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    1174 THE L -frA D E R. [Satprday,

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    THE PABLIAMEKT O$ THE WEEK. THJ0 flBENCH...

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    The Fate Attending The Commercial Policy...

    The " logic of the people , " as interpreted by the new revision of the constitution , converts the Emperor of the French into a Czar , Abolishes every vestige of dignity and independence" ih-the legislative body , leaves a blank for the Civil List to be filled up by " munificence of the Setmte , " , in a word , fills up the measure of thfc nation ' s servitude . Our ambassador- has hastened to be the first to present his credentials , while M . Ducos was haranguing the Deputies of Toulon , Brest , and Cherbourg , on the aggressive preparations of England , and was promising to keep pace with us , ship for ship , and gun for gun .

    The Moniteur protested against the insinuation that any undue influence had been exerted at Madrid , as to certain projects of constitutional reform , " attributed" to the Spanish Government : while the said constitutional projects were actually discovering their origin and their tendency by a dissolution of the Cortes , a new electoral

    law by royal decree , a suspension of almost the entire press , and a virtual annulling of all constitutional guarantees . How far Spanish absolutism may reckon on French imperialism we know not : it is not so likely , perhaps , that Spanish patriotism will yield without a struggle . The latest news from Madrid speaks of great excitement prevailing in the capital . '

    The Belgian Press Law has passed the Chamber after a sharp contest , and one of the last barriers to French annexation is removed . The national spirit has no longer any aliment : and the influences of Imperial gold and priestly intrigue are in undisputed possession of the field . The most serious notion , however , is , that the Emperor will not invade Belgium by force of arms ; but in his own good time put annexation to the vote , and so proclaim

    himself , not the conqueror , but the " Elect of Belgium , "—a course which Lord Malmesbury would be ready to justify , and even celebrate , in the House of Lords . It is not too much to say that the presence of Lord Malmesbury in Dovmingstreet is more responsible for the relapse in Belgium and Spain than even Louis Napoleon . Lord Malmesbury will be hereafter remembered in connexion with the eloge on the Enslaver of France , the press law in Belgium , the coup-d ' e ' in Spain , and the degradation of Englishmen everywhere .

    To return to home affairs . The agriculturists do not shine by their friends in Parliament so much as by their beasts in Bakerstreet . The Cattle-show of the year continues the recent improvements : the beasts are not so uselessly fat ; they arc more healthily and servierably grown , and the implements in the machine department multiply . We noticed , indeed , no flax machine ; although Mr . Druce , one of our largest growers of flax , was one of the chief prizemen for stock , and one of the best exhibitors of roots . Still the show uttests the

    advance of intelligence and of production among our agriculturists ; and it was impossible not to be struck with the advantages of this central gathering as a focus of enlightenment , now that funning is at length happily withdrawn from the politicul market . The list of crimes and disasters for the week is unusually full—murders , railway accidents , mutiny , and a smaller repetition of the calamity that desolated I [ olinfirth . The mutiny happened in the

    Melbourne , notorious for its career ot disasters Vrom England to Portugal . It was attended by murder , and in the inquiry it cuine out % \\ ni the crew were all drunk . The inuu-, 't c & tioty from a broken-down reservoir ¦ near Man-/^^ ^ tj & pfeej ^ \ v * iis caused immediately by the heavy [ tJwtf * $$ 0 $ P K $$ * k ^ construction and insufficient attend-Sjr ^^^^&^ sfc §^ tQ ''« ave been the predisposing causes . ^ i ^ t ' ® ' ! wB ^ 55 " ^ foreselJn ' l ) Ufc not i m ! VCIitc < 1 - ^ ^^^^ W ^^^ K ^ 1 Ialnlnrth reservoirs , thews did ^>^ W ^^ S ^^ 4 «/ lr ; antI no iiim [) t ifc co 8 ta Iess to ^^^ S 0 X ^ Mnnun <«• a pauper , than to keep up Y ^ Sb ^ Q |^ £ Mx return no profi t , or to iced a man out of poor-rates in time of need .

    1174 The L -Fra D E R. [Satprday,

    1174 THE L -frA D E R . [ Satprday ,

    The Pabliamekt O$ The Week. Thj0 Flbench...

    THE PABLIAMEKT O $ THE WEEK . THJ 0 flBENCH EMPIBE . IK the House of IrtJrds , on Monday , the Earl of Mal-* ne « bury made the following extraordinary speech j —• " It now becomes mf duty to announce to your lordships an event which yotttnust all long sindo have expected , but trhich is not diminished in importance though so long expected and foreseen ) 1 allude to the notification that has been madd to her Majesty ' s Government by the Secretary for Itoeitfn Affairs at Paris , announcing that the French people nave determined to change their constitution from a JJepublic to that of an Empire , and to attach to the person of the Prince President of the Republic the dignity of Emperor . That notification was made to me

