The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-31
Fsance--CssrrLnn Ended--rscsp0nsibic Gov
crnmont Iaaugurated.

cerned, we have got to something like firm
ground. Since September the 9Th there has been
suspense, uncertainty, doubt and even dan
ger. How far the promised reforms were to
be carried out no one could tell. The suspense
was somewhat relieved by the elections, and
later by the Emperor's address; but the cleo
tons created fear and the Emperor's speech
did not inspire hope. The question still
remained, How much OF Cesarism was to be
abandoned and how m1h Of responsible gov
ernment was TO be grahieds II was difficult
to believe that the man Of December the
! head of the house Of Donaparte, the author of
the Life of julius Caesar" the successful
representative of the one man power, would
| ever consent to come down to the vulgar
| necessity of ruling France by means Of respon-
sibe Ministers. This difficulty, which was
| great in spite of the promised reforms, was
increased rather than diminished by the eau
tions and reticent character Of the Emperors
speech.
1t now appears that the Emperor really
means to reduce his promised reforms to
practice, and that if the edifce is not
crowned with liberty the fault will not be his
His former Ministers have resigned, and the
resignation has been accepted NJ Olivier
has been requested to undertake the formation
of a Ministry. The Emperor desires him to
name persons who, associated with him, would
form homogeneous Cabinet, faithfully repre-
senting the legislative majority, and resolved
COL in 1affa md eli thn
ConSRttum Of September last. According to
liberal journals personal government is at an
end, and the Emperors letter. is the ''first
chapter in the history of the liberal empire"
As We have said already, this Ia compare
lively firm ground. We know now what is
the political situation in France. The
Emperor has abandoned his former position
position in which he has done so much
for French honor and French prosperity He
Is no longer the Caesar, the autocrat, the gov
ernment. Between him and France there is
henceforth to be a responsible Ministry. With
some slight notifications the government of
France will be conducted substantially as ia
the government Of Great Britain. The Ministers
will be responsible to the Corps Legislatif and
the members Of the Corps Legslatf will be
responsible to the people If the new plan
works well France will have reason to be
proud; for the government machine will be
one Of the most perfect in existence Nomi-
naly an empire, with truly great man at
its head, France win 10 point of fact be q
republic. We must now honestly admit that
Napoleon has come up to the high expectation
Of his friends. Less would have been disap-
pointing, more would have been unwise. He has
redeemed his pledges; and If he has provoked
some impotence by what seemed delay, we
cannot deny, in view of the result, that the
delay has been fully justified. Deeper than
ever is Napoleons name engraved on the page
of history, and nobler than ever is his record
If the First Napoleon must in all time 20 come
nc spoken or us the julius Cesar Of France,
the IHiru Ivapvivv. -. -
membered as the Augustus.
Much. however, depends on the French
people themselves. II is not our belief that
this transition will be got over without trouble.
To the present race OF Frenchmen responsible
government is theory, not an experience. The
people will persist in looking to the Emperor
rather than his Ministers. The Emperor will
for some time to come find IL difficult to restrain
himself from dealing with the people. This
double trouble will be certain TO be aggravated
by the inexperieuce Of Ministers, by the mex
perience Of the Chamber, aud by the stiffness
of the new machine. In selecting NJ. Olivier
as his first Prime Minister the Emperor has
fairly conformed to the requirements of par
Hamcntary government. NJ. Olivier is the
only man who in present circumstances can
lie is the acknowledged chief of the right
centre, and the ground he has taken is such
that the party Of the Left win find it necessary
TO follow his lead, unless they make up their
minds 60 be simply obstructive. To the En-
peror he is personally attached, and at time
when the idea seemed too preposterous TO be
seriously entertained he was bold enough
to conceive the reconciliation Of the empire
with liberty. When the Left broke up NJ.
Oliver set himself to work. and the pro-
gramme of the right centre--s programme
broad enough to command the support of
the main body Of the moderate liberals
and to be satisfactory to the party Of the
I.eft--is the result of his labors. The Cabinet
crisis continued at a late hour yesterday even
ing. The new Ministry had not been oonsti-
tuted, and Paris was slightly agitated
by speculative comment If the Prime
Minister designated is successful in forming a
strong and acceptable Cabinet he has fair
chance of hopefully launching the new consti
tution. For his own sake, for the Emperor's
sake, but chiefly for the sake of liberty, we wish
him all success. IL Ia new era for France.
May she prove herself equal to ii.