On New-year's Day, the Corps Diplomatique, the Chambers, and other
public bodies, presented addresses to Louis Philippe. The address of the Diplomatists and the King's reply were considered highly satisfactory in Paris. The Marquis De Brigole-Sales, Ambassador of Sardinia, as senior member of the body, congratulated the King on the providential escape of the young Princes, his sons, from the attempt of assassins, and on the adhesion of France to the treaty of July, which " had drawn closer the bonds of union between the great Cabinets ; a union so necessary to the repose of nations, and to the preservation of general peace." The King, after returning thanks to the Ambassadors for the expressions of sympathy, observed, that " the year 1841 had been productive of happy results, since the great Cabinets had given in that year, by their accord, a new pledge of security to general peace,
which he trusted the Powers would continue to maintain unimpaired." On the part of the Chamber of Peers, the Duke de Broglie made a very pious address, alluding to the escape of the Princes, and returning
thanks to Providence for that another year had been added to the duration of the King's reign. Louis Philippe did not suffer the late trial to pass without a more distinct allusion than the Peers themselves had made to it: he said
" I thank the Chamber of Peers for joining me in returning thanks to Providence for the benefits bestowed on us by Providence. It is not only in pre serving my life, and that of my children, that it shows its protection ; it is also
in enabling us to preserve France from the encroachments of anarchy, under whatever form they present themselves. It is as you say, a laborious task to found in France a free and regular government. The support which I al
ways found in the Chamber of Peers has been one of my greatest means of success. This Government will receive from its mere duration the consecration of that stability which, in discouraging faction, will give to the authorities the vigour necessary to maintain the laws, to make the rights of all be respected, and to repress those incessant attacks on property which shake society to its foundation. The noble attitude of the House of Peers inspires salutary confidence that the throne to which France has raised me for the guarantee of its laws and liberties cannot be shaken by these miserable attempts, and that we shall continue to disconcert the culpable intrigues of those who abuse ignorant incredulity to create a belief in the success of their sinister projects." Sauzet and the Deputies approached the King with overflowing loyalty " in offering its congratulations to your Majesty, the Chamber of Deputies blends in the same wish the prospects of the constitutional throne and public prosperity. The country understands the connexion of the two things. The enemies of social order comprehend it also, when the attempt to strike at civi lization itself, now in the person of royalty, now in the dearest hopes of dynasty. Their efforts will be vain. The arm of Providence is more indefatigable than crime, and society is stronger than conspirators. The entire nation repels them with horror; and the laborious classes, which it is sought to lead astray, are not the last nor the least interested to curse them. • • • Your august family will never let noble examples be wanting in France. Your life, Sire, honoured by so many services and trials, devoted entirely to that royalty conferred by the national wish ; by the side of you a life not less royal, where the practice of virtue and the dispensation of charity never have the regret of a day lost ; and under the shade of your throne your sons always ready to rush where duty calls them,—such is the example which the throne ever offers to the country."
The address concludes by declaring that all parties are united for the defence and support of the state and the King's person. He replies
" I accept, in all its extent, the solidarity of which you speak : I believe that it exists in reality, and it is essential that its existence be recognized; for it can be.only by reciprocal confidence, and by mutual succour, that the different powers of the state can acquire that liberty of action which constitutes their force, and enables them to fulfil their high mission. Then all prerogatives are respected; the exercise of all rights is guaranteed by the general security ; and thus will find itself realized, as I said eleven years ago, the vow of the Charter being henceforth a reality ! "Yet, gentlemen, these are the benefits of which it is attempted to rob us, by spreading vain terrors and propagating odious mistrust. But with your loyal support we shall triumph over all these attacks on social order, on property, and on all that is dear to man ; and we shall guarantee to France the maintenance of its repose, aud the development of its prosperity." The address of the Archbishop of Paris, on behalf of the clergy, was more remarkable than the King's reply to it. It began thus " Sire—In coming to offer to you our homage, we obey not merely the rules of decorum, but we bring the expression of that profound respect for the Royal authority so clearly recommended by the doctrines of Christianity. This is a duty which religion has consecrated, at the same time that it planted in the hearts of our ancestors the love of a sage liberty. The more this liberty is de veloped, the more necessary it is for those devoted to it, and having the true intelligence of it, to respect authority and proclaim aloud their submission to the laws."
To this complete submission the King responded by alluding to his own "unceasing efforts to make religion honoured," and by patronizingly approving the "sage maxims" of the clergy. The National states these receptions were cold beyond example. It was remarked that the visiters were less numerous than on any preced ing year, and that there was less enthusiasm than usual even among the official attendants. "The King himself appeared affected at this change, and at the absence of the members of the Chamber of Deputies, of whom not more than forty were present besides those who attended officially." The Chamber of Deputies met on Monday in the bureaux of the monthly Standing Committees to nominate the Commission to draw up
the reply to the Speech from the Throne. More than three hundred and twenty members were present, and the Ministerial Deputies were in full force. The Ministry obtained the advantage in all the nine bureaux.
In the first bureau, M. Passy, the representative of the Left Centre, warmly defended the Ministry on the Eastern question. He declared that the system of isolation was impracticable for France. In the third bu
reau, M. Cane who has joined M. de Lamartine, violently attacked the Ministry for the treaty respecting the right of search. In the seventh
bureau, M. Thiers declared in favour of the treaty with Belgium. He was for the infusion of the two peoples, and the disappearance of the customhouse-lines.
M. Gauguin, the editor and proprietor of the Pilot de Calvados, has been sentenced by the Police Court of Caen to pay a fine of 500 francs, and to imprisonment for one month, for having published in his journal an account of the deliberations of the Court of Peers !
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