The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-05-14 00:00:00

THE RESULT OF THE PLEBISCITE,

The final result of the Plebiscite for all France gives,
in round numbers, a majority in favour of the Emperor
Napoleon of 6,7.10,000 votes, against 1,500,000. Theme
numbers will hardly convey any meaning unless th y
be compared with those arising from former toper..
meats of a similar nature. The elevation of Prince
Louis Napoleon to the Empire was due to the popular
suffrage at three distinct epochs. In 1848, when
he was raised to the dignity of President of the Re.
public, the registered electors throughout France
were 9.977,452, of whom 5,534,520 gave their vote
in his favour, and his opponents were 1,891,732. In
1851, after the coup ,/'dot, his election to the Presi-
dency of the Republic for ten years was sanctioned by
7,437,107 votes, against 645,211. The electors in-
scribed in the listswere then 9,833,176, so that 1,716,800
abstained from voting. In 1852 the register gave the
number of voters as 9,833,576. 01 theme there were
7.824,189 for the Empire. and only 253,145 against it.
In the latter case 1,692,915 abstained from voting.

Since 1852 there has been no Plebiscite, but at the
Parliamentary elections of last midsummer it was
found that the number of registmed electors bad then
to 10,416,668, of whom 4,093.056 voted in favour of
Imp-rat candidates and 3,248,885 for independent
candidates, while 2,291,651 did not vote. The number
of registered voters is now supposed to be the same as
last year, so that if the votes recorded did not exceed
8000,000, about 2,500,000 abstained from voting. The
Emperor's Government, therefore, came off this time
coneiderably better than at the last Parliamentary
elections, but there is a very serious falling off in the
votes given to the Emperor at this present juncture
from those he obtained at the Plibiscited of 1851 and
1852. . . .

But this is not all. The return from Paris and the
Department of the Seine gave--in 1851, 196,796 Aye,
and 95,574 Noes : in 1852, 203,615 ANes and 53 617
Noes. 'lbis year these numbers are nearly reversed. The
Noes are 184 946, against 139,538 Ayes. As, too, the
registered electors are supposed to exceed 400,000 it is
reckoned that about 93,C00 abstained from voting. It
ie not merely the negative votes, therefore, that tunst
be ascribed to the Gppiaition, for in one alone of the
Paris districts no less than 908 blank bulletins were
found in the urn, besides 417 which had to be annulled.
An elector who takes the trounle to go to the pilling
place without voting for the Emperor may fairly be
bet down among the Emperor's opponents.
Another very significant fact is the result of the
voting at one of the Petrie barracks, where the Ayes
were only 1,000, against 700 Noes. Three are, it is
true, the Prince Eugfine Barracks, which were sup-
posed to have been tampered with by the Republicans
at the time of M. Ronhefort's arrest —the barracks
where the self-criminated aesasein Beaury was lately
quartered as a non-commissioned officer.
In many of the great cities, such as Lyons, Mar.
seillee, Bordeaux, Rouen, , the votes were not far
from two to one against the Emperor.

Commenting upon the results of the PlC:biscite, the Temps
mays that seven millions of electors have ratified a constitm
tion which binds them without binding the Emperor. The
PlChiscitary rJginie—a new form of Government such as the
world has never before known—has now been installed, and
its consequences have yet to he seen.—The Temps thinks
that even should the Government be sincerely anxious not to
recur to this expedient, the mere threat of a rehiscite will
be sufficient to paralyse the Parliamentary system The
Liberal Empire may rho agate, it adds, but it is at present
dead and buried, for the Emperor's plenary powers are
renewed, and the representatives of the country will un-
doubtedly be compelled to share his views, unless they wish to
roll the risk of being set as de by a Pl6biscite.—The D,'l, at ,
which had advised it, readers to vote " Yea," thinks that
, although the Government has obtained a million less votes
than in 1851, iii. strong en, ugh tis hold its own against the
revolutionary parties while it retains the support of the en-
lightened classes by a wisely liberal policy. Should it, how-
ever, allow the evil counsels of the peahens of personal
power to prevail, and return to the days when the most
precious liberties of the country were wanting, it inight be
unable to resist attacks. In the opinion of the Debuts the
appeal to the people has succeeded this time becaum it was
made in the name of progress and liberty If at any time it
were made in the name of reaction and despotism, it would
most likely fail. the 11Wbats hopes that it will be long before
another Plailiscite takes place.

