Star.
London, England, 1805-10-01 00:00:00

FRANCE.

MINISTRY OE THE INTERIOR.
assort OF THE MIIIISTIL Or THE INTSILIOIt TO 14
iNTIROR, RESPICTIDIG Till IMATIOICAL GUMP"
NETT. 18, 1805.
• Sire—The menaces of the enemies of France have
excited in the bofoms of Frenchmen an univerfal
emotion of indignation ; they have awakened with
frefh vigour. their attachment to your auguß per.
fon, their devotion to their country; the Frenchman,
whom the two-fold fentiment, of love for his Prince
and for his Country, has at all times rendered ca-
pable of fuch mighty efforts, will now more than
ever experience all its influence.
Among& the meafures calculated to prevent the
fusers of every holds defign, and even to &Icon•
Pert them at their birth, there is one which would
have a peculiar effea in fecuring thefe fentiments;
which, under eircumßances nearly fimilar contribu-
bated to the falvation of France ; which teems to be
invoked by our recolleftion ; which, befides, is au-
thorifed by the eftablilhed Laws, or rather is Welt
in exiftence, at leaß in principle,and which requires
only a prompt development, and a frelli aftivity. I
Speen Sire, the employment of the National Guards.
Wgilft this waive army, which is itfeif, in its orga-
fixation and its fpirit, but a detachment from the
grand national army, whila the waive army 641 be
purfuing beyond our frontiers an enemy, whom it
has been accußomed to behold retreating before it,
whilft it (ball be penetrating into the fcenes of its part
tonquefts, by routes well known to it, the National
Guard will refume internally the exercife of that
vi-
gdance, from which it had been Tome time exempt ,
by the repofe of our brave foldiers. It will watch
over the maintenance of order and the laws; will fe- '
Owe the refpea doe to the public authorit;es, will keep
guard round the Temples, the Tribunals, the Public
Inflitutions; will protect the plains, private property,
the workthops of lnduftry, and will maintain the fe-
corky neceffary for every defcription of works ; it
will, in a twofold manner, contribute to the execution
Of the Laws of Confer iption,by furnithing more multi-
plied meansof fuperintendance, and by weakening the
prejudices that obtlrua them, in reviving a talk fora
military life in the hearts of the youth. Eltablifhed on
the bounds of the Empire, it will encourage your fol.
titers to march, will fecure their retreat in safe of a
reverie, will prefent an impofing barrier to the ene-
my. will infure to France in the • of all the
chances of battles, the greateft advantage in war,
that of not being compelled to wage it on its own ter-
ritory ; it will recal thole ancient times whet. the at-
trier ban, quiet by their fire fides, but ready to take
the field at the call of their Prince, formed an ins-
more and formidable rear guard ; it will meal thefe
late times, when a fimilar inßitution overthrew a Rill
more powerful coalition, whilft rranee poffeired not
either the fame internal forces, or the fame genius to
put them in operation. It will give to public opi-
nion a falutary impulfe ; it will Brett teary thought
to the falvation of the State. It will alto. of Welt',
make an impreffion upon our enemies, as great, per-
haps. as our other military preparations, and theforee
that it will have created, though yet iu repofe, will
even be equivalent to aaive troops.
Why should their Prince and their Country have
iefs claims now than at other periods, on the affec-
tion of Frenchmen ? Why (hould not gratitude for
teal benefits operate as powerfully as enthufiafm,
which was only the expeaation of them ? No I there
is not a tingle public funftionary, whatever his em-
ployment or rank, that does not feel the incitement
of his Eons and grandfons to this internal fervice, to
be a confequence and a part of his duty, There is
sot a man of property, a man in the enjoyment of
any fortune, or prefiding overy any induftrious efts.
blifliment, who does not feel it to be his Arft iuteteß
to contribute in perfon, and by his people, to the on-
ly fervice that can fecure his repofe. Thole then,
who have an interell in the prefervation of public or-
der, whole fentiments are guaranteed by their edu-
cation, will be the firft to form this, in reality, Garde
sr Mir, upon which the Government, and the well
difpofed citizens, may rely with equal fecurity.
The law of the yth of January, and of the t6th
of March, 1,90, of the lath of Oftober, and of the
3d of August, 1791, and of the 24th of May, year
sd, have never been repealed, and exifi in all their
force ; they have regulated the organization of the
National Guards, their
.defcription of fervice, their
connexion with the Civil Authorities ; they have
oven provided for the cafe, in which their co-opera-
tion might be necell'ary for the defence of the Rate.—
Your Majefty in perfon has (hewn what fentiments
you entertained refpcaing this inßitution, when on
the occafion of your Coronation you affembled the
Deputies of all the National Guards, when you pre-
tented them with colours. There colours, received
with tranfport, preferved in all the departments,
will new be unfurled, and become the banners of pa-
triotifm and of honour. There are, however, in the
details of organization, eflabliflied by theft laws, two
objeas, which appear to me to call for, at the pre-
fent period. particular attention and effential modifi-
cations. The WI is the appointment of Officers.—
In March lati I laid before your Majefty Come obfer-
Vations on this fubjea ; I reminded you that the Na-
tional Guards wanted Officers alma} univerf4lly ; I
befought your Majefty to take notice, that the exill-
ing form of our eilablifliments, that the state of pubs
lit opinion, as well as the intereßs of fubordination,
• longer warranted the admidlon of that mode of
moo, which bad been introduced at a period,
all the ideas of democracy were carried to ea-
t propofed to your Majefty to decree, that the
of the National Guard fnould be appointed
Head of the State, like thofe of the aaive at,
and receive from a hero, who could diftinguith
valiant, their commiffion and their title.
fecond objea relates to the formation of the
des of the ,Grenadiers and Chaffeurs, which
dated by the laws of the 18th of Oftober and
(uly, 'year 3d. It (hews on one band, that there
the Nationd Guard, compored of citizens,
• lefs difengaged or employed, more or lefs
to the fervice, fume detachments eailly clic-
, whore motions may be always, prompt; the
iyment of which might be always lure, whole
may be tried ; in a word Tome choice detach-
, that might be ready on the &II emergency.
other hand, it purports to relieve as much as
trom a painful fervice, which is even expen-
courequence of the interruption of labour,

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