Star.
London, England, 1811-07-31 00:00:00

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perfect the social edifice, the hasei of which are laid.
All the sources of riches and prosperity are opened
creation is finished ; life commences. Thus, the small
number of laws we now offer you, proves how salu-
tary and all-sufficient those ::re which already exist ;
but if this Session, Gentlemen, has not been marked
by the adoption of important laws, it will not on that
account be a less memorable epoch for you;
" Previous to opening it, the Emperor wished you
should be collected round his throne; he wished to
be surrounded by you when he went to the temple to
return thanks to the ETERIJAL for the birth of that in-
fant king, who has completed our wishes, and rea-
lized our hopes; you have been witnesses of that
pompous ceremony, the holiness of the place, the
majesty of the throne, the union of Princes, of the
Nobility, of the first corps of the empire, of the de.
puties from the towns, the offering of an infant dedi-
cated to Goo, by glory and virtue united. The emo-
tion of the assistants, and the acclamations of an im-
mense people, which on the same day were repeated
throughout the extent of this vast empire—this noble
and touching picture is too deeply engraved in your
memories, to allow me to attempt to retrace it.
If I spoke of that universal sentiment that ex-
cited the public happiness, I should but repeat your
own words, express as every Frenchman does the joy
that birth has caused which guarantees the solidity of
our destiny, the duration of our glory; which consti-
tutes the happiness of our august Sovereign and his
beloved consort.

" In the midst of the fetes which were given to ce-
lebrate this great event, the Emperor came to this
place : he has informed you of the motives of high
policy which determined him to extend our frontiers,
and unite new provinces to the empire. His Majesty
has described to you our flourishing situation, the
fidelity of his allies, the glory of his armies, and the
prosperous state of his finances. In 'port, in an-
nouncing to you that he had ordered his minister to
place before you the expences of 1809 and 1310, his
Majesty informed you, that although he was obliged
to place at the disposition of his ministers an curate.-
dinary credit of 100 millions, he did not ask any new
impositions.
" It is thus. that, after many years of war, con-
quests, and creations, our Sovereign terminates his
discourse ; whilst the Goverment who wishes to con-
tend against him, every year demands new loans,
imposts, and sacrifices from the English people.—
A few days after that memorable sitting your depu-
tation came to lay at the foot of the throne, the Lc).
mage of your devotion, your love
.; and through your
President, who enjoys the esteem of our moaarch,
and your merited confidence, you made known the
noble and simple principles which guide, and the sen-
timents that animate you. In that audience you ex-1
perienced fresh pledges of the paternal affection of his
Majesty.
" The solemn forms of the opening of your Session
being fulfilled, the Minister of the Interior in great
detail pointed out the situation of the empire. Sixteen,
departments have been united to France, producing
a population of five millions, and a revenue of 100
milliens. The communications opened between the
Scheldt and the Baltic, between the north and south
of Italy, render our maritime supplies independent of
the enemy's squadrons.
" The Minister has spoken to you of the progress
of the University, the organization of the Imperial
Courts, which wiU restore to justice its force and dig.
nity, and the creation of great seminaries, of the ac-
quisition or the repairing of a number of churches, of
the success of industry which makes amends by the
discoveries of genius for privations which war causes.
He has informed you of the immense works under.
taken to construct bridges, dig canals, drain marshes,
embellish cities, !cc. these works have cast nearly 300
millions ; they thus equal, in two years, the efforts
which were formerly made in a century.
44 You have not seen without surprise upon alI the
points of our coast and frontiers, those fortifications
which prudence erects or repairs in the midst of
triumphs. The activity which reigns in all the ports,
the works undertaken at Antwerp, Flushing. Cher-
bourg, Ostend, and Terneuse, those armaments
which prepare for the future successes of our marine
and new destinies for the ocean, and the prosperous
state of the public treasury which has to provide for
so many expences—such is the picture which has been
traced to you. Happy the reign in which the recital
of facts renders eulogium unnecessary.
" After the presentation which has been made to
you, Gentlemen, of two projects to create new sub-
prefectures, and of a great number of transactions
which interest the communes, you have adopted the
project of a law upon the finances. The satisfac-
tion which its examination afforded you, is too recent
to make it necessary for me to re-state the details.
" The Orator of your Commission of Finance has
said upon this important law all that could be added
to the motives developed by the Orators from the
Council of State. He has pointed out the advantages
of the order established, by which five or six months
are ,suflicient to examine and check the accouhts of
so many different administrations. He has remarked
the amelioration which has taken place in the proceed-
ings for the recovery of the contributions ; the mode-
rate expence of prosecution has not escaped him. He
has with equal sagacity viewed the different causes
of the increase of the state revenues, which at present
amount to 98.5 millions, and the reason of the aug-
mentation of the expence of the different departments.
We have acquired 3(X) leagues of coast and 10,000
sailors. Such acquisitions demand an increase of ex-
pence, but they give at the same time the means of
providing for it.
" The economy introduced into many branches of
the administration—the augmentation of the produce
of the customs-.the measures adopted relative to to-
bacco, which, without pressing upon the people, give
the State tke advantage which some companies exclu-
sively enjoyed, and furnish the means of diminishing
the land tax ; all give a complete assurance of con.
:tautly seeing our resources superior to our expendi-
ture. The liquidation of the years preceding 1808
is effected ; that of the following years is considerably
advanced ; that of the present year is completed ; ao
inquietude exists with respect to the future. France
has no occasion for any increase of the customs, ner
,for loans, ttor for any new taxes.
" Thus you have evident proofs of the happy situa-
tion of our finances, and certainly War ought to excite
as much Confidence in our felkor•citions, as fear iu
our enemies.
se At the moment wham, by on* 01 bit Maiestip

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