ThewillofBonapartebeingthusexpressedinhismessagetothe——Senate，thatbody，whichwascreatedtopreservetheinstitutionsconsecratedbytheConstitutionoftheyearVIII.，hadnoalternativebuttosubmittotheintentionsmanifestedbytheFirstConsul.Thereplytothemessagewas，therefore，merelyacounterpartofthemessageitself.Itpositivelydeclaredthathereditarygovernmentwasessentialtothehappiness，theglory，andtheprosperityofFrance，andthatthatgovernmentcouldbeconfidedonlytoBonaparteandhisfamily.WhiletheSenatesocomplaisantlyplayeditspartinthiswell—get—uppiece，yet，thebettertoimposeonthecredulityofthemultitude，itsreply，likeBonaparte’smessage，resoundedwiththewordslibertyandequality.
Indeed，itwasimpudentlyassertedinthatreplythatBonaparte’saccessiontohereditarypowerwouldbeacertainguaranteeforthelibertyofthepress，alibertywhichBonaparteheldinthegreatesthorror，andwithoutwhichallotherlibertyisbutavainillusion.
BythisreplyoftheSenatethemostimportantstepwasperformed.Therenowremainedmerelyceremoniestoregulateandformulastofillup.
Thesevariousarrangementsoccasionedadelayofafortnight.Onthe18thofMaytheFirstConsulwasgreetedforthefirsttimebytheappellationofSirebyhisformercolleague，Cambaceres，whoattheheadoftheSenatewenttopresenttoBonapartetheorganic’Senatus—consulte’
containingthefoundationoftheEmpire.NapoleonwasatSt.Cloud，whithertheSenateproceededinstate.AfterthespeechofCambaceres，inwhichtheolddesignationofMajestywasforthefirsttimerevived，theEMPERORreplied：——