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EXPOSITION OF THE MINISTER OF THE

INTERIOR.

The President announced, that Count Regnault St. Jean d'Angely requested a hearing, to communicate to the Chamber the exposition of the Minister of the Interior: it was granted.

His Majesty the Emperor, said Count Regnault, having charged those of his Ministers who are Members of the Chamber of Peers to communicate to that Assembly the exposition of our situation, which was announced to you in the discourse from the throne, has confided a similar mission to those of his ministers who have been elected representatives of the people. Today, and at the moment when I speak, the Minister of the Interior is reading to the Chamber of Peers the exposition of the state of the Empire. I have been charged to communicate to you a copy thereof, and shall read it, if such is the pleasure of the Chamber. The assembly manifested its assent.

protector of liberal ideas, around a Prince who, educated in the revolution, advances with the age in which he lives, and wishes to extend the dominion of mind instead of circumscribing it. Instructed by misfortunes, he will see the conquerors of Austerlitz, of Marengo, and of Jena,` march anew under the colours which so often led them to victory, and the event will not be doubtful. However, his Majesty is sincerely desirous of peace; he has done every thing to preserve it, but without inclining to listen for a moment to humiliating conditions, which would compromise the honour and the dearest interests of France. All his efforts, however, have been fruitless; already our frontiers are menaced at all points, already hostilities have been commenced without any preliminary declaration of war, and there seems to remain no other resource for the maintenance of our independence but an appeal to arms. If the Emperor were less fortified by the inherent strength of his Count Regnault resumed.-Among all character, he might fear two rocks. There the objects of the Emperor's solicitude, has been talk of a royalist party and a rethe first, after his solemn acceptance of the publican party, alike enemies of his goconstitution, has been to make known to vernment. But the former has not known the nation, through the medium of its re- how to defend the Princes objects of its presentatives, the true situation in which affection, for whom it pretended a willingit is placed. Three months have scarcely ness to die; it is far from formidable. As elapsed since his Majesty quitted the rock to the republicans, converted from old to which circumstances had for a moment errors, of which cruel experience made banished him, in order to deliver France them feel too severely the fatal effects, from the enslaving yoke of a worn-out dy- they see in the Emperor only the pronasty, which managed the resources of our tector of the liberal ideas which they have fine country merely for the profit of fo- at all times themselves professed, and reigners. The enthusiasm which served which excesses alone have prevented them as an escort to his Majesty from the pe- from hitherto seeing realised. The time riod of his landing, sufficiently proved on has been too short to give to the national what side lay the national wishes. It constitution all the perfection of which it proves, that if the deposed family could was susceptible; but the Emperor, towards ever re-cuter France with the aid of fo- the accomplishment of this essential work, reigners, it would soon be expelled anew. reckons on the intelligence and patriotism Its prejudices, its engagements with the of the two Chambers. The preparations old privileged castes, are all in opposition for war have prevented him from giving to to the liberal ideas in which the existing it himself all the attention which he could generation has been bred, and which can have wished; but the French territory never retrograde. With the princes of was threatened. The national character, that family, we should have seen, as in- which essentially rejects every idea of deed we are menaced, with the re-appear-conquest, should have been a sufficient ance of all the cruel absurdities of feudal government, and the degrading slavery of the monastic system. In the mean time, it is to re-establish all these institutions, that they invite the foreigner into our fine eountry but we will never thus abandon ; we will rally around the Emperor, the

guarantee to all the powers of Europe against the invasion which they seem so much to fear at present; but that fear is only a vain pretext to cover their ambition. That ambition is sufficiently demonstrated by the senseless declarations of the Congress of Vienna, by the assem

795] POLITICAL REGISTER.-Exposition of the Minister of the Interior. [796

by the enemy had considerably suffered, but they

were already re-established,

WORKS.Under this head Count Regnault enumerated tire great monuments founded or ordered by his Majesty; they should be contiuned, though they were seen suspended even in time of Peace; but they should in future be exclusively reserved for France, and if existing circum

tent which were to be wished, they should soon be accelerated by the arms which would be нo longer necessary for the defence of the country.

WORKS AT PARIS.-The Minister here gave an acccount of the various constructions which have been commenced in the capital, and which should be continued.

