neighbours would impel them headlong into a conflict with ourselves. Happily this danger seems to have passed away-and although we wish that we could see less suspicion and jealousy of our intentions entertained by France, and a more cordial expression of good will manifested by her orators and writers, who profess to guide public opinion, yet we gladly recognize an improved tone of feeling, and for this we think that the nation is indebted to the admirable government of which M. Guizot is the virtual head. He is the statesman who boldly stood forward to oppose the torrent of declamation and abuse poured forth against Great Britain on the occasion of the final settlement of the Eastern question, and he was not afraid to avow himself the advocate of an alliance with England at a time when M. Thiers and his party exerted themselves to the utmost to make the name of our country hateful to France, as a byeword for treachery and ambitious aggrandizement. M. Guizot dared to brave the odium of having his administration called le Ministère de l'Etranger, and had to endure all the unpopularity, which in France especially, attends a minister who is suspected of being little sensitive on the subject of national honour. The happy results of his pacific policy are seen in the general aspect of the country. France no longer arms her population for a doubtful struggle, but devotes her energies to the development of her great natural resources, and the history of the year is for the most part a narrative of measures for the improvement of her national condition, which do not possess such exciting interest for the general reader, as

the events which we have had lately to record.

On New-year's day, Louis Philippe received the usual addresses of congratulation from the various public bodies. The addresses and his replies were almost exclusively occupied by allusions to the death of the Duke of Orleans, The Count d'Appony, Ambassador from the Emperor of Austria, presented the Address of the Corps Diplomatique, and assured the King of the pacific disposition of Europe towards his government. He added

"Peace, which so fortuuately subsists, and the maintenance of which is the object of the endeavours of all the Cabinets, is consolidating itself by its very duration, for every day its blessings are better appreciated. May it continue to be the lot of Europe and France to enjoy it many years under the reign of your Majesty." The King replied-"I feel every confidence that Providence will continue to bless our common efforts to prevent the repose of the world from being disturbed, and to insure the maintenance of general peace by the continuation of the good harmony which so fortunately prevails among all the Powers."

On the 9th of January the King opened the French Chambers in person. He took his seat on the throne, and on each side of him sat the Duke de Nemours and the Duke de Montpensier. The Queen was also present, and the reception of their Majesties was most cordial. The King read the following Speech:

"Gentlemen, Peers, and Deputies - The affection and the sympathy of the French nation have sustained my courage. With the heart ever suffering from grief,

but full of confidence in your devotedness, in calling you myself together to resume the course of your labours, I wished to conclude to-day what my grief had compelled me to leave incomplete at the opening of your Session. You have already achieved much for the security and future prosperity of France; I thank you in her name. Whatever may be our trials, I and my family will devote to her service whatever strength and life the Almighty shall grant

us.

"Thanks to the maintenance of public order and peace, the national prosperity, attested by the rapid increase in the public revenue, manifests itself beyond our most sanguine hopes. The solid empire of the laws is the best security for the well-being of all, as it is for the power of the state; and the conviction everywhere established that the laws will be religiously executed, renders less frequent the enforcement of their penalties. I congratulate myself our having obtained these happy results.

on

"I feel confident that our prosperity will pursue its course with out either interruption or obstacle. My relations with Foreign Powers continue to be pacific and amicable.

"The good harmony prevailing among the Powers has strengthened the repose of the East, and procured in Syria for the Christian population the establishment of an Administration conformable to their religious faith and their wishes.

"I deplore the disturbances which have recently agitated Spain. In my relations with the Spanish Monarchy, my sole object has been to protect our legitimate in

terests, to preserve for Queen Isabella the Second a faithful amity, and to testify for the rights of humanity that respect and protection which honour the name of France.

"By the occupation of the Marquesas Islands, I have secured to our navigators in those distant seas a protection and refuge of which the necessity had been long felt.

"Thanks to the perserving efforts of our brave army, our dominion in Algeria becomes everywhere stable and respected. The vigilance and regularity of the Administration will complete the work so gloriously prosecuted by the courage of our soldiers.

I have opened with several States negotiations which will have the effect of imparting to our agriculture, our commerce, and manufactures, more active development, and to procure for our national interests additional facilities.

"Laws of finance and various bills intended to produce into our legislation and administration important improvements shall be immediately presented to you.

"Gentlemen, the world is at peace. France is free, active, and happy. My object has been, and ever shall be until my last breath, to secure those blessings for my country. It is with your constant and loyal co-operation that I have succeeded. You will aid me in maintaining and in consummating the work which we have commenced in common. This will be for all the most worthy recompense, and for me the only consolation that I can hereafter hope for."

