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known to you the situation of France.

The relations with the European powers continue to be amicable and satisfactory. The affairs of the east alone present some diffi. culties; but the treaty that I have signed with the king of England and the emperor of Russia, has laid the foundation for the pacification of Greece, and I have reason to hope that the efforts of my allies, and my own efforts, will triumph over the resistance of the Ottoman Porte, without the necessity of our having recourse to arms.

The unexpected battle at Navarino was at the same time an occasion of glory for our arms, and a brillant pledge of the union of the three flags.

The peninsula has been for a long time a cause of sacrifice to us; this is near an end; secure on her frontiers, Spain is employing herself with perseverance in the task of crushing in her bosom, the deplorable seeds of civil discord. Every thing assures me, that I shall be able, very soon, with the consent of the king my nephew, to restore my soldiers to their country, and to relieve my people from a painful burden.

A vigorous blockade, to terminate only when I shall have received the satisfaction which is due to me, is kept up, and is punishing Algiers, and protecting French

commerce.

In distant regions, and under the uncertain dominion of infant governments, our flag has suffered some aggressions; but I have ordered that just reparation should be exacted, and I have prescribed measures which will for the future protect from all damage the fortunes of my subjects.

If I can thus, gentlemen, look abroad with satisfaction, the domestic state of my kingdom does not offer me less security. You will see by the documents which will be laid before you, that if the products of the different contributions have suffered some diminu. tion, the sources of the public wealth are not lessened for any length of time. Extraordinary circumstances have produced an excess of expenditure for which it will be necessary to provide. I have ordered my ministers to render you an account of them; and I have required of them, to press constantly towards a severe and ex. tensive economy.

I have called my son to act in the military promotions. The army will find in this new arrangement the most certain testimony of my regard towards it.

The progressive developements of commerce and industry, that glory of peaceful states, have increased their wants, and solicit more numerous outlets. It is my wish that a minister appointed in their interest, should have the spe. cial employment of proposing to me every thing which may be proper to assist their activity, which is ever increasing.

However intimate may be the connexion which must exist between religion and the education of men, public instruction and ecclesiastical affairs have appeared to me to require a separate direc. tion, and I have ordered the division to be made.

Wishing to strengthen more and more in my states the charter which was granted by my brother, and which I have sworn to maintain, I shall be watchful, that the labours are carried on with wisdom and

judgment, which shall place our legislation in harmony with it.

Some high questions of public administration have been pointed out for my attention. Convinced that the true strength of the throne is, next to the divine protection, in observing the laws, I have ordered that these questions should be examined, and that their discussion should bring out the truth, which is the first want of princes and people.

Gentlemen, the happiness of France is the object of all my af. fections, of all my thoughts. To secure this, I shall know how to maintain the power and watchful authority which belongs to my

crown.

I depend, gentlemen, and I de. pend very much, on the assistance of your information, and on the union with me of your feelings. The word of your king, calling for the union of good men, can here only find hearts disposed to listen and to respond to it.

Paris, Jan. 27 1829. To-day his majesty opened the session of the chamber in the Louvre.

After the usual preliminary ceremonies had been through, and the peers and deputies had taken their seats, his majesty delivered the following speech :

Gentlemen,-I am happy in seeing you every year assembled around my throne, to promote, in concert with me, the great interests of my people.

This satisfaction is the more lively on the present occasion, as I have pleasing communications to make to you, and important labours to intrust to you.

My relations with foreign pow.

ers continue to be friendly. The assurances I receive from my allies offer me a pledge, that notwithstanding the events which have desolated the east, peace will not be disturbed in the rest of Europe. To hasten the pacification of Greece, I have, in concert with England and Russia, sent to the Morea a division of my troops. At the sight of some thousand Frenchmen, determined to accomplish their noble task, that celebrated country, too long ravaged, has been restored to peace and security. There, as at Navarin, the union of the flags has proved to the world the respect of the three crowns for the faith of treaties, and my soldiers take pleasure in recounting the sincere support which they have found in the English

navy.

