The Sun.
London, England, 1828-11-18 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

• FRENCH PAPERS.
(From the Monitsur of Friday.)

In the month of January last the King, attentive
to the discussions in the Chambers, to the decrees
of the Courts of Justice, and to the results of the
elections, deemed it his duty to call around his per-
son new councillors. Those whom he honoured
with his confidence in these grave and difficult cir-
cumstances could not hesitate as to the conduct
which they had to pursue. They found different
parties arrayed against each other; religion compro-
mised, in consequence of the abuses committed in its
name; the Administration surrounded by distrust
and hostility ; the authorities represented as enemies
of the institutions of the country— irritation and
anxiety carried to the highest pitch ; and a new
Chamber elected in the midst of this general exas-
peration.
What was the step which Ministers had to take,
and what was their primary obligation ? To re-
' assure the public mind--to'calm hatred—te combat
and destroy fatal errors—to offer security and hope
to n'l—to save religion from the attacks to which it
had been exposed. by depriving its enemies of all
well-grounded causes of complaint—to guarantee to
France the real enjoyment of that great concession
which had been nede to it by its Kings—to dissi-
pate also the fatal notion that it was possible in the
name of the Crown to resume the concessions which
it had made, and which France had adopted with
warmth as the pledge of its future prosperity--to
give to the Throne the force Which it ought
to wield in the execution of the laws—to in-
crease the number of its supporters by showing
that it accepted the cervices of those who offered
them with honour and loyalty—to employ every
exertion in robbing the faction in order to enrich the
Monarchy--to place before the eyes of the country
the Monarch such as he is, ,such as he wishes to be,
strong and powerful, but just, sincere, and generous,
the King of his country but the father of his p,ople,
determined to render his crown respected, but faithful
to the oath which he has sworn--this was the task
which Ministers imposed upon themselves, after
having studied their situation, reflected on the great
lessons of history, meditated upon the actual condi-
tion of the kingdom, and examined, with that restless
ardour which was to be expected from honest men
labouring under a vast responsibility; into the surest
means of averting from France those misfortunes
into which .areimprudent 'and obstinate policy might
easily lead it. -
All their acts, all their projects; all their speeches
have been conceived in this spirit, and directed to
this end. The name of concessions has sometimes
been given •to their acts. If it is , meant thereby
• that they have advised the King to develop the con-
sequences of the constitutional and legal system,
which it was his intention to maintain and to com-
pletc,—if it is to be understood that they were of
opinion that in the general-state of the public mind,
more was to be gained. for the Crown by consoli-
dating the national liberty, such as it is derived from
• the charter, than by constantly eluding the proposal
of laws which ought, to secure it, and by leaving
opinion to: work itself gradually into exasperation
in the midst of mistrust and fear, such has been, in
point of, fait, the. conduct of the Ministry; it has
proposed to the King concessions but if it is pre-
tended thereby, that the rights and prerogatives of
the Crown, the essential functions of. the Govern-
ment, and the sacred interests of religion, have been
neglected or sacrificed to the demands of party, or to
vain passion for popularity, there is in such terms
great calumny and injustice.
The Ministers are penetrated with this idea, that
the security of throne demands the maintenance
of our new institutionta they know that our ancient
institutions are in ruins, and that it is not in any
mau'e power to rebuild them. They understand
that a monarchy cannot exist without institutions;
that our Kings have neither the wish nor the power
to reign except according to law; and, moreover,
that violence is a bad helpmate to the power and
prosperity of the state. The public were of opinion
that such were the ideas-and such the convictions
with which Ministers ought to enter. upon the sys-
tem of policy which they adopted. Determined to
persevere in it, they discharge calmly and courage-
ously the duties which are imposed upon them. The
most painful of all, undoubtedly, is that which re-
lates to individuals. Too many changes in theper-
sonnel of an Administration are productive of,vexa-
non and injury. They are equally opposed to the
interest of the country, and to the influence of the
Government. Perhaps, also, there is some danger
in lightly teaching public functionaries that their
seal of to-day may to-morrow be the cause of their
disgrace and ruin. The dismissal of public officers
ought never to be employed as- anS engine of Go--
vernment, except rare lostances, and undeenar-
row limits. The Ministry has shown that such are
its sentiments; for it would be difficult to point out
any Ministry of which the construction was marked
hy a less number of rigorous measures.
However, there are occasions in which these mea-
sures are commanded by real necessity.
The qualification, of which a Ministry stands
most in need, is the possession of the confidence of
• the public. If it be without this indispensable
qualification, it cannot be useful either to the Prince
or to the State. The confidence of the public is
only acquired by a perfect conformity between its
Luguage and its actions; and this conformity cannot
'twist, except when there is harmony between those
who eider and those who execute. On the other
haild,' the body which is called upon to give advice
to. the IVlOntu"-eb and to prepare his decisions and
the projects-6f laws to be 'submitted to the Cham-
bers, has such intimate relations with the Ministry,
touches in Sti many points on the administration of
public affairs, and incurs in so .many circumstances
the same eesponSibility as the Ministry, that its
existence would become an obstacle instead of a
help, if there were not a unity of views and seeti-
ments between its members and the Government.
Same changes have been made in the prefectures,
and the new organisation of the Council or state,
rendered necessary by the last law of finances, has
given occasion to remove from regular service some
of its members, to recall to it others who had been
previously dismissed, and to introduce into it some
who were entirely new.
That I,' Edell the Crown, the sole arbiter in such
- matters, has deemed necessary, is now actually
completed. The functionaries may give themselves
up in full security to the accomplishment of their
duties. Those which are prescribed to them are
easy of comprehension, and offer nothing but satis-
_ faction to their consciences and their fidelity.
• The principles of the Government are remote
from all excessive pretensions, from all exaggerated
ideas. The Ministers of the King have no wish
either to retrograde to the past, or to confide the
future to faction, to passion, or to imprudence. They
are submissive to the-law and are desirous that it ,
should be executed with freedom and precision.— 1
They are determined to guarantee to all the enjoy-
ment of the rights conferred by the charter, and
firmly resolved to resist, without disguise or reserve,
every attack that may be made on the Royal .autho-
rity, on the respect which is its due, and on the
sacred rights upon which it reposes. They judge
that there never is too great a number of men inte-
rested in the preservation of existing institutions;
they are of opinion that the worst policy is that
which tends to diminish that number, and that the
best system for the interest of the throne is that
which tends to augment it.
What Government demands of its agents is, to
a nbue themselves with these principles, and to apply,
them loyally within the sphere of their functions.
Let them march in this path of devotedness, wisdom,
and Qrinness; always ready to render an account of
their actions, vigilant guardians of a tutelary autho-
rity, strangers to parties, severe on emergency, but
just towards all, and let them reckon upon the support
of Government. That support will never fail them,
• (From the Gazette de France, dated Nov. 16.)
Letters from the Morea, dated October 20, have
been received at Paris. General Maison was going