320 



FKANCE. 



them ideas of order and progress to open vast out- 

 lets _to our commerce, and leave the recollection of 

 services rendered to civilization to mark our path 

 such was my desire and yours. But as soon as the 

 extent of our sacrifices appeared to me to exceed the 

 interests which had called us across the ocean, I 

 spontaneously determined upon the recall of our 

 army corps. The Government of the United States 

 comprehended that want of conciliation would only 

 have prolonged the occupation and embittered rela- 

 tions which, for the welfare of both countries, should 

 remain friendly.. 



Other important questions of homo policy 

 were thus referred to : 



France is respected abroad. The army has dis- 

 played its valor, but the. conditions of war being 

 changed, require the increase of our defensive forces, 

 and we must organize ourselves in such a manner as 

 to be invulnerable. The bill upon this subject, which 

 has been studied with the greatest care, lightens the 

 burden of the conscription in time of peace, offers con- 

 siderable resources in time of war, and redistributes 

 burdens between all in a fair proportion, and thus 

 satisfies the principle of equality. It possesses all the 

 importance of an institution of the country, and I feel 

 convinced will be accepted with patriotism. The in- 

 fluence of a nation depends upon- the number of men 

 it is able to put under arms. Do not forget that 

 neighboring states impose upon themselves far 

 heavier sacrifices for the effective constitution of their 

 armies, and have their eyes fixed upon us to judge by 

 pur resolutions whether the influence of France shall 

 increase or diminish throughout the world. Let \is 

 constantly keep our national flag at the same height. 

 It is the most certain means of preserving peace, and 

 that peace must be rendered fertile by alleviating 

 misery and increasing general prosperity. 



Heavy trials have assailed us in the course of the 

 last year ; inundations and epidemics have desolated 

 some of our departments. Benevolence has assuaged 

 individual suffering, and credits will be asked of you 

 to repair the disasters caused to public property. 

 Notwithstanding these partial calamities, the progress 

 of general prosperity has not relaxed. During the 

 last financial period the indirect revenue has increased 

 by 50,000,000 francs, and foreign commerce by up- 

 ward of 1,000,000 francs. The general improvement 

 of our finances will soon allow us to give satisfaction 

 upon a large scale to agricultural and economic in- 

 terests brought to light by the inquiry opened in all 

 parts of the country. Our attention must then be 

 turned to the reduction of certain burdens which 

 treigh too heavily upon landed property, and which 

 prevent the speedy completion of the channels of in- 

 terior navigation, of our ports, our railways, and espe- 

 cially of the cross-roads the indispensable agents for 

 the effective distribution of the produce of the soil. 



Bills upon primary education and upon coopera- 

 tive societies were submitted to you last session, and 

 I do not doubt you will approve the arrangements 

 they set forth. They will improve the moral and 

 material condition of the rural population, and of the 

 working-classes in our great cities. Each year thus 

 opens a new horizon to our mediation and our efforts. 

 Our task at this moment is to form the public man- 

 ners to the practice of more liberal institutions. 

 Hitherto in France liberty has only been ephemeral. 

 It has not bee"n able to take root in the soil because 

 abuse has immediately followed use, and the nation 

 rather preferred to limit the exercise of its rights than 

 to endure disorder in ideas as in tilings. It is worthy 

 of you and me to make a broader application of these 

 great principles, which constitute the glory of France. 

 Their development will not, as formerly, endanger 

 the necessary prestige of authority. Power is now 

 firmly based, and ardent passions, the sole obstacle 

 to the expansion of our liberties, will become ex- 

 tinguished in the immensity of universal suffrage. I 

 have full confidence in the good sense and patriotism 



of the people, and strong in the right which I hold 

 from thenij strong in my conscience, which is solely 

 desirous of good, I invite y_ou to march with me with 

 a firm step in the path of civilization. 



In the sitting of the Legislative Body of March 

 29th, Count Walewski announced that, owing 

 to personal differences between himself and 

 some members of the government, he had 

 resigned the post of president of the Assembly, 

 and that his resignation had been accepted. In 

 his place, a few days later, M. Schneider, vice- 

 president of the Legislative Body, was appointed 

 president. Count Walewski was made a Senator. 



In July the elections for the councils general 

 were held. The result was, that out of 600 

 elections 464 were secured by government can- 

 didates, and 21 by those of the opposition. In the 

 remainder the administration remained neutral. 



On August 15th the Emperor, from the camp 

 of Chalons, addressed a letter to the Minister 

 of the Interior, M. de Lavallette, concerning 

 the means of intercommunication in France 

 which the Emperor says he considers " one of 

 the surest ways of increasing the strength and 

 riches of France, for everywhere the number 

 and good condition of the roads are one of the 

 most certain signs of the advanced state of the 

 civilization of peoples." Concerning the exe- 

 cution of the measure, the Emperor remarks : 



I have already given instructions to the Minister of 

 Public Works to pursue the examination and prepare 

 the concession of new lines of railway. He will, at 

 the same time, seek the means of improving our canals 

 and the navigation of our rivers, which are modifying 

 counterpoises to railroad monopoly. But our efforts 

 must not be confined to this alone. The agricultural 

 commission has demonstrated in an evident manner 

 that the construction of a complete network of parish 

 roads is an essential condition of the prosperity of the 

 country and of the well-being of those rural popula- 

 tions who have always shown me so much devotion. 

 Preoccupied with the realization of this project j I had 

 instructed you to examine, in concert with the Minister 

 of Finance, a series of measures which might permit 

 of our terminating within ten years the network of 

 parish roads by the triple concurrence of the com- 

 munes, the departments, and the state. Besides this, 

 desirous of facilitating, in the case of the communes, 

 the means of participating in the expense, I had re- 

 quested you to prepare for the creation of a special 

 fund destined to advance them the necessary sums by 

 means of loans granted at a moderate rate, and repay- 

 able at long penods. 



The minister on the next day (August 16th) 

 published a report relative to the execution of 

 the measure proposed in the above letter, and a 

 ministerial decree convoking the municipal coun- 

 cils during the first ten days in September in. 

 order to revise the classification of parish roads. 



On April 1st the International Exhibition 

 was opened at Paris by the Emperor and the 

 Empress in person. The Ernperor made no 

 speech on the occasion; but, in taking leave of 

 the members of the Imperial Commission, he 

 expressed the fullest satisfaction with its gen- 

 eral result. A full account of the exhibition 

 is given in another article. The Emperor had 

 invited, by autograph letters, all the reigning 

 princes of Europe, and many of Asia and Africa, 

 and the President of the United States of 



