ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 717, 26 February 1853, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

FRANCE

[From the “Times,” October 13.]

By Submarine Telegraph

Paris, Monday, October H, 7 p.m. —ln his discourse at Bourdeaux, the Prince President, alluding to the Empire, said—“ there is one objection to which I must reply. Certain persons say the empire is war; I say the empire is peace, for France desires it, and when France is satisfied the world is tranquil.” Paris, Monday, October 11,5 p.m. The following is the toast given in honour of the Prince President by M. Dufour Duberyer, President of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce :

“ Monsigneur, ‘ I propose the health of Prince Louis Napoleon,’ who, on the 2nd of December, so courageously saved France from the abyss into which she was inevitably on the point of falling,— the Prince who has only made use of his dictatorial power to re-establish that order which had received such a heavy shock. At his voice the calm succeeded the tempest, alarm gave place to security, business resumed its course, and credit was restored. I propose the health of the Prince who, bestowing his enlightened solicitude on our long-neglected interests, has already enriched us with canals and railroads, and who, ns hope, will soon open to our commercial activity new paths across the ocean. However, these benefits will not produce all their fruits until our future prospects are firmly secured, for commerce can only exist through confidence in the future. I am, then, the faithful representative of our commerce when I solicit you, Monscigneur, to bring our institutions into harmony with our manners and our wants, which cannot be reconciled to an uncertain and transient power. You will answer the popular desire manifested by the general acclamation of the country by proclaiming the establishment of the empire. ‘ Vive Louis Napoleon!’ ” The following is the Prince’s reply : “ I accept with eagerness the opportunity afforded me by the Bourdeaux Chamber of Commerce for thanking your great city fur its cordial reception and its magnificent hospitality, and I am happy, at the end of my journey, to communicate the impressions I have received. The object of my tour, as you are well aware, was to make myself acquainted, by personal observation, with the beautiful provinces of the south, and to ascertain their real wants. It has, however, led to a far more important result. “ I may say, indeed, with a candour as far removed from pride as from false modesty, that never did a people more directly, more spontaneously, more unanimously testify a determination to free itself from all uneasiness respecting the future by placing in the same hands as heretofore a power which sympathizes with its feelings. (Applause.) “The people have now at hist learned to value at their price the false hopes with which it has been cajoled, and the dangers with which it was threatened. It seems, then, that in 1852 society approached its dissolution, because each party consoled itself with the belief that amid the general wreck it might still plant its standard on the floating fragments. (Sensation, and ciies of Vive I'Empcrcur!’) “Now that its eyes are opened to absurd theories, the people have acquired the conviction that those pretended reformers were mere visionaries, inasmuch as there has always been a disproportion and a want of consequence between their expedients and the promised result. (Loud applause, and cries of ‘True, true ! ’) “At present, the nation surrounds mo with its sympathies, because I do not belong to the family of the Ideologists. To promote the welfare of the country it is not necessary to apply new systems, but the chief point, above all, is to produce confidence in the present, and security for the future. For these reasons, it seems France desires a return to the Empire. (‘Yes, yes!’ prolonged applause, ‘ Vive V Empere ur! ’) “There is one objection to which I must reply. Certain minds seem to entertain a dread of war ; certain persons say the empire 5s only war : but I say the empire is peace (sensation), for France desires it, and, when France is satisfied the world is tranquil. [These words, uttered in a firm voice, and with a stiong emphasis, produced a rnarrival effect. Enthusiastic bravos were heard from all sides.j

“ Glory descends by Inheritance, but not war. Did the princes, who justly felt pride that they were the grandchildren of Louis XIV, re-com-nience his wars {

