The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-02
The Duty Of the Third Party im
En.AIICP.

Corps Legislatif though it can hardly fail to
be injurious both to the Emperor and to his
existing Cabinet. may be extremely useful to
the cause of good government in France. At
present the Third Party seems to be simply
scared at the unexpected success which has
attended it's efforts. For short time the
1l6 and their interpolation were in the
mouths of all men. France had awoke from
the slumber of seventeen years, and had
found herself by happy accident in posses
sion of worthy representatives. The ma
ton was no longer content to oscillate
between an extreme Imperialism and an
equally extreme Socialism: it had asserted
its claim to common sense and to the pos
session of rational freedom. The Emperor
paid these new champions the compliment of
declining a battle. He got rid of the Corps
Legislatif without loss of time, and, after his
Parliamentary critics we're well out OF the
way, he proceeded to reconstruct the Consti-
tuition. 1t was an unfortunate start for
Parliamentary regime, and, coupled with the
fact that the Emperor had chosen his Minis
ters without reference to the party to which
he professed to be making concessions, it
threw considerable doubt on the genuineness
of the Imperial surrender. 1t is hard, no
doubt, for Parliamentary organization to as
sert itself when Parliament is not sitting but
in this case, resignation to unavoidable OBJ
stacles seems to have been carried to more
than Christian lengths. Since the close of the
interrupted session nothing has been heard
of the Third party. They can hardly
plead that the existing order of things
i'll France permits of no political demonstra-
tions, because a Government which has
granted impunity to the Republicans could
scarcely have given less license to a section
of the Opposition which accepts the Ma
poleonic dynasty, and only quarrels
with its particular acts. In spite of the
jealousy with which the right of public meet
ing is viewed by the Executive, we do not
believe that any objection would have been
made to its judicious exercise; and, supposing
they were kept within proper bounds, few
things would be of more use in France at
this moment than such speeches from men,
bers to their constituents as have become so
customary, not to say wearisome, in England.
The republicans have means enough of COM
munication between leaders and followers;
their strength lies among the artisans of
| the great towns, and class every men,
Der of which reads either the ReccH or
the Reto1me is not likely to be ignorant of
what is expected from it when the moment of
action arrives. But the moderate politicians
of France have no such resource as this, and,
if they are to turn the victory of last summer
to any good account they must make the re-
| lation between representatives and consti-
| tuents more intimate than it now is. The
| are ripe for it is evident from the numbers
which voted with the Opposition in May, and
| from the pressure the Government had to eX-
| ercse to prevent it's nominal ma iority from
| degenerating into nominal minority. But
| something more than goodwill is wanted in
the voter when the deputy is engaged in the
| tremendous task of overthrowing arbitrary
government without having recourse to revo-
| luton. The Third Party, if it does not in
| tend to lay down it's arms and to suffer
| France to make its choice between repeti-
| ton of the days Of June and a second coup
| detdt, will need intelligent as we'll as active
| support. Enthusiasm without knowledge
| is the counterpart of zeal without
| discretion - Il motive power, indeed,
of vast force, but valueless for any practical
purpose, from the uncertainty which must
always exist as to the direction in which il
will operate. At present a really reasonable
Opposition seems to have grown up through
out France, but what is known of the ele
ments which go to compose it affords bu
scanty ground for confidence in it's consistent
appreciation of the principles on which alone
such an Opposition can rest. If it is left tt
its own devices, if its natural leaders take NJ
pains with its political education if it is lef
to resist as best it may the contagion of wilc
hopes and wilder fears, there are but TIVE
fates which can happen to it. 1t will drift
according 10 the bent of its inclinations. tt
the Republicanism which woos it on one side
or to the blind and panic-stricken Conser
vatism which appeals to it on the other.
this catastrophe is to be prevented it cal
only be by the diffusion throughout the con
stituences of more enlightened political con
yctions than are as yet common in France
The first step to this end must be the edu
cation of the educators. 1t is creditable t.
the political acuteness of the members of th
Third Party that they should have seen in
stinctively that Socialism could only be dc
3 feated by liberty The natural tendency G
. weak men--and it would be tlattery to assum
, that there are not many among the llG
whom this epithet applies-is to meet DANCE
by doubling the precautions already takeI
= The Third Party has been superior to tn
e temptation. 1t has measured the protectiv
a power of the Imperial system, and found
8 wanting; and it has thereupon begun t
= retrace the path it has trod so meekly sine
D 1881. 1t can hardly be supposed, howeve
: that this intelligence is, i'll the majority
its members, anything more than il
J. stinctive. The Third Party in the Corr
f Legislatif needs political training almost
much as the Third party in the country.
> needs to know its own mind, to be sure of j
own wants, to realize the evils it wishes to 81
d removed, and the means by which their 4
l. moyal is to be effected. If it is to hold
8 own in the Corps Legislatif, and not to disal
. pear as a mere spark from the mutual conta
of stronger convictions than its own, it mu
J bring forward definite programme 1t is
o be wished that there were more evidence tn
e this obligation is adequately understood /
those on whom it rests. The Third party mi
of course be constructing its profession
!, faith in the privacy of unreported meeting