Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-05
THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

the Opening Of the Chambers.
The following is the text of the speech
from the throne delivered Jan. Is, by the
Emperor Napoleon at the opening of the
French Chambers:
MessieurS les Senateurs, Messieurs les
Deputies: The speech address you every
year at the opening of the session is the
sincere expression of the thoughts which
guide my eonduct. To explain frankly
to the nation before the great bodies of
the State the progress Of the government
is the dnty of the responsible chief of a
free country. The task which we have
undertaken together is arduous. 1t is
not, indeed, without difficulty, that on a
soil shaken by so many revolutions, a
government is founded sufficiently inn
pressed with the wants Of the age to
adopt all the benfits of liberty, and sufi-
GENTLY strong to bear even Its excuses.
The two laws which you passed during
the last session, and the object of which
was the development of the principle Of
free discussion, have produced two oppO-
site effects, which it may be useful to
point out On the one hand, the press
and public meetings have created in cer-
tain quarter lactious agitation, and
have caused the temperance Of ideas
and passions which were believed TO be
extinguished; but, on the other hand, the
nation remaining insensible to the most
violent excitement, and relying upon my
firmness for the maintenance of order,
has not felt its faith in the future shaken.
Remarkable coincidence The more
adventurous and subversive minds sought
to disturb public tranquility; so much the
more profound became the peace of tie
country; commercial transactions reas-
sumed fruitful activity; the public rev.
enues increased considerably, the public
interests were treasured, and the greater
part of the recent elections gave new
support to my government The army
law and the subsidies granted to your pa
triOtism have contributed to strengthen
the confidence of the country, and in the
just consciousness of its pride it expe.
rienced a real satisfaction the moment it
learnt that it was in position to confront
every eyentuality. The land and sea for
ces, strongly constituted, are upon a
peace footing The effective strength of
the active army does not exceed that
which existed under former systems, but
our armament rendered perfect, our arse,
mails and our magazines filled, our re-
serves well trained, the National Garde
Mobile in course Of organization, our feet
reconstructed, and our strOngholds in
good condition, give to our power a de-
velOpment which was indispensable.
The constant object of my efforts is at
tanned, and the military resources of
France are benceforward on a level with
its destiny in the world In this position
we can loudly proclaim our desire to
maintain peace. There is no weakness
in our saying so when we are ready to de-
fend the honor and the independence of
our country.
Our relations with foreign power are
most friendly. The revolution which has
broken ont beyond the Pyrenees has not
altered our good relation with Spain, and
the Conference, to stihe a threatening
conflict in the East, is a great act Of
which we should appreciate the impor-
lance This Conference approaches its
termination, and all the Plenipotentiaries
have agreed upon the principles calcula
ted to bring about reconciliation be-
tween Greece and Turkey If therefore,
as | firmly hope, nothing shall arise to
disturb general harmony, it will be our
fortune to realize many projected ims
provements, and we shall endeavor TO
solve all the practical questions raised by
agricultural investigations
Public works have been endowed
parochial roads are being constructed
Education of all classes continues to be
successfully developed, and, thanks to
the periodical increase of the revenue,
we shall be able to devote all our solicit
tude to the diminution of public burdens
The moment is drawing nigh when, for the
third time since the establishment of the
Empire, the Legislative body will be
constituted afresh by general election,
and each time it will have attained the
limit of its legal duration-a thing herC~
tofore unknown. This regularity is due
to the harmony which has always existed
between us, and to the confidence which
| feel in the sincere exercise of universal
suffrage The popular masses are staunch
III bHClT ldleu Us III thClE huCElIDuS, anu
if noble passions are able to rouse them,
sophism and cslumny scarce rufie the
surface Sustained by your appreciation
and your concurrence. | am thoroughly
resolved to perseVere in the course which
/ have laid downfall is to say, to
adopt all real progress, but also to mains
tain without discussion, the essential ba-
sis of the constitution which the nation
al vote has placed under shelter from all
attacks "A good tree is known by the
fruits it BEARS say the Gospel
Well, if We cast a gla ice at the past,
which is the Government that has given
to France seventeen years of ever. lbs
creasing quiet and prosperity Certain
ly every Government is liable to error,
and fortune does not smile upon all enter
pTises, but that which constitutes my
strength is the fact that the nation does
not ignore that for twenty years | have
not had single thought, have not done
a single deed, of which the motive was
other than the interest and greatness of
France. Nor is it ignorant Of the eirs
cumstanee that | was the first 10 desire
a rigorous control over the conduct of af-
fairs; that with this object increased
the powers of the deliberative assemblies,
persuaded that the real support of a
Government is to be found in the indie.
pendence and patriotism of the great
bodies of the State. This session will
add fresh services to those which you
have already rendered to the country.
Soon the nation, called together in its
eomiti, will sanction the policy which
we have pursued. twill once more pro-
claim by its votes that it does not desire
revolution, but wishes to rest the desti-
MES of France upon the intimate alliance
of power with liberty.