M. de Persigny wound up the session of the French
Senate with a noteworthy speech. According to him, people mistake the meaning of the Emperor's "responsibility." He is respon- sible, to be sure, but his responsibility is like that of a father to his children, moral, not actual, and should not be perpetually pressed upon him. At the same time senators and deputies should manifest independence of character, and remonstrate about measures they do not like. This looks very much as if the Chambers were to say what they liked and the Emperor to do what he liked, but M. de Persigny does not quite mean that.. What he wants to say is, that the Emperor begins to feel the burden of his power, and would gladly have it lightened without giving any of it up. He wants associates in ruling, and cannot find them.
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