ed the rights of Napoleon II. "If the Emperor had
been killed," said they, "his son would succeed him as a matter of
right. He is politically deceased why should not his son succeed him?
The monarchy is composed of three branches: one of these branches is
dead; it must be replaced. We are strong only within the sphere of our
duties: let us not step out of the constitution, let us not give the
foreign powers a right to say to us, you are no longer any thing! They
have declared, that Napoleon alone was the obstacle to a peace: let us
put their good faith to the test. It is besides as advantageous, as it
is just and politic, to acknowledge Napoleon II., and to govern in his
name. Look at the soldiers, look at the people of Alsace, Franche
Comte, Lorraine, Burgundy, and Champagne, for whom, and in whose name,
have they lavished their generous blood? At home, the acknowledgment
of Napoleon II. would justify the nation and the army; abroad it would
reconcile us to Austria. Could the Emperor view us with the eyes of an
enemy, when we had adopted for our sovereign a child of his own
blood?"

"The 67th article of the constitution," said M. Thibaudeau, "is still
the law of the two chambers: neither the chamber, nor the nation, nor
the provisional government we shall form, thinks of bringing back the
government, under which we groaned a whole year; but the proposal for
acknowledging Napoleon II. cannot be discussed at the present moment.
Let us leave things as they are, and adopt the resolution of the
chamber of deputies, _without prejudging any thing in regard to the
entirety of the abdication of Napoleon_."

The chamber, delighted at having discovered a method of preserving the
rights of Napoleon, without placing itself in manifest opposition to
the representatives, adopted this suggestion, and proceeded
immediately to the nomination of the two members to the committee of
government.

The Duke of Vicenza and Baron Quinette had the suffrages in their
favour.

M. Carnot, the Duke of Otranto, and General Grenier, were at the same
time chosen by the other chamber.

The committee of government immediately entered on its functions under
the presidency of the Duke of Otranto.

Though the question of the entirety of the abdication remained
untouched upon, the Emperor nevertheless considered the creation of a
committee of government as a manifest violation of its conditions. He
reproached the ministers of state, and particularly