wllmingion • kyaltil ie volume x published wkeki,t hx allmaxq hall tuesday july 8 1806 a t o 49 f norfolk june 9 s;at c here armed the emperors who will rriini alter us with all the necessary pow er to prevent these misfortunes in their dis tani causes to stop them in their progfofci and to slilie them whew they shall break out we hu\e ulsn thought that the princes of the empire tituhiica of the grand dignitiei being called on by their eminent prerogative to serve u example to the rest of ovx sub jects tlirir condition ought in several res pecit to be the'ubject of cur particular soli citude the following is copied from one of our late paris paper and cannot be perused without interest by american as political nd historical documents we have conceived that they merited our attention and notwith standing their great length will we flatter ourselves repay the trouble which the rea der may bestow on them the grand designs of buonaparte arc developed in these documents and to render permanent the d nurty which he has esta blished no precaution are omitted when re survey the stupendous work which buo naparte has accomplished in a few years the conquerors of antiquity sink into insignifi cance it is only the splendid part of the character which we contemplate for never can we admire a man wlio has no liruii to iiis umyiiion nor scruples in gratifying it — the banishment of morkau and the murder oftheduki d'enobkin are monuments of unprin ipled ambiiion and savage cruelty if there should remain yet in france any of those wretches who have waded through r^j y»rs of blood who have stained the naiionap so manv precautions would no doubt be useless were t lie sovereign who arc destined to sit one day on the imperial ihron to en joy likeuti the advantage of seeing around their only relations devoted to theirscrvice & to the happiness of the people and grandees distinguished by in inviolable attachment to their person ; but our foresight iti.ist be fli rroici to oilier limes and our lo»e fop our country induces us to hasten in innure if it c*:i to frenchmen for a sequel of agtsi the state tof glory and prosperity iu which by the ot god we bave succeeded in iiucin;j on ffonr;f"of iliewe causes we have de iv jjjitsh decree the present statute 1 to vru.cn in execution of art 1-t^of the uct of the constitution of the empipi of the 2sih il.iicii year i our siif.oesxoi's shall be hound tu conform ir which between private persons the clelibe i nitons of the family council are subject to the ■ confirmation of tlie tribunal x i the members of the imperial house 1 cannot wit'.mut the express consent oftlie cm 1 peror etthev adopt or take ou thtuisclvvi any officious guardianship nor acknowlejge their n.miu al children xiii the interdiction of the princes and piinres<e»of the imperial house in theense p ovided against by art 1s9 of the civil code is pronounced by the family council the judgment has no effect until after ha ving been approved by theempcror the family council will exercise over the curator the pr rson interdicted and his pro ptrtv the t.iinc authority and jurisdiction as i amongst private persons belongs to the ordi nary family councils and tribunals article ii of the act relative to the dtf avtmtnt nfihe prir.ces and princesses of the imperial hoiue xiv the arch-chancellor of the empire ha exclusively fulfil in regard to us md tht prince and pnn.-vsses of our house the functiamn attributed by iheluwi to he oflicera of llic civil tic jiaitint nl lie h.iii rert-ive in consequence tl.e ccr i tif.t;nrs of birth a<lnp\ion marriage and all ntnercertificalws.prekoribcd or authorised by tin ' 1 1 i code xv tl ise certificates shall be transcri bed on t double register kept by die secre | taryof state 01 the imperial household num j bered by first and last and marked on each paijc by ihc arcli-chancellur the sccrttary of st.ite of the iniprrinl : houvehold thall e appointed by the emperor i and chostn amongst the functionarieb who j form or have formed part of the ministry or i counc i of state j xvi the sfcretary of state of the im perial household bhall remain depository of these registers i'f h.iil deliver the fx tracttofthe certificates contained in them which iliail bu examined by tlie arch-chancel i lor xvii when these registers are finished t!;.