The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-22
The State and Prospects of France.


The news of the difference of opinion in the French
cabinet, the expediency of declaring the republic
at an end, and browning Prince Louis Napoleon
as emperor is not calculated to awaken much sur
prise in this country. For some time past, the
events which have taken place in France have been,
in the language of chest players, forced moves
the republicans lost the game three years ago, and
their subsequent struggles have been but desperate
attempts to pro.ract the conflict. To-day, we have
every reason to believe that the Prince President,
like Caesar, is quitting by +" the crown whicL the
modern Marc Antony is rendering for his a:cep.
lance. That there should be Casca and Brutus,
who, looking back at the ambitious career of Louis
Napoleon, tremble to
Put sting in him
That at his viii he may do danger with,
il no matter o. astonishment there will Away 8
be men too unhending to bow to the hand of des-
tiny, and whose motto is PerisSe Ia patre plut6t
qu'un principe
To us, the affairs Of France do not seem such a
riddle some CT our contemporaries pretend The
key to all the movements which have distracted
that unfortunate country since 1889, is simply the
conflict between the popular and the hereditary
principles. At The most brillant-that is to say,
the most tyranncal age of the old divine-rght mo-
narcby-the popular element not entirely ex-
tinct when the republic was at its zenith, there
was still in the provinces and the country deep
rooted attachment to monarchy and the rights Of
birth Hence the fluctuations and changes Of the GO
vernments which have successfully ruled France
When the Bourbon yoke bore too heavy on
the necks of the governed, the popular element pre-
vailed, and the throne was scattered to the winds
when the evils of democracy began to be felt, the
pdySanS and the bourgeois were glad to accept y
King Log. Neither of these antagonistic forces has
ever obtained such complete victory over the other
as to paralyze or absorb it entirely Until this hap
pens-or, at all events, until some compromise,
such exists in the British constitution, is de-
vised--there can be no stable power in France but
military despotism. New directories may be dis
solved, and new con:ulships may succeed them
der the most brilliant auspices new empires may
be inaugurated with pomp and glitter, with military
splendor new reservations Of rotten branches of a
rotten trunk may follow in due course, and serve as
a guarantee to foreign autocrats that Ffench de.
mocracy will thenceforth be harmless new dynastic
revolutions may substitute d'Orleans for Bour-
bona bad king who has not been tried, for bad
who has passed through the ordeal OF the throne
new republics may be declared by a political
Height of hand and enthusiasts may proclaim the
advent Of Liberty Equality Fraternity - BIT
none Of them can be lasting, SO long the social
state ofFrance is unchanged. They must all culm-
nate, sooner or later. in military despotism,
which itself viii probably give way before foreign
armies and the general intervention Of neighboring
powers
We have no patience, we admit, with our brethren
Of the English, and in many cases, of our own press
who feel impelled to make at least couple
of onslaughts week on the Prince President
To mind, they take a narrow, schoolboy
view Of the affairs Of France. They lose
sight Of the great philosophical problem which
is being worked out; and, like the child who
flies into passion with the knife that has cut him,
rail at Louis Napoleon, who is the mere creature Of
circumstance-the instrument Of destiny. Him
they call an usurper; whereas, so far as personal
right is concerned, one who held the supreme
power in France had a more formal and authorize
tive summons to the throne. The right of Louis
Philippe, Charles Louis XVIII, Napoleon, the
Directory, was q mere shadow when compared with
the vote of the millions Of French electors who
called Prince Louis TO the Presidency Charlemszue
himself had not stronger hereditary caims and the
invitation of the Barons of Austrasie is scarcely
equironent to the emphatic appeal Of the mass Of the
French bougtoisie. If Louis Napoleon is to be set
down in history as usurper then these soyeregns,
whoe right has only been questioned by unreason-
ing fanatics, are likewise usmpers In reality the
distinguishing mark of Louis Napoleon is his pliancy
to circumstances and his polite subscrviency to the
popular will. Where Others would have hesitated,
or waited till events overlook them, the Prince
President boldly seized time by the forelock, and
the demands Of his people by single
lay Instead Of allowing the socialists to surprise
lin in his defences, he took the field beforehand,
Utterly routed their menacing hosts, and preserved
france from the horrors Of another revolution.
lear sighted. energetic and COOL where his prede
essors were blinded by ambition, paralyzed by
imidty, and excited by angry feelings, he has
radually advanced, step by step. to the post to
Ihch the French nation and the voice Of fate
Had him. and fhA sama afAadx Hatchfulnaas and [