The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-19
FRANCE.
NJ, Cheyniier q

WI. Chovnlier ON the Senatus Consultum.
At the sitting OF the French Senate on septem-
Der l. the order Of the day being the adjourned de-
bate on the Senatus Co1suit,,n, NJ. Michel Cheva-
ller delivered an eloquent speech. OF which the fol-
lowing Is brief resume He said
As we are unanimous on one point. namely. In
desire lind the ttest means for passing WIN
out TOO great shock from the authoritative TO the
liberal empire, so should be ungratefu were ! not
TO say that we are all OF one mind In paying homage
TO the sagacity OF Napoleon Ill. In perceylng that
tue moment was come to modify our constitutional
organization. A certain crisis, similar to those
TO be approaching; the Emperor has dispelled the
dancer and this great act Will not stand for the one
of least value in the estimation OF poserty Gentle
men. there Is man who has spread q prodiglous
lustrc not only on France, but on the whoe world
have been able to converse with men OF the end OF
the last century and the beginning OF the present.
aud thus enabled 10 form an idea OF the violence
of the passions then raging necessatlng system OF
compression, without which, society would have torn
Itself to pieces.
Here the honorable member gave rapid sketch of
the constitution Of An VIII. recognising the exist
ence OF three great bodies-the Senate the Legisa-
tive Body and the Council Of State-and went on TO
show that the regime Of the second empire Dor-
rowed from the other, although now about to be
modified by the Senatus C0nsult,sna. He con-
tinued:-
But there Is another system, adopted In all
constitutional countries except France-that OF
two Chambers equally endowed with the con-
stituent ana legislative faculties and having I'M
mense privileges even to the power OF life and
death over citizens, which. however, they seldom
use The most remarkable application of the system
Is found IN England aud the United States In both
these countries the two Chambers stand on equality
in point Of rights. Here, however, 1t IS evil
dent that the government clings to the
first system emanating from the constitution
OF An VIII. The new Se1latuS C0nSulttnt
has the character OF that regime, and you will un
doubleday vote 1t. England took 600 years TO realize
the system OF government under which she exists
She conquered II by degrees, by the sweat of ner
brow-by her money, as well as by her blood ! The
Normans had founded in England an absolute gov
ernment. Two hundred years later, III 1915,
the bar0ns forced the Magma Charta from John
bad man, a man whose word could not be
relied on. But IN spite OF this great Charta,
England, before she enjoyed her presen1 pre-
negatives, had to go through riots, civil war, the
Wars OF the Roses, and the repuDlic-whlch was
glorious, but which was not peacefully established.
On the contrary 1t was marked by incredible abuses,
by the scaGold, by the tribunals presided over by
Jelfreys. sort OF rOyalist Fouquer Tinvlie. rascal
and coward, despcabie as was Fouquler Tnville.
Even In 1897 liberty was 10y no means guaranteed.
IL, as was Manuel from ours, aud that for having
published pamphlet entitled ''rhe CrisiS.' Such
are some OF the trials which England had to undergo
before she enjoyed her present position. DO not
therefore, let us be discouraged. We should not be
men. but angels, were we 10 arrive suddenly at a
perfect political ana social organization.