
circumstances differ ; but what is eminently wise, just,
ioble, and grand remains only more solidly fixed
;n the place which public esteem and admiration have
tssigned to it. Such is already, Sire, the judgment of
the contemporary spectators and witnesses of your reign,
4nd history will ratify their judgment. Commenced
in the midst of a storm, which menaced to shake
what it did not throw down, passing through times
marked with difficulties of all kinds, and even
perils, it has saved and consolidated everything. Its
length has already, thanks to Providence, exceeded
the longest of those which it has been pleased to accord
to all the powers, all the grandeurs which have suc
needed each other is this space of half a century, when
.fter so many painful trials, your name at last appears;
it will remain there as the symbol of the indissoluble
4nd complete alliance of these two things—monarchy
and liberty, the ardent love and pressing want of which
no efforts, no revolutions, have been able to extinguish
in French hearts. The high and mighty reason which
was alone capable of obtaining so glorious a success
could alone found the calm, but firm and always generous
policy, which your Government has followed for sixteen
years, and from which it will never depart. Such a
policy leaves to men's minds only one anxiety—that
which springs from the desire that nothing may trouble
your glorious work, and that our posterity may inherit
after us the advantages which we enjoy. But Heaven
has deigned to accord to us largely what could
best respond to this wish. Already your dynasty
appears iu the future, rich, and proud of the
numerous scions which, under your tutelary and
cherished shade, grow and advance with new
generations, whose destinies will be one day confided
to them. The year which has just concluded has beheld
a union accomplished, which was to complete the circle
of so many beautiful and grand existences, and no one
that fixes his thoughts and looks on the young Princess,
whose illustrious origin is embellished by her native
graces, and by the qualities which they promise, can say
that this last choice that you had to make is not the
worthy complement of all those which have so happily
preceded it. I may add that none could be more French.
Receive, Sire, the felicitations which that event inspires
us with; we address you nor only as Peers of France,
but also as members of the great family from which your
paternal regards are never turned away, and of which
the interests, so perfectly comprehended, are always
present to you. Happy the country where it can be said
that to wish the King long years of life is to wish to the
cation which he governs long years of happiaess, and to
the civilised world all the happiness which peace brings
in its train."
The KING replied:—
" As you have said, the problem to be solved was the
alliance of monarchy and liberty; it was to make nations
feel that liberty has need of monarchy, and to prove to
kings and princes that monarchy has need of liberty. It
is from having misapprehended this principle—it is from
having believed, on the one hand, that liberty was in-
compatible with monarchy, and on the other that mo-
narchy was incompatible with liberty, that France hid
been dragged into revolutionary storms. May God pre-
serve other nations from the like ! May our example
convince states and kings that monarchy and liberty
may live and prosper together, but that they cannot do
so except at the price of mutual confidence. If the
national will has raised me to the throne, it
is because the tenor of all my life presaged
that all my efforts would tend to ensure the
triumph of this principle, and that there was no
secret thought to be apprehended from me. You
have so well seconded me in this task, that in this
seventeenth anniversary wecan congratulate ourselves on
having happily accomplished it. I hope that with your
loyal assistance, as long as it shall please God to preserve
use in this world, we shall continue to strengthen ocr
institutions and the prosperity of France. I thank you
ror your felicitations on the marriage of my son; I see
with pleasure how much this event, so happy for my
family and myself, has been appreciated by the Chamber
of Peers.

This reply was followed by cries of " Vive le Roil"
SAUZET, PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.
" Sire,—The Deputies present in Paris hasten to an-
ticipate by their good wishes those of the whole Cham-
ber. In saluting the Royal Family, so nobly grouped
around your throne, our eyes are fixed upon a young
Princess who has recently come to partake of and to
increase so much happiness and brilliancy. Niece of
our Queen, she will possess her Majesty's virtues.
She is of a blood and of a country which have in
all times given illustrious Princesses to France. She
brings among us a lively and natural grace, which
reminds us 'at once of both her countries, as her
consort lately caused delight on the other side of the Py
renees by that affable and generous character which is
equally worthy of two great nations which, without
lowering their dignity, hare frequently drawn closer the
lies of their ancient and salutary friendship. Sire, let
us bless the double favour of Providence, which, by en-
dowing France with so many Princes qualified to serve
her in all her fortunes, has willed that the happiness of
your alliances should answer to the grandeur of the
presents it has bestowed upon you; and if among all
these happy and brilliant pairs the magnificent chain of
which your Majesty's youngest son has so very recently
and worthily closed, our pious recollections cannot forget
:he void which has been made in past time, we love at
least to contemplate all that he leaves for our respectful
admiration, and our dearest hopes, under the noble and
fraternal guardianship of the first support of your
Crown. May, Sire, this pleasing idea of having so
nobly accomplished your fraternal task, repay the labours
of that other royal and not less paternal task which you
pursue, supported by the concurrence of the country, with
that calm and confident courage which is the feelings of
wise kings and great people, for it is the sentiment of their
strength and the guarantee of their future welfare.
Soon, Sire, at your call, the representatives of France
are about to assemble. The Chamber will carry to the
Crown the freely deliberated expression of its political
ideas ; bnt while waiting for that solemn manifestation
which belongs to it alone, we fear no contradiction in
affirming that your Majesty will find it always faithful
to the rights of nations as to the sentiments of the
country ; attentive to the numerous wants which
in difficult times have called forth from all parts
the most touching virtues, and the highest examples, and
more particularly unanimous in its affection for the coun-
try, and for the national throne with which your devoted.
ness and our gratitude have long identified its destinies.'
The KING replied :
" I am much touched with the sentiments that you ex-
press for my family and for me. You know well how
devoted all who belong to me are to France; but the
expression of these sentiments is at once, for them as
for me, a great support and a great consolation for
what we have suffered. The way in which you have
spoken of the marriage of my youngest son has gone
straight to my heart. It is delightful to me to see that
this alliance, which can but consolidate the good relations
which have so long and so happily existed between Spain
and France, is generally appreciated in the two countries
in the way. in which you have just expressed it, and
that there is seen in it at once a new guarantee for the
reciprocal independence, and for the constitutional li-
berty which both enjoy. As I said just now to the Cham-
ber of Peers, it is one of the blessings of my epoch to
have comprehended that monarchy has as much need of
liberty as liberty has of monarchy, in order to preserve
themselves mutually from all danger. lam glad to re-
peat this to you, because I am convinced that it is the
opinion entertained of my sincerity and of my probity
in defending. at the same time the rights of the people
and the rights of the throne, that I owe the national
support. (Here the King was interrupted by loud cries
of Vise le Roi !') Receive my thanks for myself, fur
my grandson, for his worthy mother, and for his uncle,
who will guide him in the career which he is destined to
pursue after me. The devotedness and their fidelity in
performing their duties and their engagements will
secure the grandeur, the prosperity, and the welfare of
France."