The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1871.

twenty years of mismanagement and demoralisation,
Sedan, and the present prostration of France, are
directly traceable to the preference of the Repub-
lican. Assembly of a President elected . by universal
suffrage to a President dependent upon the Assembly
itself. It is obvious that an executive of the . one
kind insures harmony between the Legislature and
the Government, as in England. When the people
directly elect both the Assembly and the bead of
the Government, it is just as likely as not that the
two will be in hopeless antagonism. They often are op-
posed in the United States. The " Resolutions Grovy"
embody the essential principles of sound Govern-
ment. A Republic founded on such principles would
afford the best chance of relieving France from her
constitutional troubles. Such a compromise
between the di frerent parties presents the least diffi-
culty. It would put the extreme theorists out of
court, and prevent what may be a very
.serious
danger—that of civil war. Recent experience ought
to convince all French parties that it is the essence of
institutions, and not their names, which is of impor-
tance. Under the late regime the most democratic
machinery became the tool of despotism. The
election of M. GREVY to the chair of the Assembly
may not unreasonably be considered a sign that
his " Resolutions" are more in favour now than in
1848.
- -

M. Truans has been appointed the head of the
executive. This step is of the first importance, but
it was a foregone conclusion as soon as it was
seen that the veteran politician had been elected
for one-fourth of the departments, in many at tho
head of the poll. The choice is promising in many
respects; but the fact that M. THIERS has no
possible rival, that he is by common consent fixed
upon as the one man who can save France, clearly
shews how barren of- able politicians the Second Em-
pire has left the country. He is 74
.years of
age, and though of great ability has never dis-
played the nerve required to lead a nation in a crisis
like this. At present he is of course in favour of
peace ; but his hostility to Germany is notorious
and consistent. • He has always held that France
t to have prevented German unity; and
last July he condemned the declaration of war,
not because it was wrong in itself,
but because it was inopportune. At the. same time
there are incontestable advantages on the side of
this appointment. It settles whatever little doubt
remained touching the prospects of the Empire. The
late Government detested M. THIERS more cordially
than any man in France. No candidature, not even
ROCHEFORT'S, was so fiercely opposed by the
Imperialist functionaries. In 1863 the Due DE
PERSIGNY, Minister of the Interior, himself fought
a fierce battle with TRIERS in. the second circum-
scription of Paris—the Imperialist being beaten.
The prominence of M. THIERS now is
a sufficient answer to the miserable procla-
mation just issued from Wilhelmshiihe. More
important still, the new head of the French nation
has for many years past formed the connecting link
between the Orleanists and the moderate Republi-
cans, and is just the man to effect the coalition which
is so necessary : indeed, it appears that he has ef-
'ected it.

ougl

correspondent at one of the continental capitals hears
a piece of news from a personage who ought to know,
he naturally feels desirous of giving his employers
the advantage. Everything must depend on judg-
ment in such contingencies. But the transmission, as
in the case of one notorious 'offender, of conditions
which are obviously absurd, conditions which the con-
quered could not accept, nor the conquerors impose, can
have no good purpose whatever. It is only playing the
game of Count Bismarck. He would naturally be
desirous of confronting the French with enormous
demands, so that his actual proposals, though heavy
in themselves, might seem reasonable. A real peace
scheme, one item of which is an indemnity of four
hundred millions, is sheer nonsense. An imaginary
proposal of the kind may serve a useful purpose, but
the usefulness is all on one side. It is not unnatural
therefore, that the expressions of disgust in some of
the most moderate French journals should be couched
in rather warm terms.