-y blkill be closed and adjusted by the grcti-chaiicellor ; one ol t!ic duplicates shall r iiiiiin in the imperial archives the other siull be deposited in ihe archives of tl.e se natei cor.lbrniably to aiticle xi of the rt of tl.e constitutions or the 28th floreal year character with a dye that the upseof centu ries cannot effare and who brought to tijc c'fful.l the mildest of princn what must be thr-ir reflection ? and those disorganiz*rsi nnfl impsoffuc tion who under the mask of republicanism sought to destroy every vestige of monarch , an nobility how must they feel ? first article but tliii it lia ever been and ever will be jn revolutions which are agitated without a firtuout object the credulous multitude la bou for the bold and artful demagogue it is easy to perceive from an attentive pt vlal of the following documents that an he reditary nobility is in contemnlation and which in france is the sain as if already es tablished no t tyapolrolt by the grace of god and the constitution ofthe state emperor of the french and kin of italy to all present and o comtr greeting : art xiv ofthe act of the constitution of the 23u tloreal year 12 state that we hall establish by statutes to which our me cessors shall be bound to conform the duties of the individuals of both texts members of ihe imperial hnusc towards the emperor to acquit ourseb a of this important obligation we have considered in its object and conse quence the disposition in question and we have weighed the principles on which must reo se the constitutional stkte which will form the liwof our family the state ofthe princes called onto rrisrn over this vast empire and to fortify it by nl lhrcs cannot he absolutely the mine at that of nt.icr fri-nchmen their births marriages and deaths am the adoptions they make interest the whole nation and have o greater or less influence over its destinies i3 every tiling w hii li con cerns tin soc i il existence cf these princes br ioii^*rnorf to poli iral than to civil rijrht the tlimio itionsof the htter cannot he ipplic-il to thrm but with the modifications determined by the reason o ta'e ; and if this reaso . < f t-ue lavs obligation on them from which imple citizens are frerd thc-y ou^ht to con ider them as a necessary consequence of the high dignity to which they are elevated and which devotes thrm without reserve to tiir eat interests of the country and to tlio glory uf our house s.mob important arts as fhnse which ascer tain ths civil department ofthe imp rial house must us received in the rvr^t solemn forms the dignity of the throne rerj'iires it and all surprise must besides be rendered impassi ble xviii the acts shall be drawn up in the forms established by ihe civil code except what is regulated dv .:■.;. ji of the constitu tions of the 28lh r'lorc il year li for tiie a t ot adoption in the case provided against ly ait 4 ot the said act xix the emperor shall appoint tl\e witnesses wlio shall be present at the drawing up the certificates of birth and marriage of tlie members of the imperial house should he be absent from the place where the certificate is drawn up or ahoald there be no one appointed by him the arch-chan ctllor ahull be bound to take the witnesses a rnongst the princes <>( tin blood following the order of their proximity to the throne fter themt amongst the princes of the tm j ire titularies of the grand dignities ; and in default of li>c latter imonpst the greet olli i cers oi'thc empire and the members of the se ' n»te xx the arch-chancellor can receive no j certificate of marriage r,f the princes and i princesses nor any certificate of adoption or acknowledgment ot natural children until the authority of the emperor ha appeared for this purpose whenever the case hupptns a closed letter shall lie addressed to him which shall alto inform him of the place where the certificate ought to be received this letter shall be transcribed at length in the certifi cate xxi the above mentioned certificates which under particular circumstances may be drawn up in the absence of the arch>chance1 lor shall be delivered to him by the person appointed to supply ins place these certiii.-.dtcs shall be inscribed on the register and the minute shall remain annexed to the same after having been examined by the arch-chancellor xxii the certificate which shall fix the empress's dowry shall he received by he arch-chancellor assisted by the secretary of state of the imperial household who shall write it in the presence of two witnesses ap pointed by the emperor this certificate whether closed or open according as the erupevor muy determine shall he deposited in the innate by the arch chancellor xxiii when the emperor si ml i judge proper to make his will by public act tlie arch-chancellor assisted by the secretary of state of the imperial household shall receive his last will which shall be written under the dictatement of the emperor by the secretary ol state of the imperial household in presence of two witnesses in tl scase the act shall he written on the register mentioned in ihc imli article above mentionedi