MINES. This head presented nothing remarkable.

blages on our frontiers, by hostilities com- | vity. The hospitals in the departments invaded menced in full peace, by landings effected on our coasts in order to encourage civil war, and, in fine, by the refusal to listen to any proposal for the maintenance of peace. All these circumstances must give a precise idea of the justice and moderation of our enemies: it is the same as instances did not permit them to receive that ex1792, when the Duke of Brunswick published the famous manifesto of which the insolent pretentions converted the French into a nation of soldiers. Representatives of the nation, you know the French people, essentially good and generous, and always ready to contribute to the wants of the country, provided the whole extent of these wants be fairly made known to them. You have already assumed that wise and imposing attitude which is the finest guarantee to our liberty and independence; and you have a right to know, without the least disguise, the state of our wants and resources. The former are doubtless great, but sufficient means exist to provide for them without oppressing the people; and with the energy which you share with the people who elected you, we shall be certain of repelling the most un-stroy it, promised shortly to render Europe injust aggression against an independent people, of which the political annals of cabinets have ever preserved the recollection. I am charged to present to you the following details on our internal situa-perity. tien:

COMMUNES.—Under this head, Count Regnault stated, that the communal administrations had been almost totally abandoned under the government of the Bourbons; that the communal funds, so essential to the movement of troops, the equipment of the national guards, &c. had been delapidated by the journies of the Princes, by the restoration of woods to emigrants, and by many other malversations; but that the Emperor was taking pains to restore order in this important branch of internal administration.

MANUFACTURES.-Count Regnault here did justice to the superiority of our manufactures, which all the merchants of Europe could attest from the experience furnished them by the short time during which it had been in their power to trade with us. He saw, like every statesman, that France, at once agricultural and manufacturing, could alone dispense with the assistance of its neighbours, and that a liberal government could not fail to give all possible spring to national industry, formerly compressed by Gothic prejudices. He announced that various new maduced; that the manufacture of sugar from the nufactures had been improved, and others introbeet-root, in spite of all the efforts made to de

;

dependent of the New World for that article that the indigo of woad, without having reached India; and that, in fine, a number of useful disthe same perfection, already rivalled that of coveries presented new sources of national pros

COMMERCE.-The report expressed nothing ambition of sovereigns all the nations of Europe but hope upon this article, and by the absurd are placed in the same condition.

INSTRUCTION.-Under this title, the Minister exhibited all the vicissitudes to which the corps of teachers had been subjected. The result of the enquiry skewed that the number both of colleges and scholars had been diminished, but that the university of Paris still numbered under its direction 325,554 pupils, and that the lyceums, stimulated by the new encouragement of the Emperor, displayed the best spirit.

HOSPITALS. These asylums of suffering hu. PUBLIC WORSHIP.-In speaking of the clergy, manity had at all times excited the solicitude of the Minister did not attempt to disguise the erthe Emperor. At the commencement of 1814, rors they committed under the last government, these establishments had been exposed to con- in giving way, from the lure of a restitution of siderable additional expences from the number of church property, to the influence of emigrants, sick and wounded soldiers. Under the late go-in stigmatizing as plunderers the owners of naverument, however, they were on the point of losing one of their principal resources, by the restitution of property of emigrants, with which they had been endowed by solemn laws. The Emperor had restored it to them. He had also doubled the funds of the Maternal Society which he founded; which, on this account alone, was neglected, and of which the august protectress is invited bark by the wishes of all Frenchmen. The depots of niendicity, created also by the Emperor, were equally abandoned; but these establishments were about to resume new acti

tional property, whose titles had been recognised as legitimate by the Pope himself, and in at. tempting, in the name of the Almighty, whose servants they are, to light up civil war among men. The Emperor, however, was always disposed to protect, and even favour the ministers of the church, so long as they confined themselves within the bounds of their duty, and had already conferred on the curates an augmentation of 150 franks, which had been vainly promised to them by the last government. The Emperor was, besides, the only sovereign who, aving no

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Jurisprudence.-This article of the report was extremely short. The Minister merely stated, that those civil judges who felt themselves unworthy of their functions, had done justice by abdicating their offices; and that as far as respected the administration of the criminal law, the establishment of the trial by jury every day, merited new approbation; but that in the mean time, some organical institutions were necessary to regulate the duties and diminish the labours of those judicial citizens.

