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PUBLISHEt) (weekly) VLt.ALLMAND .1. TUESDAY, AUGUST rt, 1804.
'vol, riit, o, SSr.
Late foreign N;ws. -L
t4ie Jddress,
OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF FRANCE,
V TO TH j'FlRST COWSULcdrr-fr..
Cttizen Firft Conful,
THE members of the legifUtive body
arc no lboner affitnbled, than they reci
procate a common zeal for their country;
and at this important epoch they cannot
feel indifferent' to the National will, fo
loudly and generally expreffed. Scatter
ed ovei the various departments of this
great empire, they krow its- wants and
Habits. .They know taat the energy and
action of the power which governs, (houM
. be comrnf nfurare with the extent of terru
tory and population. Wberr this rela-'
tion, eniblilhe 1 by mture, is neglected
by thelegiOitor,..lus wotk mud perilb.
The chief blefling-man is tranquil
lity and peace ; .andthefc pciu .m ppi
manent inititutions. The fjpreme pow
er Which guarantees them, ought,, there
fore, to be fecurefrom the caprice of elec-
liins. Every elective government is irt
couftant, violent, and"helplefs as the
paflions of men ; whilft hereditary power
gives to the focial fyilem the force, the
continuance and conftancv, to the defies
of nature. ,An uninterrupted fuccelfion
of authority, in the fame family, will
' maintain the peace and evidence of all.
It is neceffuy, for the perpetual fecurity
of their rights, that the authority, which
protects them Ihould be eternal. The peo-'
p!e who unite the moft capricious levity,
with the mod eminent qualities, mult fu
prcmely prefer, a fyftcm, which confirms
their virtues, by reprefcng their iacon
itancy. Hillory, every where d'.feovers at the
head of great nations, a Tingle heredi
tary chJef. But this high Magiftracv is
not inttltuted but for general good. If it
is weak it falls, if violent it deltroys it
felf ;'andln either cafe it merit? its fate,
for it oppress the people, orails to pro
teflthem. In one word this authority,
which ought to be tutelar, ceafes to be
lawfu', wnenit is not national.
No! donbtlefs, thofe mighty beings
were notGofs, whom general interctthas
deihed, and affciated in brilliant and in
acccfiible fphtrcs,that law proclaimed:
from fuch authority might have the more
fp'endor, contraul, arid influence. But if
the grandeur of monarchy is hot founded
on the exiravagint ficVions which delude
the multitud-, it is htoported b alr-thbfe
political maxims which, the litfans of ad.
vrrfity.and the voice of fageshave elta
blifhed. Ahdem i'.lufions r.ab ceafed-, bet do
c need a mar of our choice i Scarcely
lias he numbered thirty-four years, and
theeventsof his life are more wonleiful
than the fablei. with which hirtory has
furrouwled the cradles of ancient oynaf
tics. The triumph and will of the nal'dn can
not be refilled. Such extraordinary chift-
ve are not new. It (sat the noife and
tumult cif thrones which fair, which rife,
and Ihottld fall aiiain, that fucceiTWe agc$
meditate on the inconftancy of human af
' fairs Old empires are regenerated at
fuch important etas, an I ihcchicf of a
rTeWThonarchjr comuiunicitei :otnem the
energy if JFiis fpirit, nd the vigor of his
nterprlw. r . '
We doubt not, a career cf profperitjr
ana1 glory again opens for our porterity.
The tth century at its commencement,
prcfents lo the univcrfe amort ma?nifi
ni fpfftade, and inRrudTive lefTun.
confecratcs the principle of here Utary
pnwer, and opinion, for the hippinefsof
J-'rance j whofe revolution it terminates
suid for the trample ol Europe, whofe
ctffi it prevents.
