The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-01-25
THE GOvERNMENT or FRAncE,

H.
Legislative session, with the Empero
NAPoLEoN's speech on that occasion
ltmay not be without interest to give
our readers some accou ut of the man
ner in which France is governed anC
Ilegislaled for.
On December 2, 1862, the .Imperia
dignity was revived in the pc; son O
CHARLES Louis NAPOLEON BoxApARrR
who has since reigned as NApoLEos
III, and whose heir is the Prince I'm,
perinl, who will be ten years old II
March. In the event of his death. and
the Emperor not having any male heir
the succession TO the throne Of France
wonld descend 10 Prince NAPOLEON
Fton- Pon, son Of tho late Prince
JEROME BoNAPAETE and son-in law Of
the King of Italy. The Emperor 90.
verns France-nominaIly in coninnc.
ton with Senate, q Legislature BODY
and Council ofState. lie is ''the Ex.
ecutive," being independent of the
Senate ard the Corps Logislatif. He
appoints the Senators, and, when he
picases, may preside at their sittines
and those of the Council of State. His
allowance, as Civil List, is twenty
five millions of francs (s5, 900 ,OOO) a
year and all the jewels belonging to
the Crown, which cannot be alienatcd
without the sanction of law. '7Tr
/ The French Senate at present con.
sis:s of one hundred and sixty mem.
bers, including the French princes
who become members Of it at the age
OF eigbteen-evcry French Cardinal
and all the Marshals and AdmiraIs Of
France. The tenure ofofIice is for life.
and every Senator receives q salary OF
30, 900 francs year, making the pret.
ty sum total ofs96e, 1000 per annum.-
The Senate is understood to be the
guardian of the constitution, in which
it may propose notifications, not at
variance with its fundamental princi.
pies, but which must be submitted TO
the universal suffrage of the nation.-
The sittings of the Senate arc under a
President and Vice Presidents annual
ly appointed by the Emperor. Actu-
ally, the Senate is rather an honorary
than an active body.
The Corps Legislatif, corresponding
with our House Of Representatives and
the British House OF Commons, con.
sists of 262 members, elected by uni
yersal suffrage, in proportion of one
member to every 30, 900 electors. Each
Deputy sits for six years, and receives
$500 francs per month during the scs-
sion, which lasts three months-a total
Of S393,0 No Minister can be a
member OF this body. 1t may not re-
ceive any petitions. Itvotes or rejects
the bills presented to it, and the taxes.
1t cannot amend bill without the ap.
proval of the Council of State. The
Emperor can dissolve it, at will, but a
new one must be eonvoked within six
months. Virtually, the Senate and the
Legislative body have little than the
merest shadow ofpower. ..(
The Council of State, named by the
Emperor, consists of forty members,
the salary of each being $4,000 francs.
The members are removable at the
Emperor's will. These Councillors
frame the bills to be presented to the
legislative body, under the Emperur's
guidance, and decides, under the same
inspection, all difficulties which may
arise in administrative matters. Be.
sides the forty ordinary Councillors
there are fourteen more, not attached
to any particular section or depart
ment, and twenty extraordinary Coun-
cillors-the whole pay of these seven
ty six Councillors being $4,000 per
annum.
There also are forty ell-paid audi.
tors, forty masters of requests, and a
small brigade of secretaries and clerks
The Council of Ministers, over which
the Emperor usually presides, consists
of the Premier and the eight heads Of
the different State Departments-For
eign, War, Marine and Colonies, Fl
nance, Interior, Justice, Public lnstruc.
ton, and Agriculture and Commerce.
Eachreceives 100, 600 0francs--a further
total of $4,000 per annum. la
1t will thus be seen that the govern,
ing machinery of France is costly and
cumbrous. The Emperor is the State.
An official statement published last
year sets the number of paid function
aries in France at 600,O persons, not
including the army and navy and men
employed in manual labor.--Philadcl-
phia Press.