The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-21
The meeting OF the French Chamber. and Louis Ma
poieon's speech


the French dictator TO the first meeting Of the Chambers
"Thls event the President announces termination OF
his detsloal power and The commencement Of eonsitu.
tiona government in France, under the system he has
adopted
Louis Napoeons vindicaiion OF himself, in regard
his dissolution OF the previous Assembly and the reorgani
cation Of the political Institutions Of France upon their
basis is expressed ia manly style and with The
evident belief his part that such course. summary and
orcbe as il was, had become the crisis of It's adoption
absolutely necessary sndcae the power Of
and preserve the nation from anarchy. fTf o
The tone Of moderation which marks the language OF
the French President may be regarded not inconsistent
with determined purpose 10 hold the power he has
CURED and establish at his pleasure in the permanent
form OF imperial government OF which he will hold the
soeptre and wear tho He tells the Chambers
muchyet with the air OF who Is satisfied with the
position he holds yet Is conscious OF his power to
another If he should think ht The maohnaons OF
political adversaries viii doubt urnish early
sion for the full reestabshment of the empire, with all ito
royal appurtenances and institutions.
u" The causes alluded TO in this presidential speech as
having Produced much conmoton in France from time
time, such instability in her political systems and such
rapid changes from another without
the distinctive marks of historical accuracy and reflective
thought The constitution which he inaugurates he de-
caes is the work of vain theory and despotsm but
that is the work of experience and reason The
from which IL has been derived proclaimed TO be those
which France had previously invoked and with glory to
herself and which may be Reconstructed under circum
better adapted and with such mod
fcatons and improvements as the severe ordeal of her
past perience may suggest and commend The whole
speech and the il Enthusiastically
French and trans Atlantic"
President NapO!eons Speech on the Adoption s Csa,lu-
hon
Messeurs les -Messieurs les Deputies:
The dictatorship that the people inlrusted 10
from this day Ii is with feeling of real satisfaction
that proclaim here the realization OF the
sttuion for my constant anxiety has been not only to
establish order but 10 render il lasting by giving to
in iitpu IN her Vnur
her, gentlemen, that only some months ago, the more
limited myself 10 the strict circle of my functions, the
more il attempted TO confne in order to deprive
me OF movement and OF action. Often discouraged,
avow thought OF abandoning authority that was
disputed What prevented me was, that | foresaw the
occurrence OF thlng-anarchy In fact on all sides,
destructive passions became exalted and ncabe of
founding anything. Nowhere there an institution or
an individual to whom TO attach oneself Nowhere was
there right that not dsputedan organization OF
any kinda system capable of realization.
In like manner, whenthanks 10 the assistance OF some
courageous men, thanks especially the energetic atii-
tude OF the army-every danger was banshed in few
hours my FIRST TO demand Institutions for the
people For long time society resembed pyramid
attempted TO be turned upside down and set on its sum
NIT have replaced 1t on its base. Universal suffrage
the only OF right in such conjunclues, imme
daely eestablshed authority reganed it's ascendency
at length France adopting the principal provisions OF the
constitution submitted TO IT, was allowed TO create the
political bodies whose influence and weight will be all
the greater their functions will have been wisely reg
uiaed Among political institutions, those are IN TACT
the only ones that endure, and which fix in equitable
manner the limit at which power ought to stop. There
no other way TO arrive at useful and beneficial apPl-
cation OF liberty The examples Of such not far dis
tant from us Why. in 1914, was the commencement OF
parliamentary regime IN spite OF all GU. reveses seen
with satisfaction II because the Emperor-let us
not fear TO avow it-had been, account of the war; led
into too absolute exercise OF power. Why the con-
trary in 1851, did France applaud the fall Of that same
parliamentary regime2 II was because the Chamber
abused the influence that had endangered the general
equilibrium In fine, why does France remain unnoved
a! the restrictions on the liberty Of the and Of nd
vid he had ed Infp
and the othef place OF being the regulated exercise OF
the rights Of EACH had by odous menaced the
rights OF ALL
That extreme danger, especially for democraces of in
cessanty seeing institutions i'll Defined sacrifice by turns
authority or liberty perfectly appreciated by
fathers half century since when. issuing from the
revolutionary Storm and after a Ruthless essay OF every
kind OF regime, they proclaimed the constitution of the
year VIII, which served the model for 1884, Doubt
OF which we were habualed, but many OF
them On the day after revolution the first OF the guar
anees for people does not consist in the immodeate
oil the tribune and the pTessii IS IN the right OF choos
ing the government that suits IL. Now, the French
lion has given perhaps for the first tme) the world the
imposing spectacle OF great people voting in all liberty
the form OF its government Thus, the chief OF the State,
whom You have before you, truly the expression OF
the popular will. And before me what do see. Two
Chambers-ihe one elected IN virtue OF the most liberal
law existing in the world; the other named by me, il is
true, but also independent, inasmuch il is uemovable
Around me you observe men OF known patriotism and
merit always ready 10 support me with their counsels,
and TO enghlen me on The necessities OF the country
The constitution, which, from this day forward is TO
i be put 10 execution, is not them the work OF a vain
theory and OF despotsm IL is the work OF experience
and OF reason. You will aid me- gentlemen. TO consol-
Idae, 10 extend and TO amelioraie it, | will commu.
nicate TO the Senate and the Corp, LegilaiJ the sit,
uaon OF the republic They will see ihere that con-
hdence has been everywhere reestabshed that labor
has been resumed everywhere and that, for the FIRST
time alter great political change. the public fortune
has increased IN place of diminishing. For the last
four months II has been possible for my government to
encourage many useful enterprises TO reward many
vices, 10 relieve much distress to elevate the po-
son OF the greatest number OF the principal function
aries and all that withou, increasing the taxes or de.
ranging the budget which we happy 10 present you
IN equilibrium.
i Such facts, and the attitude OF Europe which &C.
cepted the changes that have taken place with sasac
ton inspire us with the Just hope OF security for the
future; for II peace Is guaranteed home, il is equal
enoe; and we have every interest in preserving the
most amicable relations with them So long as the
honor OF France is not compromised, the duty of our
government shall be to carefully avoid all cause OF per-
turbahon IN Europe and TO direct all efforts towards
the ameoraton which alone procure comfort for
the laboous classes and the prosperity OF the
country
And now, gentlemen at the moment when you are
associang yourselves with my abors will explain to
you frankly what my conduct shall be.
II has been frequently repeated, when seen to re-
establish the institutions and the recoectons OF the
pe, that desired 10 re.establish the empire itself III
such had been my constant anxiety that transformation
might have been accomplished long since. Neither
means nor opportunities have been wanting to me.
Thus, in lS1S. when 60ODOOO Of sufrages ed