Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-06-17

| master Of my heart and absorbed all nv IDEAS
wished to save France from destruction wish
eli topreserve il from combinations, which would
have brought on its ruin; from those so fatal COM
bmations, the fruit of the most strange Illusions
OF pride, and so ofien renewed IN Spain, in
hussia, and in Germany, and which threatened q
| frightful catastrophe Which it was necessary IN
| stantly to prevent.
strange and mournful fatality prevented our
deriving from the return Of tho house of Bourbon
all the advantages which were hoped from it for
France, but, however, VIC owe to them the spec
dy end of a fatal war, the deliverance of the ca
pital and of the kingdom, an administration mild
and Paternal, and tranquility and liberty which
were unknown to us. Some days more, and this
liberty, SO dear, so necessary for all Frenchmen
had been consolidated forever.
The foreigners, IL is said, were lost without re-
source, and 1t is who am accused of having saw
cd them L am their saviour! /, who always
iouSht them with as much energy as constancy,
whose zeal was never cooled for a moment /
who, after having attached my name TO the most
brilliant successes fthe CAMPAIGN. bad already
once preserved Paris, by the combats of Mearx
aiid b'sv--Let us tell him, him who gave such
powerful AID to the f1re gers il their operations
and rendered useless the devotedness of so many
good soldiers and intelligent officers he was the
person, he who with 100000 men wished to guard
ana occupy Europe from Vist,lla to the Cattaro
and the Ebro, while France had for its defence
scarcely 10000 soldiers hastily collected, and the
ueIWeters OF France are those, who az by miracle
saved 1T from the crusade directed against it. and
secured the return Of 100000 men scattered
throughout Europe, and of 1000 prisoners who
now constitute its force and power
L have served the Emperor Napoleon with zeal.
const2ncy, and devotedness during ali my career
and only separated myself from him TO save
France and when one step farther would have
preclPitated it into the abyss which he had
opened No sacrifices were too great where the
question was the honour and safety of my coin-
oy and yet how many circumstances render
them sometimes painful and melancholy Who
has shown more than have, a denial of personal
interests! Who ever has exhibited greater ex-
ample in suffering, in danger, IN privations who
has shewn IN all hiss life more disinterestedness
tnsn have My life IS pure, 1t is that of good
citizen, and they would attach infamy to it No.
so many honorable actions in so long a course of
| years, falsify to such degree, this accusa-
ton, that those whose opinion is of any value will
always refuse to believe it.
| Whatever be the destiny reserved for me, whe-
Their my whole life shall pass under prescription,
or shall be permitted stall to serveIny country
| whether shall be recalled OF whether shall be
driven from its bosom, my wishes for It's gicry &
its happiness VIII never vary, lor the love of my
country has been and viii always be the passion of
my heart and the King has well understood nv
| sentiments, and done justice 20 the rcctitude of
my intentions, when he deigRed to ado to my
arms tie aeyice Patie lotl,s eta5ie1ie which IN
lew words describes the history Of my whole
Marshal (a1srrnoat) Bake osRAGUsA,
Ghsfif, .dpr4i ], 1915.
Translated By the Editor Of tie W cohlr,5iar.
THE NEW FRENCH CONSTITUTION.
| PARIS, April g.
| Supplementary act TO the Constructions Of .6e
| Empire
| Napoleon by the Grace of God and the Const-
tutlons, Emperor ofthe French To Eli present
and TO come, Greeting;
Since we have been called, nov Is years past,
| by die voice ofFrance, to the government OF the
/ state, we have at different periods, endeavored
| 20 bring 70 perfection the constitutional forms.
according to the des:res andHecess!tles of the
nation, and by proGtmg from the lessons ofexpe-
| renee The constitutions of the empire have
| thus been formed by series of acts, which have
been confirmed by tie acceptation of the people.
| we have thereforenow IN view, to organize a
| grand European federal system, which we have
adopted rs conformahle 70 the spirit ofthe age.
y favorable to theprogres5 OF civilization. nor
DER TO arrive at us completion, to give it all the ex-
tension and all the stability whereof IT appears sus-
cePtlble, we have deferredthe establishments Sc
yerai Interior Institutions, that are now particular
ly designed to protect thelibertiesof The citizens
Our aim MIXTURE will be confined TO the promote
ON of the prosperity of France by The stability of
the public liberty-the necessary results of Sc
yeral important notifications in the constitutions.
senatus cOnsulta, and other acts which are ree;sJ
tered in the empire. To dis end, degrous on
one side 20 preserve as much of the past 40 J,
good I'D salutary, and the other, to render tie
constitutions ofour empire confcrmable with the
wishes and wants of the nation, as week as TO the
state of peace which we are desnous of main.
tainng with Europe wenave resolved to pro
pose TO the people cole tending to modify and
lpeTtect the constitutional acts, and to embrace
the rights of the citizens in all their guarantees
to give to the representative system all its exter.
sion, TO invest the intermediate classes with ali
desirable influence and power; m a word. to com
bine the greatest degree of political liberty and
individual security with the concentration If force
necessary to obtain from Strangers their respect
for the independence Of the French people and
the dignity OF our crown. Consequently. the
following articles, forming an act supplementary
To the constitutions of the empire, shall be sub
mrted TO the free and solemn appreciation of ali
the citizens throughout France
CHAPTER FIRST.
General Dispositions
Qrtiole first The constitutions of the Empire
4 namely, the cOnsttuionalact ofthe 22d Fr,rnsire
in the year 3, the senatus consulta of the f4th
and 10Th ofthe Thrmidor, in the year 10. and
that of the 28thFloreal, year 10, are modified bv
the following dispositions All their other pro-
visions are confirmed and maintained