A formal declaration, notified to the Porte, has placed the Morea and the neighbouring islands under the protection of the three powers. This solemn act will suffice to render a protracted occupation unnecessary. I continue to assist the Greeks to rebuild their ruins, and my ships bring back to them those Christian slaves whom the pious generosity of France has restored to their country and to liberty.

So many cares will not prove vain. I have reason to believe that the Porte, more enlightened, will cease to oppose the treaty of the 6th of July, and it may be hoped that this first arrangement will not be lost for the re-establishment of peace in the east.

The situation of Spain has allowed me to recall the troops which I left at the disposal of his Catholic majesty. My soldiers are returned to their country, after having received from the inhabitants of all

the countries through which they have passed, testimonies of esteem and respect, due to their excellent discipline. Considerable

sums

have been advanced to the Spanish government; a convention has been signed to regulate the pay. ment of them.

The hope which I still retain of obtaining from the dey of Algeirs a just reparation, has retarded the measures which I may be obliged to take in order to punish him; but I shall neglect nothing to protect the French commerce from insult and piracy; and striking ex. amples have already taught the Algerines that it is neither easy nor prudent to brave the vigilance of my naval force.

Engagements contracted by an ancient French colony had ceased to be executed. After having convinced myself that this inexecution was the result of inability, I have consented to open with more efficacious negotiations for the interests of the colonies and of com

merce.

Many of my subjects have suffered by the measures taken by the emperor of Brazil in his war with the republic of Buenos Ayres. Some of their vessels have been captured. The convention which I have just ratified, while it confirms, with respect to the right of blockade, a conservatory principle always maintained by France, ensures to them the restitution of their loss. On this occasion, as on all others, I owe praises to the French marine, which shows itself worthy of its noble mission.

The successive shocks which have agitated some of the new states of South America have left the political situation of those states uncertain, and rendered it difficult to form regular relations with them.

The moment is doubtless not far distant when I shall be able to give to those relations a stability advantageous to my subjects; meantime I have appointed consuls to watch over their interests.

Such, gentlemen, is the happy state of our relations with foreign powers. Whatever may be the events that the future reserves for us, I shall certainly never forget that the glory of France is a sacred deposite, and that the honour of being the guardian of it is the fairest prerogative of my crown.

Order and peace prevail in the interior. French industry, already so justly celebrated, is daily distinguished by new improvements.

Some branches of our agriculture and commerce are suffering, but I hope that it will be possible for me to lessen the evil, if I should not be enabled to cure it.

The long inclemency of the seasons, and the unfavourable delay which the harvest experienced, awakened for some weeks the solicitude of my government. Dis. tressing doubts with respect to the state of our resources have been speedily dispelled by more positive information. The substance of all is assured, and if the price of corn, while it augments the prosperity of the landholders, increases for a mo. ment the distress of the indigent, Providence has created beneficence to relieve those who suffer.

The press, freed from restraints, enjoys entire liberty. If licen. tiousness, its fatal enemy, still shows itself under the cover of a generous and confiding law, public good sense, which becomes more firm and enlightened, does justice to its aberrations, and the magistracy, faithful to its noble traditions, know its duties, and will always fulfil them.

The necessity of placing the religion of our fathers in security against any attack, to maintain in my kingdom the execution of the laws, and at the same time to ensure among us the perpetuity of the priesthood, have induced me, after mature reflection, to prescribe the measures which I have felt to be necessary.

These measures have been executed with that prudent firmness which reconciles the obedience due to the laws, the respect due to religion, and the just regards to which its ministers are entitled."

Communications will be made to you on the state of our finances. You will be happy to learn, that the estimates of the revenue for 1828 have been exceeded. This increasing prosperity has not relaxed the system of economy in which my government must endeavour daily to advance farther, without, however, forgetting that useful expense is also economy.

Numerous labours will occupy the session which is opened to-day. You will have to discuss a code which is destined for the army, and deserves serious attention.

