The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-11
Foreign Correspondence OF the nepublic.

Foreign Correspondence OF the Republic.
Cause of the Change the Ffsneh Ministry Unper-
sal Suffrage and the Lap Of 3lst Of May ncer-
tain Prospects Of Legal Revision Of the Constitu-
fiorl-D imintltiOH Of applications for the PERMITS.
SION of Sojosrn-A Reason fir the Repeal of the
Lato of 3lst of May RossuH-The French Jour
mails and the Yacht Au.srica-Ihe AveneHIsnt on
Louis NapolsOn's Cabinet.
PARIs, October ~, 1851.
You are aware that the primary cause Of the re-
trement or dismissal of the ministry was the Pre-
sidents determination to propose to the Assembly,
through Of course, the Minister Of the Interior, the
total repeal of the law passed eighteen months
ago restricting suffrage to certain classes, and dis
enfranchising others
The history of this famous law, known as the
law of the 3st of May. its object and effects may
be briefly told. There is no doubt OF its being IN
just and even unconstitutional; but for this the
framers Of the constitution are as much to blame
as the trainers of the law. The 25th article OF the
charter says Are electors-all Frenchmen OF q
years of age, in the enjoyment of their civil and
political rights" This is the only passage refer
ring directly or indirectly to this important subject
except that it is stipulated, in one Of the concluding
clauses that to render universal suffrage possible
and to guard against fraud, organic law be
passed, in which the whole matter should be placed
just and proper footing. This was vital err
ror for it subjects the constitution, which lie above
all law, to the necessity of being interpreted and
expounded by act passed by merely legisa
tive assembly. II is evident that, if the suffrage
law adds nothing TO the article in the constitution
and is simply identical with it, it is useless and
necessary; if it conflicts with it, it is illegal To
pass any such law, therefore, is either futility or
an unconsitutionaty; and yet some such mea-
sure is necessary. The mistake is, that the whole
subject is not defined in the Constitution, where
alone it can be properly and effectually treated.
But as the members of the Constituent Assembly
left it for the members of the Legislative, il became
the duty of the latter TO frame the organic law
cessary to ronder universal suffrage practicable
With check upon it, it might be fraudulenty
exercised. Suppose that the republican party had
in one department, maj ority Of $4,000, and,
in the contiguous department, were In minority
of l0, 900, it would be easy, and not ruinousfy en-
pensve, to transport the line 5000 of their
superabundance on one side, still leaving them a
majority Of ten thousand, and converting the mi
nority in he other intoa majority Of 5000 They
thus carry both departments, and this they have 4
perfect right to do by the constitution To prevent
this and other similar abuses, the trainers of that
instrument ordered that the future Legislative cham
Der should pass the necessary organic suffrage law
This law was passed on the 3ls of May, 1850
Eugene Sue had Just been elected TO the National
Assembly, and the party of law and order, as they
stye themselves, frightened at the success OF the
Socialists, determined to couch the clauses of the
law in such form to disenlranchise the mechanic
and manufac turing classes generally. Instead OF
requiring three, six, nine months rcsia
dence, as might reasonably have been done, they in
sisted upon period of three years fixed residence
in the same department commune, and even street
;,lIx ~faI
the lower classes in the cities, who, owning real
estate, often change their lodgings or their en-
ployes; either of these changes would subject
them to the loss of their vote. Many other equally
onerous conditions added, but from this one
the general spirit of the law may be gathered.
The result has been, as you we'll know, to olsen
franchise 5000 900 of citizens When it was pre-
scented to the President for his signature he hesita
ted. He was convinced of the necessity of requir-
ing certain term of residence to entite citizen
to the right Of voting for the representatives ofaDy
department to Paris, and for the local officers, in
order to avoid the very evident fraud have re-
ferred to. But he of the opinion that,
vote was of value in one part of the terri
tory than in another, in the presidential election,
(thc whole country voting by simple majority, and
not by majority in dcpartmcnts,) il ought to be
stipulated in the law that no conditions would be
quarrel with the Assembly, and unwilling 10 re-
sort to the extreme measure of veto in the then
excited state of France, the law was signed and
sealed. Had Louis Napoleon refused his assent,
he would have been the greatest man the CONT
nent For his own private reasons, in great
measure, and partly, no doubt, from conviction
that the law ID an improper one, he has determined
to propose to the Assembly its repeal. For this he
has dismissed his dissenting ministry.
There is curious fact connected with the Presi-
dent and his outgoing and incoming Cabinet.
Leon Faucber and his colleagues, who retire, re-
fused to assent to the repeal of the law of May but
would propose the revision of the constitution
Almost all the combinations that the President has
attempted, in forming Cabinet, have failed,
because the members that were to be, though they
would support the repeal of the invidious law, op-
pose the revision of the constitution. The Presi-
dent insists upon both; both are necessary to his
re election, and both must his ministry sanction
and sustain,
At this late day, with only six months interven-
ing before the election the legal revision of the
constitution seems hardly possible. 1t will require
q skiul dovetaing of days and weeks, an I'M
fiinching economy of odds and ends of time. to
arrive at the desired object by the second Sunday
in May. Still it is attainable. But you will sec
by the following statement of the case that it is a
chance if ii is accomplished in time. proceed on
the supposition that the existing rules of the
House will be observed; if they are altered to
suit the exigency, of course the difficulties
may be in great removed. The
Chamber assemblies on the 4th Of November On
that very day the committee may be appointed to
receive and examine propositions for revision.
But they cannot make their report under one
month. On the 4th of December, therefore, the
committees reporter returns some proposition out
OF the many that they will have discussed. Upon
this the Chamber is TO vote. The debate, it may
be supposed, will last three days, as the previous
one on the subject, lasted six On the It'll,
therefore, the result will be known If il be un-
favorable, the constitutional re. election of Louis
Napoleon is morally impossible. If, on the con-
trhry, the bill pass, it will, after the delay of one
month, be read and passed the second time (The
existing rules of the House require that three
months shall elapse between two readings of any
bill that shall have passed at the previous readings
bot it is understood that special rule is to be
made for this particular case, limiting this inter
vening time TO one month"; IL s therefore read