The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-25
MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1870.
THE PLEBIsCiTE.

OK Saturday we published lengthy despatch
from Paris, giving the official text of the
question to which the people of France are
to respond in a few days, together with the
details of the manner in which the voting is
to be conducted. This morning the procla-
nation of the Emperor, appealing to the
people for an affirmative response, was pub
llshed, and the whole scheme of the pIeJisc5te
is now before the world.
Napoleon has the happy faculty of com
pressing things into small compass when it
suits his purpose to do so, and in the wording
of the ple6iScite he has done so in a noticeable
degree. The question to which the voters of
France are to say ''yes" or mo IS simply
this:-- -r-
'sDo the people approve the liberal reforms which
have been effected in the Constitution since 1860 by
the Emperor, with the concurrence of the great
legislative bodies OF the State, and raty the Senatus
COHSUlunt Of April 20, 1902
The whole Napoeonic Idea is here in a
n ltshell His Imperial Majesty does not say
to the people, 'Are you satisfied with the
reforms which have inaugurated?" ?" or, "Will
you be satisfied with any reform short of the
overthrow of the empire p but simply, ''Do
you approve the reforms which have con-
descended to make in the fullness of my alb
solute sovereignty?" If majority cry out
eyes," in response, the Emperor will conde-
scend to inaugurate such further reforms as
he sees fit, or deems absolutely neces-
sary to preserve his power intact but
if, by way of protesting against the
whole imperial regime, majority say
''No," the astute ruler of the Tuileries will
pervert the answer into condemnation Of
all reform, and shape his course accordingly
The question is so shaped that those who are
opposed IN toto to the present dynasty can do
nothing save remain at home on the day the
vote is taken. 1t was proposed that this class
should express their sentiments by depositing
blank ballots, but this project seems to have
fallen through, and the only protest that will
prol ably be entered will be silent one.
In this connection, q speech delivered by
the Prime Minister in the Corps Legislatif
recently, the material portions of which are
elsewhere given, is important. After des-
canting at length upon the course of French
politics, and the lesson to be derived from q
review of the past, M. Olivier said:--
'When l hear you maintain, invncible
thesis, thst universal suffrage carries with it the
destruction OF IA monarchlca government, say
experience pronounces against you"
And SO it does The First and the Second
Empire alike were based upon universal suf-
frage, and on each occasion the vote was
almost unanimous. The following table gives
the affirmative and negative vote on the
several questions that have been propounded
to the French people since 1893, by the
answer to each of which the form of govern
ment was either revolutionized, or an accom-
plished revolution ratified and approved:-
Constitution of 1898 (Republic) ,sO1 91s iiGlO
Constitution OF the year Ill Qtepub-
Constitution of the year VnI (Con-
Senatus Consute OF the year
Consulate for life) 8,56S, 1856 9074
Senatus Consulte of the year ALI
Act additional of tsl5. 100000 42OS
Constitution of 1859. 7,473, ,43l 6i1351
Senatus COnsulte OF December, 1859
(Empire) I,S2S,lSo 253l4'
Doubtless itais the contemplation of these
figures that inspires the Emperor and his
sham Liberal Cabinet with confidence, but
there are still other figures which are of equal
Importance and even greater significance.
The opposition vote in 1852 was but 253, no.
At the elections of 1857 it had swollen to
571 900; at the election of 1868, to 1,G93, 900;
and at the election of 1869, to 3,2lS, ,S85,
while the votes polled by the Government
candidates was 4,O53, O5G-a Government ma
iority of only 8O4, III, large enough, in itself,
for the time being, but portentously small in
comparison with that of previous years. Yet
there can be but little doubt that the result
of the approaching plebjScjte will present an
overwhelming endorsement of the Imperial
regime. The whole thing is glaring farce,
and it was a full appreciation Of this fact that
led Messrs. Daru and Buffet to resign their
portfolios.
Mrs. WHEAToN--we regret that the tele-
graph does not give her name in full-is a
true woman, and fully understands the senti-
ments of the great mass of the women of the
country on the female suffrage question. 1t
seems there was large party in the Illinois
Constitutional Convention, now in session, in
.F I.k