The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-05

"eiHe hiSnei uipuhai we suppose, how
ever, that the sentence of the lower Court. N
this case, will be affirmed
The POLITICIANS AND FNANCERs OF FRANcx-
1t was generally understood, when the steamer
left Europe, that the Emperor of the French
would commemorate the New Year by an act Of
grace to the suspended journal, La Presse, and
that the bank would avail itself of the same
complimentary season to increase somewhat M
facilities to the trading-or rather, to the gam
bling-public. Without stopping to remark upon
the peculiar Frenchiness of bending political
and financial laws to suit the exigencies Of Q
casual fee, it may be remarked that both of the
acts which were expected to insugurste the nav
year in Paris must have very grave signi6-
canoe on the later months of that year. The
compliment of January may prove curse ore
June.
To look at them in detail. We have before
US the Courier de Paris of the 18th December,
in which the anonymous writer, whom every
body calls Emile de Girardin undertakes still
further to define his position, and replies At
length to his newspaper assailants. What n
de Girardin wants, as our readers remember, n
to organize constitutional opposition to the
government resembling the oppositions which
are always to be found in Great Britain and
be beneficial to the government. The grounds he
takes now, In further elucidation of his theory.
are that all the French governments during
the present century, including the republic and
the monarchy of July, have prohibited discussioa
on the form and origin of the principle of such
governments; that is to say, that it was not
lawful, under Louis Philippe, to assail mon
public, to decry republican institutions in the
abstract hence, that Louis Napoleon would be
justified by precedent in prohibiting all discus
sion of the form and principle of the imperial
system, while granting liberty of the press in
all other respects; and, finally, that any govern
ment would be better conducted with free
press and constitutional opposition than with
out them. M. de Girardin puts these views with
full consciousness of the risk they may in
volve. Indeed, he seems rather to court than
to avoid martyrdom. He avoids the rash,
vague, revolutionary tone of La Pres%; but
what he says is broad, plain, specific, and bold.
The task before him is indeed no light one.
There are in the present Legislative Assembly
Of France just three members who could be re-
lied upon to form such an opposition as M. de
Girardin wants. or course, three are enough
to form nucleus, provided they hold together;
but it must take time for their principles to
terminate. They must speak much and ably;
and what they say must be heard. Here at the
outset is little difficulty. The French depu-
ties can neither speak, in opposition to the 90
vernment, nor can the newspapers report their
speeches. They cannot originate measure,
without the permission of government; and
whatever they may think on the government
measures, they might just as we'll talk to the
walls as to the Assembly. They convince no
one there, and no sound of their voice is heard
outside. Here is pretty serious obstacle in
the way of the formation of a constitutional ov-
position which shall be strong enough to make
itself felt. However, M. de Girardin has doubt
less not entered the Lists without counting the
cost; with the democratic institution of uniyer,aA
suffrage to keep him in countenance he may
fight successfully the various despotic institu-
tions of the empire until he realizes hh present
scheme.
As to the financial situation we hear less
from Paris this mail about gigantic companies
for the general extrication of everybody from
debt, and the general liquidation of all debts
without money. But the bank continues her
favors. The fact is, Of course, that, just az the
Emperor is agreeing to pay all manufacturers
any loss they may incur by keeping On their.
workmen during the hard times, 30 the govern
ment is using the Bank of France as a toy to
fool the Parisians; and the trick seems to be
answering very well. by and by, when the
Credit Mobiiier and the kindred institutions
break down, 1t will be worth seeing TO watch
how the government will carry them along.
CORPORATION CoRRuPTIoNs-A Chr PROM
THE FAR WEsr.-A copy of the Daily Pairid,
published at Madison, Wisconsin lies before us,
with an article devoted to the exposure Of the
spoils and plumber corruptions which have
crept into the Corporation Councils of that
young and beautiful city. The article In ques-
ton is surmounted by vignette, In the shaps
Of heavy piece Of artillery belching forth fire
and smoke; and then comes the following ter
rible specifications -
Tar Pay-s Aroused, tremendous Meeting at Ae Cbus