    on Thursday last , and , haying been communicated by me to her Majesty ' s Government , her Majesty ' s servants have thought it rig ht , without further hesitation , to advise her Majesty cordially to accept and recognise this _ new constitution selected by the French people for their own government . It has been , as your lordships all know , our usual policy for a period of 22 years—since the revolution of 1830 in Paris—to acknowledge the constitutional doctrine that the people of every country have the ri g ht to choose their own Sovereign without any foreign interference , and , that a Sovereign having been freely chosen by them , that Sovereign or ruler , or whatever he may be called , being de facto the ruler of that country , should be recognised by the Sovereign of this . If there has been distinct will of the French

    formerly any doubt as to the nation in respect to the choice of their Sovereign , —if there has been any doubt as to their distinct intention at any former time , I must say that , on this occasion at least , it is perfectly impossible to mistake their undoubted determination , three times in a most solemn way expressed , with respect to the same person , in the most public manner that history can afford an example of . When the revolution and the ^ Republic succeeded to the monarchy of Louis Philippe , the present Emperor of the French was residing in this country . He went over with none of the usual canvass that takes place at elections of minor importance , or even at those of equal magnitude . He went over , I may say , with nothing but a name—a name so great in France , that it evidently is invested with a magic

    which has an effect that experience only has been able to make Europe understand . We could , indeed , almost comprehend that the fate of Ifapoleon , checkered as it waa with such a mixture of immense glory and misfortune , was admirably calculated to rouse all tho sympathies of human nature , and therefore we cannot wonder that he made a lasting impression on a people over whom he ruled so long and so greatly . But it is hardly possible for any person in a European State out of France to suppose that the prestige of that name remains so long , and so steadily and strongly , for thirty-seven years after his abdication , that his nephew should have appeared in three different characters before the French people in the course of four years , —first offering himself , without any of the accessories of a Court or a Government to assist him , as simplo

    President of the French Kepublic , with a Chamber ; secondly , as absolute President of the licpublic without any constitutional form of government ; and thirdly , as Emperor of the same people , —and to be elected , first , by 6 , 000 , 000 , then by 7 , 000 , 000 ; and lastly , confirmed in his power by nearl y 8 , 000 , 000 of people , forming the almost entire adult malo population of France . This is not the time to speculate on tho reason of such an extraordinary exhibition of sentiment and conviction on the part of tho French people , but I think , if wo havo long lost sight of the power of that name in Franco , it has been becauso wo havo not sufficiently observed , that up to this moment , in the changes that have taken placo in that country , only one part of her population was consulted and considered . It was at Paris that all these changes wore earned out . Tl ; wns in Par ™ alono that tho fate of Charlos X . and Louia

    Philippe was determined ; it was by tho voice of the Parisians nlone that the Jtcpublic was established in 1848 ; and , though both forms of government Huccessivcly mot with tho silent approbation of tho country , _ yot on no ono occasion , till tho President of tho Ilopublic wan elected in 1848 , were tho wholo body , tho mass of the French people , consulted as to what form of government they preferred , or what manner of man they ought to have . Among the musses of tho Fronch people one recollection , and ono only , sooma strongly and utoadily to have prevailod , and I think it is not difficult to explain why it nhould havo boon ho . In 1816 , at tho time of tho Kentoration , tho army of Franco , an enormous army , was disbanded . It was poured back again upon tho hcarthH of tho population ; tho priuonerH returned from nil ports of tho world in thouuandH and tons of thousands , and it in not

    exaggerating tho number to say that 400 , 000 or r > 00 , <)<) jhou , with ono fixed idea in their inindH , with ono worship fixed in their hearts , returned to their lioinew . For twenty or thirty yearn aftorwai-dn they talked of butone man ; that one man wan tho great idol of their imagination , and , though they could hardly havo exaggerated Iwb military merits and glory , they wtill attributed to him . all that onthuaiaHin could give . Upon tho rifling generation all thin wan not likely to be lo « t , and it appears to mo that tho Heeds thoHo mou have howii throughout Mm province *) of

    Franco are now to bo noon in tho fruit which Iiuh ripened on thin occasion into an empire . Seeing this immense demonstration of feeling on tho part of tho I'romli people , it wan impoHfliblo fur her MaioHty ' w Government , oven if it had not boon tho UHiial policy , not to udvitui her Majesty immediately and cordially to uccopi and recotfnioo tho empire . Thoro might havo boon one , and only one reason , which might Imvo tempted uh to henitato no lo udvino her MujrNty , but I' rojoico to my that tho good nemo of tho preNoiit Hmporor , foroHooiiig tho difficulty , made an iwl-TiiiMio to romovn from tho Oovorninont those dillieullioH

    that othorwino might havo oxinted . I allude to a hoiiiowhaL ambiguous oxpronnion to bo found in tho report of tho RfinatuB-Chmtmltfi , which referred to the late l ' roeidont of in © Jlopullio , and whiou wfta oonuoctod with tho titlo

