152 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



I rejoice in being the organ of the 

 sentiments of the senate towards 

 your imperial highness, and in ex- 

 pressing to you their wishes for 

 your prosperity." 



The orators of the council of 

 state, counts Regnault (de St. Jean 

 d'Angely), and Defermont, mi- 

 nisters of state, members of the 

 council of state, being introduced, 

 the prince arch-chancellor, presi- 

 dent, spoke as follows : 



" Gentlemen; — Theprojet,which 

 will, in this sitting, be submitted 

 to the deliberation of the senate, 

 contains an arrangement which em- 

 braces our dearest interests. It is 

 dictated by tliat imperious voice, 

 which apprises sovereigns and na- 

 tions, that, to secure the safety 

 of states, we must listen to the 

 counsels of a wise foresight, inces- 

 santly recall to mind tlie past, exa- 

 mine the present, and extend 

 our views to the future. It is 

 under such high considerations, 

 that in these ever memorable cir- 

 cumstances, his majesty the em- 

 peror has caused all personal consi- 

 derations to disappear, and silenced 

 all his private affections. The no- 

 ble and affecting conduct of her ma- 

 jesty the empress is a glorious tes- 

 timony of her disinterestedaffection 

 for the emperor, and secures to her 

 an eternal right to the gratitude of 

 the nation.' 



CountRegnauit St. Jean d'Ange- 

 ly submitted a projet of a senatus 

 consultum, dissolving tlie marriage 

 between the emperor Napoleon and 

 the empress Josephine. The orator 

 explained the motives of this pro- 

 jet as follows : 



" My Lords, Senators ; — The so- 

 lemn act fully set forth in tlie se- 

 natus consultum now read, contains 

 all its motives. What words could 



we address to the senate of France, 

 but would be far below the affect- 

 ing sounds received from the moutb 

 of these two august consorts, of 

 whom your deliberations will con- 

 secrate the generous resolutions ? 

 Their hearts have coincided in mak- 

 ing the noblest sacrifices to the 

 greatest of interests. They have 

 coincided to make policy and 

 sentiment speak language the 

 most true, the most persuasive, the 

 most adapted to move and to con- 

 vince. As sovereigns and as con- 

 sorts, the emperor and empress 

 have done all, have said all. There 

 only remains for us to love, to bless, 

 and to admire them. 



" 'Tis henceforth for the French 

 nation to make themselves heard. 

 Their memory is faithful as their 

 heart. They will unite in their 

 grateful thoughts the hope of the 

 future with the remembrance of the 

 past ; and never will monarch have 

 received more respect, admiration, 

 gratitude, and love, than Napoleon, 

 immolating the most sacred ofj his 

 affections to the wants of his sub- 

 jects ; than Josephine immolating 

 her tenderness tor the best of hus- 

 bands, through devotion for the 

 best of kings, through attachment 

 to the best of nations. Accept, gen- 

 tlemen, in the name of all France, 

 in the sight of astonished Europe, 

 this sacrifice, the greatest evermade 

 on earth, and, full of the profound 

 emotion which you feel, hasten to 

 carry to the foot of the throne, in 

 the tribute of your sentiments, of 

 the sentiments of all Frenchmen, 

 the only price that can be worthy 

 of the fortitude of our sovereigns, 

 the only consolation that can be 

 worthy of their hearts." 



The prince viceroy (the son of 

 Josephine) spoke as follows : 



" Prince, 



