New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-18


and Agricultural Colonies set on foot, from
which the evil results Of free competition
were to be excluded by fixing equal rates OF
wages and equal shares in the division OF
profits. In this way he thought by degrees
to supplant the dominion of competition by
the reign of Fraternity.
But the Constituent Assembly, which
soon came together, consisted, nine tenths
Of it. at least, of adherents of this very
system of Competition. Foresceing that
this would be so, Louis Blanc demanded
beforehand postponement of the Elections,
and "a dictatorship for the good Of the
country" (pour fare le bien.) In this plan
it was only natural that the majority of the
Provisional Government should not agree.
In their purpose the National Workshops
were not places of execution for the COM
petitiye system, but only temporary means
of giving work to unemployed laborers dur
ing the crisis But this was not enough TO
content the Partisan wOrkmen; and the
threatening demonstrations of March II
and April Is, 1913, showed more or less
clearly their design to give predomi-
nance to the views of Louis Blanc. In
deed, on the 18th of May they forgot them
selves so far as literally to turn out of doors
the now assembled representatives of all
France. But this tempest passed off with
out further consequences than to embitter
the disposition of the Assembly.
When the representatives came together
again, they gave their feeling vent. Il fam
en- fnri We must be done with this was
the word. In order to suppress the spirit
which threatened a dictatorship, they de-
stroyed its supposed abode, the National
Workshops, and drove hundred thousand
workmen mercilessly into the street, and
into that memorable struggle from which
the whole European reaction sucked the
strength for its future deeds With this the
Coalition of February lost its bravest com
batants, the workmen. The smaller bour-
geois-men Of Importance as house owners
and members of the National Guard-were
soon after made hostile to the republican
cause by the financial measures of the now
palpable anti-revolutionary party. Thus that
cause stood alone with the old republicans
and the bloody sword of Cavaignac. OF
course they were beaten in the Presidential
election and in that for members OF the As
sembly. The votes of the various rePub-
hcan fractions were scattered, and the
peasants, excited by the tax of As centimes,
went all together for Napoleon and the re-
action.
Looking back on this march of affairs it is
not difficult to perceive how the ground lost
could be regained. The divisions of the
Republican party, which, since the battle of
July, had been more and more widely sepa-
rated, must again unite themselves-the eX-
perience of that eventful period must be
pondered and improved by both workmen
and citizens Alone, each of these classes
is too weak to maintain itself against the
common antagonist. But now the coalition
between them must be more than formal.
Radical economical measures can alone form
a permanent foundation for the Republic. !
The mere externality of democratic State
is of small worth in the eyes of French
workmen, and those Of Paris form in truth
one of the great European powers IN this
process OF revolutionary development. In !
fact this reunion of the different republican |
fractions has by degrees been set on foot.
In great banquet, held in February, lSi9,
the workmen and smaller citizens celebrated |
their reconciliation under the name of the
Social Democratic Party In June Of the
same year, on occasion of the Roman ques-
ton, it appeared, however, that this cOall-
ton was neither great nor earnest enough To |
dam up the current of reactlonary policy. |
I'm March, 1850, we saw this new party once |
more combined with that of the old republic |
cans. On that memorable day, which gave |
occasion to the law restricting the franchise, |
De Flotte, falsely arrested prisoner Of
June, Vidal Socialist, and Carnot, Minis
ter of Instruction under the Provisional Gov
eminent, triumphed at the Partisan ballot
boxes. Here was the first fruit Of the new
coalition, and it need but 20 on in the same
wav, acting with vigor and sincerity, and |
fixing definite basis for its future policy, |
and victory cannot fail it, either on the barri
cades or at the ball1t-boxes.
In the electoral contest the decision is
now as before to be given by the agricultural
class. But it is scarcely TO be doubted that |