The New York herald., 1869-11-30

Speech Of the Emperor Napoleon ut tho
Opening of the French Legislature.
By the French cable we have received tele
graphic report of the speech delivered yester-
day by Napoleon III. at the opening of the
French Legislature. After alluding to the
fact that it is no easy task to establish regular
and peaceful liberty in France, and that for
months past society has seemed to be
menaced by subversive passions, he indi-
Gated 'the glorious course" that might be
chosen between those extremists who would
change everything and those who would con-
cede nothing. He specified and recommended
such improvements in the constitution as shall
inaugurate the era of reform and enlarged
liberty which he has SO long promised and
which the French people have of late SO
urgently demanded. He offered, in fact, the
outline Of an imperial reform bill. None
but the ''irreconcilables," so-caIled, can
be deaf to the tone of sincerity and
earnestness with which Napoleon spoke
while exhibiting the main points of his new
programme. These points must be favorably
regarded by all excepting 'irreconcilables" as
substantial concessions to the growing desire
and fitness of the French for the substitution
of parliamentary rule in place of personal
government.
His Majesty suggests that the constitution
be so amended as to declare that in the COM
munes the mayors shall be chosen by
vote of the municipalities, the municipal
or corporate members themselves to be
elected by universal suffrage; that COM
munal councils be established in new
districts of the empire that fresh and more
extensive powers and prerogatives shall be
granted to the Councils General; that the in
habitants of the colonies shall participate in
| the general reform movement, and that the
right Of universal suffrage shall be extended to
them; that there shall be more rapid devel-
opment of the system of primary instruction !;
a diminution in the scale Of law costs and
charges and fees in the courts of justice a
reduction Of the war tax, according to q
scale Of easy graduation; an extension Of the
savings bank system according to law
and under new regulations the enforcement
|
and control of ''infant" labor, or the work Of
minors, in the manufactures, and at all the
centres of industry and production the in
crease of small annual salaries payable by
capitalists to their employees; the development
and legal enforcement of useful measures con-
nected with the pursuits of agriculture, and an
inquiry into the working Of the present system
of imperial excise with view to perfect new
project of law in reference to the assessmen,
and collection of the customs.
The Emperor assured the members thai
the general situation of the empire is salts
factory; that the state Of the Treasury and thu
revenue finances is prosperous, and that thu
relations OF France with foreign Powers ar,
friendly ''Sovereigns and people desir,
peace" He then drew, with few bolt
strokes, glowing picture Of 'our epoch, o
which we have reason to be proud. The New
World suppresses slavery; Russia frees he
serfs; England renders justice to Ireland tn
bishops are meeting at Rome for wise and con
ciliatory purposes; the progress of science draw
nations closer to each other. While Americ
untes the Atlantic and Pacific, capital AM
intelligence everywhere combine TO copnec