The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-26 00:00:00

external situation, in order to summon the material interests
of the country to the career of public and private wealth.
That career is henceforth one of the necessary paths of
national activity. France does not fear to confess it, as on
entering upon it she does not mean to diminish in any way
her worship for the glories of intellect and courage, nor to
weaken the moral patrimony which lends a lustre to civi-
lisation.

" On this account the Senate has given its best attention
to the measure by which your Majesty has united in the
hands of the Minister of State the various services connected
with science, literature, and art. The encouragement
afforded to the works of intellect honour a reign, and ferti-
lise the genius of an epoch. Centralised under the eyes of
the Emperor, those encouragements will be distributed
with gz eater ensemble, consecutiveness, and success.
" It is also with lively satisfaction that the Senate has
beheld the efficacious solicitude of your Government to
extend religious and literary instruction, to improve the
condition of the clergy, and to multiply country parishes
and rural curacies. The development of moral sentiments
is the best auxiliary of the laborious activity of a people.
It is with this view that the wishes of the Senate would
support the praiseworthy efforts of your Majesty's Admi-
nistration to second the communes of the empire, but espe-
cially the rural communes in the building and repair of
their churches, of their presbyteries (priests' residences),
and their schools. Whilst agricultural labour increases
under the Emperor's fostering hand, it is indispensable that
the morality of the population should maintain itself in at
least an equally progressive movement.

" At the close of the journey of your Majesty to Algeria,
you decided that a new organisation should regulate the
government of that colony. We congratulate ourselves
that an illustrious marshal, our colleague, should have been
called upon by your confidence to realise the hopes con-
nected with the system of decentralisation which you are
resolved upon making a trial of. May that system, in
which the military is to fortify and not obliterate the civil
element, favour more and more the growth of confidence
for the colonists and of security for capital. It is stability
in the institutions of the colony which, above all, bring
about that result, and that stability exists in the spirit of
our Constitution, and in the mind of the Emperor.
"Abroad, sire, your Majesty, by the clearness of the com-
munications of your Government, has enlightened public
conscience, and strengthened the confidence of the country
in the greatness of France and in the maintenance of peace.
The alarm which prevailed a short time since, excited by
the advancemertt of a fatal period, has vanished—the diplo-
matic correspondence has placed in a dazzling light the
good 'understanding of France with foreign powers, the
weight of ber consideration, the value of her moderate and
conciliating policy.
" In Syria you have placed the sword of France between
Christian populations and Moslem fanaticism. The mas-
sacres of our Catholic brethren ceased at the aspect of our
flag.