INCIDENTS OF TIIE VOTING.

M. Lefransals, a speaker of the clubs, presented himself at
the gate of the barrack of the Château d'Eau, where some
troops of the line, popularly supposed at Paris not to be so
favourable to the empire es their brothers of the guard, are
stationed. "Let me in," he demanded. "On at passe paR
is;," was the answer. "then," he cried, "we shall take up
-• • •

M. Emile 011ivier gave his vote like a simple citizen. At
midday he am ived at the section of the Council of State, fell
Into the ranks of those who were waiting their turn to drop
their papers Otto the urn, and patiently hided his time for
over half an hour. It is stated he voted " Yes."

The central committee established in favour of the pleb's.
cite sat at its rooms during the greater part of the any and
long into the night. Messengers arrived from the various
sectiths at Intervals with the latest result of the voting, and
dispatches with the Cgures so far as they were known were
sent to the Emperor every quarter of an hour.
Disputes were rare In any of the public sections. Nothing
Is known ,f what passed within the barracks, but a report is
given In Figaro, that at the opening of proceediogs at the
Chateau d'Eau four soldiers posted themselves by the urn
and declared that they would remain there to the close,
"even if they were to be shot for it. Many electors, not
content with the simple Oui on their papers, added " Viva
TEmpereur!" others tacked on to the Son a " Viva la
Republique !" In both instances these papers were rejected,
being declared legally Inadmissible.
The soldiers garrisoning the outlying poste were marched
by companies to vote in the civil sections of their districts.
They were saluted with cheers by the populace at their en-
trance. The customary sentry-duty in the sections was done
in all cases by detachments of the National I; uard. In 15.51
the line shared that honour with them.
•

The disturbances that occurred during the proceedings and
after were comparatively insignificant, thought the agitation
was intense. Hardly any arrests were made, a workman
was arrested about half-past six opposite the section of the
Recollets for singing the " Marseillaise," with some gentle
emendations of his own. When M. Pietri's placards were
being attached to the wall outside the Maisie of Montmartre,
c“nsiderablecrowil collected, and commencedtearing them
down. The bill-poster had to run to save himself from rough
usage. Moore .1111Motioll Was created in trout of the tour-
tille Barrack by a drunkard, who hustled the sentry and an
adjutant, who were at the gate. A mob gathered and took
part with the drunkard. The most serious disturbance was
in front of the barrack of Prince Eugene. A group, niostly
of mischievous youths, assembled there at nightfall, began
singing the " Marsellaise " and the "throat des Giroudins "
mingled occasionally with cheers for Rochefort. A lieu-
tenant and twenty men emerged from the barracks, and
promptly cleared the space around the gate. 'Me only
damage sustained at this point was by an unfortunate rag
gatherer, whose lantern was taken from him to be used as
a revolutionary emblems.

MUTH FROM HYDROPHOBIA.—Within the past
two years there have been several cases of hydrophobia
in Halifax and the neighbourhood, and two or three
have terminated fatally. The hot victim was Mr.
Rawson, aged thirty.two, who lived at Wtuiey. Last
Christmas his dog, a little bull terrier, bit him on his
right hand. It has since died. The wout.4 o, M.
Rawson's hand soon healed, and he was supp,seu to
have escaped further dangerous conatounences. On
Tuesday in last week, however, he was seized with
pain in the hand which had been bitter, and sent for
his medical atiendabt, who perciived symptoms of
hydrophobia. On Wednesday Mr. Rawson grew
worse, and, although every effort possible was made to
save the unfortunate man, he expired in oonvalsiorui on
Thursday night