    he meant to take—that of " Napoleon III . " This __ .. have induced h « Marty ' s Government-it would mdfed naturally have nidtiWd any one to suppose-as understood mconimon parlanW , and As it is commonl y understood Jten designating SdVer ^ ignS-to give th e bea ^ r of the title an hereditary and retrospective right to the thronethat he tfras . descended m a straight and legitimate W afid that by right he bow mounted the throne of VranZ ' The presGilt Emperor , however , foreseeing this difficult ?* took himself the initiatory step , and frankly assured S Majesty's Government that it related simply to the hh > toncal incident that in France , and according to Fronot law , two soverei gns of the name of Napoleon Bonamrf * had the

    preceded present Emperor . Neither of these ZZ recognised by this country . The French Government knew that as well as your lordships , and they have adopted the title without any intention of claiming hereditary rie-hf from the first Emperor . They have distinctly intimated this to her Majesty ' s Government , and it has also been since announced in a speech by the Emperor himself They have declared , and he has himself declared , that he is the Sovereign only by the voice of the people , not bv hereditary right to the throne ; that he distinctly reco . gnises all the Governments that have existed since 1814 m France ; that he recognises the acts of those Governments ; and that he acknowledges the solidarit y of his Government the others

    as succeeding . With these satisfactory and frank explanations , made before we asked any official questions on the subject- —with these satisfactory and frank declarations , it waa only left to her Majesty ' s Government cordially to acknowled ge the decided will of the French nation , and to send to our ambassador at Paris credentials for the new court . In the notification of the Empire , her Majesty ' s Government is informed that the same policy that influenced the President will influence the Emperor . And , with respect to that policy , as regards England , it is im ' possible to speak too highly of the cordial and frank manner in which every question has been entertained by the Government of France since I have had the honour of

    holding the seals of office , and I am sure my noble friend opposite will be ready to say the same thing . I have found nothing but fairness and fair play in all their transactions . I have found nothing but assurances of good will , and wishes to maintain an unbroken friendship with this country . I believe that the Emperor himself and the great mass of the French people deeply feel the necessity for the interests of both countries , that they should be at peace . I believe , on the other hand , that they see the folly and the crime of provoking war . They must know that war , so far as carried on for the subjugation of either country by the other , is an absurdity : that the one can never be so powerful or so independent as to be able to subjugate the other ; and that , therefore , the war must be only a useless war , —useless as cruel , and cruel as useless . "

    Lord Canning wished to know in what form the information had . been received- Lord MALMESBUiiY said it was an " official declaration . " Mr . Diskaem took a different course in the House of Commons . He said" I have to inform the House that Her Majesty has received a notification that there is a change in the form of the government of France ; that the Empire has been reestablished , and that the Emperor 3 » as been proclaimed under the titlo of ' Napoleon III . ' Her Majesty ' s Government , acting upon the policy which . has been long pursued by this country , of recognising every do facto government , has advised Her Majesty promptly and cheerin

    fully to recognise tho new form of government J ' ranco . I havo at tho samo timo to inform tho House that , in tho first instance in a friendly and informal manner , but ultimately in a formal and official manner , it has been announced to Her Majesty ' s Government , that in accepting the title of ' Napoleon III ., ' tho Emperor of tho Ireiich does not in any way wish to assort his hereditary claim to the Empire ; he declares that his only claim , to be considered Emporor is that ho has been elected by the pooplo of Franco ; and ho has further declared , in a manner perfectly voluntary on his part , that ho entirely accepts all tho Governments , and all tho acts of all tho Governments , that havo occurred and taken place since 1814 . ht lion

    Tho announcement thus made by tho rig , gentleman was received witli deep and earnest attention . Lord J . KU 8 SKM . asked whether there would be any objection to lay these documents on tho table of tho lloum ? The CnANOET ^ OB of the Exoukqukk said , ho did not see any prow ; nt objection to luy the papers on the table of tho Houho ; but the noblo lord , he wjw Hiiro , would not press him for a more definite answer at that moment . ( Hoar , hear . ) He had thought it renpeetful to tho Houho to give it tho curliest infonn'ition of the fact ho hnd stated , not winning that , tiio House of Commons shonld bo made acquainted with n from any other quarter . OLOBTC OF TIIK'FUBH-TUAUB COKTTBOVJSBSY .

    At length tho Hoitsis ov Lonnfl has puflHod itfl ^ J 01 ' 1 " lion in favour of Free-trade . Coming « ft « r tho Hu « f ?« . ' tho wholo proceeding is tamo Hnd dull ; all throng ! Iuih been undignified , neither reflecting credit onj «« Clunricardo , nor Lord Derby , nor tho Ilouao . « bo Boon that Lord Jlarrowby ntoppod in , and nnpoa . uh tho PahnerHton of tho Upper Hou « c . , Tho Marquis of Ct , anuioauj > k , on Monday , mov . the following resolution : . ( i * irnnoral " That this hoiMo , thankfully ftcknowlodgmg . ««•> prosperity , and dooply nomiblo of tho ovil « att " J t „ , „ . t ehantfOH in tL financial policy ul U « « J ([

    adheres to the commercial in tern wmiy ™™"" " jslurb would view with rogrot any renewed attonmn ita operation or imuudo it * iiurtlior progrow .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 11, 1852, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_11121852/page/2/