Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-14

culary Of the payment which we received month ago.
JANUARY l6.--At last we have Louis NApo-
LIENS new Constitution for the French people
Oar first perusal of it leads to regard it as the
very burlesque of representative government, the
parody Of all that has been adopted in really free
countries Power without responsibility; debates
without publicity; a lower house without the power
to originate law or modify budget an upper
house without either hereditary dignity OF elective
origin a Government which is nothing but po-
lice; and an army whose duty is merely that of
geadaymes. Such is the political system solemnly
proposed for and to France in the middle of the nine
teenth century!
The Jesuits in France have received check in
their campaign against free-masonry. Prince LUoIEN
MURAT has been elected Grand Master in France,
and the President has authorized his cousin to accept
the Office. The new fve-franc pieces, bearing the
efigy of the President, have been issued General
CAvAIGNAc has applied to the Minister at War to
be permitted to retire from the army A notice has
been posted up the saloon of the Theatre Francois
warning the public not to talk politics they walk
up and down. LAMARTINE's " History of the Res
toraton" is not allowed to be advertised for sale.
These are singular proofs of republican liberty
From SPAIN we learn that serious outbreak of
the military had occurred at Madrid. The most
dangerous insubordination existed in three regi-
ments; the troops cried " Yea la Republica -
The Ccrtes was closed In several parts of the city
the soldiers who remained faithful were attacked by
the mob and very rudely handled. Three soldiers Of
the revolving party had been taken and shot secretly
Further accounts anxiously looked for.
LONDON, JANUARY 90, 1852.
| A very brief survey Of LOUIS NAPoLEoN's auto
cratic Government Of France-for he has, in fact,
been nothing more nor less than a supreme, uncon-
trolled and absolute dictator since he uttered the
words " Je le jare" when he accepted his position
and the Constitution-will furnish evidence of the
steady march with which that individual has adj
vanced towards the present apparent attainment Of
his object. A very clever pamphlet, " Reoision de
Ia Constitution" published at Paris, but bearing no
date enables to trace step by STEP the progress
of the President from his inauguration to the pre-
sent time.
The oath which he took when inaugurated was as
follows
In the presence of God and Of the French people here
represented by the National Assembly, to
main faithful to the ndivisble and democratic
public, and to fulfil all the duties imposed upon by
the Constitution"
LOUIS NAPOLEON frequently and voluntarily
renewed this pledge, the last time not than a
week or two before he openly unmasked himself
The 68th article of the Constitution says:
"Any measure by which the President of the Repub-
lie should dissoue the 1ssemb prorogue it,
pose any obstacle TO tie Of functions, is Of
HIGH TREASON. By this mere act the President is
deprived Of all his functions the country is bound 10 refuse
h obedience the erecnUe pocer passes al and by
right into the hands Of the National Assembly. THE
JUDGES of the HIGH CoURT JUSTICE bound to
semble Immediately, to summon jury, and proceed i'm
medately to the trial of the President and has accomlces
As respects this article of the Constitution, the
President has, within the last six weeks, acted in
its direct contravention, and perjured himself, by
" dissolciag The assembly" The Assembly, or con-
siderable portion of it. did its utmost to support the
Constitution, and carry out this its 68th article by
proclaimng the President traitor, "depriving him
of all his functions" and absovng the citizens from
all obedience to him" The Judges of the High
Court of Justice met, and proceeded until dismiss
ed by the police and soldiery, in making arrange
mcnts for the trial of the President and his ac-
completes for high treason" All the French func-
tionaries who were called upon by this 6sth article
of the Constitution have faithfully responded to its
call, excepting the President and he has set it at
utter defiance.
BY the Constitution LOUIS NAPoLEoN's Presi-
dency would legally expire in March next, and by
that same Constitution lie was not re-elgible.
There, then, did not exist any very possible object
which the Assembly could have in disturbing
power which it had supported for three years. cord
ally at first, and substantially to the last and which
was now on the point of expiring by due course of
law. As the Quarterly Re0ieo says well upon this
point:
I" That the parties must have thought and thought
anxously about the choice and the chances of
sor cannot be doubted but what that to him person
ally. He out Of the question: the law that had
made him President and which he had soemnly sworn
to obey, about to unmake him, and had funda-
mental principle of the Constitution prohibited his
election What then, had faction conspiracy to do
against BonaparteG Common sense-even If there were
not the superabundant evidence Of factsmust answer
nothingi"
Now let us look on the other side of the subject,
and ask, had faction and conspiracy nothing to do
FOR LoUIs NAPOLEON? Turning over the history
of France since the election Of the President we
find the following facts, proving, we think, that
Louis Napoleon's coup detat Of the I'd ultimo, al
though FASTENED, no doubt, by the alleged hostility
Of the Assembly, on whose behalf or in whose de-
fence we have not word to say, was part Of and
an important step in long projected plan of over
eaping the barriers of the Constitution and break
ing up the existing institutions of France Sir
FRANCIS HEAD, in his late publication, s" A Bundle
Of French Fagot," shows that the Citizen President
expected to be addressed by the title of MoNsEIG-
NEUR-as Prince Of de Blood The Constitution
had jealousy provided Cart SOY that the President
should never have any personal command of the
army but Louis Napoleon very soon exhibited him
self in military uniform, surrounded himself with
an etatmqjor, aids-de-camp, &C., and was accompa-
MED every where by military escort, and reviewed
the troops and distributed orders and honors with
exactly the same forms that the military emperor
and the constitutional sovereigns used to employ
"a L.