The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-10

valor, and the oe9ptry has found guar
antees Of ordek &lkd security which have
developed IT. resources and raised its
commences with France alone from TWEEN.
ty-one to seventy.Seven millions. AL
oppressed The hope. last year that Dur
expedition was approaching its tefmiri-'
atlon, am coming to an understandings
with the Emperor Macmillan to fix the
epoch for the feQ61l Of our troops before,
their return iseffectutted. without COM
promising the French interests which we
have been defending in that remote
toriously from a formidable struggle, has
re-established tho union. ahd sGIemnly
proclaimed the abolition of slavery.
France, which forgets no noble page Of
her history, offers up sincere wishes for
the prosperity of the great American re-
public, and for the maintenanee of the
amicable relations which soon will have
had century's duration. The emotion
produced In the United States by the
presence of our troops on the Mexican
soil will be pacified by the frankness of
our declarations. The American peo-
pie will comprehend that our expedi-
ton, to which we invited them, was not
opposed to Their interests. Two nations
equally jealous of their independence
ought to avoid every step which might
affect their dignity and their honor.
1t Is In the midst of populations salts
fled and confiding that our institutions
perform their functions. The munich
pal elections are conducted with the
greatest order and with the most entire
liberty. The laws upon coalitions, which
gave rise to some apprehensions, have
been carried out with strict impartiality
on the part of those interested. The
working class, intelligent as it is, has
cOmprehended that the more facility is
accorded to 1t to discuss its interests the
more it is bound to respect the liberty
of each and the security ofall. The in
quiry into the cooperative societies has
come, to demonstrate how Just were the
bases of the law which had been laid
before you on this important subject.
This law will permit the establishment
of numerous associations to the benefit
of labor and providence. In order to
favor the development of them, / have
decided that authorization to meet to-
gether shall be accorded to all sthose
who, outside of politics, may desire to
deliberate respecting their industrial and
commercial interests. This liberty will
be unlimited except by the guarantees
which public order requires. The equi.
librium of the budget is secured by q
surplus of revenue. In order to attain
this result it, was necessary to effect
economy in the greater part OF the pub.
lie services, among others inatbe War
| Department..
The army being on peace footing
there was only the alternative of redu-
cling either the regiinental cddres or the
effective. The latter measure. was inns
practicable, since the regiments hardly
mustered the necessary strength ofmen.
The good of the service counseIled even
their augmentation. BY suppressing
the cadres of two hundred and twenty
companies, forty.six squadrons and for
ty batteries, but dividing the. men
among the remaining companies and
| squadrOns, we lave rather strengthen
ed than weakened our regiments. Nat
ural guardian of the interests of the
army, would not have consented to
these reduction, Il they had necessarily
altered our military Organization or
broken the existence of men whose SER
vices and devotion have been able to
appreciate. IN
The budget of the public works and
that of education have not undergone
any diminutiOn. 1t was of use to pre-
serve to the grand enterprises of the
state their fertile activity, and to main.
tain the energetic impulse Of public in
struction. s.9 AoilAi9osf' 81
Agriculture has made great progress
since 1852. At this moment it suffers
from the lowering of the price of cere-
ais. That depreciation is the necessary
consequence of the plenty of the har-
vests, aud of the suppression Of the
sliding scale. have thought 1t useful
to open a serious inquiry into the con-
dition and needs OF agriculture. It
will, am convinced, confirm the prin-
ciples of commercial liberty. 3Faf
In the midst of always increasing
prosperity pnqpiet spirits, under the
| pretext of discussing the liberal progress
| of the government, wOnld hinder IL from
marching by taking from 1t all force and
and initiative. The cOnstitutiQn of S5g,
submitted1tO the acceptance of the PEG.
| Die, undertook to establish system,
| nationally and wisely based upon the
| lust equilibrium between the different
powers Of the State. 1t Is at an equal
| distance from two extreme situations.
With Chamber, mistress of the fate of
Ministers, the Executive is without
authority and without spiriH In the
same way it is without eontrok If the
elective chamber is not independents and
| in possession of the legitimate preroga,
two. Our constitutional forms, which
have certain analogy with those ofthe
| United States, are not deficient because
they differ from those of England. Each
people should have institutions confor-
mable to its genius and traditions. As
suredly every government has its de-
fects; but casting look at the past l
rejoice in seeing at the end of fourteen
YEARS France respected abroad, tranquil
within, without political 'pfisoners, With
out exiles beyond its frontiers. N.
The nation for four score years has
amply discussed theories of government
It lie now no longer useful to seek the
theoretical means of improving the
moral and material conditions of the
people, Let us employ ourselves in
threading everywhere Intelligence, heal.
thy, ecopomic doctrines, the love of
What is good, and religious principles.
Let us solve by the freedom Of our tram
sactions the difficult problem of the
Just distribution of productive forces,
and let us attempt to ameliorate the
condition of labor in the fields as in the
workshops, When all Frenchmen in.
vestad with political rights shall have
been enlightened by education, they will
discern the truth without difficulty, and
will not suffer themselves to be seduced
by possible theories. When all those
IL IL L.