The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-06

4 Few - Issdth bsgan - - ~a>sstsasea sAat Z
Pfo!aaGAuon q sach upcertaiuty would LEAD IA
popular Hout)As. Each paxtY in he STATE getting
up 70 declare that such and such continesneiea
would lead 10 civil war. whilst il was quite GER
tain that some one Of thess contingencies must oil
professional perturbstors should have been led "a
look forward TO times that would call into sxsr-
else their vocation. Hsure the necessity Of getting
rid Of the provisional ministry, and Of appointing
men who a.e 1t least xealous AID energetic ia the
cause Of order, however unable To unite all suf-
frsges in their favor. This il, no doubt. the orr.
gin Of the new ministry under M Leon Faucher
and M. Baroche.
| M. Barrot refused to accept Office, except on
the condition Of being allowed 10 mitigate the law
restricting, indeed sboIishing universal suffrage.
and thus allow once more to the industrious pop
ulation the right Of franchise. This, according to
M. Barrot, was the beat mode of preventing
sme,ae; and in this opinion Nd. Barrot was sup
ported by all the moderate Republicans. The
Legitimists, also, especially the Lerohejaquein
section, were for the same concession. The re-
striction Of universal suffrage has greatly dimin-
ished the numbers of Legitimist votes in the pro-
vinces, and they are anxious to recover them,
even by the aid Of the Mountain.
But these proposals ofM. Barrot were displeas-
ing to the men Of order. to the Orleanists, who
look upon concession to the people as the fore
runner Of new revolution, and instead Of clos
ing with M. Barrot's conditions, Louis Napoleon
has appointed ministry on the principles Of
order and no concession. M. Leon Faucher is
the strongest representative ofthis principle. He
is an enthusiastic champion Of the law Of the 3lst
OF May, restricting the suffrage and no doubt, as
Minister Of the Interior, he is determined to main
tain and enforce that law to the very uttermost.
| II remains to be seen what amount he has Of a
majority to carry out that line Of policy.
| With respect to the President, such choice
IL Al A
cans, and still more at variance with the Demo-
Gratis. 1t betokens any thing but accord with the
Legitmsts, and whether it conciliate the Orlean-
lists is doubtful. Thus, although the new cabinet
| may be more vigorous, eficacIous, and able one,
composed too Of parliamentary men, 1t is doubt
full how far it further the great and absorbing
aim of the President-his continuance in power
The FRENCH CONSTITUTIONS TO BE AMENDED.
We find the following in the Epenement of the
18th:
"There was council OF ministers held to. day
at the Elysee, ut which decision was come to
on the course to be pursued with regard to the re-
vision of the Constitution. This project is to be
presented by member Of the 286, relation Of
one of the ministers and one completely devoted
to the policy of the Elysee. The government will
then demand that the project shall be referred to
the councils general, to be convoksd extraordin-
arily for the purpose, in the second fortnight Of
June. This plan of campaign was, it is said, APP
proved of by the majority Of the members of the
council, although two among them manifested a
certain degree ofirresoution.
The Bulletin de Paris says:
"The Minister Of the Interior intends to present
bill to the assembly, for the purpose of author
izng an extraordinary and special session Of the
municipal councils throughout France, to take
place before the 18th of May. The only question
to be submitted to the councils is the following :
"Ought the Constitution TO be revised 7" and the
answers are to be simply "Yes'' or "No," with
| out any comment explanation. The opposi-
ton papers cry out already against this plan.
They say that the Constitution has left the ques-
ton Of the revision to the assembly alone, and
| that this mode of consulting the municipal coun-
| ellis would give rise to agitation and intrigue.
"a project has been started for getting over the
difficulty which stands in the way Of a revision of
the Constitution, by the conditions imposed by
the lllth article, which requires the consent OF
three fourths of the legislative assembly, thrice
expressed, that constituent assembly shall be
called. To the municipal assemblies, convoked
for the 18th May, will be addressed the simple
abstract question, "Ought the Constitution to be
| revised yes or no J" Supposng, rather taxi
ing for granted, thai the response will generally
be in the affirmative, the minister will feel author
lied, by the consent Of bodies which, having been
elected by universal suffrage, may be taken to ex.
press universal opinion, to call on the assembly,
| by simple majority, to declare that the Consti
tuition ought to be revised. Whether the minis
try would proceed step further, and call on the
assembly to declare its elf competent to the task
ofrevision remains to be seen. They must frs
see how tn is feeler, which they have thrown out
enter on more explicit proceedings.