The human mind, troubled wlih
worft of difeafet the difeife cf ft'ftt
tun, ruswifhedio create a new nceof
men ; ti form new ficietiei and another
wotlJ. But foon frinhtened at ill work,
and wearird it its eff r'l, it has returned
to the trick of experience, and fubmiis
to 'the authority of ages."!' If l t the
roomer t it recognises its limits, the hu
man mind is truly enlarged it Is at the
tnorcent that'll learns to check its weaE-
nefs, that it juflly direcls the ciercifc of
its nowcr the remembrance of its pad'
cevtatijns will afford a ufeful forefiht ;
and the fear of falling into its firft excef
fc wi I itbt hurry it i the contrsry ex-
ireme.,
We (hall not wiiftefs the deadly Hupor
f flivfty fuccffding the mad tumuli f
rfrrmxrscy. No I -Citizen firft Conful,
jvm ifcajUnoicoraraaoJ bota fite fo
pie ; we know it ; and will, therefore, b
bey you alvVays. . The departtnents bf
government will be balanced with vvif
dom ; they will preferve every thing that
wtl' fupport, nothing that can dellroy,
liberty. The Imperial Government will
confirm all the bleffiogs of the confulate;
and will increafe them. The fecurity of
hereditary power will temper all its mea
fures. It s lefs rigorous, for it has fe v
er.'obftaclestovanqui'fh, and' fmaller dan
gers to encounter the greater its mole
ration, the more controuling Us influence;
and if it aims at cxtenfion, ir relaxes
and deftroys rtfelf. Thus the preroga
tive of the Emperor, "better defined, will
be more limited than thofe of the iFifft
Conful. The danger of a faclion com"
pclled the eftablifhment 6f a ipmporary
diclitbr thefe times are pail Monarchy
is regenerated Liberty mult fee immortal
the di&atorfhip expires- and natural
auiliuiiiy cV nunc nets "., reign. '
(Signed)
FONTANEL.
This famous declaration in favour of
Miinarchy, was preceded by the follow
ing exprclfion of the wlil ot the leghlative
body :
They declare their will (voeu) as fol
lows : That Napolean Buonaparte, Firft
Gonful, (hall be declared Emperor ; that
the Imperial dignity hoiild bo hereditary
in his 'family1; that the reprefetitative
fyftem fheuld b cftacbItflied on a' Wd ba
lls ; and that the civil inftitutions fhould
receive a characler.'cf great nefs due to the
Majcfty of the'French "nation, guarantee
ing at once the authority of the nation and
the liberty of th' people.
Similar requeils to the' great Napolean,
'that he would become Emperor .of the
'Gauls, have been made by feveral cities,
and detachments bt the army.
The most gracious answe of
THE FIKS7 CZNSUL,
TO THK AODRESi OK THE
- SENATORS.
YOUR addrefs of the 6th Germinal,
has never ccafed to he prefent to my mind,'
it has been the object of my mod conitant
attention.
. You have judged it nccelTary that the
fupreme maillracy fhild be hereditary, J
J n order to Iccurethe-French-People from - i
the plots ot our enemies, and from the
convulfions which would fprirg trom'hc
ambition of rivals. Many bf our infti
.tut ions mult hive appeared to you to be
brought to perfection, and to be the molt
'perfect to fecure the tiiumphof Equality
aim public Liberty, and to otter to the
nation and to the government, the double
guarantee, wmcn tncy i mucn want.
We have cor.ltamly been guided by this
great truth, that the fovereignty rtfiics in
the French people ; on this bafm, eveiy
thing, without ejeception, mull be done
for iheir intetells, happin. fs, and glory ;
jn order to obtain this end, the Supreme
Majefty, the Senate, the Council of the
State, the Lfgiflitive Body, theEUcliVe
Colleagues, and the "various branches of
the Adminirtration, ate and mult be infll
tuted. When I have rfied my atten
tion on thefe great objils he more I
havebcm perluadcd ot the truth of the
criiinentsjJiicJiLcXpteircd Ja yCujJ-
i riaveieit me more motetha', uicir.
cumflar.cci as new as important, the aid
ofyourwifdom and experience Ira ve been
neceflary to me in every flcp.
I thcn inviie yoti lo male known to
me frcclv your remanents. ,
The French people have nothing to add
lo the honor and ih glory which they have
conferred upon me ; but the duty, the
molt Tacred to mr, and the mo ft dear to
trty heart, it lo enfure lo their children
the ad vantages acquired by the revolution,
which las colt them fo much above all,
the fieri fice of a million of brave men,
who hive tiled lor the defence of their
rights.
I wifh we may fay to them on the 14th
of July df this yearfifteen years hate e
laplei lince by a fpontaneou movement,
you ran to arms, you acquired liberty, e
qmlity, and glory I Tim day thofe firft
Vc flings of nations are firmly fixed and
Inured agiinft all tern pert i ; they are
n1"'1' 10 you ana your cnnarcn ; mm.
lutions conceivcJ and commenced in the
bobm of I he florms of war, interior and
exttiior, ate about to terminate amidft
the noife of wicked attempts and plots of
our tn (t mortal enemies, in the adoption
of eiry miifore which ihc experience of
aei and the people have dcmonllrated
proptr, io suarantaethe righis which the
nation I a I judged neceffary to her digni-
tyn:itty, ana rupptncii.
