110] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



" We, the members composing 

 the majority of the Chamber of 

 Deputies, aie united on principles, 

 of wliich we here make a formal 

 declaration. 



1 . We are invariably attached 

 to the monarchical government, 

 and to the legitimate succession 

 in the reigning house. 



2. We fully adopt the princi- 

 ples of the constitutional charter, 

 and tlie division of powers which 

 it establishes. We will maintain 

 the spirit, and follow up the con- 

 sequences of that system, as tlie 

 most rational substitution of our 

 ancient institutions, liberties, and 

 franchises. 



3. We look back to the past 

 only for the purpose of drawing 

 therefiom lessons for the future, 

 and between which we v,i.-;h to 

 erect a wall of biass. It is ac- 

 cordingly our opinion, that all 

 the interests created by the revc)- 

 lution, and which are completed, 

 shall be irrevocably assured ; we 

 will maintain the abolition of pri- 

 vileges and ])rivileged orders as 

 political bodies, the equality of 

 rights and admission to all em- 

 l)]oyments, t!ie liberty of worship, 

 the alienation of the pro|)erty 

 sold during the revolution, what- 

 ever may be its oi igin ; but we 

 will not hereafter admit the ap- 

 plication of the principles which 

 created these interests, and we 

 regard them as destructive of all 

 governiuent. 



4. We are of opinion that the 

 new institutions ought to be 

 placed on the ancient and im- 

 mutable bases of religion and mo- 

 rality. It is therefoie our wish 

 to give to the clergy an honoura- 

 ble indejjendence, the administra- 

 tion of property or revenues 



which may secure that independ- 

 ence, and finally a civil establish- 

 ment, associating them at the 

 same time with the dearest in- 

 terests of the state, by making 

 them participate in public educa- 

 tion, and in the management of 

 institutions consecrated to the 

 solace and the welfare of man- 

 kind. 



5. In pursuance of the same 

 principles, we are desirous of 

 placing the laws under a higher 

 moral influence — of efflxcing what- 

 ever is contrary to religion or op- 

 posed to public morality ; and, 

 in fine, whatever does not accord 

 with the spirit of the monarchy. 

 On these grounds we demand the 

 revision of the civil and criminal 

 laws, and wish at the same time 

 to see the magistracy invested 

 with a greater degree of consi- 

 deration. 



6. We believe that the police 

 ought neither to be an odious in- 

 quisition nor an agent of despo- 

 tism, but a guarantee for the 

 throne, and a magistracy serving 

 to make known to the govern- 

 ment public opinion, and through 

 that opinion its true interests — 

 that the press ought to be free, 

 but that its offences should be 

 repressed by severe laws. 



7. We wish France to recover 

 the complete independence of her 

 territory, and the first means for 

 attaining that object is, we con- 

 ceive, the full and entire execu- 

 tion of the engagements con- 

 tracted with the allied powers ; 

 we are equally desirous of pre- 

 serving honourable alliances, and 

 we regard the prosperity of the 

 nations which surround us as the 

 best pledge of that of France. 



8. Free from all spirit of con- 



quest. 