In the Chamber of Deputies, M. Sauzet was re-elected President,

and M. Lepelletier d'Aulnay, was chosen one of the four Vice-Presidents, in the place of General Jacqueminot. The other three remained as before. M. L. d'Aulnay was not a Ministerialist, and the candidate originally selected by the government was M. Dumont, but his name was subsequently withdrawn, as he did not seem likely to be successful, and M. Guizot and his party supported the election of M. Lepelletier d'Aulnay.

On the 11th of January a Committee was appointed in the Chamber of Deputies to draw up an Address in answer to the Speech from the Throne. It consisted of nine members, all of whom, with one exception (M. Odillon Barrot) were Conservatives and supporters of the Cabinet.

In the Chamber of Peers a similar Committee was appointed, and the office of drawing up an Address was confided to the Duke de Broglie as its reporter.

On the 20th January Baron Pasquier, the President, having taken the chair, the Duke de Broglie ascended the tribune and read the following as the proposed Address:

"Sire,-It is in the day of adversity that the feelings of the heart reveal themselves. The whole of France participated in the mourning of your august family; your grief was her ownher affection is your propertymay you find in it some consolation, if there be any in this world for the heart of a father. In resuming, at the call of your Majesty, the course of our labours, we receive with gratitude and re spect the thanks which you deign to address to us. The King may rely upon us God will watch over him, and will give him the

strength and time necessary to accomplish his task.

"Yes, Sire, we have already achieved much for the security of our country. The monarchy has been consolidated by the very blow which lately struck it. The tutelar hereditary principle regulates and commands all the chances of the future; confidence is in every heart. The rise in the public revenue keeps pace with the progress of the national wealth. Thanks to the vigilance of the Administration, the ascendancy which is henceforth insured to the authority of the laws will render it unnecessary to have often recourse to their severity. This is your work, Sire; it was our good fortune to co-operate in it. We congratulate ourselves with you on that result.

"Your Majesty is satisfied with the relations existing between this government and your foreign Powers. In concert with your allies, your Majesty watches over the repose of the East. The Christians of Syria were entitled to our solicitude: they never claimed in vain the protection of France. We are happy to hear what has been done for their just and holy cause; they will long recollect that new blessing.

We have not witnessed without pain the disorders of which Spain was lately the theatre. Foreign to the struggles of parties in that kingdom, the French government has always respected the independence of the Spanish people; in offering an asylum to misfortune, it has obeyed the dictates of humanity. To preserve to Queen Isabel II. a faithful amity, to reconcile the case of our dignity and legitimate interests with the regards due to a friendly nation,

such is the policy of your Majesty -it is worthy of your wisdom.

"Sire, you anxiously desire the progress of our agriculture, our industry, and trade. You have sought for them everywhere new markets. It is to insure to the French flag a point d'appui, a port of refuge in those remote seas too seldom visited by our navy, that you ordered the Marquesas Islands to be taken possession of. That establishment offers advantages time will prove their importance.

"If the negotiations which your Majesty is prosecuting with similar views should obtain the desired success; if they produce treaties and commercial conventions, we shall attentively examine the influence which those conventions are likely to exercise over the employment and direction of the national industry. In the measures calculated to modify the legislation, under which our manufacturers have hitherto prospered, we recommend to the prudence of your Government the respect due to existing interests.

"We applaud the success of our arms in Algeria, the courage of our soldiers. When the dominion of France shall be firmly established in that country, civilization will soon develope itself there; order and justice will strengthen our empire.

"The Chamber of Peers will examine with attention the laws of finance and the different bills which will be submitted to its deliberation. It regrets to perceive that it has not been possible to reestablish the balance between the receipt and expenditure. This state of things should be the object of serious pre-occupation.

"Sire, the world is at peace. France is free; our country is

prosperous. It now only requires wisdom and perseverance to insure to us the welfare which we enjoy. We will prosecute that work with you, and afford you the means of completing it. It is an additional happiness which the future reserves to us."

The debate then commenced and continued several days. The first speaker was M. de Boissy, who began by lamenting the loss of the influence of France in her foreign relations, which was particularly evinced in the Syrian question, when she could not extend to the Christian population of that country her secular protection without consulting her other allies. As respected Spain, the influence, he said, which she had enjoyed in the Spanish councils since Louis XIV. was completely paralyzed by the ascendancy gained by England, and when the treaty of commerce should have been signed between the two kingdoms, that influence would be altogether at an end. He saw no other means of retrieving the lost influence of France in the Peninsula than in the marriage of the Prince of the Asturias, the son of Don Carlos, with Queen Isabel II., which he strongly recommended. He next blamed the Cabinet for not mentioning a word in the Speech from the Throne respecting the Right of Search, or the refusal of France to ratify the treaty of the 20th of December, 1841, and called on the Chamber to repair that omission, and set the example to the other House by inserting a paragraph reprobatory of the conventions of 1831 and 1833 in their address. Last year the Chamber had nobly responded to the susceptibility of the country in rejecting the principle con