Newbern weekly progress., 1861-03-05
VOLUME III.
THE EMPEROR'S SPEECH.


4th inst, The Emperor Napoleon commenced
his speech by explaining the measures of re-
form which had been accorded to the Cham
bers and then adverted to the industrial and
commercial affairs of the county, and the econ
omic reforms accomplished by the treaty with
England and by projected treaties with other
countries. 80 >.
duction in duties the budget presents a bal
ance without any addition to the imposts or to
the nublic credit On foreign affairs he spoke
as follows.
s.As regards the exterior have endeavored
to prove. in my relations with foreign powers,
that France sincerely desires peace, and that,
without renouncing legitimate influence, she
does not pretend to. interfere in any place where
her interests are concerned; and, hnally, that
if she sympathises with all that is great and
noble she does not hesitate to condemn every
thino which violates inter national right and
justice
Events. difficult to be foreseen have combined
in ItaIv to complicate q state of things already
embarrassed. My Government, agreeing with
it's allies, has considered that the best means of
obviating the greatest dangers was to have re-
course to the principle of non-interVentlon,
which leaves each country master of its desti-
ny, localizes questions, and prevents them
from degeneratng into European conflicts
I certainly am not ignorant that this system
possesses the inconvenience of appearing to
authorize many grievous excessss. Extreme
views would prefer another course-some that
France should participate and make common
cause in every revolution others that France
should place herself at the head OF general re-
action. | will not allow myself to be diverted
from nv path by those opposite inducements
1t is sufficient for the greatness OF the country
that her rights be maintained in the quarters
in which they are incontestible, to defend its
honors wherever it may be attacked, and to at
ford her support where it is suppllcated by
inst cause 1t is thus that we have main
| tanned our rights in causing the recognition Of
the cesson of Savoy and Nice. These
provinces are now irreVocably united to
! France.
It is thus that to avenge our honor in the
extreme East our flag, united with that
| of Great Britain, floats victoriously over the
walls of Pekin, and that the cross, emblem
! of christian civilization, again surmounts III
| the capital of China the temples of our religion
which have been closed for more than a centu-
nv. 1t is thus that in the name of humanity
! our troops have gone to Syria, in virtue OF a
European convention, in order to protect the
christian against blind fanaticism. At Rome
have considered it necessary to increase
the garrison when the security of the Holy
Father appeared to be threatened. | have
sent nv fleet to Gaeta at the moment when
it seemed that it must be the last refuge of
the King of Naples After have allowed it
to remain there four months [ withdrew it
| However worthy of sympathy might be a royal
misfortune so nobly defended, the presence OF
our war vessels obliged US to depart every
day from the system of neutrality which had
proclaimed and gave rise to erroneous intcrpre-
tation; but you know that in policy one hardly
believes in the possibility of pure disnter-
ested step. Such is a rapid exposition Of the
general situation. Let every apprehension,
| therefore, be dissipated, and let confidence be
re-established Why should not commercial
and industrial affairs assume a new develop
ment? My firm resolution is not to enter into
any conflict in which the cause of France shoulc
not be based on right and justice.
What, then, have we to fear? Can unltec
and compact nation, numbering forty millions
of souls fear to be drawn into struggles th'
aim of which she could not approve or to b'
provoked by any menace whatever? The frs
virtue Of people is to have confidence in 1t
self and not allow itself to be disturbed by i'm
arinary alarms. Let us, then, calmly regarC
the future in the full consciousness Of ou
strength, as we'll as our honorable intentions
Let US engage, without exaggerated pre-occu
pations, in the development of the germs o
prosperity that Providence places in our hands.