New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-04
FRANCE.



lean "csmpaien," has within the past two weeks
been growing in extent and activity to degree |
that neither Government nor the adyersares seemed
10 anticipate month ago. The doctrine OF ao-
,teption from voting. which was, at time not
yer, distant, held by many Republicans, is now re-
iected even BY portion of the Legitimists. Re
publcans, Democrats, Constitutional Monarch
lists, in file, the holders Of liberal opinions OF all
shades, so far as can be judged from the Journals
that represent these opinions, have almost univer-
sally decided to vote for opposition candidates. and
70 further their election by all means that Cypress
i've LEGAL restrictions leave in their power. On It's
ride, the constituted authorities are dong their
utmost to secure the election OF Che Government
candidates, in many cases exertng themselves win
zeal in which dignity yields entirely to anxiety ior
success. The candidates presented by Government
are, for the most part, ex-meInbers OF the ia'o
Legislative Body; few only OF those members
some of whom distinguished themselves by some H.
dependence of opinion, not more than lhirty orlory
in all, are omitted from the favored lists SeVerao
these, among them Montalembert, have offered
themselves for reelection on their own merits.
That very large proportion OF the Imperial Pio'
tees will be elected no one doubts aud elected, TOO
doubt not by real majority OF votes But IL IL
worth noting here, among the numerous quai'yihe
regulations that affect the freedom OF election under
the well. sounding law of Universal Suffrage, Una
the counting Of the rOtes is entirely ~ the bands
the agents Of the Emperor, with little cOhtrOl Out
that Of their cOnsciences.
Every day brings in from the departments the
announcement of new names Of opposition candi-
dstes sometimes accompanied by reports Oh the
likelihood Of their success. What TINS LIKELIHOOD
NAV be in certain cases. whether in the departments
or here in Paris, it is extremely difficult TO tell much
more difficult than Oh similar occasion with rs, when,
however the shrewdest calcuatOrs with all the
aids of free preliminary canvass and every means
Of publicity, are halt the time at fault. In de-
fault of mass meetings or public political meetings
Of any sort and indeed OF almost every KIND OF
poltical demonstration, before the day OF voting 1t
Is next to impossible to obtain any reliable In
formation as to the state of opinion with the great
mass of electors At pre- sent until very recently
the interest felt by political leaders does not seem to
have generally inspired the people. But French
popular indifference of to-day may change into some
thing like enthusiasm by the end Of the week.
The agents of the reigning power, from Projects
down to the lowest police officers are busy In wax
ing up this enthusiasm in their favor while on the
other side, in spite of the restrictions referred to
above there is a constantly increasing activity OF
effort And here it is very noteworthy that this ac-
tvity, hampered as it is, is yet much holder than 1t
was six wears ago. The liberal journals OF Paris
venture to indulge themselves in the use OF the
words democracy" and democratic opinion,
and even republican," to crtclse the acts OF
projects and lower subordinates Of the Emperor
with something approaching to indignation; to ell
courage the idea of opposition, and to remind the
Emperor that it is time to grant that liberty with
which six years ago, he declared it was his desire
eventually to endOw France. In fine, the tone Ut
the Press though still lameniably timorous and sub
dued clearly indicates sense OF greater independ-
ence and growing Importance. 1t is true that, no
later ago than this morning, the Steele newspaper
Il II nt ftata
in its yesterdays issue that would not strike an
American OF Englishman as surprising the
fimits of moderation. But this warning would
have been three years ago what 1t might now have
legally been and what the Government oficial
boasts of the Imperial clcmency i'll not making 1t,
suspension The true state of the case is palpably
this: Government is afraid of the comparative free
speakg Of the STEELE and seeks to check 1t by this
warning. but Government is still more afraid, Oh the
eve Of the election, to irrltate formidable number
OF readers Of that paper by sencing that important
Orpan of liberal opinion Instead Of saying that Gov
eminent is afraid, had better chosen another term
Louis Napoleon at least, probably has no fear of
being pushed from the thrones whether blindly or
with reason he is confident of the permanence of
his position; even the menace of revolution, OF
which there are no imminent signs, would rather
trouble than alarm him. He has faith in his star
and his bayonets; and it is quite possible-for he
has more than once shown himself capable OF taking
hint--that while he will do his best to check down
the evidently growing spirit OF opposition he will
also do his best to reconcile its demands with his
own safety.
That however is nearly as difficult task as to mix
oil and water--in fact, to mix oil with very hard
water. For il cannot be denied that French OPP
position is sure to Join unreasonable and impractical
with reasonable demands and is forever OvershOOt
ing itself. His Majesty doubtless thought he had
nearly succeeded in an Ol-and water mixture, when
he coupled universal suffrage and autocracy. While
France remained under the impression of the lmpe-
rial terror hand and the wretched insuiciency
Of the Legislative Assembly the other the hostile
elements did to be mingled But their essential
tendency 10 disunOn is fast becoming apparent, and
nowhere more 80 than in circulars of Mayors and
provincial Protects, who urge and almost command
electors TO vote for the Imperial candidates, and in
the same breath laud the admirable institution of
free and universal suffrage. universal elective
franchise and Louis Napoleonism may be joined for
a time, but cannot essentially unite; and the day
when they cease to be skewered to each other with
bayonets that day they must fall apart and one of
them must fall down.
The Department of the Seine sends ten members
to the Legislature $50 caled). On five of the Oppo-
sition candidates, nearly all shades Of liberal poll
ticans, from the theoretical Democrats Of La Pressc
to the Constitutional MOnarchists of the Debats, are
united-each having among the five one more
representatives Of its own color, and agreeing to
waive minor differences in support Of the rest Here
the list divides; and Of the other five there are two
SETS supported respectively by the different journal
who unite on the first five. There arc on these
lists several names well known in America as men,
bers of the Provisional Government and Executive
Commission in lS4e; among them that Of Gen
Cavaignac, who will also be supported in four diff
fereIt departmental districts At Douai, in the De
partment of the North, and here in Paris it is no
improbable that he may be elected. 1t is though
that he will not take the oath Of allegiance to tie