The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-25
NEW YORK HERALD SATURDAY MAY z5 1S72-rRIPLE SHEET

OAGUx LIE
at work to influence Senatorial action towards
agreeing to the proposition in sufficient
strength to warrant further action. Under
the constitution Of the United States the rati-
hcation OF treaty requires the concurrence
OF two-thirds of the Senators, and although
the merely recommendatory resolution which
has been before the Senate in executive ses-
sion for the last two days requires only bare
majority to sustain it, the President will give up
the supplemental article, and the treaty with it,
unless it obtains the two-thirds vote necessary
to a future ratification. The amendments
which the article has undergone in the Foreign
Relations Committee and since in the Senate
although understood only to wrap the iron of
capitulation to England in American wool,
will, if the resolution passes, as Gladstone and
Fish desire, need further approval by the
British government which, however, is not
likely to object to the padding. So that if the
Senate hoists the English flag in this matter it
will probably need at least months further
delay before the representatives Of the two gov
ernments can finally sign it and it can again
be submitted to the Senate for ratification.
This would entail, in view of the present pros
poets of adjournment, special executive ses-
sion of tho Senate for the ratification.
Political Parties In Francc-The Emu
peror's Letter and tho Prospect for
the Republic.
TI,a IA, toe how taIra
the last few days in the French Assembly
have lent fresh interest to the present situation
and the immediate future of the French people,
The incisive and exhaustive speech OF M.
Audiffret- Pasquier on the condition Of the
French army when the war broke out, and the
sweeping and well sustained charges brought
by him against the Count Palikao and the
other army officials under the empire, COM
PEELED M. Rouher to mount the tribune and
say what he could say in defence of his former
associates, and Of their common master, the
now exiled Emperor. M. Pasquier's speech
was splendid oratorical triumph; so, 1t
would appear, was M. Rouher's. It did seem,
from the applause Of the Assembly when M.
Rouher had concluded his speech, as if the
friends Of the empire were numerous
and the cause of the empire was
strong The replies which followed,
and the remarks of the press on the subse-
quent day, revealed the situation. NJ. Pas
quier replied with cutting severity, and
amid on excitement which has had no parallel
in the history of the present Assembly, he called
on the empire, in the language Of ancient Rome,
"to restore to France her legions, her prov
inces and her glory" NJ. Rouher followed
with vigor; but his two hours speech was
complete failure. 1t is not wonderful
that the Paris journals should have with
singular unanimity declared that the debates
of Tuesday and Wednesday inflicted serious
blow on the prospects Of those who look for
the restoration OF the empire. The remark of
the Journal des Debdts, that the result of the
debate was 50 Parliamentary Sedan" will pass
as we'll chosen phrase into history
The letter addressed by the ex-Emperor to
the generals and commandments of the French
army, and which we print in another column
of this mornings HERALD, shows that Napo-
leon himself is keenly alive to the gravity Of
the situation. 1t is the first emphatic utter
ance which we have had from the Emperor
since his unfortunate fall. 81 alone" he says,
sam responsible for Sedan" Fourteen thou
sand men had been killed, and he deemed it
hoist the flag Of truce 'It was not possible"
he adds, "that the immolation of sixty thou
sand men could save France" '.My heart
was broken" he concludes ''but my con-
science was tranquil After what has been
said in the Assembly, after what has been said
and done by the Committee on Capitulation,
and in view Of the approaching trials
of his most trusted generals it may have
been difficult for the Emperor longer
to keep silence; but we question very
much whether his letter will make any
radical change in the public sentiment.
1t was one of the weaknesses Of the ex-Em-
peror that he always dreaded inquiry. His
great object was to preserve mystery in regard
to all affairs of State His constant fear was
q fear of exposure. The empire was success
so long as there was no Parliament. The
empire was doomed from the commencement
of the Parliamentary regime No despotism
can flourish under the vigilant eye Of
a public which is allowed to hold and express
an opinion. 1t is quite manifest now that the
French people have discovered that the empire
was less necessity to them than they were q
necessity to the empire. The spell which
bound them for twenty years is broken, and
the chances for the restoration of the empire,
which had already become exceedingly small,
have been rendered by the recent debates
beautifully less.
We are not yet permitted to say that the
various political parties into which the French