LONDON, June:2, ,
By Paris papers of the?othuli. 'if appears,
that on the i8;h, the Senatus Confultum;
refpedting the Imperial dignity to be be
ftowed on Buonaparte was finally adopted
and prefentedto the Firft Conful by ths
Senate in a body, This ait contains 3
article?, and is 'in (ubltince as follows :
' NaDOisoh RiiinWUti. ! A-.-rA
Emperor of the French, and the Tmnriat .
. -w-.?
uignuy hereditary in the fegltimne de
fcent.from male to male, in the onier of
primogeniture, to the exclufioiv of fe
rcuiesand their defcnt. -The firft conful.
may adopt the children or the grand ehil
'dicn of his brothers, provided they have
attained thVage of eighteen ' yeirs cm
Ple,n heAimfelf have no chiWren. -Adoption
is prohibited to his fucceflors.
Indefiult of a natural heir of the Firft
Conftrf, or of any 'adopted heir, the Km
pire w'1' t ' J r t-''rt.. . 1
arte and'FiT dercendants, to Loiils and
his defcendants. I n cafe,of. failure cf the j
heirs of Jofeph and Lewis Buonaparte, a
Senatus Conlultum propofed to the Sc-
nate Dy tne lltulanes or the great cigut-
lies of die Empire, and fubmitted to the
people, (hall appoint an Emperor. The
members of the Imperial Family lhallbear
the title' cf French Princes. The eldelt
fiinof the Emperor (hall bear the title of
Imperial Prince. A French Prince who
fhall marry without permiflion from the
Emperor, (hall be deprived of all right to
the inheritance,' unlefs he (hall have'no
children by his marriage, and It .fhall be
afterwards d'ffulvech
" The brothers of Buonaparte are to be
created French Piinces, Itriperiai Palr
ces are to be .eftablifhed in four principal
points of the Empire. Females are in all
cafes excluded from the Regencies ; and
ihc leigning Emperor may, previous to
his death, appoint a Regent from amongft
the French Princes," if this heir male is a
mmor.
" The titularies of the great dignities of
the Emp'tre arc, the Great Eledir, the
Arch Chancellor of the Emp re,.ihe Arch
Cl anccllor of State, the Arch Treafurer,
the Conftable, and the High Admiral.
They ft) all be nominated by the Emperor,
hd they fliall cnjoy the farfe honors as
the French princes, and rank immediately
after them j they-fhall-be Senators and
Counfcllors'ot State ; they (kail form' the
great Council of the Emperor.
Tne other jreat officers are one
Marfhal of the Empire, chofen .from a-
tno.ig the mod dtdinguiflted Generals,
tweuty-'ight Infpeftnrs, . Colone'i-gene.
rais of Artillery, Cavalry ar.J the Marine;
three g'rezt Civil OiRccrs of the Crown,
fuch as (hall be inftituttd by the (tatutcs
of the E.nperor.i The laws are to be
tnus promulgated:
V Npo'.coT by the Grace of God, and
the Conitiiution of the Republic, Empe
ror of the French, &c.
The adoption of the Senatus Confultum
has been announced by difchargesof Ar-
pays to its own dignity, and to the-want
it teels of dailr beltow ing on you thofo
teftimonies of refpeel and aitachmenc
Which every da'augmtn's.
" How cani the Fien'ch people place -Bounds
to their gratitude when you fet
none to your cares and folicitude' for
them ?
HoW can they, Vfvilft preferring the
recollection of the evils they nave fuf--.
fered when they were delivered up to
thcmfelvei, -think without enthufiafrn of
tne happihefs they have experienced fince
Providence infpired them with the wiflv
of throwing themfelves ihto your arms ?
' Our armies were vanqifhed ; our fi
nances vvere in diforder public credtc
"was overturned ; Ta&ions difouted what
was left of our ancient fplendouYy ihe i'
deas of religion and even of morality were
cbfciired; the habit-ibf girin and recalline
n "rof( withnur pnw
taeration, and even
kind of authority. f
Your Majelty appeared. You bro't
Ividtory to Our ftandards1; you eltablilhed
order and economy in public expences';
the nation tranquilfzed by the manner in
which you made ufe f its rcfources, a
gain placed confidence in them ; your
wlfdowi his calmed the fury f parties';
you have retftablifhed the altars of reli
gion, notions of juftice and injuflicc have
awakened in the minds of the . citizens'
(luce they have beheld crimes followed by
their punifhment,' and virtues fignalired
ana recompetilea oy nonourapio dtltloc
lions. .
r,' M ln fhort, and here beyond a doubt isr
the, gteatcll miracle your 'genius ha
"Vvrbught this people, whom civil effer
Vefcence had rendered in'docial to every
conFtraint, enemies to all authority, you
have induced 10 cherilh and refpeel
power, e'tercifed only for itj'g'ory and re
ppfe.; . . ..
