THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 636, 19 May 1852, Page 3

THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

Louis Napoleon met bis Ministers on the evening of Tuesday last, when he communicated bis project of the Constitution. The following are the principal outlines :—: — " The new Constitution admits two Assemblies — .1 Senate and a Legislative Corps. The Senate will he composed, at first, of 80 members, all named by the President. The number of senators may be increased to as many as 120, by means of successive nominations, at the will of the Piesident. The functions of senator are gratuitous ; nevertheless, in certain cases, and for certain persons, the President will be authorised to dispose of a sum, either by way of retiring pension or in» demnity, at his pleasuie, for the benefit of any member of the Senate ; the said sum in no case to be more than 20,000f. of annual allowance. The Senate is the real pivot on which the new political organization of the State will turn : its attributes will be very extended. Its acts will be in viitue of organic Sena tin Consultei like the Senate of the Year 0. The Plebiscite, which universal suffrage has adopted, sanctions in reference to the Senate the principle proposed by the President in his proclamation of the 2nd ult. It is admitted that the Senate will be composed of the most distinguished chaiacters of the country, in order to give it weight in public affairs — 'a piepomlerating power, the guaulian of the fundamental pact, and of the public liberties.' With such a definition of the Second Chamber, the President may give 10 it all functions without exception, even those of a legislative character, whice arp, nevertheless, the general and ordinary ones of the Legislative Corps, " The Legislative Corps will be composed of as many members as there are communal arrondissements in Fiance. The Fiencli territory is divided into depaitments, each dopaitment is subdivided into airondissementis; and each department is administered by a prefect, and each arrondissement by a bub-piefect. There is, besides, a tubunal for each arrondisi-einent. In the same manner each airondissement will have its member of the Legislative Corps, and as there are 365 of those sub-divisioiih, the legislative body will be composed of the same, or nearly the same, number of members. The election of Legislators will be by arrondissement, of which each will be the delegate or representative, chosen by particular ballot, and by means of dnect universalsufTiage of the whole of the citizens, as it has just been exeicised for the President himself. The functions of the legislator or representatives aie pioposed to be gratuitous, and without any exception of the kind that 1 have already noticed with refeiencc to the Senate. The electois will thoiefore be foiced to choose such persons as possess sufficient means to pass a coiibidemble poition of the jear 111 Pans. Under the Empire the legislators leceived a salnry of 10,000 fiancs. "The Legislative Corps will bo elec'od for fivp years — at the end of which it will be entirety renewed. The Piesident will always have the right of dissolving the Legislative 1 body. The Legislative Corps will discuss and vote the laws. In principle, the sittings will bo public but restrained. The number of stungeis admitted to these sittings will nqt be much moi« than fifty. Thejouriiali me net to publish ihe debates; a summaiy of each will bo diawn up, published officially in the iMnuileur, which the journals may transfer to their columns.

"The Constitution is silent regarding the liberty of the pies':, and the appointment of judges, whose independence it would be desii able to guaiantee, by rendering them not liable to he removed at pleasure,- the question of the jury ; that of the state of siege ; those connected. ni\h criminal jurisdiction ; the question of the liberty f)f worship, which coinpu'sea all that concerns scclesiastical discipline ; and the independence of the clergy." Louis Napoleon made the following address to his ministers: — " Gentlemen, — France has responded to the loyal lppeal that I made to her. She has comprehended that I departed from legality only to return to right. More ihan 7,000,000 of votes have just absolved me byjustilying an act which had no other object than to save Fiance and Europe peihaps fiom yeais of troubles and salamity. (Sttong maiks of assent.) 1 thank you for liaving shown officially to what extent this manifestation was national and spontaneous. If I congratulate myself on this immense adhesion, it is not from pride but because it gives me the means of speaking and acting as becomes the chief of a gieat nation like ours. (Loud and repeated cries of ' Bravo.') I comprehend ill the grandeur of my new mission, and I do not de3eive myself as to its difficulties, ftut with an upright heart, with the co-operation of all light-minded men, ivho like you will assist me with their intelligence, and support me with their patriotism ; with the tried depotedness of our valiant army, and wiih the protection »vhich I shall to-morrow solemnly beseech Heavpn to jrant me— (prolonged sensation) — I hope to render myself worthy of the confidence which the people conlinue to place in me. (Loud approbation.) I hope to secure the destinies of France by founding institutions which lespond at the same time to the democratic instincts of the nation, and to the universally expressed Ifsiie to have hencofoith a stiong and respected Government. (Warm marks of adhesion.) In fact, to jive satisfaction to the exigencies of the moment, by ;reatin° n system which le-constitutes authority, with)ut wounding the feeling of equality, and without ;losing any path of improvement, is to lay the foundaions of the only edifice capable of supporting a wise md beneficent liberty."