THE WAR DEPARTMENT.-It was absolutely impossible to follow M. le Comte Regnault through all the details which he furnished on this important topic. The result is, that on the 1st of April, 1814, the army consisted of 450,000 men, exclusive of 150,000 prisoners, all veteran soldiers, and of 115,000 conscripts of the levy of 1815, of which 45,000 only, out of 160,000, had been raised. The last government, at once prodigal and avaricious, alarmed at its own strength, and essentially hostile to the army, had taken every possible means of diminishing it.--The orator then described the various oppressions to which the army had been exposed, particularly by the introduction of the emigrants, and which had reduced its number to 175,000 men. Since the 20th of March last, its number had been raised to 375.000 combatants of every description; and before the 1st of August, it would amount to 500,000 independent of the national guards.

THE IMPERIAL GUARD.-This surest bulwark of the throne in times of war, and its finest ornament in time of peace, had a separate article allotted to it in the official report. The Minister condemned the injustice with which it was treated by the last government, and announced that it already amounted to 40,000 men.

ARTILLERY.--The losses in this arm has been in a great measure repaired; they were occasioned chiefly by treacliery, and especially the delivering up of all the strong places, by order of the Count d'Artois in his capacity of Lieutemaut-General of the kingdom. By this single act France had lost 12,000 pieces of cannon, mostly of brass, the value of which is estimated at 200,000,000 of francs. This loss, however, had been entirely supplied the arsenals, magazines of powder, and armories, were in full activity; and after having armed the national guard and associations, there would remain in the magazines

600,000 muskets in reserve.

MILITARY EXPENDITURE.-The administre. tive details on this subject were little susceptible of abridgment, The Minister, however, asserted that the necessary funds would be easily pro vided, and no new taxes be required.

NAT ONAL GUARD.-This article furnished no information of which the public is not already in possession.

THE MARINE presented considerable resources, notwithstanding the evils produced by treachery, which had not, however, cast any stain upon its

bonour.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. PARIS, JUNE 12.-Yesterday, (Sunday the 11th) the Emperor being on his throne, surrounded by the Princes his brothers, the Grand Dignitaries, Ministers, &c. received at the Thailleries, before mass, a Deputation of the Chamber of Peers. On this occasion, the Prince Arch-Chancellor, president, presented the following address:

Sire,

Sire,-Your anxiety to submit to constitutional forms and rules, the absolute power with which circumstances and the confidence of the people bad invested you, the new guarantees given to the rights of the nation, the devotedness which leads you into the midst of the dangers the army is about to brave, penetrate all hearts with profound gratitude. The Peers of France come to offer your Majesty the homage of this sentiment. You have manifested principles, Sire, which are those of the nation: they must also be our's Yes, all power springs from the people, is instituted for the people; the constitutional monarchy is necessary to the French, as the guarantee of its liberty and independence. while you shall be on the frontiers, at the head of the sons of the country, the Chamber of Peers will zealously concur in every legislative measure which circumstances require, to compel foreigners to acknowledge the national independence, and to cause the principles, consecrated by the will of the people, to triumph in the interior. The interest of France is inseparable from your's. Should fortune fail your efforts, reverses, Sire, shall not weaken our perseverance, and shall redouble our attachment to you. If events correspond to the justice of our cause, and to the hopes we are accustomed to conceive of your genius, and to the bravery of our armies, France desires no other fruits from them but peace. Our institutions guarantee to Europe that the French nation cannot be drawn on by the seductions of victory.

His Majesty replied:

M. President, and Gentlemen Deputies of the Chamber of Peers. The contest in which we are engaged is serions. The seduction of prosperity It is is not the danger which threatens us now. under the Caudine Forks that foreigners wish to make us pass! The justice of our cause, the public spirit of the nation, and the courage of the army, are powerful reasons for hoping success; but should we have reverses, then especially I shall delight to see called forth all the energy of this great people; then shall I find in the Chamber of Peers, proofs of attachment to the country and me.-It is in difficult times that great nations, like great men, develope all the energy of tion to posterity. I thank you, gentlemen, for their character, and become objects of admira

the sentiments you have expressed to me in the name of the Chamber.

This audience being finished, the EmAfter mass, peror proceeded to mass. having again taken his place on the throne, he received a deputation of the

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POLITICAL REGISTER-Important Document.

