The New York herald., 1851-09-18
uy PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION IN FRANCE.



departure Of M Guizot and other eminent public
nen for London, in order to be present at the com
memorativs service in honor Of the late King Louis
Philippe, mentioned the probability Of some CON
versaton taking place previous to their return 10
Paris, with the members Of the Orleans family, on
topic that has excited great interest here and whcn
is certainly of consider able Importance alludeto
the pretensions of the Prince de Jolnville 10 tue
Presidency of the French republic An apology Is
scarcely necessary for recurring to the subject, as
those pretensions still, and must be SO Tor some
time TO come, a subject tf great interest Win al
Darties and as | am enabled to give Information Oh
vbst has taken place at Claremont, on the correct
ness of which you may rely
IL is scarcely necessary to say that the return 10
Paris of the political personages above mentionea
had been awaited with much impatience. Nios,,
not all OF them, have arrived; MN; p9zot, Du-
shatel, DE Montalivet, De Lasteyrie. De hemusaI,
Vigisr. and many others, have, at all events been
seen here, and those OF their rlenas VINO naa not
accompanied them most earnest In their In
suires on ~ subject which 80 much interests, not
1erely the Oreansts but every party in the State.
The account given by these gentlemen IS confirmed
bv the numerous letters addressed from London and
from Claremont, so that an idea may be formed Of
the present feeling OF the Prince de Jonvile, the
Queen Marie Amelie, the Duke de Nemours, and
the Duchess dOrleans. 1t may be no harm to pre-
mise that the assertions hazarded by certain jour
mails here, either for against the assertion OF those
Pretensons are not accurate. In its number of yes
terday, the Constitutional affirmed, in positive
manner, that the Prince had officially declared
himself the candidate for the Presidency, while,
paragraph appeared in the FetsHe Lithographque,
which transmits intelligence to the lcgitnlist jour
mails of the departments" Some of the friends Of
the Orleans family having made to the Prince de
Joinville grave objections on the subject of his
pFetensions, he replied 1t is much better to be
vaDquished than annulled'" However well inform
ed in other respects bots the legtimst and the con-
seryatiye organs may be, | can assure you that
neither the ment of the CeastnnionIe nor that
Of the Ftuiae Lih0grGphtqe is correct. The Prince
has not announced" his pretensions II Is not pro-
- t.a~ H. raatof han anAh he. ia
still in the situation described in my letter of
Morday-unceT tain whether he ought to incur the
risk of being defeated Matters not so advanced
at Claremont has been stated and doubt and
perpexity still reign there.
The royal family Of Clarsmo received a consi-
uerable number OF visteIs on the 21th, 18th, and
18th Of the present month. Those viiters were
chiefly composed Of the old and faithful friends of
the late king, and who, with few exceptions, are
little disposed TO regard favorably the professions
Of the Prince dc Joinvile. But the reception was
not confined TO the old friends of the exied house;
some of TIE new friends, who were almost all wont
to wage TO the end a relentless warfare ainst
the government Of July, and who, on emergency,
essn became the allies Of the personal enemies Of
the late King, were present. These latter are, to
be sure, partsans of the Prince; they the per-
sens who originally suggested, who have supported,
and who still urge, his pretensions energetically.
IL must be said too, that the visit OF the latter
to the members of the Orleans family, to all ap-
pesrance, more agreeable than that Of the former.
