New-York tribune., 1870-04-26
VOTING no ORDER.

On the 9Th of May the French people will be
ostensibly called to say Yes or No to ques-
ton whether they approve the reforms granted
them since 1860, and the Senatus Consultum
lust fabricated. But in reality they are urged
to say Yes with all the special pleading of an
Emperor, and all the circumventing and con-
trolling influences of an Empire. The Govern
ment which pretends to submit question to
them is notoriously anxious that they should
altogether submit themselves to the question.
1t is garlanded yoke made for French necks
"A plausible question constructed with view
to one arbitrary answer. The Empire which
with seeming candor asks Frenchmen to de-
clare their cOnscences freely is, first and last,
interested in procuring vote which, at what
ever cost, shall be nearly all one way.
There can be no mistaking such language
as that with which Napoleon appeals to those
who, from the year 1913, surmOunted, as he
says, all obstacles to place him at their head.
He asks at once the suf1rages of every bayonet
in France, and turns every soldier into an
agent of elections. lie begs the rabbe to
affirm the voice Of the camp, and calls upon
the multitude who make their living by
the Empire to stand by it in the
hour of trial. Caesar, in short, calls to the
mob. 1t would be a wonder of wonders if
France at this time could resist the influences
that so easily brought about the acquittal of
Prince Bonaparte, and make the thousands
of petty judges, municipal counselors, not to
mention soldiers, sailors, peasants, and the
incOrrigible bOurgeOisie the servants or slaves
of the Empire. 1t will be remembered that
the returns of the vote in each department
will be canvassed in public session by three
Counselors- General appointed by the Projects.
No officials in France are more odious instru-
ments of Enipire than the Projects, and the
Counseors belong to the sane class Of men
as those selected to acquit Prince Bona
parte. The Empire will doubtless be
about as honest as it can In the coming cleo
tions, but, in the nature of things, its best
possibilities are not to be trusted. The man
who calls upon the French people whom he
has OverTidden with a coup d'@tdt and ridden
with Plebiscites to make easier in the future
the transmission Of the crown to his son, has
fully calculated his squestion and its answer. The
ruler who asks his people, with brave show
of assurance, to vote the power of putting
their Constitution practically out of their own
hands into his, must understand with whom
and in what manner he is dealing. Article
Vth of the Senatus Consultum provides that
the Constitution can only be modified
"by the people on the proposition of the En-
"peror." But how shall the people, not acting
through the voice of their own representatives,
honestly modify their Constitution by accept
ing, almost upon compulsion, the Emperors
vague notifications
The Emperors proposition may to some
minds present another appearance than that
of dilemma on the one hand and fnesse upon
the other. Withal, granting that the Empire
is sham from root to branch, it
will be inevitably argued that Napo-
leon is doing the best he can. We
think he is, in fact, and that he will
do 80 most emphatically on the day of the
Plebiscitum. "You will exert no pressure upon
" the voters" said his Minister of the Interior
to his Projects, "but you will use toward them
"a devouring activity. What is more,
81 give you the assurance that in fu-
" ture the Mayors shall be chosen from
" the body of the Municipal Counsel
COTS" Now, the Counselors,. the Mayors, the
projects, the Minister of the Interior the |
police the officials the soldiers, are to be |
charged with the business of eection-some |
more intimately, others less. They will be |
active, we doubt not; but whom and what |
will they devourf