The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-04-27
President NapOleOM's Speech
on the adoption of tic
dInppgyifugfsn snun

les deputies: lhc Dictatorship thaC
the people intrusted to me ceases from
this day: 1t is With Ii feeling Of real
satisfaction that come to proclaim
here the realization of the Constitution;
for my constant anxiety has been not
only to establish order, but to render
it lasting by giving to France institu-
tions suited to her wants. You re
member, gentlemen, that only some
months ago, the more ! limited myself
to the strict circle ofmy functions, tho
more was it attempted to coninc me,
in order to deprive me Of movement
and of action. Often discouraged, |
avow, thought of abandoning an an
thority that was so disputed. What
prevented me was, that | toresaw the
occurrence of one thng-anarchy. In
fact on all sides destructive passions
became more exalted, and incapable
of founding anything. Nowhere was
there IN institution Or All individual to
whom to attach oneself. Nowhere
was there right that was not dispu-
tcd-an organization Of any kinda
system capable of realization.
I'm like manner, when, thanks to the
assistance of some courageous men,
thanks especially to the energetic ntti-
tudc Of the army, every danger was
banished in few hours, my first care
was to demand institutions for the
people. For long time society re
scmbled II pyramid attempted to be
turned upside down, and set on its
summit. have replaced it OH its base.
Universal suffrage, the only source of
right i'll such colljuncturcs, was inne-
diately established; authority re-
gained its asccndancy; at length,
France adopting the principal provis-
ions of tho Constitution submitted to
it, was allowed to create the political
bodies whose influence and weight will
be MI the greater as their functions
will have been wisely regulated
Among political institutions those are
! in fact the only ones that endure, and
I. aaSsh, fix iii an cuuitahle manner the
;;r3l SsssSswhicbt. Il
of liberty. The examples OF such arc arc
'io' '"i ui''trie itoiii 10. w ny, Ill To-
IA, was the commencement of par
liamentary regime, in spite of all our
reverses, seen with rtisiaction! 1t
was because the Empc r-lct us not
fear to avow it-had been, on account
of the war, led into too absolute excr-
else of power. Why, on the contrary,
in 1851, did France applaud the fall
of that same parliamentary reyimek-
1t was because tho Chamber abused
the influence that had endangered the
general equilibrium. In fine, why
does France remain unmovcd ut the
restrictions on the liberty Of the press
and OF individuals! Because the one
had degeneratcd into license, and the
other, in place Of being the regulated
exercise OF the rig ght OF each, had by
odious eXcesscs Inenaccd the rights OF
all.
That extreme danger, especially
for Dcmocracics, or necessarily seeing
institutions, i'll defined. sacrifice by
turns authority or liberty, was perfect
ly appreciated by our fathers half Il cen
tury since, when OH issuing from the
revolutionary storm, and after fruit
less essay OF every kind of regime.
they proclaimed the Constitution OF
the Year VIII, which served as the
model for 1852. Doubtless it docs
not sanction all these liberties to the
abuse of which we were habituutcd.
but it consccratcs many OF them. On
the day after revolution the first of
the guarantees for people does not
consist i'll the immediate use OF the
tribune and press; it is in the right Of
choosing the Government that suits it.
Now the French nation has given
(pcrhaps for the first timc) to the world
the imposing spectacle of IL great pco-
Pie voting in all liberty the form OF its
Government. Thus, the Chief of the
Stale, whom you have before YOU. is
truly the expression OF the popular
will. And before me wha, do | sec
Two Chanbcrs-tIlc one elected in
virtue Of the most liberal law existing
in the world; the other named by me.
it is true, but also independents, mas
much as it is irrcmovabIc. Around
me you observe men Of known patriot
ism and merit, always ready to sup.
port me with their councils, and to en-
Tighten me Oh the necessities OF the
country.
"This Constitution, which from this
day forward is to be put into execution,
is not then the work of Il vain theory
and of dcspotism; it is the work of en-
pcricncc and of reason. You will aid
Inc, gentlemen, to consolidate, to cx-
tend and amclioratc it. | will conmu-
uicatc to the Senate and to the Corps
Lcgislatit' the situation OF thc Republic.
They will see there that confidence has
been everywhere rc-cStabislcd; that
labor has been resumed everywhere:
and that, for the first time after n great
political change, the public fortune has
increased in place of diminishing. For
tho last four months it has been posi- ,
bic for my Government to encourage
many useful enterprises, to reward
many services, to relieve much distress.
even to elevate the DOSitiOn of th. |