The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-29
LIBERALISM AND IMPERIALISM

To ESTABLISH the Bonaparte family firmly on
the throne of France is the leading idea with
the present Emperor, as it was with his great
uncle. Each made an endeavor or pretense
to reconcile liberty with despotism, the free
dom of the republic with the imperialism of
the Caesars. In face of the well-known facts
of history each has claimed to hold the throne
by virtue of universal suffrage, and, whenever
practical the imperial position has been forti-
fed by popular verdict of approval The
late French elections resulted nominally in
favor of the empire; but the strength of the
opposition was developed to such an extent as
to excite well-founded uneasiness and alarm.
The Emperor and his official supporters have
been earnestly engaged in setting forth the
merits of the system of government that has
for the last seventeen years controlled the
destinies of France, the value of law and
order, the material prosperity of the people,
and the evils that the license advo-
Gated by the enemies of the en-
pire will bring about if their ideas are
allowed to prevail. In fact, the whole policy
of the second empire has been towards the
reconcilement of two extremes, liberalism and
imperialism, and the result has been practi-
cally failure. For instance, the latest cable
dispatches inform us that the Emperor on
Sunday made replyto an address of welcome
from the municipality of Beauvais, in which
he reminded them that ''their prosperity was
mainly due to the order which, for the past
seventeen years, had reigned in France, and
he was certain that this order would not be
seriously disturbed" And he is taking care
fba ehoI1
pressed, as far as it is in his power to do so,
for in the same dispatches we are informed
that sentence of fine of 5000 francs and
three years imprisonment has been pro-
nounced against Henri ROchefort, and that
he has been disfranchised for three years,
thus excluding him from seat in the Corps
Legislatif; and also that the editors of the
Steele and OpiaaSOn Ndti0ndle have been fined
and imprisoned for violations of the press
law. Rochefort came very near being
elected to the Corps Legislatif, and such
triumph would have been one of the worst
blows that the Emperor could have received;
SO, in order to prevent any such misadven-
ture in the future, he has taken the precau-
ton to have the erratic editor of La Ldnterne
declared ineligible, his offense being that he
caused his spicy little journal to be intro
duced into France illegally. 1t would thus
seem that the principle was broadly declared
that liberty in France is liberty to support
the empire, and nothing else. Indeed, this
idea is set forth plainly in a letter from M. de
Persigny-who undoubtedly acts as the mouth
piece of the Emperor in this instance-to NJ
Olivier. According to his ideas, ''t is neither
| H. - ll,ak L.
meetings, nor to the liberal concessions of
the Emperor, that is to be attributed the
moral disorder which has recently manifested
itself. Under the new regime inaugurated by
the Emperor, the evil, in his opinion, arises
from men and not from things" He says
SIN reality, and whatever be said on the subject,
there s no country more easy TO govern than France
should M ' possess ali political Virtues. Il must be
honest, upright, courageous and resolute; in two
words just and hm. II it is only just without firm
ness, advantage is taken OF its feebeness and it is
trampled under foot. II, on the other hand, 1t is
firm without integrity, people feel indignant and
revolt But If it combines the two qualities lust
mentioned, If it just ana firm, esteemed and feared
rate all liberties, brave all perlls recover from all
checks for in the eyes OF the French people, who
esteem character more than intellect, there are no
errors, no mistakes that may not be redeemed by q
great heart Well then, my dear sir, this is the eX-
glanation OF all that we have recently witnessed.
pusillanmous, and portion of the people have held
It In contempt. few individuals, perhaps of nc
intrinsic merit, but daring enough to brave great
Government, appeared In the light heroes and the
multitude Which honors nothing 80 much as courage
admired them. The Parisans may indeed have
made strange mistake, but the feeling at any rate
took its origin in the chivalrous character Of the
whole nation"
And then he gives fling that seems in
tended particularly for Rochefort;-
''This Is not all; for, by a singular instinct anC
a u a Qn1i
fun OF dsdain for the rhetorieans those thunder
bolts OF war In words and those utilities In action
Any one would say that 1t had meditated on the his
tory OF Greece IN the time OF Philip OF Macedon, OF
the misiortunesof of that ilustrous people lost by III
orators. the character npmoafhanae tho M "a