The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-09
SPIRIT or THn PR1ss.
editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current opicS - implied Every
0sy for the Evening Telegraph.
FRANCE AT THE POLLS.

fRANOE AL IHE PULLS.
From the NJ Y. Tribune.
If Count Bismarck has not at the last mo-
ment interfered to postpone the elections,
yesterday witnessed the most important event
of the war. Upon the result of the polling
hang consequences vastly more mo-
mentous than upon any possible battle Ii
the Republicans stand firmly by their colors
and send to the Assembly at Bordeaux ma
iority of Deputies pledgedto the maintenance
of freedom, and prepared to make those sacrl-
fees of national susceptibility which are abso-
lutely required by the circumstances of the
hour, they will win for France victory more
glorious and more enduring in its conse-
quences than any won by the great Consul
with the invincible armies of the first repub-
lie. But if, on the other hand the apathy
or the dissensions of those who love liberty
less than their own conceits should throw the
nation once more into the dishonoring em-
brace of the men who have corrupted and de-
stroyed it for q score of years. the disaster of
Waterloo and the infamy of Sedan will not
be comparable to the disgrace of yesterdays
business.
1t would be rash to make any predictions
in view of the confusion and hurry OF the
short week given to preparation for canvass
80 important. Everything has worked
together against the republic. The uufor-
tunate escapade of Gambetta seemed likely
for q moment to make shipwreck of the Libe-
raj cause. The Cabinet at Versailles APP
peared inclined to make it a cause for
interfering with the elections on the
ground that, with NJ. Gambettas disquali-
flying provisions, they could not be free.
But the mischief has now been remedied so
far as was in the power of the Govern
ment of National Defense NM. Pelletan,
Arago, and Garnier- Pages have arrived in
Bordeaux, and have issued instructions to
the projects disavowing the disfranchising
circular of Gambetta, aud ordering the strict
observance of the decree of the 31st of
January, providing for the free exercise of
universal suffrage. The country will there
fore be spared the disaster of an actual con-
flict of authority on election day; but it is
not to be hoped that the republican cause
can entirely escape the consequences of this
useless and ill-advised act of insubordination.
The old spirit of violence and intolerance
which has before proved SO dangerous and
difficult to manage is again showing itself
in Paris. The Government is arraigned for
cowardice by public speakers who ha 70 not
vet gotten the color back into their faces,
bleached by the air of cellars during the
siege. One orator is reported as clamoring
for a Robespierre and guillotine as the spe-
cifc for present troubles. The wise and in
corruptible men who have fought losing
fight with admirable courage and discretion
are denounced in mass meeting by that cow
ardly epithet of ''traitor"-so easy to launch
and SO hard to disprove. The radical clubs
put forward as their favorite candidates such
impracticable dreamers as Hugo aud Rollin,
such narrow controversialists as Blanc and
Brussac, such brilliant madcaps as Pyat and
Rochefort. The first dawn of peace seems to
have emboldened them to clamor for con-
tinued war.
The old parties are working with less noise
but the greatest energy. The leading minds
in the select and respectable Orleans party
have announced their candidature in favorable
quarters, and will doubtless elect members
enough to make fair basis of operations in
the Assembly. The adherents of the Empire,
feeling this their last opportunity for plunder
and power will make final effort to restore
their fallen chief, and it is probable that the
unhappy quarrels of the last week will have
been of great assistance to them. Even the
devotees of the ancient monarchy, those high
born curiosities who every year left their
palaces to go in pilgrimage to Frohsdorf to
kiss the hand of Henry of Bourbon, have
come out of the twilight of the middle ages
to stand as candidates to democratic As
sembly where they hope to plead the cause of
feudalism and divine right.
The telegraph brings us one significant
piece of news which would be of interest to
those insane patriots who are now brawling
against Favre and Trochu in Paris. The
Prussians have stopped several conveys of
provisions which were on their way to the
city. This would indicate that if the result of
the elections should be the triumph of the
extreme war party, Count Bismarck would not
wait for the assembling of the convention at
Bordeaux, but would shut thu gates of the
capital and accept at once the war the Pari-
slams offer. 1t does not need the thought of
the long vista of suffering which such a con-
tingency at once opens, to induce all thinking
people to pray that the long tried and harried
masses of France have given the votes that
will bring to them liberty and peace.
WHY DOES NOT MIR. BOUTWELL,