Year: 1870

| Plcbiscite.


In another place in this mornings HERALD
| will be found the full text OF the address


delivered by the Emperor Napoleon on Satur-


day in the Hall of State to the Deputies and


Senators and other great public functionaries.
| Our readers are well aware of the circum-


stances to which that address owes It's origin
| and in which 1t was delivered. In the SenGt1s
| Consultum and in the proclamation of the


Emperor regarding the plebiscitum it was pro-


vided that the votes Of the people, after having


been counted by subordinate officials, should
finally be counted by the peoples Deputies in
solemn session assembled, and that the result
of this final counting or veri6cation should be
announced to the Emperor. It was also made
known that on such occ aston the Emperor
would make speech.


The programme Of the plsbiscite is now COM
pleted. All has been done that it was in
tended to do. The Emperor's speech-the
crown of the plebiscite, shall we call Pts be-
fore our readers, and every one, according to
his own standard and his own Judgment can
come to his own conclusions. As no one can
deny that the ple6iscite has been, all through,
great success-cavil as men may about the
principle Of the thing--so no one can deny
that the Emperor's address comes up to the
high point of expectation and requirement.
Hitherto it has been fault of the Emperor
that his addresses have been too long and q
little too pedantic, or, If the term is preferred,
professional But in the past the Emperor
has been training France, has been CIV
ing her precept as well as example;
and so long and somewhat forma l
addresses were necessary. IF France
is now trained-and who will say she is not
trained? ?-the lecture and the professional
style are no longer necessary. At any rate,
no one can find fault with the Emperors latest
address for its length. AS little can any one
say that its brevity robs it of excellence. If
it is brief it is pointed. If there is no parade
of words there is no studied ambiguity or per-
picking concealment of thought and purpose.
In few brief sentences all is said that needed
to be said, and all that is said is said WELL


The Emperor is grateful for this fresh vote
of conference.-the fourth given to him person
ally in twenty years. The ple6iscite had for
reforms and the French people, guided by
tradition, by instinct, by sympathy, have, by
this fresh vote, justified and ratified the votes
of lS4S, of 1851 and of 1852. The Emperor
naturally takes pride in the thought
that France, in the free exercise of
universal suffrage, has preferred order to
anarchy, the empire to revolution, and "has
settled the question in favor of that system
which guarantees order and liberty" It is
evidently the conviction of Napoleon that he
has removed the ground completely from the
feet of his enemies, and that he can now with
safety and confidence, with ample encourage
ment and with little fear, pursue his policy of
progress and reform. ssThe empire is strong,"
he says; "but it will show its strength by its
moderation" The line marked out will be
followed. There will be no partiality and no
weakness France is asked to assist it's chief
in augmenting by all lawful means the pros
perity and grandeur of the empire; and the
promise is made that all the power the
Emperor wields will be put forth to diffuse
instruction, to simplify the administra-
tion, to relax the severity Of law,
to encourage agriculture, to develop
public works and to reduce as well as distri-
butte taxation. Such is the burden of the
Emperor's speech, and considering it in all its
bearings, we cannot refuse to admit the force
fulness of the unanswered question with which
the speech concludes :-sWho are they who
oppose the progressive march Of the regime
which great people founded amid political
troubles and which is thus fortified in ON era
of peace and liberty?"


Such are the Emperor's last words to France,
and such is the result of the plebiscite. All
the past is condoned or justified. While NAL
contents inside of France and exiles out of it
grumble and growl Napoleon boasts, and, as
we think, boasts justly, of the fact that in
addition to the many claims of his
house, France has for the fourth
time, with almost unanimous voice,
proclaimed him its chosen chief What the
past has been we all know. All the questions
of the hour, so far as France is concerned,
now point to the future. What the Emperor
intends to do he tells us. Has he told us all
When we say he has not told us all we do not
blame him. He has spoken to the ple6iscite.
That was all that was required. But we can
not forget that the main object of the pzebiscite
was to pledge France to his family and thus to
make secure the succession of his son. As
little do we forget that Napoleon the Third
has never yet been formally crowned. For
eighteen years the coronation has been de-
ferred. Why, is one Of the mysteries that at
tach to Napoleon's name and character. We
are willing to believe that personally he
despises the coronation show. Now, how
ever, that he thinks solely of his son, the
question is no longer one Of personal
nli A in