The New York herald., 1870-04-07
Tho Crswnins or the Edioce in Frances.
Liberty and tho IrrecsncilabIes.

~~~ s~O AETocVucheUtOss
france Is on the eve Of another grand excite
ment, snd Napoleon is on the eve Of another
great victory. Since lS5s-in other words,
since the coup Gssas, Of which, in our judg-
ment, tho less said tue better-Napoleon the
Third has been steadily leading the French
people upward and onward 10 the full enjoy
ment of political rights and privileges. During
these eighteen years he has governed France
wisely and we'll. He has given her peace and
prosperity at home; he has added to the
glory of her arms; he has made her
mighty among the nations. Forty millions
Of people have trusted him, nor has he
betrayed that trust. Looking forward to
the time when he could no longer
be with them, and seeing himself the
dangers of personal government in incompe-
tent hands. he has gradually been yielding up
to France what France entrusted to his care.
He has restored to her with limited power
her two houses Of Parliament. In proportion
as the people aud the Deputies gave evidence
that they were becoming used to self-govern-
ment he extended the area Of parliamentary
privilege. Recently he felt encouraged to
take another and most important step forward.
With Senate and lower house, and with
discussion mora or less free in both houses, he
had still remained his own Prime Minister. In
other words, he had not given up the supreme
authority which France had placed in his
hands. Believing that the time had come
when he could safely share the burdens of State
with responsible Ministers he yielded to popu-
lar demand and appointed Ministers who should
rule France, subject to the will Of the major
ity. That these rapidly succeeding concessions
have worked Ill no one who Is familiar with
French affairs dare affirm. Il has all along
been manifest, however, that responsible Min
istry in France could not be a success, unless
the legislative privileges of the lower and the
upper house werc more nearly equalized- As
it was, the Senate had too much power, the
Corps Legislatif too little. 1t is now the EN-
perors intention to remove this defect from
the parliamentary machine, and to make the
Parliament Of France more like the Parlia-
ment of Great Britain or the United States
Congress than il now is. From the very ma
ture of things 1t cannot be made absolutely
like either; but 1t is not impossible to ap-
proximate it to the exeellences of both.
1t is necessary, however, that there
should be some qualifications. Hence the
presumption that the Emperor will issue
proclamation embodying his new reform, and
that Immediately thereafter he will dissolve
the Chambers and make fresh and perhaps
flual appeal to the French people. That the
proclamation will beget excitement, and that
the excitement will become intense during the
elections, no one can doubt; but that France
will be jubilant at the actual crowning Of the
edifce, and that the response will come up to
the Emperors high expectations, are already
foregone conclusions. The ''irreconcilables"
are indignant that the copestOne is to be
added to the building rather in spite Of them
than with their help. Their Indignation, We
may rest assured, will MOI be grain in the
balance.