Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-04


on the 3lst Of May and the lst Of June, the polls
being kept open during two days for the reception
and registry of votes The suffrage is universal,
and the aggregate number Of the electors amounts
to about ten millions. They vote by secret ballot
and not vioa uoce.
In anticipation of the elections which impend,
Mr.. II. DE PERsIaNY, the Minister Of the Interior,
has issued circular letter, under date of the 9th
instant, addressed to the Projects Of the Empire,
apprizing them of the conditions under which the
elections are to be held and of the principles which
are to serve their guide in presiding over this
renewed appeal Of the present Emperor to the
people Of France This circular is interesting
for the light it sheds on the manner in which the
right of popular suffrage is understood by the Co.
vernment and exercised by the people Of France.
Interesting in itself, being an attempt to COM
bine the popular institutes Of universal suffrage
with the rigid forms of imperialism, it is also in
teresting for the comparison which Mr.. de Persig-
compared with the English people, when he states
that the former must accept this franchise under
tain limitations and restrictions to which the latter
are not subject because of the greater stability at
taching to the foundations Of political power
in England where strife of parties relates to the
form or substance of the Government. If in
France, as in Great Britain, parties we're divided
only as to the conduct of affairs, while remaining
equally loyal to the fundamental institutions of
the realm, the Government of the Emperor,
says the Minister, could limit ITSELF in all cleo
tions, to the simple function of spectator mark
ing the struggle of diverse opinions But in
country which, after SO many commissions, has not
been firmly established on its present basis more
than ten years. this regular play of parties, which,
among the British people, $50 happily fecundateS
the public liberties" could not be as yet initiated
without prolonging the spirit Of revolution and
compromising the cause Of civil liberty. For in
France, he adds there are "parties" which have
not yet emerged from the temper or postponed the
aims Of faction" Formed from the wreck of
fallen Governments, and still surviving, though
more and more weakened daily by the lapse of
time, which alone can cause them to disappear,
they seek to strike at the heart of established
institutions in France only in order to pervert
only 10 turn them to the destruction of the State
1t is under these circumstances and with these
views that M. de Persigny addresses the following
instructions to the Projects Of the Empire:
Give free scope to all candidates to announce them
selves and to publish and disseminate their political creeds
and their electoral tickets according to the forms pre-
scribed by law. Keep vigant eye to the maintenance
Of order and to the regularity Of the electoral operations
1t for all right and for you duty to resist with energy
all dsoyal manGuvres all intrigue, SURPRISE and fraud
order to insure ibc liberty and to preserve the purity
of the elective franchise alike in the reception aud count
ing Of the votes.
The suffrage Free But 10 order that the good faith
of the people may not be deceived by articles Of language
or equvoca professions Of faith yoa will publicly desig
Government most confdes Let the people know who
the friends and who the adversares less disguised
af the Empire, and then let them pronounce in all free
DOM but with perfect understanding Of the facts in the
case"
1t further appears from the circular Of M. de
Persigny that the Government has recommended
for collection the great majority Of the members
of the late Corps Legisatif as being men of cap
proved devotion, and who, before receiving the pa
tronage of the Administration, had been already
designated by the partiality of their fellow cit-
zens" If certain deputies "smong the num-
Der of those who hayc voted against the opinion
of the Government in matter Of importance
are found no longer to share the official pa
tronage" it is not to be presumed, NJ. de Persigny
blandy says, "that their vote has entered at all
into the decision made in such cases" Ii this is
to be taken literally the French people must indeed
have great faith in the judicial impartaity Of their
ruler.
Thisexposition Of electoral operations" in France
is full Of instruction to the student of politics who
is accustomed to trace the working Of institutions,
whether popular or imperial, under their different
manifestations Institutes which are the offspring
of democracy do not seem to be altogether at home
in the nest Of the imperial eagle Especially do We see
how hard is to exercise the prerogaves Of frecmen
in country where even the forms of freedom, such
as they are have been rather given the Blooms of
yesterday than received as the priceless heritage
won by ancestral valor and handed piously down
from generation to generation until they have be-
come familiar and dear as household words. Be-
tween institutions established by the favor Of q
sovereign and those which are the outgrowth of
national tendencies and the consummate fJwer
of national traditions, there is all the difference
that exists between the frail exotic Of the hot.
a,orso and the giant oak of the primeyal forest