Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1853-01-01
Maj. for L. Napoleon. Emperor :. 547, u,

/ NOUS cries OF Vtte kEHapefenry IBibe
diately afterwards lie Cotp4 i.rgisla.
wen, to vt. Cloud en- cossaap'. 10 present
the resnlt to the Emperor.
The folIbWni1 Is the SPEECH Of Nj. Bnl
| lnu,, tie President Of tie Legislatl
/ Corps, OH pre- s.iIiing The number Of voies
Siyc--We lay before yont Majesty the
solemn expression of the National Will
! In the midst of the ovatious which were
decreed to you by popular enthusiasm,
you showed no anxiety to assume crown
which was offered to yon on all sides, but
desired that France should have time for
reflection you wished that the supreme
decision. by which people, master Of it.
self disposes sovereignty Of Its destiny,
should ouly be taken eooly aud in CONF
plete liberty.
Your wish, Sire, is accomplished; a
| free ballot, secret aud open to all, has been
honestly examined under the eyes Of all,
suming up s.00O,OOO votes--it gives 10
the legitimacy of your Governments the
widest basis on which any Government
in the world has ever been established.
From this day when 5000. 600 votes col.
lected for you by the Government itself
which they called you to replace, deposit-
ed IN your hands the fate of the country,
France at each new ballot has marked by
addtioual millions Of votes the continued
increase of her confidence In you. With.
out. as within her municipalities, in. her
fetes as in her votes--eyeryw where, her feel
ings have burst forth from one end of the
country to the other, focking on your
steps, Fastening from all parts to salute
the man Of their hopes and of their faith.
Our people have sufficiently made known
to the world that you are their Lmperor---
the Emperor chosen by the prople--and
that you carry with You that national spirit
which, on tie day marked on. by Proyi.
dence, crowns new dynasties and sets
them IN the place Of those which it no
longer animates
Taking shelter undersn immense recol.
lection Of glory, under what it holds most
precious--its honor abroad, its security at
home, and those immortal principles OF
1888 the firm basis Of new French soci-
ETY., SO powerfully organized by the En-
peror your uncle. Our naton again rails.
es up with prond love, that dynasty OF
the Bonaparts which sprung from him,
aud which was not overthrown by French.
hands. But while preserving a proud re
tnembrance Of the great events Of war, lit
hopes to find from you resolute. prompt,
aud prosperous government In order 10
aid you III it. 1t surrounds you with all it's
synipaillies--it delivers itself wholly up to
you. Take then, Sire, take from tile
hands OF France that glorious crown which
il offers you; never has a royal brow
worn one more legitimate or more popl,-
lar.
Tothis speech the Emperor replied
"GcntleMsss--The new reign which
you this day inang,rate is not founded, as
SO many others mentioned in history have
heen, on violence. conquest, aud strata
gem ;it is, as you have just declared. tile |
legal result Of the will Of a whole people,
consolidating during the cain that which |
it founded iGi the midstof agitation.
~ am deeply grateful to the nation
which three times IN four years has sup
ported me with its suffrage. and each
time has but augmented its majority to in
crease my power.
"But the more that power gains in ex.
tent aud in vital force, tue more need it
has of enlightened men--like those who
every day surround nle-.-of independent,
men, like those whom address--to guide
me BY their advice and to contain nv
authority within just limits, fever ii could
stray beyond them.
II take this day. with the crown, the
name of. Napoleon III, because the logic Of
the, people has already bestowed Il upon
me with acclamation, because tile Senate
has legally proposed il, and because IT has
beenraiilied by the whole nation.
Does thissmean that iii accepting this
title. ! fall into the error attributed to tile
Prince who returning from exile. declared
null and void all which had l,een done IN
his absence II Such sentiment Is far
from my thought.
Not only do recognize the Govern.
ments which have proceeded me. butt inI
some measure inherit what they accom-
plished, for good and tot evil for succeed.
ing Governments, notwithstanding their
different origin, are each party 10 the
acts Of their predecessor.
But the more readily / accept all that,
for fifty years history transmits to us with
is iDaexibie authority, the less was ii al
|owed me % pass overin silence the gIori.
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