xxiv if the emperor disposes by tnys i tic testament the bct of subscription shall be ; drawn up by the arch'chancellor inscribed bf i the iccretary of mate of the imperial ligu»s hold they shall both sign with the empe ror and the six witness whom lie shrill have appointed the mystic testament of he emperor shall ijl dept»il«\l in i:,c ivllktc l.j ll.c at eh ohi>n cellor xxv after the demise of the princes and princessei of the imperial house the seals shall be affixed in their palaces ami hou sts by the secretary of state of the imperial household and in case ot hindrance by a counsellor of state appointed for this purpose by th arch chancellor of the empire article iii cf the education of the princes and princtstti jf the imperial parliament xxvi the emperor regulates every thinj that concerns the education ol'the chil dren of the princes and princesses of his house lie appoints and revokes at will ihose who are charged with it and determines tho places where it is to lie performed xkv1i all the princes hum in the or e'er of hereditament shall be brought up to gether and by the same precept otfmstia i>fli cers either in the pal»cbl.which the en>pe ror inhabits or i ju'ftr|<-tvtf j palace within tin myn'ametrct 20 leagues of his habitable rc si'.'.enrr • xxvfll their course of education shall begin nt the age of aeven yearsi and sl.dl fi nish when they have attained their sixiceulh year the children of thoie who have dilinjjiiich ed themselves by their service r.ii>y be su mitted l-y ihc emperor to share ihe advanta ge of it xxix the case happening vueicin a prince in the order of hereditament khali asrend a foreign thr>ne he saml be liuldtn when his male children have alt ai tied the pe of seven years to send them to the above mcniioned house ihtre to ixceirc their edit cation i i article iv o/thepywer of watchfulness discipline and pe lice whuh the emperor exercises in tin interim o vf his j amity xxx the princes ond princesses ofth imperial iiovisr whatever may be theii aj;c cannot without the order or without leave of th emperor go out of tlie territory of ihe errpiie n»r remove more than fifteeen itiyti am.sti\s thirty leunuet from the city ia which tlic imperial residence iiuppenstoue e stuhlished xxxi if a m^miier of the imperial house should misbehave i ; forpet his dig nity or his dun the emperor may it flier for a determined period ai i wh i h shall not exceed a year the following penalties to wit i y^^l■t.^t hemoval frotn his person f.xile xxxii the emperor rnny order the members of the impiriul house to remove from themselves the persons who mil ap pear suspicious to him although these ptr bons should not make a part of their house holt 1 . article v oj ihc family council xxxiii there shall be ■■ family cmmril attached to the emperor independent ot the aitiibutes which sre p ven to this coup by the articles x xi and xii of tha present stutntf it shall take cognizance 10 t;t the compl int made o iinst the princes and princesses oi the im erial house whenever the shall not iljm for object of fences of the nature ol those which according to the terms of ar cl.of the act of t!:c con stitutinns of the 28th t'lureal year 12 are to be tried by thehighcourt 20 of actions merely personal commen ced either by the princes or princesses of the imperial house or agninst tin m with regard to real mixed ndions ihe jr shall continue to be laid before the ordinary tribunals x\xiv the family council shall be presided by the emperor and in default of him by the arch-chancellor of the empire who sh<»ll always ni;ikc a part of it it shall be further composed of the princa of ihe imperial house designated by the cm peror ofhim or the pr.nceol grand dignitaries of the empire who shall have tiie first rank o seniority ol the senior marshal of the empire of the chancellor of the senate and of the court ot cassation the grand judge minister of justice shall perform the functions of the public ministry in the council the secretary of state of the imperial household shall be secretary thepaprrsand rnmutes of the judgment shall be deposited in the imperial archives xxxv the demands isce 1 ii,le f be ini presented to the council shall be prevl ouily communicated to the arch-chancellori who shall render an account ol them in eight days at farthest 10 the einperori and shall take his i rdtrs . xx>ui ifthe emperor orders that the b flair be prosecuted before the council the arch-chancellor shall lir»t proceed to concili ation the report containing the depotitiontj «• ofth department of princes and princtsstt of llit imperial htiue sec i • the emperor is the chief and com mon father ef nil family by means of these ti'l'.'s he exercises over