STATE PAPERS. 



637 



also pronounce between the empe- 

 ror of France and the king of 

 Great Britain: nor is that poste- 

 rity far from ns. If, on the other 

 hand, so worthy and so honourable 

 a use of the power with vdiicii the 

 jit'ople have invested Napoleon the 

 i'irst will call forth in the empire 

 an unanimous sentiment of gratitude 

 and love, on that occasion, at least, 

 we should be bound to give thanks 

 to the British cabinet, who, by the 

 Cijuivocal publicity given to the most 

 cni'.did of communications, has in- 

 duced the necessity of that solemn 

 explanation, of that unreserved de- 

 claration of the emperor towards 

 his people ; we shall congratulate 

 France on having acquired the 

 proof, that by bestowing the throne 

 on Napoleon, French citizens have 

 given themselves a father, jealous of 

 their happiness, sparing of the 

 treasures of the state, and equally 

 sparing of the blood of their chil- 

 dren. 



The president made the following 

 reply : — Gentlemen, orators of the 

 government, the tribunate have long 

 shared in the sentiments of indigna- 

 tion which Europe must feel at the 

 insatiable cupidity of the English go- 

 Ternnient, who. without daring to 

 own it in a formal manner, attempt to 

 number among their prerogatives, the 

 absolute and exclusive empire of the 

 K-'as, and the right of arrogating to 

 themselves the commerce and indus- 

 try of all nations. We must not, 

 therefore, be astonished that they 

 elude every kind of overture for 

 peace ; that they multiply obstacles, 

 that the most moderate propositions 

 should appear to them inadmissible ; 

 and that their politics should be in- 

 decisive and uncertain. The go. 

 Ternment must be well convinced 

 that the tribunate will concur with 

 all its might, and with all its in- 



fluence, in the maintenance of the 

 glory of the tlirone, ami of the na- 

 tional honour, which has been thus 

 insulted. 



Opinion of Mr. De Ixinger Van Wyi' 

 gunriitii, in the Dud ft Legislative 

 liodi/, 2-il/i Junuarv, 1805. 



It would be shewing very littlt 

 love for, or desire of the prcserva- 

 tion ot, our country and indepen- 

 dence, if any man, for the purpose 

 of carrying a favourite system or 

 idi^a, should advise the rejection of a 

 measure, which, in the present cir- 

 cumstances, is asserted to be the 

 only one, and the speediest in its 

 operation, for filling the public trea- 

 sury, which is again declared to be 

 empty to the very bottom, and with- 

 out which immediate succour, the 

 public administration is in danger of 

 a total derangement. But, on the 

 other hand, I must ask, Was not 

 this to be foreseen long since ? and 

 why then sufler the time to be 

 wasted in useless invectives on pa- 

 per — and why not proceed to sav- 

 ings, and other means of finance ? 

 It is at length come to this ; as soon 

 as there is a pressing necessity, we 

 are threatened with great calamities, 

 as if it were to extort a consent for 

 the prevention of that nnavoidabls 

 stagnation, which has been so fre- 

 quently declared. But the most 

 dreadful and unexpected conse- 

 quences, such as those of a bayonet 

 or pistol clapped to the breast, com- 

 pel us now to consent. Are we 

 only sitting here to provide money 

 for the public treasury, on every 

 proposition and demand of the exe- 

 cutive power, and to tax the inha- 

 bitants to that efledt ? Is the most 

 unlimited power given or delegated 

 to us. loerftly for tlis pwrpose ? and 



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