54 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. [Mar. 



qualities, has acquired, since he 

 has been at its head, all the 

 habits of order and regularity 

 which can be obtained only during 

 peace, and prepare the soldier for 

 nis true destination. One of your 

 worthiest veterans, as my repre- 

 sentative among you, because 

 gray under your standards, and 

 a steady partaker of your adver- 

 sity and prosperity, he has never 

 ceased to give proofs of his at- 

 tachment to the country. Ex- 

 perience has fully justified my 

 choice. Notwithstanding my 

 exertions, the evils under which 

 you had to labour are not, per- 

 haps, all repaired. It is, how- 

 ever, in the nature of things, what 

 is good thrives but slowly, and 

 perfection is unattainable by hu- 

 man weakness. 



" Representatives of the king- 

 dom of Poland! — Elevate your- 

 selves to the height of your des- 

 tination. You are called upon 

 to give a great example to Eu- 

 rope, whose eyes are fixed upon 

 you. 



" Show your contemporaries 

 that the liberal institutions, whose 

 ever sacred principles it is sought 

 to confound with those destruc- 

 tive doctrines which in our days 

 have threatened the social system 

 with a dreadful catastrophe, are 

 no dangerous illusion; but if they 

 are sincerely carried into effect, 

 and are directed to an object 

 useful to humanity, are perfectly 

 compatible with order, and that 

 they produce in common accord 

 the true welfare of nations. 

 Henceforth it is for you to 

 prove this great and salutary 

 truth ; may harmony and concord 

 prevail in your assembly — may 

 ■dignity, calmness, and modera- 



tion characterise your dehbera- 

 tions; guided solely by love to 

 your country, purify your opi- 

 nions, make them independent 

 of all private or exclusive inter- 

 ests ; express them with simpli- 

 city and frankness, and avoid the 

 seductiveness which may often 

 accompany fluency in speaking; 

 lastly, may the sense of paternal 

 friendship which the chosen law- 

 giver has presented to us all, 

 never forsake you. 



" In this manner your assembly 

 will obtain the approbation of 

 the country, and the general 

 esteem which such a one will 

 ever enjoy, when the represen- 

 tatives of a free nation do not 

 suffer the exalted character with 

 which they are invested to dege- 

 nerate. 



" First officers of the State, 

 senators, representatives, depu- 

 ties, I have expressed my thoughts 

 to you, I have shown you your 

 duties. 



" The result of your labours 

 will show me what the country 

 may expect in future fi-om your 

 attachment to it, as well as from 

 your good sentiments towards me, 

 and whether, faithful to my reso- 

 lutions, I can farther extend what 

 I have already done for you. Let 

 us thank Him who alone has 

 power to enlighten Princes, to 

 render nations brethren, and to 

 spread over them blessings of 

 love and of peace — let us implore 

 him to bless and prosper your 

 work." 



28. Si. Petersburgh. — The 

 Panopticon, a large wooden 

 building, five stories high, which, 

 lay out of the city on the other 

 side of the Neva, was a prey to 

 the flames. This building was 



erected 



f - 



