The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-19

situation. The predlcament which requires
the presence of one hundred thousand armed
men, which keeps. waleful and restless the
poverty stricken labor of q good part of
France, which demands satisfaction for a
murder done by one of the Bouapartes, while
it calls for revenge upon tribune of the peo-
pie is not to be considered wholesome. The
Emperor can win for the time being at any
game where there are bayonets on one side
and rabble on the other. Anybody can
govern with a state Of siege, said Cavour.
Any one can carry his point with a bayonet,
is unarmed The Emperor has been saving
up his bayonets, as other men save their
money. He has enriched and gilded them,
and made them the proudest and most for
midable instruments of one-man will that this
latter day has known. France is their charge;
France is, in fact, their own Every bayonet
is selfshly interested in striking down
Frenchman upon provocation, and something
of the character of policeman Javert
has crept into the barracks that have known
Robespierre and Marat, and have been flat
tered by the two Napoleons. The great dogs
Of war wear their collars fercely, and can tear
Frenchmen to pieces with a grim sense of
law and order. Nevertheless, all bayonets
are not loyal, and even dogs of war have their
day Our calculations seldom allow for phe-
nomena in politics, and the melo-drama of
French history in full of them, Who has not
heard of armies demoralized with a growing
sentiment that their regime has played its
part and lived to the measure of its destiny?
The expectation and desire of novelty are not
foreign to military bosoms. Warriors out of
work, with no bloody game of war to play
at, must think, and thinking is dangerous to
the stability of the imperial profession of
arms. The Empire protests that it means
peace, but great standing army means war,
and sometimes war upon itself. There is,
therefore, danger in France, not merely from
an agitated people, but from a stagnant army.
With M. Olivier and his ministry will rest
the safe conduct of France in situation
which European journals have pronounced
very critical; but not with M. Ollivier's minis
try alone. The Emperor, whom the best of
his parasites have in these days described as
too amiable for his own good ,conceals the re-
mains Of remarkable will under plausible
good nature. M. Olivier has not been called
to act out policy exclusively his own, for it
has been seen that in his defense of certain
electoral frauds, and in other respects, he has
yielded himself to the shaping hand of a mas
ter. His experience is as a leader of debate,
and not as an executive statesman; but in an
ordinary condition of affairs, with bayonets
to guarantee that it shall remain more ordi-
nary than otherwise, no one has questioned
that his parliamentary leadership may be use
full. He has begun with mistake, and
threatened coercion. He has moved the ar
raignment of M. Rochefort, with the certainty
of bringing before France moral issue,
to say the least, which will require his
best parliamentary capacity to handle. The
Emperor assures himself of victory
his bayonets and his Chassepots do
that; and Rochefort is foredoomed to
defeat. Prince Bonaparte is, however, q
hostage in one respect for the vituperative
editor of the MdrseSl9dise, the man who what
ever be the measure of his capacity, hates Ma
poleon IN the name of France. At this moment
M. Olivier has pressed his motion for the ar
raignment of M. Rochefort, and has expressly
staked the existence of his ministry upon his
success Notwithstanding the representations
OF some of the Premier's party associates, M
Rocheforts expulsion from the Corps Legis-
latlf is resolved upon. In what appears to be
superserviceable act, but still perfectly
imperial one, M. Olivier has arrayed his
ministry in determined opposition to the
party of radicalism, a party which represents
no inconsiderable number of the people. He
has thus identified himself more thoroughly
with the empire, and has proposed to himself
doubtful work. How to balance Prince Bo-
naparte's act of murder with M. Rochefort's
yituperation, and how to make the punish
ment OF both satisfactory to the people, is a
difficult task, and perhaps an impossible one.
Yet with the help of Chassepots and bayonets
nj. Olivier may prove more than ordinary
statesman, and manage to postpone M. Roche
tort till more evil day. $1,000 a .ti, =
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE INDIANS.