New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-24
| made it so. The Necessity which dominates

all political combinations has made 1t 30.
Only one course then remained for the
men Of moderation" Of the status qio, OF
living on others labor. They must clip
these rights. No matter for the Constitu-
ton; no matter for their oaths to supportit.
For except this thing were done, what should
save society. what should keep under this
swelling food Of dangerous ideas? Accord
ingly they FIRST suppressed the liberty Of
Association; next the liberty Of the Press;
they prevented oral and written discussion
ofthese ideas. And with this, every collat-
eral trick Of tyranny was employed, every
device Of calumny, every resource OF les
But still it was not enough. The yilspread
in spite Of them. The greater their violence
the more headlong their folly, the more en-
tire and disastrous was their failure. The
election ofFngene Sue is the last drop in their
crn nc bitterness. 1t shows them that al
Iov have done at such sacrifices has been
seless, las only urged the nation forward
when Ney were risking all to drag it back
ward.
And now they lay their AK at the root Of
tho last right. They fatter themselves that
by curtailing Universal Suffrage they may
be safe. The Bill they have introduced will
diminish the number Of voters some three
millions. 1t is drawn with skill by the
ablest men Of the majority. 1t does not
propose to require any unconstitutional
qualification in electors. 1t lodges dex-
terously about the provisions of the Consti-
tuition. The Legislature has clear right
to define by law what shall constitute such
a residence as shall qualify man to vote.
Hitherto six months has been the prescribed
term. This is long enough, but the Assem-
Div may increase Or diminish it. They take
advantage of this power, and propose to
increase the period to three years. Thus
they violate the spirit of the Constitution,
though they keep within the letter.
The Bill has not yet passed. 1t was in
troduced and the question taken upon de-
claring its "urgency." This exempts it
from the necessity Of passing through GER
tain formalities and waiting for fixed pc
Rod before it can be definitely acted on- A
large majority was found in favor Of the ur-
gency No doubt many, like Victor Hugo,
then voted Aye who will oppose it at all sub
sequent stages. They desired to have it
brought up and decided as speedily as pos
sible. But still there seems little, if any,
reason to doubt its final passage. For the
Necessity is still there and still implaca-
cable. The majority will do it because they
must.
And will the people then rise on the per-
iured and faithless majority, on the unscru-
pulous Ministers and the brainless aspirant
for imperial gewgaws who fills the chair of
President? Certainly they have had provo
cation enough. Nothing has been spared
that could rouse an ardent and generous ma
ton to instruction. If the stern infection
of popular justice were ever deserved it is
now at Paris. But the People will remain
calm. They know that the victory is theirs.
They know that their adyersaries are
doomed. They know that even without
these three millions of voters, nay, partly
because they are deprived of them, they will
carry the next general election as triumph
antly as the official returns in another col
umn of this paper show they have just car
ried the day at Paris and in the Saone and
Loire. They know that the Reform of Social
Wrongs for which they aspire is sure to be
accomplished, is working out even now );
they know that the Necessity of the Age is
in it; and.we cannot believe that they will
delay the hour of its realization by impatient
-, ,,nt;u,a1x action