New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-20
THE pJOT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

Whatever may be thought of the reality OF
the latest Paris plOt-and we see no reason
to change our first opinion that 1t was
in all important particulars an invention
of Napoleon's police-it is clear enough what
use the Emperor means to make OF It, 1t was
an admirable bug-bear to terrify timld voters;
it is now to be q justification for violation
of imperial promises and an immediate inter
ruption of those liberal reforms of which his
Majesty has given the French people so much
of the show with q mOdicum of the substance.
1t was not enough that the nation should be
tricked and driven into voting an approval OF
Napoleon's personal government; but the YER
dict must be accompanied with such striking
lesson in the awful consequences OF voting the
other way that there should be no remon-
STRANGE when the logical consequences OF the
ple',iscitum were carried into operation. LIB
ert.r," to quote the language of NJ. Olivier,
Us now irrevocably established under the
"proteoG5n Of the Napoleons." What the
protecti6. vr +h~ NoroInors means,
when it is extended over Liberty, has been
pretty clearly shown since the 9Th of May.
The delusive offer Of freedom of the press,
made some time ago, has been withdrawn. In
the memory of the younger generation of
France there have never before been so many
seizures, fines, imprisOnments, and direct or
indirect efforts to silence Republican journals,
ms since liberty became "irrevOcably estab-
"lished under the protection of the NapOleons"
There has never before been so little freedom
of speech and independence in the Corps LGgis-
latif, never before such shameful invasion of
personal rights. The Cabinet has been weeded
of its principal Liberal members, and their
places are filled by politicians of the school of
1852, reactiOnists 80 decided that their appoint
ment is viewed in Paris with amazement. A
respectable banker, for contributing money to
the election fund of the opposition, is exiled
from the kingdom. Newspapers are prose-
cuted for treating the assassination plot as a
historical problem. This is liberty under the
protection of the Napoleons! The "reforms"
for which the Emperor asked the gratitude
and approval of his people were shadowy
enough at best, but such as they were the
plot and the plebscitum together seem to have
blown them out of existence.
But is it certain that the destinies of France
have been placed under the protection of the
Napoleonsf The last number of Punch has
cartoon representing Napoleon as tenant
farmer applying to France for renewal of
his lease. He holds in one hand a paper
labeled "Plfbiscite," and leads by the other
his son, and this is the conversation:
Louis" Madame will not object, hope, to two lives
in the lease Z"
Madame La France (aside).-" HIM! suppose can't
objectp
Perhaps she can't object with very en-
phatic voice, but she has really been Directing
in one way or another ever since the Prince
Imperial was born. The dynasty has no hold
upon the regard of the people. 1t has been
losing popularity steadily for eighteen
years, and the accession of Napoleon ".
would be still less acceptable to the
nation than was the accession of Ma
poleOn iii. 1t is consciousness of
the fral tenure by which the lease is held for
the second life that animates the present
change of policy. The usurper has failed to
conciliate his subjects; he means now to bear
them down. The events of the last few weeks
have siren gthened his hands for the time, but
he has not yet made sure of the lease for two
lives.