The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-07 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

~ayT~ ~.

OPLI_NING OF THE FREINCB

CHAMBERS.

THE EMPEROR'S SPEECH

The following telegrams have been received from

Mr. Reuter's office

PARIS, MONDAY (THIS DAY).
His Majesty the Emperor of the French delivered

the following speech to-day, at the opening of the

Legislative Assembly :
" MESSIEURS LES SENATEURS, MESSIEURS LES

DEPUTIES,

" France, you know, has seen during six years
her welfare increase, her riches accumulate, her

internal disputes become extinguished, her prestige
restored ; but, notwithstanding, there arises at
intervals, in the midst of this calm and general

prosperity, a vague disquietude, a deep agitation,
which, with no well-defined cause, seizes on certain
minds and injures public confidence.
" I deplore these periodical discouragements
-without being astonished at them. In a society
shaken like ours by so many revolutions, time only
can affirm convictions, reinstate characters, and
create public faith. The emotion which has arisen

without any appearance of imminent danger may
well cause surprise, for it testifies at the same
time, too much defiance, too much fright. They
seem to have doubted, ow the one hand, the mode-
ration of which I have given so much proof, on the
other the real power of France. Happily the mass
of the people are far from entertaining the like
impressions.

" To-day it is my duty to display to you again
that which seems to have beenforgotten. What has
been constantly my policy ? To re-assure Europe

-to restore to France her veritable rank-

cement firmly our alliance with England—
and to regulate with the Continental Powers of

Europe a degree of intimacy, in conformity with
our views, and the nature of their proceedings

vis-a-vis of France.

" It is thus that on the eve of my third election
I made at Bordeaux this declaration, L'Empire c'est
la paix. " The Empire is peace," wishing to prove
by that, that if the heir of the Emperor Napoleon
remounted the throne, he would not recommence

an era of conquests, but he would inaugurate a
system of peace which. could not be troubled, except
for the defence of the great national interests.
As for the alliance of France and England,

I have directed. all my efforts to consolidate
it, and I have found on the other side of

the Channel a happy reciprocity of senti
ment on the part of the Queen of Great Britain

and on the part of statesmen of all opinions ;
also to attain this object so necessary to the peace
of the world I haxe trampled under foot on

just opened an immense empire to the progress 01

civilisation and the Christian religion.

assumed the character of the most frank cordiality,

in litigation.

all occasions the irritating memories of the
past, the attacks of calumny, and even
the national prejud ices of my country. This
alliance has borne its fruits—not only have we
acquired together durable glory in the East,
but also at the extremity of the world we have

" Since the conclusion nr 42-`" peace my
relations with tb.e Emperor of Russia have

because we have been in accord on all the points

" I have equally cause to felicitate myself on my
relations with Pr assia, which have not ceased to be
animated by a mutual goodwill.
" The Cabinets= of Vienna and mine, on the
contrary—l say it with regret—have found them-
selves often at variance on important questions, and
it has required alarge spirit of conciliation to succeed
in resolving them. 'Thus, for example, the reconsti-
tution of the Danubian Principalities could only be
terminated after numerous difficulties, which have
united to the full satisfaction of the most legitimate
desires ; and if it is asked of me what interest France
had in these distant countries which the Danube
waters, I shall answer that the interest of

France is every where where there is a cause
of justice and civilisation to make prevail. In
this state of things, then, it was not
extraordinary that France should draw itself

nearer to Piedmont, who has been so devoted
during war, so faitlnful to our policy during peace.
" The happy marriage of my well-beloved
cousin, Prince Napoleon, with the daughter
of King Victor Emmanuel, is not one of
those isolated facts for which a hidden

motive must be sought, but the natural conse-
quences of the community of interests of the two
countries, and of the friendship of the two Sove-