The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-22 00:00:00

extraordinary sources of revenue have been replaced
by normal and permanent resources. The law upon
the redemption of the debt, which will be submitted
to you, shows the establishment of certain revenues,
and affords fresh guarantees to the creditors of the
State. The equilibrium of the budget is secured by
a surplus of revenue. In order to attain this result
it was necessary to effect economies in the greater
part of the public services, among others in the War
Department.

The army being upon a peace footing, there
was only the alternative of reducing either the
regimental cadres or the effective. The latter
measure was impracticable, since the regiments
hardly mustered their necessary strength of men.

The welfare of the service even counselled an
augmentation of the effective. By suppressing the
cadres of 220 companies:4G squadrons, and 40 bat-
teries, but at the same time drafting the soldiers
into the remaining companies and squadrons, we
rather strengthened than weakened our regiments.
As the natural guardian of the interests of the
army, I should not have consented to these reduc-
tions if they would have affected our military orga-
nisation or ruin the prospects of men whose ser-
vices and devotion I can appreciate. All interests
will thus find themselves guaranteed, and the coun-
try will not have shown herself ungrateful to those
who shed their blood for her.
The budget of Public Works and that of
instruction have not suffered any diminution. It
was useful to preserve to the great undertakings of
the State their productive activity, and to maintain
the energetic impulse of public instruction. For
the last few months, thanks to the devotion of the
founder, 13,000 new refuges (tours d'asile) have
been opened in the communes of the Empire.
Agriculture has made great progress since 1852.
If at the present moment it suffers from the depre-
ciation of the price of cereals, that fact is the inevi-
table consequence of the superabundance of har-
vests, and not of the suppression of the sliding
scale.

Economical transformations develope general
prosperity, but they cannot avert partial inconve-
niences. I have thought it would be useful to open
a serious investigation into the condition and ne-
cessities of agriculture. It will confirm, lam con-
vinced, the principles of commercial liberty, will
offer valuable information, and will facilitate the
study of the proper means both to alleviate local
suffering and realise fresh progress. The impulse
of our intercourse has not slackened, and general
commerce, which amounted last year to more than
seven milliards of francs, has increased by 700
millions.

• In the midst of this constantly increasing pros-
perity, unquiet minds, under the pretext of quick-
ening liberal measures on the part of the Govern-
ment, desired to prevent it from advancing, by de-
priving it of all force and power of initiative. They
take possession of an expression borrowed by
me from the Emperor Napoleon 1., and con-
found instability with progress. The EmperOr
in declaring the necessity of successively perfect-
ing human institutions, wished to say that the
only durable changes are those effected with time
by the ameliorations of public morals. These
ameliorations will result from the appeasement of
passions, and not from intemperate changes in
our fundamental laws. Of what advantage, in-
deed, can it be to recommence to-morrow that
which was rejected yesterday?
The Constitution of 1852, submitted to the ac-
ceptance of the people, has undertaken to found a
national system, wisely based upon the just balance
between the different powers and the State. It stands
at an equal distance between two extreme positions,
with an Elective Chamber controlling the Ministers,
the executive power is without authority, and with-
out the feeling of sequence. It is without control
if the elective chamber is not independent and in
possession of legitimate prerogatives. Our consti-
tutional forms, which have a certain analogy with
those of the United States, are not defective be-
cause they differ from those of England. Every
people must have institutions suitable to its genius
and its traditions.

Certainly every Government has its defects, but
in reviewing the past, I congratulate myself atj the
end of 14 years upon seeing France respected
abroad, tranquil at home, having no political
offenders in her prisons, and no exiles beyond her
frontiers. Has not the nation sufficiently discussed
during the last 80 years the theories of Govern-
ment ? Is it not now more useful to seek practical
means of improving the moral and material
fate of the people ? Let us occupy our-
selves in spreading everywhere, together
with enlightenment, healthy economical doctrines,
the love of good and religious principles. Let us
endeavour to solve by liberty in business affairs the
difficult problem of the just partition of reproduc-
tive forces, and let us endeavour to ameliorate the
conditions of labour in the field as well as in the
workshop. When all Frenchmen now invested
with political rights shall have been enlightened by
education they will discern the truth without
trouble, and will not allow themselves to be seduced
by deceitful theories. When all those who
live from hand to mouth shall see the
benefits arising from assiduous labour increase,
they will be the firm supporters of a society
which guarantees their welfare and their dig-
nity. Lastly, when all shall have received
from infancy those principles of faith and of
morality which elevate man in his own eyes, they
will know that above human intelligence, above the
efforts of science and.,reason, there exists a Su-
preme Will, which rules the destinies of individuals
as well as the destinies of nations.