The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-12-18
Nitbuunh gispatfb.
fuWoAY MoaF7Na ....... DEC "a ,sse,
Representative Government In France.

80 = ~ .-.s-.--. .....--~-~---..-->-~~~-~~-
Rrprssentativs Government In Frsnce.
Itis the fault OF deepotic governments mat
the reisnins prince IL almost always behind
The times In which he lives. He Is never
brought fass to face with his people. The
wants and requirements Of his age are mys-
,eries which 1t passss hts ability to fathom.--
To him the world always stands stiii, and So
~i..y 10 as stationary as the world. Ii the last
generation was sstisAsd with certain aye
tom. he cannot zee why the present should
no, 10. Prosre is word the meaning of
which he cannot be brought to cornpieh.nd.--
I. word. oe 70 almost sure to b. what we
ws An-riosns cali an old tosy. and an old
f. q, nj The head " great AID enlightened
raiol 10 an obsiacis TO all improvement
The Emperor NArotgos seems TO form
signal exception 10 All other absolute rulers.
No man understands The spiris of the times
mois thoroughly, and no government In exist
snee sdzpts S~it more rsadIiy TO The reQaire-
ments of The age than his. he has just granted
70 the CHAMBER OF Uepnues the iIght TO vote
sdarses 10 The tnrone. In reply To the I'M
t.rIai spsecn, aud upon InIs yste Is TO depend
the continuance OF the Ministry In power. In
other words, he has placed the Cham Der OF
I,euuties In this respect, on the Same footing
with the Parliament of Great Britain, aud
mus far has Converted his government into a
vvprsesn tauve government. When we recoi-
Iect hist unIy-rsal suffrage prevails IN France,
he sffsot of this Concession ia popuiarlzius
the government Will a. oEoe bs Understood.
II, upon q vote on the address, Ministers De In
minority, they Will resign and give place TO
cihers. The right thus acq uired want. moth
inK but age 10 perfect 1t. IN the course of
time, If undisturbed, II Will grow into pre-
.eription, and the French Constitution will
thus assume a position as secure as that of
England. Toe Question Is, Will II be allowed
10 sIand logS enough, in a country which
Keeps .ix luz dred thousand men under arIns,
- beaoms prescriptiyeI In ordinary cases,
we should answer in the negative. We have,
ia general, bat poor opinion OF that liberty
which is enj yed In the midst of stand lng
nrmy. Military men are proven bially dis.
posed 10 solve all questions. BY this sword, and,
like their great exemplsr, 10 cot the Gordian
Knot whenever they lind II a little hard 10 un =
tie We ara not disposed TO think such Will
be the case Ia the present instance.
Its well known that NAPOLEON declared,
many years since, his wish TO establish Con.
sti uiional Government In France, provided
he cou d mud it possible to make the attempt
with any hope of success. This declaration
on his part was received with very general in
cred Utility, and the question Was asked, with
some pertinence, why he did not do it, II such
were really his wish. Those who doubted his
sincerity dad not take into consideration the
difficulties Of his position. He had seized upon
the reins of government, 10 preserve no, only
hi. own life, but the very shadow OF civiliza-
lion from the attempts Of q powerful con-
spiracy, the success OF which would have in
trCduued the horrors of anarchy aud civil
war. To preserve his position, and 10 say e
France, he found il necessary 10 knit together
al! the powers Of government in his W Il hand
He was placed In q most perllous petition. He
had 10 guard not only against,the reaction OF
ths Red publican spirit, and the party of
the Duke OF Bordea ux, but against all the DIES
potIsms OF Europe, who. however they might
rel ,ice 10 see the Republic overthrown, were
by no means disposed to couIt-nance SO rude
an Invasion OF the prescriptive right OF legiti.
macy, In the person OF mele adventure
i must BIS recollected, toe, that while the
stnv, always 8 power TOO formidable &c
hs dsspiseo. especially IN France, favored
h.s pretensicne, il was solely on account Of
bis ss~e and not upon any recollection
of glory obtained under his leadership
Universal suffrage had indeed proved hin tC
% he choice of the nation but victory was
still necessary TO confirm his claims upon the
Army. The campaign OF 1859, the battles
OF Magenta and Soitsrino, this liberation
81 Italy, and all the mighty consequences
OF HE victories aud his policy, have estab.
Nshed him 50 successfully in ths affection OF
the French Army that he can now afford
without danger tc himself or to France, 10
share with the represen tatives Of the people
thlt responsibility which, In the present age,
1s beccming too heavy for any individual
nenarrh singly 10 bear. The dynasty OF Ma.
sobAoN becomes indssolu oily associa ted with
lbs establishment Of representative govern.
ment and will form It's distinctive feature In
ali IutuTs contee Is for The throne. We do net
believe that NAPOLEON will ever think Of re-.
tracing these concessions, for the sim pie rea-
con that he would never oave made them had
he not been convinced that they were req uired
by the progress OF the age. Events in Italv.
and the absolute inability Of the despotic pow
eTs 10 arrest them, from a sense of insecurity
o. home, point cut 10 him quite surely the
direction In which the popular sentiment of
Europe Is moving, ana the authority il is ex-
src,sing over governments.
In order that our readers may more fully
appreciate the importance of the changes
made In the organic law of France, we sub.
join The decree which makes them:
Napoleon, by the grace of 6od and the national
Will Emperor OF the French, to all present and
future, greeting
"neslrins 70 AFFORD to the gr.at bodies of the
state more direct participation in the genera,
poioy OF eur eoveTnment, and n marked proof OF
our confidence, we have decreed and decree .
fDliowsI
Article The Senate and Corps Lsgi.Iatif
shall annually vote al Sddress in reply TO our
speech = the opening oil the session.
presence al Government Commissioners, who III
sve TO the hanbere the necessary explanations
on the home and foreign policy OF the Empire.
ARR IoiieIiit6ie 10 he legislative body the
expression ~ rs OF. mon IN framing laws and the
exercise OF the rish of anne nd meut article 81 Of
our decree of the I'D of March, 1859 ia re ylyed
xn the regulation OF the legislative body is mudI-
Ned IN the foio OWING manner:
immediately after the distribution of the pro-
}sss dc Iot. and on Day fixed sy the President.
the LEGISLATIVE BODY. before appointing its com
seneral dssassos W. be opened on The pr ojsts
Dc tot, IN Which the Government Commissioners
This re-. aiation is not applicable either to pro
jts ds Iet or local interest or 10 cases Of ency
Ar With view to render the ropoTts of
the debates In the neIats and ieslsiatIfe body
more prompt SUD more complete. the GLOW, nl
fore the Senate.
he reports of The sittings of tbs Senate and
otihe legislative body. drawn up by secretary re-
Porters. placed uader the authority Of the Presi
ia the urnals. Moreover. the DEBATES of each
s!t'Ins shsl ne take down 10 shurthsn md and pub
.ishsd "a szts~'S IN the OH i4i paper of the fol
tov.ng day
''Art.6. As long ~ the session lasts the Empe-
.ot via appo NJ mini tiers wi,hour portfolios to
defend he projects dc ioi OF the government be-
SIRE hs Ch ,,aber~, in concert with the members
ol ths sncii oil State
art 8. The Ministry Of oar Household Is sup
GRAND SsrshaI of the Palace " 'Ao
an. T. Tho MlnisiyJ for Algeria and the colo