The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-28
Frapcc-Tho Bourbon Programne-Thc Pros
pccss Of the Rival Parties.

is about to lapse into monarchy. Pity 1t
should be so. But, after all, monarchy,
limited by certain constitutional forms and
requirements. might be found more comforta-
BILE than the anomalous thing which President
Theirs persists in calling republic. For
time we did hope that France would give
proof that all her past lessons had not been in
vain; that she would not recommence swing
ing around the barren circle but. facts being
as they are, we have no choice but to admit
that the old folly is about to be repeated, and
that the last legitimate chief of the House of
Bourbon man who knows nothing Of France
or Frenchmen except what every other sensl-
BILE foreigner knows, man who believes in
the divine right of kings as truly as he
believes in his own existerce-is about to be
restored to the throne and halls of his ances-
tors A pretty ending, certainly, to this pro-
tracted struggle, and sorrowful illustration
of the pith and purpose Of the most hopeful
of the Latin nations. But if France wishes
| it, and will have it, 1t is not our business so
far as France herself is concerned, to find
| fault.
| 1t is quite clear, We think, that after the
| supplementary elections are over there will be
no good reason to defer the PRONUNCIATION Of
| new constitution and the offering of the throne
| in the first instance to the Count de Cham
bord, and in the second instance to the Count
| de Paris, should the legitimist chief find the
conditions Of the offer inconsistent with his
Il. IL
dispatches we find that this substantially is
the Bourbon programme. The Due d'Aumale
| and the Count de Paris are, it is said, with
their royal kinsman at Frohsdorff waiting the
result of the elections on Sunday next and the
| consequent action of the Assembly. The two
heads of the Bourbon family are so far agreed
that if France decides in favor of monarchy
the throne must first be offered to the legti-
mist chief. 1t does not appear, however, that
the Count de Paris is bound to abandon any
of the traditions of his family. Divine right
was no part of the creed of Louis Philippe,
and the chief Of the House of Orleans to- day
seems to be quite willing to reign, like his
grandsre, as King of the French. 1t is quite
possible that the Count de Chambord may
mount the throne of France as Henry Fifth,
King by the grace of God. 1t is not impossi-
BILE that the Count de Paris may
succeed to power and reign as
Louis Philippe the Second, King by the
will of the French people. We believe
that the friends of monarchy in France are
perfectly well aware that the Count de Cham
bord resolutely refuses to abandon any of the
divine right ideas. Rather than take the
lower platform accepted by the younger
branch, he prefers to die as he has lived,
King of France by the will Of Heaven, al
though despoiled of his rights.
There are some who think that the re-
establishment Of the monarchy is by no means
certain. The republican sentiment, it is said,
is strong in France. 1t requires only to be
properly represented, skilfully brought out
and wisely directed If President Theirs is
willing he can place the republic on strong
and solid basis. There are others, again, who
are Of opinion that the sentiment in favor Of
the empire and the restoration of the Bona
parties is the strongest sentiment throughout
France to-day, and that fair national vote
would bring back Napoleon or regency in
the interest of his son. The Emperor, it is
said, is beloved, in spite of all his misfortunes,
by the French peasantry, and if they only had
the opportunity they would give fresh proof
that Sedan, disastrous and humiliating as it
was. is, if not forgotten, at least forgiven. We
do not say that either of those parties reason
wrongly. That the republican sentiment is
strong in France to-day is undeniable. When,
| indeed since 1889, was it not strong? 1t
was the republic which made the First Ma
| poleon; but it made, alas although it did
| not see it and does not see tits
| own destroyer. 1t trusted and was be-
trayed II was the republic which drove
| Charles X. from his throne in 1880, although
it foolishly compromised itself by accepting
a citizen king. II was the republic which
sent Louis Philippe into exile in 1913,
although French instability OF purpose
revealed itself by yielding to the magic of
glorious name. The republic forced Napo-
leon III. into the pathway Of reform, forced
him into ruinous war, drove him into exile {;
and in these last nine months it has revealed
no lack Of power. That the republic is not
| dead we know; but this we also know and
must admit-the republic, from some inherent
| weakness in the French character, is once
more losing its opportunity. In regard to the
reasoning of the friends of the empire it is
enough to say that the army which, although
it could not drive away the Prussians, saved
France from the Commune, is Bonapartist
almost to man. But republicans and Bona
parsists reason badly in present circum-
stances, because they do not give sufficient
prominence to the fact that the Assembly,
which has the destiny of France in its hands,
is at least two-thirds monarchical. The sup
Elementary elections of Sunday next will not