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

FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT
PARIS, JANUARY Is, 1852.
The lioaiteur of this day publishes as follows the
new Constitution, with the preamble
LOUIS NAPOLEON,
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC,
IN The name of he French People.
sFRENcnMEx! When, in my proclamation of the I'd
Of December, stated to you in all sincerity what WERE
according my IDEAS the vital condition Of government
in France, had not the pretension, common in
days. of substituting personal theory for the experience
ages On the contrary sought in the past what were
the best examples to follow, what had given them
and what benefit had resulted therefrom
Having done So considered only logical to prefer
the preceps Of genius to the pecous doctrines of of
abstract ideas. took model the political institutions
which already the beginning Of the present century in
analogous circumstances strengthened society when tot
terng and raised France high degree of prosperity
and grandeur
II selected as model those institutions which, in place
of disappearing at the first breath of popular agitaons
overturned only by all Europe being coalesced
against
In word said to myself Since France has existed
for the last fifty years only virtue of the administration
military judicial religious, and financial organization of
the Consulate and the Empire why should not adopt
likewise the political institutions of that period? AS they
were created by the mind they ought to bear in
themselves the same character of nationality and pract
cal utility.
In fact as stated in my proclamation our present
society, it is essential declare is nothing else than
France by the revolution of 89 and organized
by the Emperor Nothing remains of the old regime but
great "reminiscences and great benefits But all that was
then organized destroyed by the revolution and all
that has been organized since the revolution and which
! still exists, was done by Napoleon.
We have longer either provinces pays detot,
paraments ntendants farmers general or feudal
rights, privileged classes in exclusive possession of
civil and military employmens OF different religious ju
risdiction.
In so many things incompatible with itself had the
4 founding
any thing defnitive. The First Consul alone re-estab
lishcd the unity, the various ranks, and the verable
principles of government. They are still in vigor.
.Thus the administration of France entrusted to
prefects ubpreects and mayors who substituted unity
for the commissions of the Directory and the
trary the decision Of business given councils from the
commune to the department. Thus the magistracy
strengthened by the immortality of the judges, by the
various ranks of the tribunals justice rendered more
easy by the demtaon of attributons from the justice
of peace to the Court of Cessation All that is still
listing
q In the way admirable financial system the
Bank Of France the establishment of budgets the Court
of Accounts the organization of police and military
regulations, date from the same period
"For fifty years it is the Code Napoleon which regu-
ate the interests of citizens amongst themselves and it
is still the concordate which regulates the relations be-
fween the State and the Church.
In fne the greatest part of the measures which
,ern the progress of manufactures commerce. letters
sciences and the arts from the regulations of the Thea
Franchise those of the Institute from the insttu-
ton of the prudhommes the creation of the Legion of
Honor, were fixed by DEGREES of that time.
" 1t may then be affirmed that the framework Of our
social edce is the work Of the Emperor and that has
resisted his fall and three revolutions
" Why with the same origin should not the political
institutions have the chances of success?
sMy conviction long formed ON the point and it
is that account that submit to your judgment the
principal bases OF constitution borrowed from that of
the year g. When approved by you they will become the
foundation of our political constitution.
"Let examine what the spirit of them is.
Sin country, monarchca it has been for eight
hundred years. the central power has always gone
augmenting. The royalty destroyed the great vasss
the revolutions themselves swept away the obstacles which
opposed the rapid and uniform exercise Of authority In
this country of centrazaton public opinion has
ingy attributed to the head of the Government benefits
well evils And write the head of charter
that that chief is irresponsible be against the public
feelings TO want TO establish fiction, which has three
times vanished at the noise Of revolutions.
The present constitution, the contrary, declares
that the chief whom you have elected responsible before
you and that he has always the right to appeal to
Judgment in order that in solemn circumstances, you
may continue to him your confidence withdraw it.
| "being responsible, his action ought to be free and
unshackled Thence the obligation of his having minis
tiers who may be the honored and puisant auxares of
his thought but who no longer form responsible
Gill; composed Of mutually responsible members daily
obstacle TO the particular impulse Of the head Of the
State, the expression Of policy emanatng from the
Chambers and by that very circumstance exposed TO fire.
quent changes which prevent all spirit Of unity and all
application Of regular system
" Nevertheless, the higher man is placed the more
have placed in him the he has of enlightened
and conscientious councils Thence the creation Of a
Council Of State henceforward vertable council Of the
Government first wheel in organization collection OF
practical men, celebrating bills in special commissions
discussing them with closed DOORS without oratorcal
tentaon in general assembly and presenting them af
forwards for acceptance to the legislative body.
Thus, the Government Is free in its movements and
enlightened in what IL does.
"What is now to be the control exercised by the As
sembliesf
"A Chamber which takes the title Of legislative body,
the laws and the 1t elected by the universal
safrage, without srua de m The people, selecting each
candidate separately, easily appreciate the
merits Of each.
" The Chamber is net to be any longer composed Of
more than about 260 members That is first guaranty Of
calm Of the deliberations for only too often the nconss
ency and ardor Of passions have been to increase in
assemblies in proportion TO their number.
"The report Of the sttngs, which intended instruct
the nation Of what is going is longer formerly
publication drawn up by the Of the President Of the
Chamber, will be alone permitted.
The Legislative body discusses freely each law and
adopts rejects it. But it cannot introduce all Of
sudden those amendments which often dsarrange the
whole economy Of system and the ensemble Of the ORR
gna project Still more, it does not possess that pars
mentary initiative which the of such grave
abuses and which allowed each deputy substitute him
self Mt every for the Government by presenting pro-
ecs the least carefully studied and inquired into
The Chamber being longer in presence of the Min
sters various bills being supported by speakers
belonging the Council Of State time is lost vain
interpretations and passionate debates the only object Of
which to overturn the Ministers, in order to place