The law on the endowment of the Chamber of Peers, and many other laws worthy of your attention, will be presented to you. A serious and important project will, above all, call for your solicitude. It has

protecting and moderating power which belongs to the crown, the full scope of action and force which public order requires. I have caused a project, which will be presented to you, to be prepared with care. I invite all the meditations of your wisdom to this project, and I confide the discussion of it to your love of the public good, and to your fidelity. Every day gives me fresh proofs of the affection of my people, and enhances the sacred. ness of the obligation which I have contracted, to dedicate myself to their happiness. This noble task, which you, gentlemen, will assist me to fulfil, must daily become more easy.

Experience has dispelled the charm of insensate theories.France, like yourselves, knows on what basis its happiness reposes, and those who should seek it any where but in the sincere union of royal authority and of the liberties which the charter has consecrated, would be openly disowned by it. You, gentlemen, are called upon to render this union more close and more solid; you will accomplish this happy mission like faithful subjects, and loyal Frenchmen, and your efforts will be equally certain of the support of your king, and of the public gratitude.

dical writings.

CHARLES, by the grace of God,

&c.

been long since acknowledged, that Law relative to Journals, and periothere is a necessity for a new municipal departmental law, the whole of which shall be in harmony with our institutions. The most diffi. cult questions are connected with its organization. It ought to secure to the communes and to the depart. ments a just share in the management of their interests; but it must at the same time preserve to the

We have proposed, the Chambers have adopted, we have or. dained, and do ordain, as follows:

Art. I. All Frenchmen of legal age, enjoying civil rights, may, without being prev ously autho

rized, publish a journal or periodical publication, by conforming to the requisitions of this law.

Art. 2. The proprietors of every journal or periodical publication, shall be bound, before its publicacation, to furnish a security,

If the journal or publication ap. pear more than twice a week, whe. ther on a stated day or irregularly, the security shall be for 6000 francs de rentes.

The security shall be equal to three quarters of the specified sum, if the journal be published only twice a week.

It shall be one half of the above. named security, if the journal appear only once a week.

It shall be one fourth thereof, if it appear only twice a month.

The security for the daily jour nals, published in other depart. ments than those of the Seine, the Seine and Oise, and the Seine and Marne, shall be 2000 francs de rentes in cities of 50,000 people and above; and 1,200 francs de rentes in other cities; and the half of those sums for journals which ap. pear less often.

Art. 3. The following shall be exempted from giving security.

1st. Journals which appear only monthly, or less often.

2d. Journals exclusively devoted to the mathematical, physical and natural sciences, to learned works, and inquiries to the mechanical and liberal arts, that is to say, to the sciences and arts which en. gage the attention of the three academies of science, of inscriptions and of fine arts of the royal institute.

3d. Journals which do not discuss political subjects, and are exclusively devoted to letters, and

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the branches of knowledge above specified, provided they do not appear more than twice a week.

4th. All periodical publications which are not political, and which are published in any other than the French language.

5th. Periodical papers exclusively devoted to advertisements, legal notices, maritime arrivals, and price

currents.

Every violation of the regulations of this or the preceding article, shall be punished according to the 6th article of the law of June 6th, 1819.

Art. 4. Where there are associations, the society shall be one of those defined and regulated by the commercial code. Except where the journal shall be published by an anonymous society, the associates shall be bound to choose from their body, one, two or three agents, who, according to the terms of articles 22 and 24 of the commercial code, shall have his indi. vidual signature.

If any of the responsible agents shall, from any cause, withdraw and cease to act, the proprietors shall be bound within two months to supply his place, or to reduce the number of the agents, by an act of the same formalities, as that by which the association was formed. They shall be permitted with. in the time above specified, to aug. ment the number, on complying with the same formalities. If only one agent has been appointed, they shall appoint another within 15 days after his decease; in default whereof the journal shall be discontinued, under the penalty of 1000 francs for every sheet published after that time.

Art. 5. The responsible agents,

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