those who compose it the paternal power during their minority and ahvay preserves with regard to them a power of superintendence police ami disci pline the principle effect which will be hereafter determined ii if the emperor be himself a minor the rights mentioned in the preceding arti cle belong to the regent wh cs'iimt exrr 1 cise them but hy virtue of a deliberation of the council of regency taken iu tlic case where there is room to apply it iii the imperial ionise is composed it of thg princes comprising in the he reditary order established by the act of the constitutions of the 8>h floreal year 13 of iheii consorts and their descendants in lawful insi rut e 2 of the princesses our sisters their \ huthands mi i descendants in luwful ni«r | riaire unto ha fifth degree inclusively 3 t our children of adoption and their legitimate descendants iv the marriages of the p:'mc«s and prineesses of the imperial hoii'-l t whatever age they may have arrived tlull be void and ofrto tfl'rct hy full right end without judg uu-nt bcinu ncci ssary every line that is cf»n i trai ted without the formal consent ol the em i peror | this consent shall he expressed in n closed letter countersigned hv tin arch-chancellor ofthe empire it shall alone suffice and stand jj in lieu of dispensation ol up a'ui parentage ; i in u,l c is i'i which these dispensations may j i ni cetsary v allchildren barn of a u;:<*n not c^it acted i tonformc.il to e eti positions of the piectdir.g article shall he reputed illigitimatr so t/ut n«t the th'j nor their father a .'..' mother ct p etcu i by virtue of this nn)n to any of the advanta ', dtuthc ! by the laws and custom ? of certain i vun trits to the marriages known by the name cf main gouche i which marriage are neither authorised by the civil code nurbythe con stitution of the empire and are as much as i necessary i prohibited by the present sta tute \ l.thc matrimonial conventions of the primes and princesses of the imperial house are null unles.i a/proved hy the emperor without the par tic bei al>le in thischse to claim any cx cepienby virtue ofthe riisposl'ions of the c rilcoue which s.tid dispositions v ill not take place with regard to them vii divorces are forbidden to the mem ber of the imperial house of bulh scxea and of all v',<j viii they may however demand bo dily separation it th<tll uke place hy the sole authority of the emperor without form or process it h only t;ikt place with regard to the common habitation and shall change no thing in the matrimonial connexions ix i he property of the princes and prin cesses ofthe imperial house whose father is deceased thall be during their minority ad ministered hy one or several guardians ap pointed hy the emperor x these guarjians shall irive n account ol thci guardianship to the family council hereafter spoken of xi the family council shsll exercise o ver the guardian in every ihiti concerning the administration of the guardian a co-ac tive and contention jurisdiction it »!; ill fulfil for the act of guardianship ull the functions whi h with regard to private persons are delegated by the civil code to the ordinary family councils and tribunals nevertheless the decisions it shall nuke shall hare no effect until after they have ob tained the emperer'l approbation in all casts we have in consequence thought proper tn'tntrust to oiircoiiiin the arch-chancellor of the empire the light of filling exclusively with regard to us and the princes and prin eesses of our house the functions attributed by the law to the officers of the civil house hold we have also committed to the arch chancellor the care of receiving the empe ror will and the stah-te which shall fix the empress's dowry these acts a wrll as those ol the civil drpartm-nt are so closely connected with the imperial house and the political order that it is impossible to apply to them exclusively the forms usually em ployed for la«t wills and testaments after having regulated the department of the princesses of our blood our solicitude must be directed to the education of their children nothing can be more important than early to remove from them those fiatter m who might attempt to corrupt them the ambitious men who by culpable indulgences might captivate their confidence and prepare for the nation weak sovereigns under whose name they would promise themselves one iay to reign the choice of the prr<ons to whom the education of the princes and prin eeste's children ofthe roy;d house i entrus ted ought then to be reserved to the empe ror we afterwards conidered the prince and princesses in the ctntmon action of lift the conduct of prince has frti;uen'!y distur bed the trabmiility^ofthe people iid rentetu