The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-05-12

French empire, to defend those great inter-
ests which assure the Independence Of the
Iempire, and maintain the Milan and Berlin
DEGREES, SO fatal to England" He after
wards proceeds to state, how greatly Eng
land has already suffered by those DEGREES,
and points out measures FOR the organization
ami disposition of the National Guards, in
the different strong fortrcsses on. the Rhine,
at Brest, Toulon, &c. sc. so that in four
days 10000, and within ten, from 60 To
$4,000 men may be collected at any given
point which might be attacked"
FRENCH SENATUSC UNSULTuM.
After the reading of the Reports the Coun-
sellers of State presented the Project of the
Senasns Consulte of the following tenor.
SITTING OF THE 18th MARCH. -
The Senate having met ct noon, Count
Lacepeac, i'll the name OF the Special Com
mis- ion, appointed in the sitting of the l0th,
presented the following Report up.n the
project of the Senatus Consulte- -
"SENAroRs-Your special Commission
has examined with all the attention the i'm
portance of,the subject demanded, the Sen
atus Consulte's project relative to the or
ganization of the national guard of the en-
pire, as we'll as tire levy of 100 cohorts from
the first ban Of the national guards, and has
with care compared the different DISPOSE
lions, With the reasons which have been sta
ted to yon
This project is divided under two titles !;
1.-The first offers one OF those important
institutions which willsignalize one of the
most iilustrious of reigns the second puts
in motion part of that force established By
the first one is the ground of action, the O.
Their the consequence and application oft.
Z" Let us, before all, examine the first. .
lit separates into three bans the nation
al guard of the empire it points cut French
men, who, according to the difference OF
their age, must belong to one or other of these
three bans it fixes the successive renewal
OF their different stations; it determines the
nature of the services which their Countr,
and sovereign have right to expect from
them.
land now what is the national guard OF
tine empire ? The nation armed-aId what
nation but that which extends from the banks
OF the Baltic Sea to those beyond the Tiber,
and whose ancient renown every day ac-
quires fresh eclat by its successful and new
associations, and by the immortal glory OF
him who governs it.
This nation had not received different
successive laws, but particular organization
only. 1t is going to receive a grand histori-
cal law, general organization.
" And what wonderful change is this
profound conception of the Emperor going
to produce Order was established at his
command, among the immense number OF
Frenchmen whose very zeal and bravery,
not regulated by his foresight, would have
led to confusion and disorder that admit
rable and regular motion is the result of the
high wisdom of him who. combining with
the truns of his genius the produce OF
experience, carries his views into future a
ges, to give durability to all the monuments
he ereCts.
q But what is the grand and principal eff
feet of tbs new institutions!
1.-The safety of the interior and public Sc
curitY.
" Hitherto the safety OF the interior OF
empires was provided for by armies, who
became offensive or defensive, according tC
the circumstances of the war and the chan
ces of success.
But the security was neither entire nor
durable. The fear of a reverse weakened
it, bad success might annihilate it, and what
a situation was that people in, whose COM
forts Il labors were every moment Interrupt
ted by anxiety and fear :
Let US refer TO history, and we will see
how frequently weak Governments could
only atisfy their subjects by imprudently
pointing. out the number Of their troops and
their military dispositions of theirpolitical ar
rangements, and being obliged to give way
forces, to the ridiculous ideas which the
want of security suggested, joined to false
notions respecting the true elements of a
good defence. ~ q . IS.
1.-The project Of the Senatus- Consnlte
which is presented to you, Senators, prevents
forever all these uisfortunes.
" Then, should even all the active armies
quit the frontiers and proceed to an inn
mense distance to hurl the Imperial thun-
der, the immense enclosure of the Empire
would present numerous defenders, which
could be replaced by still more numerous
defenders, and the French Empire consi-
dered (if i may be allowed so to expires:
myself,) as an immense citadel, placed il
the middle of the world, would shew it's ma
tural garrison in national guard regularly
organized, uniting to-, the cdnstanCy and in
struction of old veterans all the vigor of a
youthful army 90. 4,st.,l,u g.
g This is what the Hero has thought fit
to do to render our frontiers inviolabie; tc
tranquilize minds the most prompt to con-
ceive alarms to guard the public security
against all the attempts OF false zeal from
ignorance or perhdy. 49,. t..tl.
"Ths is what the Father of his People
has done; for this great benefit but trihing
sacrifices are required.
" The Cohorts of the first ban will be re-
newed with one-sixth each year the young
Frenchmen who constitute part of it will
know the exact period when they will return
90 their paternal roofs, and be restored to
their affections, their labors, their habits
they will enjoy the fruit oftheir devotion.
" Arrived at the age in which ardor is IL.