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CHAPTER XII.

FRANCE.-Resolutions of the Parisian Editors of Newspapers on the occasion of the Conviction of M. Dupoly-Speech from the Throne at the opening of the French Chambers-Election of President and Vice-Presidents-Addresses presented to the King on the Jour de l'an-Replies of the King-Debates in the Two Chambers on the Address-Question of right of Search in the case of the Slave-Trade -Dispute with Spain on point of Etiquette-Speech of M. Guizot in the Chamber of Peers, respecting the relations of France with Spain -Speech of M. Guizot in the Chamber of Deputies, relative to the Affairs of the East-Melancholy Death of the Duke of OrleansFuneral Procession-Question of the choice of a Regent-Extraordinary Session of the French Chambers convoked—Affecting Speech of the King-Election of President-Regency Bill proposed by Ministers-Discussion thereon-Ministerial Speech of M. Thiers-Dreadful Accident on the Paris and Versailles Railway-Regency Bill carried-Prorogation of the French Chambers.

WE

TE mentioned in our last volume,* that M. Dupoty, the editor of the Journal du Peuple, had been found guilty on the charge of promoting sedition and treason, by the tendency of the articles which had appeared in his paper; and that in consequence, a meeting had been summoned of the principal editors and political writers, in order to adopt resolutions suitable to the occa sion. They met accordingly at the latter end of December, and put forth a declaration, in which they stated

"The decree of the Court of Peers is not confined to the striking down of a political writer-it presses upon the very liberty of

• Vol. LXXXIII. p. 253.

discussion itself. The jurisprudence that this act tends to establish, goes even beyond the laws of September; it is still more menacing; and one more arbitrary has never been so formally stamped with legality. In order that the laws of September may be made applicable to any writer, book, or journal, it is essential that the writer should have so directly excited to the assassination of the person of the King, or to the overturning of the power of the laws, that such provocation, even without having produced an effect, should constitute in itself an attentat. The writer thus knows what he did, and to what risks he exposed his honour and his life. But by the interpretation given by the Court of Peers of the law of

1819, every hostile word contemporary with an émeute, a complot, or an attentat, will be sufficient to constitute complicity in such acts, and to bring upon the writer penalties such as détention, transportation, hard labour, and even death. The feeling of the times in which we live, rises up in horror at the bare thought.

"The jurisprudence which flows from the decree of the Court of Peers, aggravates the already flagrant inconveniences of this jurisdiction. It is moreover, a motive for demanding that the competence of the Peerage may be defined and limited in criminal matters and in political offences; but until this shall have been done, it is another danger created for the press and the country. Public writers are deprived of those guarantees, which are a natural right in every civilised community, and which the Revolution of July had promised, and the Charter had consecrated. The entire press is placed in a permanent state of prevention. The accusation of moral complicity is suspended over the heads of all writers. It is the law of suspicion that is established against them."

The subscribers determine to oppose every legal resistance to this new system of intimidation

"We declare then"With the Charter, that the French have the right to publish and to print their opinions, conforming themselves to the laws.'

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signedly provoked disobedience to the laws.

"With the Article 202 of the Penal Code, that provocation, to be made a crime or an offence, must be direct,' and not the result of a connexion more or less arbitrary, between a fact and the writings which have preceded or accompanied this fact.

"With the Article 60 of the Penal Code, that there cannot exist complicity where there is no knowledge of a plot.

"With M M. Royer Collard, Odillon Barot, Lamartine, Berryer, Dufaure, and Dupin, that it is not wise to give judicial attributes to a political body; and that in making the Chamber of Peers la Cour Prévotale of the press, its sincerity has been compromised, as well as the force of our opinions.

"With citizens of all opinions, that the degree of liberty at which a nation has arrived, may be judg ed of by the degree of liberty which its press enjoys; and that in this respect France, since 1830, has positively retrograded.

"In fine, that this is a point upon which all can agree-writers, electors, deputies, and citizens of every class. It is a duty to refuse concurrence to the policy of any Administration which will not repair the attempts made against public rights by the laws of September, as well as by the last decree of the Court of Peers.

"In this situation, we appeal to the Chamber of Deputies-we hope that it will rise to the duty which circumstances impose upon it. And if, contrary to all expectation, it fails to do its duty, we shall appeal to the electoral body, which is invested with political rights; well convinced that

it will not forget the 66th Article of the same Charter, which has confided the rights of the press, as well as all other rights consecrated by the Charter, to the patriotism and courage of the National Guards, and of all French citizens."

The King opened the French Chambers on the 27th of December, with the usual ceremonies. He read from the Throne the following Speech :

"Gentlemen, Peers, and Deputies,

"Since the close of your last Session, the questions which excited in the East our just solicitude, have reached their term. I have concluded with the Emperor of Austria, the Queen of Great Britain, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Russia, and the Sultan, a convention which consecrates the common intention of the Powers to maintain the peace of Europe, and consolidate the repose of the Ottoman empire.

"The great burdens imposed upon the country, have already experienced considerable reductions. It would have been my lively wish, that a balance should have been immediately re-established between the expenditure and revenues of the State. This is the result which we must now prepare, and which you will achieve without weakening our military organization, and without deferring the execution of those works which are to increase the national prosperity.

"A project of law will be presented to you, for constructing the principal lines of a great system of railroads, calculated to ensure those rapid and easy communications with all parts of our territory,

which will prove a source of force and riches to the nation.

"I am endeavouring at the same time, by negotiations, prudently conducted, to extend our commercial relations, and to open new markets for the productions of our soil and of our arts. Such labours honour peace, and render it stable and fruitful at the same time. I have reason to reckon that it will not be disturbed, receiving from all the Powers the most amicable assurance.

