New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-09
HOW FRANCOIS GOVERNED.

We have often had occasion TO defend the
French people from the charge of excessive
cowardce and weakness in patiently submitting
to the impositiOns Of such fellow as Louis
Napoleon. We have urged that to change
France from Constitutional Monarchy into
Republic, and then again into an Empire must
be held by the mass of the people as of compa.
ratively little consequence, because il is only
change of name and Of persons, not OF the
practical system of Government. Under all
names and all persons the people are alike the
victims of the most despotic and crushing con-
troll of the Government Not allowed to take
care of the public affairs even oftheir own neigh
borhoods, nor even to commence their harvest
on their own responsibility without the permls-
sion of the authorities how is il possible that any
idea or any sentiment of popular liberty and
independence should exist among them 1t Is
quite out of the question. There is no people
in Western Europe so uneducated for freedom
and so trained to despotism as the French.
And thus il is no degradation for them to SUBJ
nit to Louis Napoleon, or any other adventurer
who may get hold of power. Their obedience
to him is quite as creditable as that paid to
Louis Philippe, Lamartne, or Cavaignac, and
he rules them by precisely the same system as
the others; his is no harder a tyranny than
theirs, except simply because he has in fact
no legislature, and because all changes in the
laws must proceed from him, while under
the Constitution of 1881, and under the Re-
public there was bare possibility of peaceful
reform. But as far as the direct, omnipOtent
action of the Government upon the people
goes, no difference can be discovered between
them.
In order to give our readers an idea of a
system so foreign and incredible to their habits
of mind, We take from the Annuaire de fEcon-
omie poltiquc ct de Ia Statstique for 1851, on ac-
count of the legal formalities necessary to be OBJ
served before a commune or township can be al
lowed to repair any of its public buildings o.
works Wewill suppose, for instance, that there
is bridge which is dangerous, and threatens to
fall in, and the people want to mend it and
make it safe In America the Superintendent
of Roads, or the Commissioner Of Streets, or
other officer named by the people for the pur-
pose, would at once set to work and have the
job done Not so in France. There the fol-
lowing clumsy, expensive and useless order of
exercises has to be gone through with, all in
writing:
l. The Mayor writes to the subPrcGect Che chief
officer of the district county, appointed by the Gov
ernmenD for permission to convene the Town Council
to consider the repairing OF the bridge. .. The Sub
Project writes that may be done. g. The Council Is
convened by the Mayor T. At the meeting the Mayor
sets forth his views, and Commute is appointed 5.
The Committee meet investigate the subject and sp
point reporter to draw up their conclusion. 6. The
Town Council is again convened T. The report is
read ind the Council draws up its decision. g. The
Mayor writes to architect Q. The architect draws
q plan and estimates 10 The Council Is again con-
vened. IL. 1t celebrates the plan, and agrees to
such and such alterations 10 The alterations with
explanatory letter sent to the architect H. He
changes his plan and estimate accordingly and sends
back. II. The Council is convened again. Is. It
siders and approves the plan and estimate. 10. The
approval with an accompanying letter is cent back to
tie architect. H. The estimate is next revised and
defnitively fixed 10 Ii is sent to the Mayor again.
10 The Council is more assembled 90 II ap-
proves the defnitiye estimate 81 The Council next
draw up memoir to show that for the purpose In hand
appropriation should be made with documentary evil
dence to prove that the is able to pay % The
request to open a credit make appropriation 10
sent with the estimate and all the documents in the
case the subPrefect 80 The pile of papers is next
sent TO the Project or chief officer Of the department
"a In his office the documents are divided what re.
ates to the appropriation goes to the Financial bureau
and the rest TO the bureau Of Public Works 25 The
reques. for the appropriation is finally forwarded by
the Project to the Minister of Finance at Paris &C. As
in that Ministry matters taken up in their turn /,
is some time before the petition Is taken into account
but finally the Minister gives his decision a. This
decision Is laid before the Chief of the state President
or Emperor, as the may be- % That functionary
makes biz decision. 90 This decision goes to the Min
liter TO- The decision Of the Government goes to the
Prefect 81. He sends it 10 the SubPreiect 80 He to
the Mayor So The detailed estimate OF the cost goes
to the Minister a. 1t is given TO the chief of the pro-
per bureau 80 1t is examined in the bureau &c. II
goes 10 the Minister again g. The Minister examines
It. 81. IL is sent 10 the Commission for Civil Works
80 The pile OF documents is taken apart and elias.
sihed ard remains till its turn comes. fOThe Com.
mission assemble and the papers given to reporter
Al. The reporter draws up his report A. The report
l. read before the Commission and alterations Ia the
plan are agreed on -. The documents are now sent
TO the Minister a. From the Minister TO the Project
49, From him to the sub-Prefect 49, From him to the
Mayor Al. He again calls together the Town Council
4c The Council agrees to the proposed alterations
49, Now the whole is to the architect with an ex
rlanatory letter 80 The architect changes his plan
and estimate accordingly. 81 The new plan and cst
mate go to the Mayor greater appropriation ia re.
CURED and the whole weary process, is gone through
agsin involving 'Tentyo distinct operations 75 The
documents having at last accomplished their rounds
and become legitimate, deposited in the Registers
otce TO- Proposals to do the work are advertised for
a. The bids are examined and the work adjudged 75
The adjudication is registered 49, The certificate Of
THIS transaction is sent 70 the SubPrefect 60 He sends
II 10 the Project Il IIa 10 .Lo