New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-05

Chamber convozed few weeks ago for yeriiication
of the elections of its members s. of which remain
unverifed will not be reconvoked till the more OF
less grave changes in its rights, privileges, and organ
zaton are discussed and resolved on by the Emperor
and the Senate without its or the nations partlcpa-
ton.
Meantime, and apart from the vague promises OF
the message, Government does nothing TO remove
this distrust of their being made in good 1alth'
There has been no month in all the imperial regime
more fertile than the one just past in condemnation
of journalists For more than a month now respect
able men are held in preventive imprisonment smut
off even from free communication with their FAM
lies on the untried charge of having cOnspred the
overthrow of this strong Government. Their friends
vainly proclaim for them the justice OF a speedy
trial. Against this crying abomination OF INDEFINITE
preventive Imprisonment no one protested more earn
estly when Louis Philippe was monarch OF france
than his then prisoner the actual monarch OF france
Observe. now, that an act of amnesty in favor OF
journalistic and other political criminals is distinctly
within the constitutional powers of the Cme1 oil
State. And observe, that while scrupulousIy omit
ting to exercise this gracious and strictly constu
tional personal right L. N. b. tramps across the
limits of his own Constitution of 1852 with sovereign
facility and indifference. Article Al of that paper
bond is as plainly definite as the oath he took OF
fidelity to the Republic: ministers cannot be Mem
bers of the Corps Logislatif" Two of the newly
appointed members of his Ministry are members OF
the Corps Legislatif - which is indefinitely pro-
rogued, with no orders for new elections.
A large and respectable class of one-eyed lnteili-
gent foreign observers, who are never tired OF OBJ
serving the hopeeSsly revolutionary tendency OF
French Liberals are respectfully requested to OBJ
serve little the Emperors readiness TO violate
his own Constitution. Let add here to the above
IL. e 6 f1at
regard of his Constitution entertained by himself and
the general public on whom it is imposed. For the
three OF four days preceding the publication of she
decree appointing Rouher President Of the Senate for
one year. it generally supposed that If that per-
son was appointed at ALL he would be named TO the
office for life. The fact which everybody knows
that life appointment in this is not constutionay
in the Emperors GIFT did not enter in the slightest
degree, as a weakening element, into the SUPPOSE
ton Nor does any one save here and there ollie
tante constitutional abstractionst look for eXplana
ton of the annual quality of Rouhers appointment
any other where than in the superstition Of that stu
tough and actively ambitious politicians purpose, to
return one of these days to the more stirring bust
ness of the Chamber of Deputies.
With this last supposition runs, revived. an el-
derly rumor that Rouher is to como ont in new
part. as refornatory Liberal far out-Ierodiug the
forth in his 18th July programme to the Innoccnts
don't say it is probable it is not iHrrdiscmbd5G
Mr. Rouher was once a Republican, declared himself
IN ls4s TO have been before 1915 and always, latent
Republican He is a man of considerable ability
extraordinary cleyemess, unbounded ambition, ana
no conscientious conviction If his master tells him
TO- and he thinks he can serve himself in serving his
master he is perfectly capable Of shooting ahead Of
the Third Party in the career of reform.
This party is acting and retaining from action with
a cautiousness that seems timid and weak 10 many
that commends itself as wisely modest 10 others. It's
leading members have at least kept their dignity and
avoided the snare laid forthem by Government when
the Emperor offered and urged upon two or three Of
them acceptance Of Office in the new Ministry, where
they would have beenin minority, aud sccminGtob o
responsible but without any efficient control, would
have been swamped themselves and broken the even,
Disciplined front their party now shows to Govern
ment and the nation. The great majority OF the sign
ers Of the Interpolation, which forced the Emperor
TO the indting of his message Of July j. and pro-
yoed the queer crisis of the past fortnight still hold
together aud have held several meetings, and arc
now well constituted rs a Constitutional Leit-Centcr
party. They have resolved to throw no obstacles IN
the way of the Emperor's proprio mota reforms
They rcnounce all factous tactics They hold firmly
to the purpose primarily indicated in their Interpret
Iaion of pursuing until they obtain coparmcrship
for the Legislature in the Government, TO be cx-
pressed practically, if not formally, by Ministerial
responsibility.
There were at the last review 11G signers to the
interpenaton of the Left Center Some of these
camp followers intelligent cOntrabands crosscycd
walters on Providence, looking both ways for sun
day. timd doubters. constituted human impostors
with calculating pizzards substituted for souls, re-
cruited from tho Right and the Right Center, the
Aarais the low, foul marsh. In solid rank and ile
the Left Center counts to-day about 100, tOleraby
well disciplined. If the Government docs not come
to them they will oppose Government
The Left has also held daily and nightly caucuses
a wofulIy undiscplned militia, numbering about4O
in all of whom something like insist each on being
,oaior generals or colonies at lowest The Immediate
result is no result in the way Of combined action.
But as q general thing they will support the Left
Center ON field DAYS and counted with the Left
Center. they come close to making majority IN
the Chamber Their power as gucuillas Is not to be
measured by their numbers. From the veteran
Tbers ND or down to Bancel there is hardly one OF
the 40 who can't deal hard blows is not skillful in
fence The active brain. the driving intellectual
force Of the new Chamber, is with those 40 rather
nan with the remaining go whose Right ranks let
alone Center, arc largely filled literally with dead
heads.
Now looms the question: whether this HOUSE, WIN
its - "unvcTifedp members, with its majority OF
members forced to election official candidates. IL
! 20 be the working new Chamber for the next six
Years under modification Of conditions not antci-
mated at the time of its elections, promised under
'c force of extra pressure, and to be devised and
| sbaped without its concurrent adyicef
dissolution of the present House and ordering OF
now elections are talked Of conjectured hoped ior
and feared among the future possibilities l no'e
Tho current talk in this regard as fact OF the times