The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-22 00:00:00

11

torttlyib.o.s (`),3crber.

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 19.

THE FRENCH ELECTIONS.

The Eniperor of the French and his Govern.
ment hnve a difficult part to ploy with the excit-
able population of Femme. In his own pereon
he represeets the principle of absolutiele or des-
potion), but he acts in conjunction with a Go'
vernment which modifies suit tonee down his des-
potism into conatitntionaliem ; while the Satiate
and the Legielative body, at least the latter, give
weight to the prieciple of representative govern.
meat. To harineuise and amalgamate imperial-
ism has always been the Eiuperor's difficulty
ever since he was proelsiened Emperor. He has
never wholly sncceeded ii Ude, hat lie hay dene
the next best thing for himseif and hie country ;
he hue to a great extent populeriseil
There is, however, a large amount of opposition
to the Napoleonic regime throughont the coun-
try, amid this has been very demonstratively
shown of late not only in Paris, the great centre
of politimil feeling, but in varieue parts of the
country. The Emperor tikes a great interest
personally in the elections that are about to take
place. He evidenced this the other day by re.
plying to the nfileial coneratulatione of the
Mayor of Chartres, and ou this occasion the
! ruler of the French people went out of hi a way
to express the hope—though ha put it in mere
diplometically courteous language—that the
country would return represeetatives that would
support himself and Ills gevernmene The pee
pie in various p irta of Frauee are now showing,
however, that they have no intention of doing I
anything of tha kind, and lo IMMO places they
have inieuifested their feelings in a too iloulua•
strative way,
There are many who think that there Is no
inch thing as liberty of public laciithig in
Franco. hut the meetings which have recently
been bedi there 1410 th's impression. It ta
gait° tree that publia in irtinga ainauget our
neighliontee are under reetrictiune which could
ttot be endured in this country; bat the electoral
meetings, then 01 held under linverninent coll.
trot to a certain extent, itavo now been of it elle•
racier whioh proves that liberty of speech is
evea allowed to run inad at a certain time.
Electoral meetings are in fact exceptional, and
are not subjceted to the came restrictions as t
the number; attoudine or Vie eubjects
511110 orate:lvy ineetM ra at other Hems. Cali-
(Ratites address the eloetors, and electors belly
or app'auil the candidates to an extent which
would .eatisfy the meet ardent lavers of election
excitement in Englund. Take an electioe meet-
ing in Pude as u specimen, with M. (Wirier as
candid ete. sea a cro v I of exiiit ible workrnea.
nondeecriets, mid roughs as an niedienee. M.
Oliivier is a falbere', bet he to not Me ral enoneli
fee in toy of thto Peridaii pep:thee ; he believes
that Liberia ideae Cu only fairly pt- grove by
constitutional meaus, wed that the Emperor is
morn likely to promote them thau any revolution
Can sic. Emile Uhhivier recently expreeaed these
views at an electoral meeting in the Chatelet
theatre in Paris, !Ind both iu lend outside tieu
theatre great excitement was manifested. Tile
epeaker having Said that it was silly to go on
cry Mg over steilt milk, and castiag the f 'up iretot
in the Emperor's teeth ; that the neer /ref it 11111
been übeolved by universiil cottage. and that a
government should be judged by the nets and
intentiona of its maturity tether Lion; by what it
hail 110110 ill itS cradle —a iced,: of iadeecrileitile
coefesiiiii lapse; sedition cries were shouted ;
the Mireejhlaive wes sung ; the meeting was Mis-
tily dissolved ; arrests were made; mid eeveral
pimple were in the riot which onsaah.
It is even said Veit a policemen was killed by a
blow from a loaded Cane, Mil that a 54•1 of M.
;Nee Simile had his head eat open with a heevy
stick. Subeequently there have been Nether
oloctaral riots in Paris, if riots may he ‘ctid to liu
eleetmal which appear to have arisen only oat of
that liatrod of order lend governineht of any
sort which exiete among the lower girders lu all
coantriee. On Friday 'light, for example.
ii iitob of :,kroo 1:11 th)ya and y uu men nastan-
bled on the Havelt yale 11114 ellaMenCe.l dea•
trojin4 sow of the iron g,ates ; hut the distnr-
hers wore speedily dispersed, and severel of
them being captured and led off in triumph by
the eergeaiits the ville. In 'mother quarter of I
Peris iisleilihtml and erica Vive Roche-
feet ! Vivo Is !" and trolled cult
that twiliti sangnintry sang the Met-sell-use.
dietitrhancea have taken plum eleewhere
with mu-la the seine rosette. The elovernir.ent
it evideritly ti i Strmig far the mob. A peochein-
etien him hero posted lip cii liii wells of Parts,
al4hiff that at severel eleemeal mei:tinge Wale
Seroanti do vino have Linn wpda,bil by StMell
thrum 11 at theta and that the law on litubs will be
tatforeed, The Parisian route knew wall what
this !Otani.
Saeli eeenee 54 thew) mast wit taken tore.
preemet mother feeling theoughout Peewee ; they
manifest eitly the Involutt every ited lawleee ten.
of a Min....D.7. he Over mlieholug ttra•
jolty tt tic-' tiltsbitiots ,if Prance oda have no
avinvithy with rlot nod diserdee which, If nut
checked it awe by the ,i.ring hiuiii lot authority,
alight prod.:too time threat reienee. Steietly upeak-
ii,g, these ads crunot he milled political denien•
stratioul. Uoinparatiyely few of those who took
out in them could probably give any rational
statement either of the political views of the
Government or of their own politice, if they
hieve any. Perk and sfnae other to wile have

lately sailered indeed rather from riot and op-
roar than from political demonstrations. Bat

on the ocher hanil genuine politieal feeling has
largely beer evoked throughout France, as dis-
tinguished from rioting and disorder. France
is entering on what must prove a critical time
for her. Government candidates are everywhere
put forward Ulla supported by the indirect influ-
ence of officialism ; but Opposition candidates
have come forward also in unwonted numbers,
and the electors of France are exercising a right
' which may have an unexpected influence on her
carver. It is probable that in the next assembly
of the Legislative Body it will be found that the
Liberal party has gained considerable strength,
and the policy of the Emperor will perhaps have
to be modifivd accordingly. In any case the
progress of the elections will be watched with
deep interest far beyond the bounds of France.