The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-28

PARIS, February 9,1S52

The confidential journal, the Patrie has lust
communicated to the public the information il was
so anxious TO receive-nformation upon the mode
to be adopted in the election of members of the
Legislative body the 10Th Of this month. This
is to be, as was generally anticipated. by yes and
no, at the late nom ination of the President A
list of candidates is to emanate from the Elysee
and the electors, who are to have hand in, the
selection, are simply to clinch and rvet this selec
ton by large affirmative vote. A late circular
from M. de Morny, at that time Minister of the
Interior, to the projects, directing them to make
a choice from among the prominent Bonapartists
OF their departments, and send their names to
Paris, indicated clearly enough the intentions of
the government. But many persons unwi-
ling to credit any thing monstrous till they
it in black and white. The article in the Paie has
produced, in the guarded language of the Debats,
ga certain sensation" that is, very general aston
ishment. The principal points of the article are
as follows Is it proper to allow the voters who
threw up their hats for the nephew of the emperor,
when he swept away the dust of the ancient par
ties by dispensing the members of the Assembly,
and the rags and tatters OF the const;tutinn-is il
proper to allow them to send him back heaps Of
this dust, and 80 prevent the of government
from progressing? Ought the same voters who
shouted Bravo, Merci, when the Prince Louis Ma
poleon put end to the foolish quarrels of the AS
sembly-ought they to prepare, by impolitic and
improper elections, the elements Of future sterile
and disgraceful struggles? This would be simply
illogical. Their votes must be enlightened and
directed. The return must be the coroary, and
not the contradiction, of the late Presidential vote.
The electors must not scatter their strength; and,
in order to prevent this, the question must be put
on the 18th of February, as it was the Goth De-
IL.
frankly, completely. unchangeaby devoted to the
policy OF Louis Napoleon. The country has solemn
ly declared that it wanted Louis Napoleon to rule
its destinies, and none other than Louis Napoleon
The country cannot, without giving itself fatty the
lie, choose any legislative body which does not
share and represent, in TOTO opinions of the Prcsi
dent; for if it did, he coud haze 10 begin all ouer
again!
The words have italicized arc italicized in the
original. They mean simply to state, officially
and imperatively, that if the electors show the
slightest hesitation or opposition, and elect Cham
Der that is not prepared to do as 1t is bid and go
and come when told, Louis Napoleon will turn
them out OF doors, he did their predecessors;
and this in virtue of the forty sixth article of the
constitution This is the last indigniy yet nflict-
ed upon the representative system; and it ia al
most impossible to believe that of honor, spi-
rit, and principle, can be found to accept post
secondary and 30 humiliating.
Little of importance has occurred in the political
world since the last steamer, with the exception of
this development Of the policy of the cabinet.
find people less DESTROYS to talk of politics. and the
prospect ahead, than at any time since the revolu
ton. There seems to be general Discrimination
to NEEDLE with public matters; and we proba-
bly, just the threshold of long period of sullen,
indifferent, silent abstention on the part of the
people from any interest participation in the al
fairs of government There has, in fact, been little
to talk about. Tbs Mo,ifeur has been brie and
pointless in lite daily official bulletins TO the public;
we have had no new DEGREES, conhscations
prescriptions, no banishments; the coming week Is
to be gayer than usual; several of the salons that
have been obstinately closed, to be reopened
to the dance and the song. The theatres are well
attended, but this is largely owing to the unwonted
attraction. The five six principal theatres
have met with extraordinary success in the pro-
ducton of their last novelties, of which the critics
unanimous in declaring the great literary
merit and dramatic interest. The son of Alcxan-
DIRE Dumas has earned undying crown by his
Dame aur Cansiias; and the Chateau de Grautier,
by Maquet, the collaboration of Dumas, in all his
novels has met with an equally brilliant re-
coption. The installation Of NJ dc M5ntalcnlbert
and that of M. Guizot, have been circumstances Of
interest to the literary world of Paris. Louis Ma
poleon shows himself in his boxes at the various
theatres with somew hat loss reserve than former
ly, but still does not neglect any proper or ncccs
sary precautions. He continues TO lodge in the
Eysee, but now and then spends the night at the
Tuileries. He doubtless sympathzes sincerely with
the Queen Of Spain in her narrow escape from de-
struction
The attempted assassination of Queen Isabella
has been, by the way god send TO the journalists.
We should be glad if something OF the sort could
happen every day-equaly harmless, OF course
TO give the papers n little spice. The Debats has
managed TO squeeze three editorial articles out Of
this affair and will probably continue TO il
leader, varying its columns occasionally with re-
marks upon the strike in England. and the change
of ministry at Constantinople The following
tract from the Pays il worth reading, il refers
more directly TO the several attempts madeon the life
Of the Prince President than TO the priesPs ponard
at Madrid II was written before the details attend
ing the attempt were fully known here:
Another horrible attempt at assassinationl A
pistol-shot has just been fired point blank at the
Queen of Spain! There no longer any Pyr6-
ntes for demsgogyi This news which has reached
us by telegraph, will cause the most lively emotion
in France; and will do&btlcss awaken many
many Of the fears which throw a gloomy shade
on the future. The mode Of proceeding is 90 easy
Louyel or an Alibaud stations himself Mt the
corner OF n street. His hatred is as invisible his
weapon. Then, when the cortegc passes, arm
~ raised, shot is fired, and II the hand Of God
does not turn aside the ball, a man falls. This
man ~ king, or chief Of n nation with him
u is government that falls. In this homici-
dal explosion, there is perhaps revolution.
When the crime does not succeed, the as.
sassin becomes n victim, or, what is more, heroi
He wraps himself in the mantle Of Brutus; he
parades before solomnly convoked court Of jus
tce; he makes his seat at the bar theatre Of
popularity; he teaches regcide 9 n system, and,
what is more, as n virtue. The scaiiJd is erected
for him, and he goes TO II as TO triumph between
ranks of the people. Who knows even whether he
will not make the scafiold n tribune from which to
speak to posterity md TO glorify his crime, The
crowd Listen, and become almost affected. Tho
words are greodily caught ut, aud find thousands
OF echoes TO repeat them 10 all the oxtremities Of
the. world, and drops Of this cured blood, which
ought to be dried up as coon split, give birth to
other assassins, who arc inspired by these ex-
amples and excited by these spectaccs This is
how things take place, and yet astonishment is