“ War is not made for pleasure,but through nececessity ; and at this epoch of transition, where by the side of so many elements of prosperity spring so many causes of death, we may truly say —'Woe be to him who gives the fiist signal to collision, the consequences of which would be incalculable. (Long and profound sensation.) “ I confess, however, that, like the Emperor, I have many conquests to make. I wish, like him, to conquer, by conciliation, all hostile parties, and to bring into the grand popular current those hosile streams which now lose themselves without profit to any one. (Applause ) “ I wish to restore to religion, morality, and opulence, that still numerous part of the population which, though in the bosom of the most fertile country in the world, can scarcely obtain the common necessaries of life. (Sensation.) “ We have immense waste of territories to cultivate. roads to open, ports to dig, rivers to render navigable, a system of railroads to complete; we have, opposite to Marseilles a vast kingdom, which we must assimilate to France.; we have to bring all our great western ports into connexion with the American continent by a rapidity of communication which we still want; lastly, we have ruins to restore, false gods.to overthrow, and truths to be made triumphant. (Prolonged applause.) The following telegrapric despatch has been reeeived: —

“ Gualais, 1 in the afternoon. —“ His Highness has just arrived at Chalais; he was received at the station bv the Prefect of Charente, the Deputies, and the Council-General. All the populations of the neighbouring cantons had assembled to salute the Prince. On his passage only one cry, a thousand times repeated, was heard, that of ‘ Vive VEmpereurV We read in the Concorde do Seine et Oise , of the 10th “ the Mdyor of Sevres has just caused to be placarded in his commune the following proclamation : “ Town of Sbvkks, Proclamation or the Empiue.—lnhabitants, — Paris, the heart of France, acclaimed on the 10th May for its Emperor him whose divine mission is every day revealed in such a striking and dazzling manner. At this moment it is the whole of France electrified which salutes her saviour, the elect of God, by this new title, which clothes him with sovereign power, ‘God wills it,’ is repeated with one voice— vox populi, vox Dei. It is the marriage of France with the envoy of God, which is contracted in the face of the universe, under the auspices of all the constituted bodies, and of all the people. That union is sanctified by all the ministers of religion, and by all the Princes of These addresses,

these petitions, and these speeches, which'are at this moment being exchanged between the chief of the State and France are the documents connected with that holy union ; —every one wishes to sign them, as at the church he would sign the marriage deed at which he is present. Inhabitants of Sevres, as the interpreter of your sentiments, I have prepared the deed which makes you take part in this great national movement Two books are opened at the Mairie to receive your signatures; one of them will be offered in your presence to him whom 1 from this day designate under the title of Emperor. Let us hope that he will deign to accede to the supplications which I shall address to him in your name, to return to the palace of St, Cloud through our territory, by the gate of honour which we possess. The other book which I shall present for the signature of the Prince will remain in your archives as a happy souvenir of this memorable epoch. Let all the population, without distinction, come therefore and sign this document; it sets forth that which is in your heart and in your will.” The document is as follows :

“ Proclamation of the Empire. —The town of Sevres, obeying of its sentiments of affection and of gratitude for Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, the Envoy of God and the Elect of France, her saviour and her glory, proclaims him Emperor of the French, under the name of Napoleon 111., and confers on him and on his descendants hereditary rights. “ Done at Sevres on the 7th of October, iu the year of grace and resurrection, 1852. (Signed) “ Menaces, Mayor.” The last number of the Bulletin des Actes dela Prefecture of the Somme contains the following documents: “ Amiens, October 2. “ Messieurs les Sous-Prefets et Maires, —I have just received, and I hasten to communicate to you, a despatch from the Secretai’y of the Senate. I request you to peruse it with attention, and to conform to the recommendations which it contains ; “Palace of the Luxembourg, October 4. “ ‘Monsieur le Prefect, —The signatures which are on the petitions addressed to the Senate by the inhabitants of the different communes of your department, demanding the re-establishment of the empire, are not at all legalised. It is essential that this omission should be remedied. In fact, the legalization is necessary in order to give to each signature a character of authenticity. It also furnishes the Senate with the means of appreciating with scrupulous exactness what is the true expression of the national will, at the same time that it prevents party spirit from disputing the sincerity of the wishes expressed by the petitioners.

“ * Accept, &c., “ ‘ Baron de La Crosse, “‘Senator and Secretary of the Senate.’ ”