Their society, their conversation, were more sought
easier footipg while it observed that the older
and more constant adherents were rather avoided
than otherwise, and it seemed even as if any obsor
walton from them was more dreaded. One VINO is
not the least eminent the least resolu,e among
them, determined on not allowing the occasion to
clip without an explanation. II took place on
Wednesday, the 9th. The Queen had previously
named that day for the reception Of many persons
Who desired to pay their respects. The royal
family were assembled in one Of the saloons Of the
palace. The Queen had by her side the Duke de
Eemours, the Duchess dOrleans, and the Duchess
de Nemours; and at a short distance were the
Countess Molten, Genera Dumas, and General dc
Chabannes. The two latter, acting Chamber
lains, announced and introduced the persons whom
the Queen bad promised TO receive, and among
whom we're NJ. Guizot and NJ Dumon The con-
yersation was Of general kind; it was prolonged
Tor some time, and even the moment was allowed
70 come for taking leave, when VI. Guizot, address
ing himself TO the Duke de Nemours, requested to
know if the Prince had any instructions to give him
for his friends, for hmself with reference to the
occurrences that might soon take place in rance
perhaps even before he should have the honor Of
again seeing hint
The Duke de Nemours replied that he had no in
structions to give that his family had adopted as
m absolute rule of conduct, complete abssention;
they resolved to await the pleasure of France,
and to holi themselves at her disposal. NJ Guizot
observed that be had always regretted that resou-
tion Of abstention; he preferred a more active
policy. AS, however, abstension was decided on,
he presumed IL was of complete kind, and that
nothing wouid be done of a contrary tendency
nothing TO alter the present position, or to modify
that Of others He added, that he found 1t difficult,
may, impossible, to reconcile with the system Of
Abstention the pretensions, publicly announced, of
Abe Prince de Joinvlc for the Presidency Of the
pablo; and that for the sake Of his friends, well
for his own, he under the necessity Of ascer-
tanning the intentions that subject Of the Prince
Of the Duke de Nemours, and, in fact, Of the whole
family. lie entreated the Duke to communicate 70
him those intentiens and to give him his ins.ruc-
tions on grave point
such question, addressed directly firmly, but
respectfully, on SO solemn an occasion, in the pre-
gence Of 80 many persons, could not be eluded. The
Prince replied, "that his brother had no fixed 10
solution the Subject Of the Presidency; tia. his
name had been made Of without his having
been previously informed Of II that he had been
pat forward as a candidate without having au-
thorzed 1t that he could not hinder IL thai II was
in the power Of no one to prevent people from
making use Of name--even abusing 10; that the
Prince de Joinyie had not considered it TO be bis !
duty TO disayow such Of his friends had thought
Of him, and that he would not do so"
The interest which this conversation excited |
among the auditors, whose opinions on the topis |
discussed were various, win be easily conceived. |
But il cannot be denied that the reply Of the Duke
Of NenOuIs gave satisfaction to no one, neither to
these who partsans Of the Prince, as they COZ
sdsred themselves abandoned by him, nor to those
Who opposed him, beca1se they considered them
selves placed in the same equivocsl position. Both
parties could with dific atty understand why, In
matter grave his prctensions to the Presidency
ur the republic the Prince de Joinvile and his IA
nily should follow the leadership OF their friends
rather than direct them BY their own will They
felt that the question: alter al, was not 70 ascertain
by whom me project had been conceived, by whom
IL was 10 be carried into execution, and how these
persons we're acting, bu. 10 know exactly the inen-
Mons Of the Prince, OF the Queen his Iaother, Of
the Duke de NcmOurs, who is the head Of the fl
mly, and Of the Duchess d'Orieans. |
The Duke de Nemoufs soon perceived the elect |
produced b. bis remarks and that the conversation
could not vel erd there. He retulsd, By admit |
ting thai the prttensons Of hisbrother fthey were
maintained, would be opposed by the legitimsts, |
the conservatives who were IL favor Of the fd-'on,
the ancient conservatives who friendly to the
Elysee the ancient onJoTyatves who were FOR pre-
serving the actual state CT affairs, not only in tie
inteTes: Of the Orleans family, but 70 defend them
selves against the imminent invasion Of socialism
and Of demsgoguism; that they could only find |
serious support amcng the republicans and the |
mount ain, who we're influenced by their hatred Of
the actual President Of the rcpubc that they would
.nnacnnnnflu haze hnt Htflo channc- and ihat d.