The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-01
The Emperor NnpoIcon's Speech-The PoIiti-
cal Situation.

The Emperor Nnpolcon's Speech-The PoIiti-
cal Situation.
The suspense which has lasted for so many
months in France, and which has been so pain
full and at times so alarming, has at last been
brought to an end. 1t has been brought to an
end not by the fierce uprising of the sans-cu-
lottes, by barbados, by grapeshot and mid
night fusilades, but by a wise, temperate, prac-
teal statesmanlike speech from the throne, by
such speech as Napoleon alone Of all living
monarchs can make, and which ahundantly
proves that whatever physical infrmities may
have gathered upon the Emperor, his intellect
is as clear, as penetrating, as vigorous, as all
embracing as ever. We do not wonder that
the speech was well received by the Chambers,
for France had never more cause to be proud
of Its chosen chief
We do not say that the speech and the
liberal, as well as manly sentiments which it
breathed, were not largely the result of the
very peculiar position in which the
Emperor finds himself placed. But he
is wise man and q skilfnl ruler
who fully understands his position and
knows how to turn it to his own
advantage. That the Emperor has yielded no
one can deny but he has yielded in such a
manner as to benefit France, to disarm his
opponents and to strengthen his throne. If he
has stopped, he has stopped but to conquer
and the promise now is that he win be stronger
than ever. Napoleon reads history, not back
Eta t,,t with
ming the great future and in this he differs
from two of his immediate predecessors; for
it is only truth to say that had the same wis
dom guided the counsels of Charles the Tenth
or Of Louis Philippe the Bonapartes might stin
have been throneless and homeless. 1t is not
our opinion, however, that the political strug-
gle now raging In France, and of which his
speech is the great master stroke, is yet, or
that it will soon be, brought to close Far
from it. The French opposition is q great
political power. Time was-and that time is
not very remote-when the opposition con-
sisted of but four or FIVE men. It can now
count on not fewer than one hundred and six
teen votes. These votes are important, not on
their own account only, but on account of the
property, the activity and the brains which
they represent. They constitute power which
| the Emperor cannot afford to despise even if he
were willing. These men have chung to their
cause, through good report and through bad
They have spoken out when to speak out was
dangerous to purse and to life, as well as to
fame. They have suffered as much from hot
headed and unreasoning friends as from I'M
principled and conscienceless enemies. But
the leading spirits Of the opposition have been
true to each other, true to their common cause,
and they have been patient, long suffering and
full Of perseverance. The result Is that num-
bers have increased; and the marvellous thing
is that the present French opposition is one of
the least heterogeneous oppositions in parlia-
mentary history. 1t is not by any means O
loose and incoherent rabble. 1t may have in
it men who have sympathy for legtimatism,
others who have sympathy for Orleanism,
and others who are republicans at heart but
these sympathies, IL they exist, do not divide
them. On two main points they are al
agreed The one is their opposition to thu
one man power; the other is that the pcopI,
should be governed by the people. The point.
are not logically separate, but politically the,
work distinction. The fierce radical party
represented by such men as Rochefort ant
Raspaii, are really not Of the opposition, as w
have described it; but their numbers are small
and their strength can only be revealed By
acting with the stronger party. 1t