The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-07-23
Paris Correspondence of the Register
PARIS, june 20, 1851.

/ sometimes wish was on the
other side Of the Atlantic for few DAYS, that
| might get clear and satisfactory view OF
French politics. III five minutes conversas
ton about the post office door, after the mail
camo in, know we Used TO settle the great
questions of European fortune | don't
mean 10 deride that facility Of conclusion
now: we reasoned on general principles, the
only guide of any value thai can be had
here, where, to make the case less easy. the
consideration OF those principles IS disturbed
by'a multitude Of present facts and occur
rences that confuse the judgment and make
one fully conscious that it is best TO wait "till
after election" before guessing its result
claim no nearer acquaintance with French
politics than can be got by reading the news
papers. Their editors (always saving the
Vermont editors) have the best talents and
skill in This business, as all allow, OF the
whole editorial fraternity. To Judge from
the freedom of their attacks upon novcrn>
ment you would think they arc in little fear
of the penalties to which they are liable if
their articles " tend to bring the laws of the
government into contempt" For instance,
The editor Of the Me-, spger of the Assem-
bly,, a few days since, charged the President
with having twice planned the subverson of
the Republic. The authorities took no no.
tice Of this attack Nevertheless. the law
restricting the liberty of the press is not
dead letter Charles Hugo, sou Of the
great writer and much-loved man, Victor
Hugo, was sentenced last week to a fine of
500 frs. and six months Imprisonment, for
wri ing with too great freedom agains, CAPT.
tai punishment The Judgment was con>
dcmncd by the whole press To AN Amcri.
can, the law, in accordance with which it
was passed, seems NOT only iyrannical but
suprcmely unwisc But we must remember
that France cannot be expected to .unearn
in day, the old European doctrine that the
great business of governing is to keep the
people under"
Politics is the staple of Partisan newspa-
pers to ar extent, to which the eve of Pres.
idenlal election alone among us can furnish
a parallel. Party organization, thus far,
seems to lie very imperfect. 1t is not two
classes alone into which politicians are di
vided, as is generally the case with us, but
many There is the monarchical party
which is itself double; a part desiring that
the heir Of Louis Philippe, he young Duke
of Orleans, a MINOR, should be called TO the
throne, and par, preierring the claims of
Henry ", of the Bourbon branch the b.
napariist party, which, under pretence of
aiming only at public peace and safety, has
the credit Of desiring to make the position of
Louis Napoleon permanent; and the Re-
publican party, which, like that fist mem
toned, is divided into sects, each of which
sees in the others adversaries of the true in
teresis of the Republic. The leading ques-
ton that now agitaies the public mind re
lates to the revision of the Constitution.
This measure is advocated with most warmth
and unanimity by the Bonapartst section.
who particularly desire to revise that article
in the Constitution which makes President
ineligible till he has been out of office four
years, In each OF the other parties the Re-
vision has friends aud enemies. for various
reasons. So satisfactory, on the whole, has
been his administration, so apprchensve are
many of the friends Of order that another e.
lection, il not attended with an outbreak,
would place the executive power in worse
hands than those that at present hold it, and
| so popular in France is the name of Bona
parte, that there is little doubt that Louis
Napoleon would be chosen President again
if that choice could be legitimutely had, uE-
der the existing Constitution. The same
reasons make many men in both the mon.
archical and republican parties friendly to a
revision OF the Constitution that would take
away his ineligibiliiy. Others desire a revi-
sion, without desiring the continuance in
power OF Louis Napoleon. Some desire
two legislative chambers in place Of one
some wish TO diminish the executive power
and some 10 increase il, some one thing and
some another.
On the other hand, the revision is opposed
for as great variety and cJntrariety Of
reasons by the Red Republicans, because
the Constitution in its present form is emf.
nenlly democratic, and contains an explicit
and commands a practical, ackno Gledgmen
of the great principles for which they con
tend-the liberty, equality and fraternity o.
all men, and because any change in it, in
the present state Of French politics. will in.
evitably make it less democratic 1t is op.
posed, too, by many among the monarchs,s
by some because they think republicanism i.
growing odious under 1.-THE thing they de
sire by others because they are unwilling
10 favor the cause of Bonaparlism. Among
The moderate republicans, again, the revi
sion finds adyersares on the ground that the
constitution in its present form ia, at worst
iolerable, is daily acquiring saerednes
(sucb as our constitution has) in the eyes o
the couhtry,.an thus becoming a stronger
bulwark TO the cause of order, because, If i
is tampered with they fear the sequel, an,
because they believe that none of the pariie
inimical to 1t will dare 10 attempt lis lorcibl
violation.
A recent election of Committees in III,
Assembly on the subject Of the Revision
indicates pretty clearly that a majority 9
that body is favorable 10 the Revision" hui
majority insufficient, less than three fourth:
to effect il. Frenchmen are yet young il
the administration of Republican Institutions
and such a state Of things appears TO ther
exceedingly unsatisfactory. a Democracy
, say The Rcvisioniss, is the rule Of the ma
, ioriiy here we are a majority, and yet W
, can't rule. Al the celebration Of railroh
, opening, recently, at Dion, the Presider
took occasion "to open his heart to his le
low-citizens." He said, in substance, thu
he had been hindered, in his efforts for tn
ameloraton Of the country, by the Assem-
: bly,, but that he was resolved TO execute th
3 wishes of the people, whatever storms migl
threaten; " that France should not perish i
4 his hands" 1t is not difficult TO inlerprC
4 this speech as a declaration OF war agalni
Q the constitution, which, contrary, IT woul
\ seem, to the present wishes of the people,
likely to stand in the way Of his reelection
y But tho President is not alone in THROWN
Z down the gauntlet. You doubtless remen
Der that the law of the 3lst of May, lsi'
A by making previous fixed residence
o three years necessary to the right Of yotinl
G has excluded from the polls some three mi
lions of voters. who assisted at the electio
n Of Louis Napoleon and the present Assem-
n bly,. This law was aimed at the ultra. dem,
cratic party. All impartial men agree hi
d il is violation Of the constitution, which G
nliciilv hnclnras Tho rinLi of nnirnranl sn