The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-13

Yesterday, as we are told by special cable
telegram from London, Napoleon Ill. yielded
to the demands of the reformers in the Legis-
lative Assembly, Imperialism endeavoring to
cloak the humiliation OF its forced capitula-
ton by an entertainment or sort of French
White Bait dinner at st. Cloud, during the
progress of which his Majesty perpetrated q
few grim jokes, acknowledged he was growing
old, made point of the fable of the disabled
lion and alluded to his dynasty and the
succession. He subsequently sent in his
draft of Parliamentary reform, or, as we may
call it, Napoleonic sketch Of some few Of the
many measures which France really requires,
and which we sincerely hope her people may
obtain.
| France was made known, and Napoleons APP
peal to popular judgment at the ballot box for
an appreciation of his efforts and an endorse
ment of Bonapartism was answered by YER
dict which gave nearly half the votes of the
empire to the opposition, the Emperor is re-
ported to have said, Sat last we are face to
face with the revolution, and know how to
deal with it," For seventeen years France had
enjoyed a season of tranquility almost un-
paralleled in the history of continental gov
ernments; it had been long since the peace of
the well-ordered city of Paris was disturbed by
a crowd, and the friends of the empire had be-
gun to fatter themselves that the people were
satisfied with the one-man government
Behold the change. Armed force has been
required to quell popular demonstrations
against tho government throughout the coun-
try; mobs have shouted "a bas IEmpire" in
the streets of Paris, and an opposition, aston
ished at their unexpected electoral successes,
have entered the legislative halls, emboldened
by triumph and backed by popular sentiment,
more powerful, imperious and uncOmpromis-
the empire. In other than despotism there
would be no cause of apprehension for the
peace of the country or the stability of gov
eminent by anything like equalization ofpoliti-
cal parties, but in the independent, increasing
minority in the Corps Legislatif, as well as in
the outbursts of political fury, declaring hos
tility to Bonapartism, and the unmistakable
verdict of the great centres of population and
intelligence against the ''one-man power"
France sees trouble ahead, and Napoleon
realizes that crisis is approaching. viii he
meet it, and how? is the question of the hour.
AS might be supposed, the increased power
of the opposition has emboldened them to de-
mand concessions and compromises from an
executive chief whose will heretofore has been
well nigh law supreme. Moderate at first, it
remains to be seen whether or not these de-
mands will become imperious and insolent in
the end-whether the concessions granted
will still leave the reins of empire in the hands
of the master who has hitherto managed
them, unimpaired in prestige and prerogative.
The demands of the radicals" so far seem
to us on this side of the water to be nothing
unreasonable; but in order that their import
ance may be properly appreciated and the
extent to which liberal ideas are making
Roadway in France be fully realized, we must
remember the reception such demands would
have encountered six or twelve months ago,
or at any other time since the celebrated
coup detat inaugurated a despotic system
vesting the governing power in one man. We
must call to mind the danger incurred by any
one who dared express opposition to the en-
pire; how studiously every murmur of dis
content and every aspiration for liberty has
been stifed heretofore by the vigilance Of i'm
perialism; how effectually the severity Of law
has silenced those who would now and then
venture to expose the evils of the govern
ment, and how even the anti-dynastic party
in the Legislative Chamber had learned to
moderate their opposition to the mildest
degree of censure.
A change, indeed, has come over the spirit
of Napoleons dream, when he finds q powerful
opposition demanding as their ultimatum the
retirement and official ostracism of a favorite
minister, one of the stanchest and ablest
friends of Imperialism, proposing terms to the
Grown, and urging at once responsible min
stry and the autonomy of the assembly
For those who have witnessed the workings
of the great government machinery, directed,
as it were, by the genius of one mind and one
hand, which knew no resisting force for so
many years. it is difficult to realize the pro-
gress of liberal ideas and governmental reform
which now compel the motive, ruling power
| to halt and treat with the enemies of his dy-
nasty as to the best means of directing the
course of the ship of state in the future. We
are not convinced that the hasty zeal of the
opposition will not encounter difficulties, and
those difficulties may be sufficiently serious to
compromise either the cause of liberty or that
of despotism; in word, may resolve the
question into the alternative of absolute des-
potism or the fall of the Napoleonic dynasty.
1t is true we are told by telegram that the sit
uation is not disquietng, and ''while one side
is not disposed to make exaggerated claims,
the other is equally resolved not to make ex-