684 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



ness constitutes their punishment. 

 What a spedlacle for them to be- 

 hold, France, that same France, 

 which they wished to lacerate, and 

 which thoy must now know to be 

 united round its august chief, pos- 

 sessing the same spirit, forn>ing the 

 same wishes, and tranquilly cele- 

 brating the festivals which announce 

 the union of liberty, that first of all 

 moTing principles with this grand 

 conservative system of nations, he- 

 reditary monarchy. It was desired 

 previous to the revolution, that the 

 chief of a great state like France, 

 should promise at his accession, not 

 to be the king of nobles, nor of any 

 other class, but the chief of the na- 

 tion, not to maintain usurped privi- 

 leges, which, in an agricultural coun- 

 try, and amongst an industrious peo- 

 ple, would, nevertheless, destroy 

 agricidture and industry, to enrich 

 with their spoils the accomplices of 

 despotism ; but that he should swear 

 to the people these fundamental ar- 

 ticles, these eternal bases of well 

 regulated societies. Liberty of wor- 

 ship, this first right of all men, 

 since authority can never force con- 

 science. Equality of rights of all 

 the citizens, the only rational and 

 possible equality. . Respect for po- 

 litical and civil liberty, without 

 which nations are but herds of 

 slaves, equally indirt'erent to the for- 

 tune of their masters, and to their 

 own destiny. The inviolable secu- 

 rity of property, which forbids 

 above all the levy of arbitrary im- 

 posts, and permits not any subsidy, 

 direct or indirect, under what name 

 soever, but according to law. — - 

 Lastly, the general tendency of his 

 government, to the sole and primi- 

 tive end of every government, the 

 interest, the happiness, and the 

 glory of the people. This is the 



form of the oath which your impe- 

 rial majesty is about to take to the 

 French people ; these are the terms 

 which you have chosen to be a law 

 to yourself and your successors. 

 According to circumstances, your 

 majesty annexes to them an engage- 

 ment to maintain — the integrity of 

 the territory of the French repub- 

 lic, which should continue indivi- 

 sible : the acquisilion of the na- 

 tional property, which have been 

 the pay of our independence ; the 

 sublime institution of your legion of 

 honour, worthy reward of services 

 rendered to the country. With 

 these additions, this remarkable 

 oath would appear to have been dic- 

 tated by the whole nation. It is in 

 consideration of this also, that the 

 whole nation swears fidelity to you. 

 These two oaths correspond; they 

 guarantee each other ; they are the 

 reciprocal pledges of an indissolu- 

 ble alliance ; and amidst so many 

 important views, which will for ever 

 distinguish the senatus consultum of 

 the 19th May (28th Floreal), that 

 which cements the whole work ; that 

 which impripts upon it the seal of 

 immortality, sire, is the thought of 

 the title of the oaths. To close the 

 chasms of the revolution, more than 

 Curtius was necessary: according 

 to the ])rofound idea of a political 

 author, it was necessary that a great 

 man should chuse for the theatre of 

 his government and the materials of 

 his glory, the ruins of that state, 

 which he might propose to ncAV- 

 model and re-invigorate. 'It was 

 necessary that this man should be 

 worthy to give his name, and to 

 communicate his impulse to a new 

 dynasty. It was necessary that he 

 should be elevated above his con- 

 temporaries, of their choice, and 

 by their suffrages, without opposi- 

 tion 



