The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-06-30
Message Of the French President

Message of the French President
We lay before our readers to-day, the principal
portions of the first Message of the First President
of the French Republic to the Constitutional Le'
gislature.
The existence of such document marks an
epoch in the history of Europe. There have been,
indeed bulletins and addresses from rulers TO their
people, and in England an unmeaning formality
OF royal speech.making, sgnifying little and never
designed to recognize the right of popular control
over ministers and governments But this is the
first example of the head of European Govern
ment, selected by the nation, who comes to render
up to them account of his ministry in Office, and
a programme of his purposes. 1t is not gracious
ruler comforting favor on subjects, sharing auho-
rity with them, or calling them to his counses, but
public servan! explaining his acts to power
which he recognizes to be above him, majesty of
popular sovereignty of which he is exalted in be-
ing the instrument. Such phenomenon among
the royalties and despotsms of Europe is tower
ing land mark of Progress. Thus much has been
gained for the cause of popular rights, and from
that point there s'no turning back. people which
has resolutev acquired and thoroughly established
its omnipotence over all authorities acting in its
name, as emanations from its own supreme will;
own, is in no danger of ever relapsing into monar-
chical FORMS or any condition which shall lessen
its rights of selfcontrol. There may be many Sc
rious faults in the working of government machi-
merry, perhaps dangerous mistakes in the choice of
measures. The inexperience of the masses, and
the crimes of failhless men, may disturb the peace
and perpex the policy of the State. The ambitious
ntrigues and jealousies of hostile nations may
bring OH foreign wars, long, exhausting, full of
suffering to the people and obstruction 10 all sound
meliorations. But we have faith that the principle
of popular sovereignty, organized in the Republic,
and to which the Heir of Napoleon paid homage
in the face of Europe, when he stood up to ac-
knowledge Universal Suffrage as his master, and
the only master in France, will be an everything
root of regeneration out of which, in the progress
of time, liberty and good government will grow,
not only for France but for the struggling nations
within her influence.
With this feeling we welcome the first French
Message. Whatever its contents might be- it is a
fact full of omens of encouragement to all who
have had faith in the spread of republican ideas,
and believe in the ultimate triumph of popular
sovereignty everywhere.
The Message itself does not, however, strengthen
the hope that this contamination of the Right will
be advanced under the ministrations of Louis Napo-
leon. His ideas of Government at home have
most centralizing tendency, in which the Imperial
idea of reforms descending from authority is con-
spcuous throughout. He discourses as though
the President were TO be the fountain of wisdom
and legislation, and that from him the whole
stream of social organization was TO issue, for the
alienation and happiness of the people. There is
a profusion of promises and undertakings of too
vast an extent to be really digested by any single
understanding, but which he treats with the conf
dence of coDsummate craftsmanship, and which,
he must be the veriest dreamer, if he supposes
within his power, the veriest charlatan to
attempt. We dislike this, and we more dislike the
vague and exceedingly unsatisfactory tone in rela-
ton to Foreign Affairs Nothing is distinctly ex-
planned, and where the obvious deductions are pos
sbe, they are extremely unsatisfactory. The
whole of that portion which speaks of the expedi-
ton TO Rome, is but flimsy apology for peridy.
The Republicans of France will not be deceived by
such shallow pretences for invading sister Re-
public, in order to impose an odious Government
an unwilling people. The event, iii crush Re-
publicanism temporarily in Rome, will strengthen
the Republican spirit in France, and earn for Louis
Napoleon some of those rewards which the en-
franchised masses will have the power to bestow
on their belrayers.