185 



ANNfJAL REGISTER, 1804 



" diers of the army, sacrificing their 

 ^* lives for the defence of their coun- 

 »'' try — as magistrates, they will ne- 

 *' ver forg^et, that cootempt of tlie 

 ** laws, and the confusion of social 

 *' order, are only the result of the 

 *' imbecility and uncertainty of 

 *^ princes. You, senators, whose 

 ^^ coujisels and support hare ne- 

 *' ver failed me in the most difti- 

 *' cult circumstances, your spirit 

 *''will be handed down to your suc- 

 ** cessors ; be ever the props and 

 " first counsellors of that throne so 

 *' necessary to the wt^lare of this 

 *' vast empire." 



The tribunate having assisted at a 

 similar solemnity, thus concluded 

 this memorable event. 



The session of the legislative body 

 opened on the 26th December. On 

 that occasion, the members were as- 

 jembled in extraordinary state, to 

 receive the emperor, who was seated 

 ©•n a tluone ere6ted for the purpose ; 

 and, in bis presence, an oath, in the 

 following terms, was administered 

 to each of the legislators, separately : 

 ^ I xi^ur obedience to the comditu- 

 *' iionx of the empire, and fidelity, to 

 " the emperor.''* 



The emperor then rose, the legis- 

 lators uncovered themselves, and 

 his majesty addressed them as fol- 

 lows : 



" Deputies from the departments 

 *' to the legislative body, and mcm- 

 *S;bers of my council of state. — I 

 *' am come, gentlemen, to preside 

 *' at the opening of your session. 

 *' My anxious desire is to impress a 

 *' more imposing and august eharac- 

 *' ter on your proceedings. Yes, 

 *' princes, magistrates, soldiers, citi- 

 " zens, we have all ot ut^, in the 

 *' course we have to run, but one 

 "" objett — the interest of the coun- 

 ^* try. If this thronCj to which 



'' providence and the will of the na- 



" tion have raised me, be dear in 



" my eyes, it is because that throne 



" can only defend and nrtir.tain the 



" most sacred interes(soi the French 



" people. Unsupported by a vi- 



'• gorous and paternal government, 



^' France would have sUil to fear 



" those calamitiae by which she has 



" been affli<^ed. The weakness of 



*' the supreme power is the deepest 



" misfortune of nations. As a sol- 



'* dier, or first consul, I entertained 



" but one thought — as emperor, I 



" am influenced hy no other — and 



" that is, every thing which contri- 



" butes to the prosperity of France. 



" I have had the good fortune to 



" illustrate France with vi<^ories, 



" to consolidate her by treaties, to 



" rescue her from civil broils, and 



" to revive among her inhabitants 



" the influence of morals, of social 



" order, and of religion. Should 



" death not surprise me in the 



" midst of my labours, I fondly 



" hope I may transmit to posterity 



" a durable impression, that must 

 u 



serve as an example or reproach 

 to my successors. The minister 

 " of the interior will submit to you 

 " a statement of the situation of the 

 " empire. The deputation fronj my 

 " council of state will present to 

 you different objects that are to 

 occupy the legislature. I have 

 given instru(^ions that there be 

 laid before you the accounts 

 which my ministers have given me 

 of their respective departments ; 

 I am fully satisfied with the pros- 

 perous state of our finances ; 

 whatever may be the expenditure, 

 it is covered by the revenue. — 

 How extensive soever have been 

 the preparations imposed upon 

 us, by the exigencies of the war 

 " in which we are engaged, I call 



upoB 





