The daily union., 1852-05-15

astounding usurpaon, he dissolved the legislative cham
Der, shut the members out OF their hail. banshed those
who were most obnoxious 10 him, seized upon all the
powers OF the government, and vested them in his own
person. No revolution was ever more successfully
achieved no act OF usurpation more complete
none ever acquiesccd in with such seeming unanimy.
What are conclude from this act its successful
and the apparent general almost univ er-
the great practical question. for The souoa o which
have detained the Senate by the tedious array OF facts
which have brought into view. Are we to conclude
can sentiments in the minds OF the French people, OF
. conviction their part of the nadequacy Of republic
can institutions 70 the OF the grea OBJ
ects OF civil society," After all the struggles. convul.
sons and bloodshed. are the few. brief days, daring
which the people have exercised the popular
eregnty to be of the last Can il be that civilization
has gone forward until now and that henceorward II
must stand still 60 backward admit that late events
in France and in Europe wear sinister and dshearen-
Ing aspect but not yet ready 10 conclude that repu0
iican institutions worn out PROSTATE, and degraded
forever. f11& aH#t-a 8 4st tEH
In the usurpaton of Louis Napoleon, and its ratfca
ton by more than seven out of eight millions of the
electors OF France, the honorable senator from Ten
nessee sees the abandonment OF the principles OF pop
ular sovereignty their prosration, and ultimate subver
SION In this, Mr. President, there is undoubtedly cause
for dscouragement but not OF despair We must look at
the circumsancesio the circumstances 10 which have
just referredo the mistakes of the Legislative Assembly
the advantage taken OF its blanders by shewd bold and
unscrupuous demagogue. We must not forget that the
republic was overthrown in the name OF repnbcanism
that force and fraud the means by which its sub
version was effected The danger q heimPendlng crisis
ton whose powers still unconsodated and untred
magni6ed The industrial classes, those engaged in
peaceful pursuits were appealed to through the medium
of their nterestscertan to be affected by the internal
convulsons which loudly predicted. To the re-
publicans held out the boon OF universal outrage
the psnacsa @ TOR every IL the engine 5y whlshns people
power to right their wrongs The army won by lar
and the hope of new of glory not less re-
spenden than that OF the empire Nor should we Jorge,
haf he md tn he
by their sufrages at the election OF the 2oth De-
cember was not question between different candidates
or forms OF government Ii whether the exist
ing order should be maintained by ratification Of the act
OF the usper government be again cast loose on the
of agitation. to drift the mercy of contendng fac
tons Under such circumstances in such state OF things
good men. wise men, acquainted with the true stu
alton OF the country and comprehendng those OF the IN
entions of the usurper which most apparent might
acted on the occasion The formula OF the decree direct
ing the election TO be held gave them but the alternative
o pronouncng between the temporary dictatorship OF the
usurper and bloody revolution There but few men,
while they are at liberty to choose who would have done
differently. When revolutions have actually begun ;when
the elements of strife already in commoon; when
the blood s up, capable OF heroic TesoutionsOf
sacrificing hemselve and their all to the cause But it
is not in times OF quiet when there 10 excitement
TO stir their blood and stimulate to acts OF heroism On
the occasion to which am referring peace regned in
France and the resolution which the people called
on 10 take--f they determined TO accept revolution
BY rejecting the usurper and his actswas TO be taken
great convulsions agated the body OF society. AT
this period promises of security person and property,
instead of DEGREES OF prescription. conscalon. and exile
were the order OF the day The devotion OF the usurper
to the glory and welfare Of the French peoples his deter
minaon TO maintain the blessings OF peace, order, and
security were the burdens OF his procamatons and the
themes on which the tongues OF his parsans were eo
quent.
But it is said Mr. President that the late election of
members TO the Chamber OF Deputies the popular branch
oil the legislature ESQ named, presume, in derson) al
ter the effects OF the first surprise produced by the daring
character OF the usurpaon OF the I'd OF December, might
be supposed to have subsded, is indication that
the act OF the usurper is not only tolerated. but looked
upon with satisfaction by the French people. | admit
that this election has In nothing faerng for the friends
of republican liberty But ought not to lessen their
hopes. The same which were efeciua in procur-
ing the ratification OF the original act OF usurpaton
again called into play The press, under the rigid
sorsh was only permitted to publish articles favorable
TO the government. The police was active through all
the departments OF France in favor OF the government
candidates No means OF communication were permitted
70 those opposed to i Organization il in the departments
therefore impraccable Alarmed, too. by The proscrip-
tons. imprisonment. and banishment Of those who had
venured to question the conduct OF the usurper. men,
the absence of pressing and ovenuling necessity, were
ndisposed TO incur its vindictve resentment
The higher classesthose in which the adherents OF
with satisfaction the overthrow Of the republic, and
approach, at least, 10 the institutions OF absolute mon
archy They hoped too, doubt. that the institutions
Of the n monarchy on, beng restore restored, monarchy s. would
of the existing government whilst their privileges
respected did not depart in this instance from their
customed line oil policy Thus ii is not surprising,
all things properly viewed does furnish for addi-
tiona encouragement, that the whole body OF deputies
with the exception of three members--two elected IN
and his Of usupaton On the contrary there is this
in it consong that in Paris and Lyonsthe two great
cities OF Francewhee from the compactness oil the popu
laon, the OF communication and organization
practicable, three republican deputies chosen
But in all these facts there evidence OF any decline
OF republican pincpes-no proof OF retrograda,ion o
ideas, OF returning attachment, the part OF the
principles OF government All that they establish is thai
the constitutional monarchy in 1S4s, overhrown
| by combination OF incongruous elements, which took
advantage OF the blunders OF the ministry 80, in 1851
the President, taking advantage OF the mistakes and IN
popularity OF the chamber and OF combination oi ele
nconguous those OF ls4S, overthrow the republic Bu
Nowhere repeat ia there evidence to show that the re-
publican party is weaker in France thaa the day or
which the republic proclaimed IL has only bent be
meath the storm to rise, trust, when il subsidies.
In the next place, evidence Of the reputation and
permanent prostraton OF republican institutions, the
dition of the stock exchangehe great political baromc
OF quiet or Of commoon and change in govenments--'
adverted TO- II is true that at present great activity and
confidence every where manifested by the operations
the great capitalists and commercial classes But the
physical instrument used 10 Indicate the state OF the at
mosphere and the approach OF storms is sometimes nhu
cnced by causes lying beyond the horizon OF ordinary
vision. producing movements indicating condition o
indcator-the stock exchange-is sometimes governed by
reasons hidden entirely from the public view. II may
be- too that the conduct OF the republican government
established on the unsof the monarchy, al the period Of