Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-12-08
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EMPIRE
IN FRANCE

ings of the Senate on the 4th 9th, and 7th OF
Nov, the address of Prince Jerome to the Sen
ate, the Presidents Message, the proposition OF
the ten Senators for the establishment of the
Empire, and the report of the Commission rec
ommending the establishment of the Empire.
The Senatus consultum adopted by the Senate,
consists of eight articles:
Art l. The Imperial dignity is re-establish-
ed. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is Emperor, I'M
der The name of Napoleon III.
2. The Imperial dignity is hereditary in the
direct and legitimate descendants OF Louis Napo-
leon Bonaparte, from male to male, by order OF
primogeniture, to the perpetual exclusion OF fe-
males and their descendants.
3. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, if he has no
male child, may adopt the legitimate children and
descendants in the male line OF the brothers OF
the Emperor Napoleon |. The forms of adop-
ton are regulated by a SeaatuS cOnsultum. IT,
after this adoption, male children should be born
to Louis Napoleon, his adaptive children cannot
be called on to succeed him until after his legit-
to the successors Of Louis Napoleon, and to their
descendants
A. Louis Napoleon regulates, by an organic
decree addressed to the Senate, and deposited
in its archives, the order of succession to the
should leave no legitimate or adaptive heir.
5. In default of legitimate or adaptive heir
of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, and of the sue
cessors in collateral line, who shall derive their
right in the above mentioned oganc decree, a
Senatus consuhum, proposed to the Senate by
the Ministers formed into Council of Govern
ment united to the Presidents of the Senate, of
the Legislative Body, and Of the Council of
State, and submitted to the acceptance of the
people, names the Emperor and regulates in his
family the hereditary order from male to male,
TO the perpetual exclusion of females and their
descendants. Until the moment when the cleo
ton of the new Emperor is consummated, the
affairs of State are governed by the Ministers in
Office, who shall form themselves into Council
of Government, and deliberate by majority of
votes.
6. The members Of the family of Louis Ma
poleon Bonaparte called eventually to the sue
cession, and their descendants of both sexes
form part of the Imperial family. A Senatus
consultum regulates their position. They can
not marry without such authorization of the
Emperor Their marriage without such author
ization entails privation of all hereditary right
as we'll for him who contracts it as for his de-
scendants.
7. The Constitution of the 9Th January, 1852
is maintained in all provisions which are not con-
trary to the present Senatus consuhum; there
cannot be any modification made in it, except in
the forms and by the means herein prescribed
s. The following proposition shall be present
cd to the acceptance of the French people, in the
forms determined by the DEGREES Of the I'd and
4th of December, 1851 "The people wish for
the re-establishment of the Imperial dignity in
the person of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, with
hereditary right in his direct descendants, either
legitimate or adaptive, and give him the right to
regulate the order of succession to the throne
in the Bonaparte family, as provided for by the
Senatus consultum of = November, 1852"
NJ Mermaid, first Vice President of the Sem
ate, on presenting the above Senatus conSultum
to the Prince President, addressed him as fol-
lows:
Monsegneur: When a great country like
France makes its voice heard, the first duty Of
the political body to which she addresses herself
is to listen and reply. Such were the ideas of
your Highness in calling for the meditations of
the Senate on this vast movement of public
opinion, which has manifested itself with so
much ensemble and energy. The Senate has
understood that this striking manifestation is
justified at the same time by the immense SER
vices which you have rendered, by the name
which you bear, and by the guarantees which
are given to the future by the greatness of your
character and the wisdom and firmness of your
mind. 1t has understood that, after so many
revolutions, France feels the want of putting
her destnies under the shelter of powerful
and national Government, which only holding to
the past by the souvenirs of her glory and the le-
gitimacy of her origin, now again finds in popu-
lar sanction the elements of its force and Of its
duration. The Senate glores, Monseigneur, in
being the faithful interpreters of their wishes
and sentiments of the country, in placing in your
hands the Senatus conSultum which calls you to
the Empire"
The Prince made the following reply
"Messieurs les Senateurs: | thank the SEN
ate for the readiness with which it has respond
ed to the wishes of the country, in celebrating
on the re-establishment of the Empire, and in
drawing up the Senatus consultum, which is to
be submitted to the acceptance Of the people
When, forty-eight years since, in this same pal
ace, in this same room, and under analogous cir
cumstances the Senate came to offer the crown
to the chief of my family, the Emperor replied
in these memorable words-'My spirit will no
longer be with my posterity from the day when
it shall cease to merit the love and the conf
dence of this great nation What now most
affects my heart is the thought that the spirit of
the Emperor is with me, that his ideas guide
me, that his shade protects me. since, by q SOL