The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-27
PARIS, March IL.

Yesterday, the 11th of this month, at two
O'Clock 2. M. his serene highness, the prince
arch chancellor Of the empire, repaired to
the senate, in virtue of the orders of his ma
jesty the emperor and king.
His serene highresS was received with the
usual honors, and after having read to that
body the act designating him president there
OF, he delivered the following speech:
GENTLEMEN--
The statutes which iay before vol at the
request of :his imperial and royal majesty,
must give motion and life to the system crea-
ted by the senatus coilstIltuIn Of the 18th Au-
gust, 1906.
Public opinion is not uncertain OF! the ad
Kantages of this system.
If there stA remained any doubts TO ex-
plain, would have recourse tothe history Of
ages, anu authority ot ofic os Cur great
est writer's on public law, who has consider
ed the existence and support of hereditary
distinctions, as entering, in some sort, into
he very essence o. monarchy The pre-ern;-
tnent advantages, which such an institution
establishes, the ranks which i. determines,
the recollcctions which it transmits, are the
food of honor and this honor is at the same
time the principle of the government nnder
which the strength of the national character
has brought us back. 1t was urgent then to
I'LL this vacant space in our political ori.ani-
cation.
But you know, gentlemen, that the success
Gf establishments to which the fate of en-
pres is tied, depends on Il concurrence eff
circumstances which the prudence of the le-
gislator ought to lay hold of.
He finds motives of encouragement or of
hesitation, in the genius, in the progress, in
the relative Importance Of the people to whom
bis conceptions apply themselves.
Laws and institutions have, like plants, a
sofia season which suffers them to take the
deepest root.
1t is in France above all, tina, the springs,
directed by the love of glory, can most sue
ccssfully be made to receive a proper i'm
s.n!-ioa: il is in times prolific in wonders that
we can, for other ages, consecrate symbols
which glory has made choice of.
Never shall these distinctions have a Mr.
er source; the titles which flow from it will
only serve heI eater to mark out for public
gratitude, those who have already signalized
themselves by their scrvices-by their devo-
tion to the prince and 10 the country. Eu-
rope, the witness Of OAR political commissions,
admireS the resources of the genius who has
led them TO such happy issue she il CO
vered with our trOphieg and her esteem will
affectionatcly embrace names to which the
benevolence OF our august sovereign will
degn to add new lustre.
Great examples impose on future genera
tions great obligations, and the effects which
this debt will render necessary, will be for
France perennial spring of glory and pros
perity. These considerations have deter
Diinep his imperial and royal majesty not TO
defer any longer the blessings Of an establish
lHent, ia which he has put all the nobility &
greatness ofhis soul. The statutes which you
will now hear read, present the consequence
and Development OF the principle laid down
in the Senatus Consultum. The principal
motive which led to their provisions was,
u give to the institution which they had in
view, principle OF utility and preservation ;
20 dry up around it the springs Of decay "a
extjrpate, by the creation OF imHcriak titles,
3he last roots ola tree which the hand of time
HSs oYer,hrown, and which cannot again
take root undcra prince, as great By his un
derstandiIg he is by his power.
every thing that it was possible to foresce
bs been anticipated.
The new order Of things raises 40 barriers
b. Veen the citizens.
| ,he ar Swallowing w.ich it establish
~, aiRa ~ 9.oW W tao,e rights which ren