"I have taken measures to prevent any external complication from disturbing the security of our African possessions. Our brave soldiers are pursuing on that land, henceforth and for ever French, the course of their noble labours, in which I am happy that my sons have had the honour of concurring. Our perseverance shall complete the work undertaken by our courageous army; and France will introduce into Algeria her civilization, as the consequence of her glory.

The financial laws and others, having for their object to introduce useful improvements in the public administration, will be presented to you immediately.

"Whatever may be the burdens of our situation, France would support them without difficulty, if faction did not unceasingly obstruct the course of her powerful activity. I will not dwell upon the intrigues and crimes of the factious; but let us not forget, Gentlemen, that it is that which debars our country from fully enjoying all the blessings which Providence has conferred upon it, and which retards the development of that legal and pacific liberty, which France has at last achieved, and of which I make

it my glory to insure her the possesion.

"We shall follow up this task, Gentlemen. My Government will do its duty. It will maintain everywhere and constantly the authority of the laws, and cause them to be respected, as it will respect them itself. Your loyal support will aid me in enlightening the country, with persevering sincerity, with regard to its true interest: we shall strengthen by its support, and by our union keep entire the sacred deposit of order and public liberties, which the Charter has confided to us. Future generations will reap the fruit of our endeavours, and the gratitude of our country will be our recompense."

When the Chamber of Deputies assembled the next day, it proceeded to the election of a president. The result was very decidedly in favour of Ministers. M. Sauzet, the Government candidate, obtained 193 votes. M. de Lamartine, the Opposition candidate, 64. M. Odillon Barrot, put forward by the Gauche party, 45. The four Vice-Presidents also subsequently elected were all Ministerialists.

On the Jour de l'An, according to custom, the Chamber of Peers, the Chamber of Deputies, and other great functionaries, presented Addresses to the king.

The Marquess de Brigole-Sales (Ambassador of Sardinia), as senior member of the corps diplomatique, congratulated King Louis Philippe in its name, on the providential escape of the young princes, his sons, from the attempt of assassins, and on the adhesion of France to the treaty of July, which " had drawn close the bonds of union between the great Cabinets

union so necessary to the repose of nations, and to the preservation of general peace.'

The king, after returning thanks to the ambassadors for the expressions of sympathy conveyed to him by M. Brigole-Sales, observed, that "the year 1841 had been productive of happy results, since the great Cabinets had given in that year, by their own accord, a new pledge of security to general peace, which His Majesty trusted the Powers would continue to maintain unimpaired."

The Duke de Broglie, VicePresident of the Chamber of Peers, who addressed the king in the name of that body, observed, that "the foundation of a free and regular government was a laborious undertaking;" that "the wisdom of princes, the interests of nations, and the enlightened vigilance of the public powers, were inadequate to the task, without the protection of God and the effects of time. We return thanks," added the duke, "to Him, whose goodness has preserved your life for us, and preserved your children for our chil dren. The past is a guarantee for the future. Our cause is good, and our success certain. Nothing besides in the aspect of events seems to forbode new storms; there is nothing to dim our joy and our hopes on this day."

The king replied, that "it was not only in preserving his life, and that of his beloved children, that Providence had displayed its protection, that it was also by enabling the power of the State to preserve France from the encroachments of anarchy, under whatever form it presented itself. It was, as you remark," added His Majesty, a laborious undertaking, to found in France a free and regu

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lar government. The support which I have ever found in the Chamber of Peers, was one of the great means of attaining that end. That government will derive from its duration the consecration of stability, which, by discouraging factions, will contribute to arm the authorities with the vigour necessary to maintain the laws, to cause the rights of all to be respected, and repress those incessant attacks against property, which are calculated to shake society to its very foundation. The noble attitude of the Chamber of Peers impresses us with the salutary confidence, that the Throne to which France has raised me for the guarantee of her laws and liberties, shall not be placed in danger by those miserable attempts; and that we shall continue to defeat the culpable in trigues of the men who tamper with a credulous ignorance with a view to insure the success of their sinister projects."

M. Sauzet, President of the Chamber of Deputies, commenced his address by congratulating His Majesty as identified with the fu ture security of the constitutional Throne and the public prosperity. The president next congratulated the king on the noble example offered by His Majesty and the royal family, whose lives were de voted to the practice of every virtue, and the dispensation of favours. M. Sauzet concluded by assuring His Majesty that the Chamber of Deputies would devote their attention to the interests they represent, and to the public works which France expected. He observed, that when the debates should commence, the different opinions would be expressed independently, according to their prerogatives, but that on this oc

casion all parties coalesced in assuring His Majesty that they are the sincere defenders of his person.

The king replied, that he was much affected at the sentiments expressed by the Chamber of Depu ties.

He thanked them in the name of his family, and assured them that his sons were, like himself, always ready to shed their blood for their country. His Majesty reminded the deputies that eleven years since he promised that the Charter should thencefor ward be a truth, which promise had been performed; that all prerogatives have been respected, all rights guaranteed by general security. His Majesty concluded by observing that there are parties who would deprive the country of those blessings by exciting alarm, but with the assistance of the Chamber of Deputies, he would triumph over all those attacks upon social order and private property, and guarantee to France the maintenance of repose, and the develop ment of her prosperity.

M. Martin du Nord (Minister of Justice) next addressed the king in the name of the Council of State, of which he is President. "Each year," said M. Martin, "adds to the blessings which France owes to your Majesty; each year adds to public grati tude. Your reign, Sire, has saved France from irreparable misfortunes.

Menaced from without, menaced at home-with the aid of Providence, and thanks to the perseverance of your wisdom, she has passed triumphantly through all her perils: her liberty, honour, and prosperity, confided to your royal hands, in the most difficult circumstances, after eleven years of trials, are all safe."

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