" The French do not pretend to fet
themfelves up as judges of the conftiiutiori
of other States.
14 They have rib'criticifms to mate, ncV
examples to follow ; experience hence
forth forms their IcITori.
They have during centuries enjoy-'
ed the advantages attached 10 hereditary-
power ;
. TheSena'e preceded by the tonful
Cambaceres decreed In its fitting thea8ih
t luteal in which were prefent the Cnful
.Lclojua,. aatUhMiniftetf 1 the Org'antc
Senatus Confultum which confers the title
oT Empeior upon the Firft Conful," and
which cftablilhes the Imperial dignity in
hisfimily,
It was then propofed and adopted to
repair to St. Cloud, in orJcr toprefent the
Organic Senatus Confultum to the Emperor-
The Senate. fet out immediately
as the fitting broke up The cavalcade
was accomplnied by nurnerous bodies of
troopi, ' .
The Senate on Its arrival was inflantly
admitted to an audience of the Emperor.
The Conful Cambacrrei, prefidem,ha.
T'ng prefcuiedihe Organic Senatus Con.
folium to the FitQ CohTuI thus aJdrr'iTo!
Mm t
Sire, the decree which the Seirte Ki
jttfl paffrd, h which ithaflens lor.refe.ntio
ytnjt ImpcrialMi)t(ly, is but th auincniic
expreffionof a will already tnnife'.tcd by
ihc nation. This decree, y. hich confer
red upon you a new Title, md hich after
you f ecu res the hereditary power to your
racei adds nothing eichev to your (lory , nr
10 1 our rights.
" The loveanJ ihe acV.nowledjment of
the French people h.ve, for four years pall
confided to your Vlije'dy, the feini of ihe
government ; aryJihe, Conftliuiion of the
Slate already tfjftei to tba for the choice
of a fuctefTot
. "The Tiry fpUndid title JecrtfJ f ou
11 then tt. ttiatt which the Nation
774 They have had a fhort but palnfulex '
pcrience or tne contrary lyltem ;
" They return after having impartiallf
confidered and reflected, to a path confor
mable to their genius.
" They freely make ufe of their rightr'
in order to delegate to your Imperial Ma
jelly a power which their interefts torbids
tnem irom exerciune inemitivcs.
They 'flrpulate for the generations to
come, and ly a folem paci, they confide tho
hipptneli ''t their pollcrtty to the branch,
cs of your race.
The latter will imitate your vir'
tues i
The former will inherit our love antf
our fidelity. J
M Happy the nation which affer fo ma"'
ny troubles and uncertainties, fends inju
felf a man capable of appeasing the tcrtiV
oeftof the pafeoni, of conciliating every,
intcrcft, and iinhiti al fuffragesl V
Happy the Pii'.icc who holds his'poyr
frcwthe-wilfnheomfi3cnce, and thei.U
fea.ons of tho C jtiicns ; .
' If it er.ten into the principle of our
conftituiio'.i, nd already many fim.ilar
eHimple havt been givec, to fubm'.: to
the fancioaof the people that pari tf thw
decree which concerns ihe eftablifhment
of ar. Hereditary Govei nmenf, the Senate
is o'f opinion,' that-jt ought to fiipptieata
Your imperial Majefty to allow the or
ganic difpofitions immediately 10 receiva
their execution t and for ihc tlory, as well
a? tor me napptncis 01 me TcpuoiK 11 pro
claims from this vtry ir.ftant Napelcoo;
emperor 01 tne rrencrt,
fTht Emperor tepP.ec! at follbws t
,' tvery thing w'hich can contribute fd
the good of the Couniry, is cfTeniiall
connrcted wKhmr happtntls.
" I accept the title which you think ufe
Jul 19 the ifloty of the Nation.
I
fubmit to the function of the reopV,
Ihe law concerning lie hereditary power,
hope that Frances ill never repent ot
jne honours with which it has furroundeJ
my family.
At all events, my mind will no lon
get remain with my pollciiiy, whencfec
ihcy ceafe to merit the love and coo
dence of the great Nailon." . ,
1 he Senile was then admitted to an su
ditnee of Her Mijelly the Emprefs.
, The Co u Gil CambsccrcSfprcfidtntft
"1
a; Vl