Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-05-09
THE FRENCH ELECTION.

PARIS, May S.-The prefect of police this
q Rumors alarming for the public peace circu-
late IN several parts of the capital, and disor-
ders are predicted as sure to follow the counting
OF the vote. The prefect OF police therefore
deems 1t his duty to warn citizens that the most
efhcacious measures have been taken to repress
with energy and promptitude every attempt at
sedltion. The prefect invites all good citizens
10 keep away from places where criminal at
tempfs may be made, and thus be specially
charged with insuring respect for persons and
PARIS, May s.-The voting on the plebsci-
tum is completed, and the counting has COM
menced. Great military precautions were
taken, ana the city has been quiet all day. Des-
patches from the departments report all quiet
Semi-official journals anticipate disturbances
tonight or Tomorrow, but nothing has occurred
up 10 the present hour to confirm their fears
All the election committees are assembled at
their places of meeting, and will remain there
all night to receive returns from the provinces
Polls were opened in the barracks, and nearly
all the soldiers in and around the city cast their
votes, but no civilian was admitted to witness
the voting The police continue to be unremt-
ting in their search for parties implicated in the
alleged conspiracy, and many arrests were made
to-day. Lissaragag has been condemned to a
years Imprisonment and fine of two thousand
francs for making violent speeches at political
meetings. Other persons have received similar
sentences for making infamatory speeches in
the provinces, where many Journals have also
been seized, and several condemned to heavy
penalties A large number of arrests have been
made in the departments. Gustaye Flourens is
still in London.
PARIS, May 8, IL p m.-People have assem-
other parts of the city. The agitation is very
great, but there has been no conflict with the
police OF the troops Nothing definite as to the
result OF the vote is known at this hour but il il
roughly estimated that the city has given 139 ,OOo
votes against and 1O7 600 for the pteJiscitum In
the departments, so far as heard from, a great
majority has been cast in the affirmative. The
precautions against an outbreak are doubled.
A strong military guard has been stationed
around the Tuilleries, and the places Of the
Conservatoire des Arts ct Meters are occupied
by troops, and the Place des Invalides is filled
with cavalry. Fresh troops from the Camp of
st. Maur arrived in Paris tonight.
PARIS, May 8, mdnight.-The vote on the
plebiscitam in the city of Paris, with one section
only to hear FROM is as follows Eyes" 13S, 7o0
"No," lS2 ,SSl. The city remains tranquil
A few returns from the surrounding provinces
foot up as sfolows:-'Yes, 106, $50; ono" 39, ,3la.
The French Plebiscitum, Its ORIGIN
and Intent.
Article thirty-two OF the French constitution
OF the l4th of January, 1852, which, with the
notifications of various .Senatus Consulta is the
present constitution of France. reads as follows:
''All notifications in the fundamental basis OF
the constitution, such as they were laid down in
the proclamation Of the I'd Of December QS5l).
and adopted by the French people, shall be sub
mitted to universal suffrage" This appeal to
universal suffrage is known in France as pie
ttscite, from the Latin compound word plebis-
citum or pteGtscitup-a law made by the COM
hou COuSCul VI people, WITHOUT tne inter-
vention OF the Senate or the legislative power.
The article referred to occurs i'm chapter four of
the constitution, limiting and defining the pow
eis OF tine 81 senate, t 6y which the especial guar
that body. Article twenty-seven. for instance,
says that the Senate regulates by Senatas Con-
suitum "all that has not been provided by the
constitution, and which is necessary for its
march," and "the sense of the articles of the
constitution which give rise to different inter-
pretations." This is the plebiscitum of France.
so
ITS HISTORY AND USES.
Since the execution Of Louis XVI there have
been seven appeals to the plebiscite i'm France.
The first was on the constitution of 1872, when
the Mountain party, having conquered the
Girondists in the Convention, Set about the com
had began, said to be the handiwork Of Concor-
Get. This constitution, which was TILED up with
rapidity that contrasted with the slowness OF
the Girondists in elaborating constitutions,
regulated the number Of representatives in
the National Convention, ordered annual
elections and established trial by jury. 1t
ro,.S was submitted IN an TO S,s p,sS;ei,, and ap
Two years afterwards, subsequent to the death
Of BOnepierre and the Jacobins, the National
Convention applied itself to constitution max
with Cambacerer and others; and on the 23d OF
June, 1895. there was submitted by Busy dan
glass new constitution. This constitution Gre
ca5cI and the Counci Of the % Five 4 Hundred. @ who
in their turn elected i've perrons, called the
Executive Directory, known as the French Di-
rectory. This constitution was submitted 10 a
pletiscite, and approved by 1.o57 $50 votes
against q, ,9. 1t endured four years-till thelsth
Brumaire, which brought on the scene Napole-
on Bonaparte. vino made very short work ofthe
Anciente, the Five Hundred and the constitution.
Napoleon in his turn went 10 constitution build
ing, and on the 10th November, 1893, produced
his constitution, which provided for the cleo
ton of q Chief Consul and two Assistant Con-
suls. This was submitted 10 Ptcciscite, and ap-
proved by Z, ,911 900 against i,569 votes In 1892
Napoleon was appointed Consul for the term
Of ten years, and In . few months subsequent
IL q piebiseite made him Consul for life, by
1858 ,ie5 votes against 9,oai. Quickly upon The
heels of the life Consulate came the hereditary
empire in 1904, when again there vas an appeal
to aplebiseite, not on the point whether Napoleon