The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-10

To the French People, formulating the Con-

"'""ss"" ~ HtS ~ " l/cCcWOo's AocA'
FRENcHmEN. my proclamation Of the q
OF December, when Loyalty explained to yo'
what, according to my ideas, were the vital con
dltons OF government in France, had not tn
pretension, 80 common in these days, of substi
tnting personal theory for the experience o
centuries On the contrary, sought in the pas
for examples that might best be followed. ans
consulted the benefits that resulted from them.
! have thought it reasonable to prefer The
precepts of genius to the specious doctrines Of
men of abstract ideas have taken as models
the political institutions which already, at the
commencement of this century, under analogous
circumstances, have strengthened lettering 80,
Z cety, and raised France to lofty degree OF
prosperity and grandeur.
! have taken as models those institutions
which, instead OF being destroyed by the first
breath of popular agitation, were only over
turned by the might of all Europe eoaesced
against them
| In one word | said to myself, since France
has made progress during the last fifty years,
in virtue alone of the administrative, military
judicial, religious, and financial organization of
the consulate and the EMPIRE why should not
we adopt the political institutions OF that epoch
Created by the same thought they must bear
the same character of nationality and practical
utility.
In fact, as recalled to mind in my proclama-
ton, it is essential to demonstrate that our
present state Of society is nought else than
France regenerate by the revolution of '89, and
organized by the emperor. Nothing remains of
the old regime but great souvenirs and great
benefits; all that was organized under it was
destroyed by the revolution, and all that has
| been organized since the revolution, and that
still exists, has been the work Of Napoleon.
| We no longer possess provinces, or States,
or parliaments, or ntendants, or farmers general,
or feuda rights, or privileged classes holding
| exclusive possession of civil and military EN-.
Payments, or different religious Jurisdictions.
TO all such things, 80 incompatible with it's
spirit, the revolution applied thorough reform
but it founded nothing definite. The first con-
sui alone, re-established unity, hierarchy, and
the true principles Of government. They are
still in vigor.
Thus, the administration of France was en-
trusted to projects, sub projects, and mayors,
who substituted unity in the place Of directing
commissions. The magistracy was rendered
firm, and justice more easy by the clear definition
OF attributes from these Of the justice of the
peace, up to those Of the court of cessation.
| All this remains.
( In the same manner, our admirable financial
system, the Bank of France, the establishment
of the budget, the court of accounts, the or
ganization of the police, and our military sta
| tutes, date from the aforementioned epoch.
| For the last fifty years it is the Code Napo-
leon that has adjusted the reciprocal interests
of citizens; it is still the concordat that regu
lates the relations of the State with the church
LASTLY, the greater portion of the measures
which concern the progress of industry, OF
commerce, of literature, of science, and Of the
arts, from the statutes of the Theatre Francois
! to those of the Institute of France-from the
institution of ''prud homnaeS" to the creation of
the Legion Of Honor have been fixed by the
DEGREES Of that time.
| 1t may then be affirmed that the frame of our
social edifice is the work of the emperor
which stood firm---resisting his fall and the
shocks Of three revolutions.
| Wherefore, since they have the same origin,
should not his political institutions have the
same chance of duration
| Nv own conviction has been formed for
! long time, and therefore it was that | submitted
to your judgment the principal bases of con
stitution borrowed from that of the year VIII
Approved of by you, they are to become the
| foundation of our political constitution
Let us now examine its spirit.
| In our country--for the last eight hundred
years monarchical-- central power has al
ways existed. Royalty destroyed the great
vassals. The revolutions themselves caused to
disappear the obstacles which opposed the rapid
and uniform exercise of authority. In this
country of Capitalization, public opinion has
invariable attributed everything, goodand evil
to the chief of the governments so that, to write
at the head of a charter that the chief is irres-
ponsibe, is to lie (mentir) to public feeling Ii
is to endeavor to establish fiction which has
three times disappeared at the sound of revou-
ton.
The present constitution, on the contrary, pro.
claims that the chief whom you have elected is
responsible to you--that he has the right of APP
peal to your sovereign Judgment, in order that
in grave (soleneltes) circumstances you may al.
ways be able to continue your confidence in
him, or to withdraw it.
Being responsible, his actions must be free
and without hinderance Hence arises the OBJ
legation of his having ministers who may be the
hOnored and powerful auxaries of his ideas,
but who no longer form reponsible council,
composed of jointly responsible members (nenl-.
breS solidaireS), a daily obstacle to the special
influence of the chief of the State, council, the
expression of a policy emanating from the
chambers, and for that very reason exposed to
frequent changes, WHICH render impossible a
continuous policy esprit dc suite, or the appli-
cation of n regular system.
Nevertheless, in proportion to the loftiness
of position in which man ia placed, and in pro-
portion to his independence, and to the conf.
dence that the people place in him, is his need
of enlightened and conscientious council, Hence
the creation ola council of State, for the future
the real (peritable) council of the government,
the first wheelwork of our organization--a re-
union, of practical men celebrating projects Of
law in special committees, then discussing them
with closed doors, and without oratorical osten-
tation, in general assembly, next presenting
them to the acceptation of the Legislative body
Thus the government (pouuoir) will be free
in its movements, and enlightened in its pro-
gress.
Now, what will be the control exercised over
the assemblies
A chamber, which bears the title of the leg
islative body" votes the laws and the taxes. 1t
is elected by universal suffrage without the bal
lot (sans scrutin de hste). The people, choosing
each candidate singly, can the more easily appre-
ciate his merit
| The chamber is composed of about $50 men,
1