PARIS, 
ele£lion of M. Lanjuinais was prefented, and read ; at the 
bottom of it were written thefe words 5 “ I approve. Na¬ 
poleon.” Loud applaufe followed. M. Lanjuinais ad¬ 
vanced with a calm and modeft demeanour to the chair, 
which was refigned to him by M. Delbranges; and then, 
addrefling the chamber, faid ; “ Dear and honourable 
colleagues, I cannot find expreflions capable of explaining 
the fentiments I feel on the honour you have bellowed 
upon me, and the approbation which the emperor has 
been pleafed to add thereto. I am fenfible of my inability 
to make a fuitable return to this diftinguiflied mark of 
your confidence ; and I (hall conftantly folicit your indul¬ 
gence and your advice in the execution of the duty you 
have impofed upon me. Wholly devoted to the emperor, 
the country, the national glory, the independence of 
France, and liberty, I lhall never ceafe to vvilh for an 
honourable peace, and for the happinefs of the people. 
I lhall have no occafion to change either my principles or 
my conduct.” The fpeech of the prelident was ordered 
to be printed. 
Lanjuinais was, before the revolution, an advocate 
and profefi'or of canon-law. He was a deputy of the tiers- 
etat to the ftates-general, and one of the founders of the 
Jacobin club, though never difgraced by the atrocities of 
that execrable fociety. In Augull 1789, he fliowed that, 
though he was an ardent friend to liberty, he was not dif- 
pofed to league himfelf with the difciples of anarchy, for 
he warmly oppofed the fequeftration of the property of 
the clergy; yet he was the perfon who propofed the abo¬ 
lition of all titles, and obje£led to that of Prince being Hill 
conferred on the members of the reigning family. When 
the reign of terror commenced, he clofely allied himfelf 
with the moderate party. On the 15th of December, 1792, 
he fpoke in favour of Louis XVI. and demanded that 
counfel and the means of defence Ihould be granted to 
him. On the 26th of the fame month, he again appeared 
as the ad vocate of that unfortunate monarch. Heexpofed 
the injulticeand atrocity of a trial in which the enemies of 
Louis were at once accufers, witnefles, jurymen, and 
judges; nor would he move from the tribune, although 
he was aflailed with the moll furious clamour, and his 
voice repeatedly drowned by the moll diabolical outcries 
and threats of revenge. On the nominal appeal, he de¬ 
clared that Louis XVI. was guilty, and voted that he 
fhould be imprifoned until a peace, and then baniflied. 
He then diftinguiflied himfelf by his fearlefs oppoiition 
to all the deeds of injuftice and blood which difgraced 
that period of the revolution. On one occafion, he kept 
pofleflion of the tribune, though feveral of the mountain- 
party attempted to drag him thence with violence. He 
was condemned to imprifonment at that very meeting, 
but, eluding the vigilance of the foldier who guarded 
him, he efcaped the fate in which all his colleagues were 
foon involved. He was then outlawed, and remained a 
fugitive and profcribed until 1795, when he was recalled 
to thelegiflativeaflembly. In June 1795, he was appointed 
prefident of the aflembly, and continued to difplay equal 
love to his country, and determination to avoid the ex¬ 
tremes of anarchy and defpotifm. He oppofed every law 
againft the relations of emigrants, and every decree which 
feemed unneceflarily fevere. In 1800, he became one of 
the confervative fenate, and ftrenuoufly oppofed the ar¬ 
bitrary meafures of Bonaparte. In 1802, before Bonaparte 
was made firft conful for life, a projeft was entertained by 
his partifans to raife him to the imperial dignity at once. 
Rcederer made a fpeech to found the confervative fenate 
on the point. Lanjuinais replied to him, and exclaimed, 
that “ Whoever he was that would take upon himfelf 
the title of emperor, he would confider him as an enemy 
to his country and a ufurper.” Marlhal Kellerman imme¬ 
diately drew his fword, and alked, “ whom he meant to 
ftigmatize as a ufurper ?” adding, “ that, if he meant the 
firft conful, he would run him through the body!” The 
The fenate interpofed 5 but Lanjuinais was refolute, and 
perfifted in his declaration, without naming any perfon. 
