But a short interval of tranquillity ensued: and we may avail ourselves of the opportunity to recur for a moment to the internal administration of French affairs under the Imperial Government, as now finally organised.
Buonaparte, shortly after the peace of Tilsit, abolished _the Tribunate_; and there remained, as the last shadows of assemblies having any political influence, the Legislative Senate and the Council of State.

The former of these bodies was early reduced to a mere instrument for recording the imperial decrees; the latter consisted of such persons as Napoleon chose to invest for the time with the privilege of being summoned to the palace, when it pleased him to hear the opinions of others as to measures originating in his own mind, or suggested to him by his ministers.

He appears to have, on many occasions, permitted these counsellors to speak their sentiments frankly and fully, although differing from himself; but there were looks and gestures which sufficiently indicated the limits of this toleration, and which persons, owing their lucrative appointment to his mere pleasure, and liable to lose it at his nod, were not likely to transgress.

They spoke openly and honestly only on topics in which their master's feelings were not much concerned.
His favourite saying during the continuance of his power was, "I am the State;" and in the exile of St.Helena he constantly talked of himself as having been, from necessity, the Dictator of France.

In effect no despotism within many degrees so complete and rigid was every before established in a civilised and Christian country.