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Chamber of Representatives, headed by a people who carry to the highest pitch the enCount Lanjuinais, the president, who pre-less, among the communications which your Mathusiasm of liberty and independence. Donbtsented the following address:

Sire-The Chamber of Representatives received with profound emotion the words which proceeded from the throne at the solemn sitting, | when your Majesty, laying down the extraor dinary power which you exercised, proclaimed

|

His Majesty replied:

Jesty promises us, the Chambers will find proofs of the efforts you have made to maintain the peace of the world. If all these efforts must remain useless, may the calamities of war fall upon those who shall have provoked them.—The Chamber of Representatives only waits for the docathe commencement of the Constitutional moments announced to it in order to contribute with narchy. The chief basis of that monarchy, the all its power to the measures which the success protectress of liberty, equality, and the hap-of so legitimate a war will require. It delays piness of the people, have been recognized by pronouncing its resolves only till it knows the by your Majesty, who, rising above all scruples, wants and resources of the state; and while your as auticipating all wishes, has decla ed that the | Majesty, opposing to the most unjust aggression care of collecting our scattered constitutions, the valonr of the national armies and the force of and of arranging them, was one of the most im your genius, will seek in victory only one means portant occupations reserved for the legislature. of attaining a durable peace, the Chamber of ReFaithful to its mission, the Chamber of Deputies presentatives will deem that it marches towards will perform the task thas devolved upon it; it the same object, by incessantly labouring on the requests that, to satisfy the public wish, as well compact, of winch the improvement must cement as the wishes of your Majesty, national delibe- the union of the people and the throne, and ration shonid rectify, as speedily as possible, strengthen, in the eyes of Europe, by the amelioany thing defective or imperfeet, that the nr. ration of our institutions, the gurantee of our engency of our situation may have produced, or left gagements. to exist in our constitutions considered as a whole. But at the same time, Sire, the Chamber of Representatives will not shew itself less anxious to Mr. President, and Gentlemen Deputies of the proclaim its sentiments and its principles as to Chumber of Representatives,-I recognise with sathe terrible contest which threatens to cover tisfaction my own sentiments in those which yon Europe with blood. In the train of disastrous express to me. In these weighty circumstances events, France invaded, appeared for a moment my thoughts are absorded by the imminent war, listened to as to the establishment of a constitu. to the success of which are attached the indepen tion, only to see herself almost immediately sub-dence and the honour of France. I will depart this jected to a royal charter emanating from abso-night to place myself at the head of my armies; inte power, to an ordinance of reform always the movements of the different hostile corps revocable in its nature, and which, not having render my presence there indispensible. During the expressed assent of the people, could never my absence I shall see with pleasure a commission be considered as obligatory on the nation. Re-appointed by each chamber engaged in delibesuming now the exercise of her rights, rallying around the hero whom her confidence anew in vests with the government of the state, France is astonished and afflicted at seeing some Sovereigns in arms call her to account for an internal change, which is the result of the national will, and which attacks neither the relations existing with other governments, nor their security. France cannot admit the distinctions with the aid of which the coalesced powers endeavour to cloak their aggression To attack the monarch of its choice, is to attack the independence of the nation. It is armed as one man to defend that independence, and to repel, without excep. tion, every family and every prince whom men shall dare to wish to impose upon it. No ambitions project enters the thoughts of the French people; the will even of a victorious Prince would be insufficient to draw on the nation be yond the limits of its own defence: but to guard its territory, to maintain its liberty, its honour, Its diguity, it is ready for any sacrifice. Why are we not still permitted to hope, Sire, that these warlike preparations, formed perhaps by the irritation of pride, and by illusions which every day must weaken, may stili disperse before the want of a peace necessary to all the nations of Europe, and which shall restore to your M jesty a spouse, to the French the heir of a throne? But blood has already flowed, the signal of combats, prepared against the independence and liberty of France, has been given in the name of