527 
His firmnefs and eloquence produced fo much effefl on 
the fenate, that it was deemed prudent to drop the plan 
for the prefent. When Bonaparte was made emperor, Lan¬ 
juinais violently oppofed it; “What,” faid he, in the 
fenate, “ are you fo degraded as to give your country a 
mailer taken from a race of men fo ignominious that the 
Romans difdained to ufe them even as Haves ?” 
On the 7th of June, Napoleon proceeded in Hate to the 
hall of the reprefentatives to open the feflion of the 
chambers. The peers being in attendance, and the oath 
of fidelity to the Emperor and the Conftitution having been 
taken, Napoleon uncovered himfelf a moment; after¬ 
wards covered himfelf, and faid: “Gentlemen of the 
Chamber of Peers, and Gentlemen of the Chamber of 
Reprefentatives; Within the laft three months, exifting 
circumftances, and the confidence of the nation, have in¬ 
verted me with unlimited authority. The prefent day 
will behold the fulfilment of the wilh deareft to my heart: 
I am now going to commence a Conftitutional Monarchy. 
Mortals are too weak to infure future events; it is folely 
the legal inftitutions which determine the deftinies of na¬ 
tions. Monarchy is neceflary to France to guarantee the 
liberty, the independence, and the rights, of the people. 
Our conftitution and laws have been fcattered; one of 
our mod important occupations will be, to collect them 
into a folid body, and to bring the whole within the reach 
of every mind. This work will recommend the prefent 
age to the gratitude of future generations. It is my wilh 
that France fhould enjoy all poflible liberty ; I fay poflible, 
becaufe anarchy always refolves itfelf into an abfolute 
government. 
“ A formidable coalition of kings threatens our inde¬ 
pendence ; their armies are approaching our frontiers. 
The frigate la Melpomene has been attacked and captured 
in the Mediterranean, after a fanguinary aftion with an 
Englifh fliipof 74. guns. Blood has been flied in time of 
peace 1 Our enemies reckon on our internal divifions. 
They excite and foment a civil war. Aflemblages have 
been formed, and communications are carried on with 
Ghent, in the fame manner as with Coblentz in 1792, 
Legiflative meafures are, therefore, become indifpenfably 
neceflary 5 and I place my confidence, without referve, 
in your patriotifm, your wifdom, and your attachment 
to my perfon. 
“The liberty of the prefs is inherent in our prefent 
conftitution ; nor can any change be made in it, without 
altering our whole political fyltem ; but it mufl be fub- 
jeft to legal reftridlions, more efpecially in the prefent 
Hate of the nation. I therefore recommend this impor¬ 
tant matter to your ferious confideration. 
“ My minifters will inform you of the fituation of our 
affairs. The finances would be in a fatisfa£lory (late ex¬ 
cept from the increafe of expenfe which the prefent cir¬ 
cumftances render neceflary ; yet we might face every 
thing if the receipts contained in the budget were all 
realizable within the year. It is to the means of arriving 
at this refultthat my minifterof finances willdiredl your 
attention. It is poflible, that the firft duty of princes 
may foon call me to fight for the country. The army and 
myfelf will do our duty. You, peers and reprefentatives, 
give to the nation an example of confidence, energy, and 
patriotifm ; and, like the Roman fenate, fwear to die ra¬ 
ther than furvive the difhonour and enflaving of France. 
The facred caufe of the country lhall triumph.” 
This dilcourfe was followed by loud acclamations, and 
cries of “ Vive l’Empereur ! Vive la Patrie ! Vive la Na¬ 
tion !” and a committee was afterwards appointed for the 
purpofe of drawing up an addrefs in reply to the fpeech. 
When the French government had clearly afcertained 
that the allied powers had really determined on w r ar, and 
that the Britifh parliament had voted large lubiidies, they 
made the moft vigorous preparations for meeting the ap¬ 
proaching llorm, Till the decifion of the Britifh parlia¬ 
ment was known, it feems they had fome reafon for be¬ 
lieving that, notwithflanding the mighty preparations of 
the 
