Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-06-17

The late election in France have at
tracted the attention of the statesmen,
politicians and philosophers of all Europe,
for they are markedly significant Of COM
ing, and it may be, disastrous changes
The right of suffrage is now more widely
extended in that country than ever before,
and the late election has more fully than
ever was the case heretofore developed the
opinions Or passions of the French people
The opposition, or what may be more
properly termed the revolutionary party,
has succeeded beyond its most sanguine
expectations. In 1859 it commanded in
Paris about one hundred thousand votes,
in 1868 it cast nearly one hundred and
fifty thousand, and now in 1869 it has
cast fully two hundred and fifty thousand.
The issue has been squarcly made between
Republicanism, or what in these days
may fifty be termed Radicalism, and the
Empire. The Bourbonisfs and the Or
leanists have been so signally defeated
that it looks very much as il these par
ties were now destined to pass very sool.
into the category of defunct organizations.
The Patrie says: ''When the Empire
was founded in 1882 it had three kinds
of adversaries arrayed against 1.-THE
Orleanists, the Legitimists and the Re-
pubicans. Two of these parties have
ceased to exist the elections of 1869 have
dealt them the death blow" All this is
true Now the Empire and the Republi-
can, or as it calls itself the Progressive
party, stand face to face in mortal com
bat. What tie Legitimists and Orlean-
lists will do remains to be seen. Their an
tipathy to Napoleon is so great that they
may side with the Radicals for the pur-
pose of breaking him down, though how
they can On any sort of principle take
sides with RadicaliSm in such a quarrel it
is difficult to see. Between the Empire
and tie present opposition party. the
contest will be bitter and unrelenting
one, and in all probability it will end in
the establishment of a stern military des-
potism by the Emperor or in the total over
throw of his dynasty. The France re-
marks: "Why attempt to diminish the
victory obtained by the Revolutionary
party? What does that party hope? It
can hardly trust to street rioting; it knows
that it would be condemned ~ public
opinion and effectually crushed. 1t proba-
bly, hopes that the Empire will go over to
the Reactionist party; and in that case
means to take the lead of the liberal
movement. We are confident that these
calculations will be defeated. The coun-
try wants liberty, and the Empire will
head the liberal movement, and thus face
revolution, triumphant in Paris, but disa-
vowed by the rest of the country" That
the revolution has been confined to Paris,
but disavowed by the rest of the county !"
later information has shown to be un-
true. That the Empire will "head the
Liberal movement" and thus check or
control it, we do not believe. One side
or the other must drive its adversary to
the wall. The Empire is peace no
longer, and when the Corps Legislatif re-
assemblies, it will in all probability be
found that. notwithstanding the large ma
jority the Imperial party has secured in
the country districts, substantial peace
will scarcely be obtained in France until a
new revolution has been inaugurated and
one side or the other has heen discomft-
ted and silenccd for another brief term of
years-BaH. Gazette.