The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-07
I From lhe London Erami,,er. !


| followed.
From le London EraDi,.erl
| New MINISTRY IN FRANcE.--One Of the bene.
fetal results of monarchy is, that it spares the
Legislature and the public all care and time spent
| in providing chief for the State. Public and e-
gisature have, after all, no more than certain
quantity Of leisure, interest, and intelligence; and
If all they possess of these is spent in deciding
who is to be President or King, what can be LETT
for earnest business, for improvement, for econo-
my Even the Americans spend too much time
in the connection Of President; though, in their
case so many other important questions and de-
cisions. all prepared and discussed, and cut and
dry beforehand, are bound up with the choice,
that the loss Of time is not in reality so great But
the poor French, under the republic, are literally
spending every hour, and all the faculties they
have toxspare, at the manufacture of Temporal
ry sovereign.
One they have got, and have taken care by law
to render his rejection impossible by the letter
of the Constitution. Yet the election fanny other
candidate would probably lead to civil war. Other
candidates admit this. The Count de Chambord,
like Lord Stanley, is not ready, The Orleans
princes, like Graham and Gladstone, would rath-
er wait. And we verify believe that If Louis Ma
poleon, like Lord John. were to fling down the
sceptre the people and the national assembly
would be compelled TO crave and beg Of him to
pick it up again. IfLord John Russell had not
resigned, he would now be the weakest and most
badgered Of ministers. If Louis Napoleon had
resigned, he would have been ere this reelected,
dotationed, and smothered with addresses Of at
tachment and congratuation.
In place of such conduct, there has been no.
thing but series Of negotiations, and maneuvres
wheeling of this party, Difference to that. At
one time thePresident though. he had got hold Of
the Legitimsts; at another, M. Barrot was
thought to be propitiated. The Orleansts, though
so staunchly led by M. Theirs, suffered, notwith-
standing, the greatest of afronts in the assembly,
where, when the recall of their princes was pro-
posed, as had been done with regard to the Impe-
rialist family, M. Berger himself got up and set
the proposal aside to the monstrous annoyance Of
his quondam ally. But with all this no progress
was made towards settlement, or even towards
such tempory settlement the reelection Of
Louis Napoleon would imply.
Fears at length began to be entertained that
prolongation Of such uncertainty would lead to
popular troubles. Each party in the State getting
up to declare that such and such contingencies
would lead to civil war, whilst it was quite GER
tain that some one of these contingencies must of
necessity occur, it became natural enough that
professional perturbators should have been led to
look forward to times that would call into exer-
else their vocation. Hence the necessity Of getting
rid of the provisional ministry, and of appointing
men who ale at least jealous and energetic in the
cause Of order, however unable to unite all suf-
frages in their favor. This is, no doubt, the ORR
gin the new ministry under M. Leon Faucher
and M. Baroche.
M. Barrot refused to accept office, except on
the condition of being allowed to mitigate the law
restricting, indeed abolishng universal suffrage,
and thus allow once more to the Industrious pop
ulation the right Of franchise. This, according to
M. Barrot, was the best mode Of preventing
eme,fe; and in this opinion M. Barrot was sup
ported by oil the moderate Repubiie~as- The
Legltimists, also, especially Acknowledgements
| section, were for the same concession. The re-
striction OF universal suffrage has greatly dimin-
ished the numbers of Legitmist votes in the pro-
vinces, and they are anxious to recover them,
even by the aid of the Mountain. "
But these proposals Of NJ. 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 a ministry on the principles OF
order and no concession. M. Leon Faucher Is
the strongest Representative ofthis principle. He
is enthusiastic champion Of the law Of the 3lst
OF May, restricting the suffrage; and no doutt, as
Minister Of the Interior, he is determined TO main
tain and enforce that law to the very uttermost.
| IL remains TO be what amount he has of a
msjority 10 carry out that line Of policy.
! With respect TO the President, such a choice
places him at war with the moderate Republi-
cans, and still more at variance with the Demo
Gratis. IL betokens any thing but accord with the
Legtimists, and whether il conciliate the Orlean-
lists is doubtful. Thus, although the new cabinet
may be more vigorous, efficacious, and able ore,
| composed too Of parliamentary men, 1t is doubt
| fu how far IL further the great and absorbing
aim Of the President-his continuance in power.
Tue FREScH Constitution TO BE AMENDED.
| We find the following in the Ersnemsni Of the
! 18th
"There was council Of ministers held TO day
at the Elysee, at 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 2S6, relation oi
one Of the ministers and one completely devoted
TO the policy ofthe Elysee. The government viii
then demand that the project shall be referred &c
the councils general, TO be convok.d extraordin
ariy for the purpose, in the second fortnight o.
June. This plan Of campaign was, II Is said, ap
proved Of by the majority Of the members Of the
council, although two among them manifested 9
certain degree Of irresoluton."
The Bulletin de Paris says;
"The Minister Of the Interior intends 10 present
bill to the assembly, for the purpose Of author.
izing 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
"0ught the Constitution TO he revised !" and the
answers to be simply EYES" or "No," with
out any comment or 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.
ga project has been started for getting over the
difficulty which stands in the way ola revision oil
the Constitution, by the conditions imposed by
the 1l1th article, which requires the consent Of
three-fourths ofthe legislative assembly, thrice
expressed, that constituent assembly shall be
called. To the municipal assemblies, convoked
for the 18th May, will be addressed the simrls
abstract question, "ought the Constitution to be
revised Eyes or no ~ Supposing, rather taxi
ing for granted, that 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 self competent to the task
OF revision remains to be seen. They must frs
see how this feeler, which they have thrown ou
in the Bulletin de Paris, will be taken, before they
enter on more explicit proceedings.