The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-03-03

THE PRKsEHT AND FUTURE OF FRANCE.
The French Assembly can do no better
thing for France than to ratify the treaty
acoepted9by Rhiefs, Fayret aId the IN
6nltative poIhmisSion!g Although the
cession of territory is .humiliating, it is
inevitable. and tie money demanded,
though exorbitanty would not be likely
to be diminished by the continuance Of
hostilities. The civilized world, as we'll
as France, has reason, as we'll on account
of it's interests as humanity, to desire u
cessation of the bloody struggle which,
for six months, hos been raging in the
heart of Europe, and which is fraught
with increasing danger, as long us it
lasts, to the general peace.
If the National Assembly shall have
the resolution to sustain the action of it's
| accredited representatives. France will
have then to pass through another or
deal, which will excite almost as much
solicitude among those who wish her
we'll rs her determination in regard to
peace with her foreign enemy. The re-
construction of the material interests
ruined by the war will task her highest
statesmanship, but the political problem
is much more difficult of solution. To
form q government which will be able
not only tc !i!. Franco once moro upon
its feet, but to secure such popular
strength as to promise o reasonable de-
gree of stability and freedom, is q task
OF the greatest perplexity. The Ger
mans gone home, France is once more
mistress of her own destiny; md, being
virtually republic, will be Mt liberty to
say whether she will remain so, or
whether she will establish monarchy,
limited and constitutional, or sustain the
empire. Since 1889 three dynasties have
fallen IN France, and three republics
have begun and ended. The monarchy
seems, i'll that country, to lack that ele-
ment of stability which is with many its
distinguishing recommendation. If the
elective system involves fluctuations, the
hereditary system has not prevented
them, even in England, rs in the case of
the Stuarts, nor in France itself, which
three times drove out the Bourbons; nor
elsewhere on the continent, where wars
of succession were substituted for wars
OF election. Rome was governed by the
elective system for $50 years. The late
Emperor contended that tho word ere
public" Is not designation IF princi-
Piles, because it does not always guaran-
tee liberty and equality, but simply n
form of government, the government of
many, which may be the worst of all
tyrannies, because it is easier to throw
off the yoke of one despot than of u
multitude. It is no doubt true that
republic may be despotism, but France
has never yet given it q trial under favor
able circumstances, while, on the other
hand, she has found out of late the
worthlessness of imperial institutions
It may be that her people are not yet
prepared for self-government, but it is
none the less pitiable in Republican eyes
to see the prompt aud energetic thrust
ing of imperial and royalist pretensions
upon public notice, while France is sus-
pended between life end death, and
bleeding at every pore. The buzzards
of Bourbons and Bonapartes might at
least wait till it is ascertained whether
the body is alive or dead before they pre-
pare to roost upon the carcass and feed
upon the flesh. It is to be hoped that
sons Of adversely which she has under
gone. It was from on even moro pro-
found humiliation, succeeding the battle
of Jena, that Prussia was schooled to the
policy which has resulted in her present
strength. AS to the form of govern
ment, q strong central authority may be
necessary to the preservation Of proper
ty. but this might be retained under Re-
publican forms. The very name of o
French Republic would exert whole
some influence upon absolutism in Eu-
rope, and especially in Germany, whose
intelligent and ndependence-loving peo-
pie are probably more capable of self
government than any other race on the
continent. The noblest revenge which
France could take upon Germany would
be, by the influence of Republican insti-
tutions, to bring about the larger liberty
of the German people.-Bdltimore San.
| FUNERAL ADvERTIsING.-The Chicago
Posi- says:
"At o recent funeral in Des Moines,
Iowa, the minister, after somo pathetic
remarks, inquired if any dear friend of
the deceased wished to say anything on