rating on our constitutions. The constitution is our rallying point; it must be our pole-star in these stormy moments. All public discussion, tending to diminish directly or indirectly the confidence which should be placed in its enactmeuts, will be a misfortune to the state; we should then find ourselves at sea, without a compass and without a rudder. The crisis in which we are placed is great. Let us not imitate the conduct of the Lower Empire, which, pressed on all sides by barbarians, inade itself the laughing stock of posterity, by occupying itself with abstract discussions, at the moment when the battering ram was shaking the gates of the city. Independently of the Legislative measures required by the circumstances of the interior, you will probably deem it useful to employ yourself on organic laws destined to put the constitution in motion. They may be the object of your public labours without any inconvenience. The sen. timents expressed in your address sufficiently demonstrate to me the attachment of the Chamber to my person, and all the patriotism with which it is animated. In all affairs my march shall be straight forward and firm. Assist me to save the country. First representative of the people, I have contracted the engagement, which I renew, of employing in more tranquil times. all the pre rogatives of the Crown, and the little experience I have acquired, in seconding you in te amelioration of our Constitutions.

Printed and Published by G. HOUSTON, No. 192, Strand; where all Communications addressed to the Editor, are requested to be forwarded.

VOL. XXVII. No. 26.] LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1815.

801]

LETTER VI.

To LORD CASTLEREAGH.

[Price 18%

[802

overtake his companions, I went homeward with a mind far from being so completely

On the Overthrow of the Emperor Na- made up as that of the Gipsey and his

poleon.

black-coated and white-wig'd benefactor. I had, when I came to see the news-papers; MY LORD, The intelligence of this when I came to read the insolent language grand event reached me on Saturday last, of the TIMES and the COURIER, no doubt and in the following manner. I had been of what would follow; and, there appears out very early in the morning, and, in now very little room for doubting, that returning home to breakfast, I met a po- "the paternal authority" will very soon pulous gang of gypsies. At the first view be restored in France by the force of the of them, I thought of nothing but the rob- bayonet and the cannon ball. There is a beries which they constantly commit talk of making a stand for the independence upon us, and I began to plan my measures of France; but, there does not appear the of defence; but, upon a nearer approach to stuff for making such stand. The attempt them, I perceived the whole caravan deco- at a mixty maxty government deprived the rated with laurel. The blackguard ruffi- state of all zeal. If, indeed, we were yet, ans of men had laurel boughs in their even yet, to see a Directory, or a Conhats; the nasty ferocious looking women, sulate, or a Convention, or a Committée with pipes in their jaws, and straddling de Salut Public, the Duke and his victory along like German trulls, had laurel leaves would prove of little avail. But, to depinned against their sides. The poor asses, fend France now requires all the energy that went bending along beneath the bur- of 1792, 3, and 4; and, that energy apdens laid on them by their merciless mas- pears to be fled for ever; or, at least, till ters, and that were quivering their skins time and opportunity shall again call it to get the swarm of flies from those parts forth. It is very evident, that Napoleon, of their bodies which the wretched drivers from the hour of his return to Paris, perhad beaten raw, had their bridles and hal-ceived, that it would not do merely to reters and pads stuck over with laurel. assume his title and authority; that he Somewhat staggered by this symbol of would, in that case, have no friends in the victory, I, hesitating what to do, passed republicans, and all enemies in the roy the gang in silence, until I met an extra-alists. But, besides, there is no reason to ordinarily ill-looking fellow, who, with believe, that he was not perfectly sincere two half-starved dogs, performed the of- in his professions relative to the liberties fice of rear-guard. I asked him the mean- of France. Still, the Empress! ing of the laurel boughs, and he informed august spouse." The "august son." me, that they were hoisted on account of These hung about him; and he could not the 66 66 glorious victory obtained by the bring himself to say: Up again with the Duke of Wellington over Bony;" that" Republic, and I will again be her Gethey were furnished them by a good gentleman, in a black coat and big white wig, whose house they had passed the day before, between Audover and Botley, and who had given them several pots of ale, wherein to drink the Duke's health."And, to be sure," added he, "it is glo"rious news, and we may now hope to "see the gallon loaf at a grate again, as "'twas in my old father's time."

Leaving this political economist, this "loyal man and friend of social order," to

"The

"neral Bonaparte." He could not screw himself up to this; and hence, doubtless, his want of enthusiastic support from many of the republicans, who, if they must have a king, claiming an hereditary right to rule over them, did not think it worth their while to commit themselves in the quarrel: while, on the other hand, he had all the kings, all the nobles, and all the priests of the whole of Europe against him; together with an army of a million and eleven thousand of regular troops!

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