New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-07
time-honored monarchical system under which

time-honored monarchical system under which
France reached the summit CT power and
splendor, and this year they were forbidden
to celebrate the anniversary of the day they
broke the yoke of the most corrupt despotism
Of the century. They have not yet learned
that leniency is one of the chief distinctive
features of republic; more than year and
a half have gone by since the insurrection OF
the Commune, and there is no indication that
the spirit which prompted it, is at all RAM
pant yet the trials and convictions of those
ill-guided victims of fanatcism are followed
up with relentless consistency, and hardly
few days ago some more legal murders were
added, at Satory, to the long roll which have
ever since shocked the feelings of the lepub-
| lcans of all countries. The liberty of the
press is merely nominal, thanks to odious
laws, the remnant of Napoleonic rule, and
even nobility, though reduced to An empty
| title, has thus far been allowed to stand.
Dukes, Counts, and the like still parade the
hollow remnants of by-gone abuses, as if it
were to protest against equality. Can it be
wondered at when monarchists of all shades,
the adherents of Louis Philippe, of the Count
of Chambord and of Napoleon will not give
up the hopes which are founded on the al
legged and seeming prediction of the peo-
pie for the outside splendor of monarchical
institutions
Yet to the French more than to any other
people, the nations Of Europe are indebted
for their political progress. Through their
6 81,
plete, radical, and sweeping change whose
results the combined efforts of kings and
priests have been powerless to counteract,
and the latter part of the eighteenth century
marks the beginning of anew era. The revo-
luton in the sphere of ideas was by far more
radical than even the political earthquake
which shook the world, and an entirely new
and higher standard in the conception of
human and popular rights and religious lib
erty was its result. 1t is true that these
same ideas had before that time been en-
bodied in our own institutions, but owing to
the distance, then much greater on account
of imperfect communication, the inherent
power of the electric spark was neutralized.
1t had to be rekindled in the heart of civil
lied Europe, and from there it was trans
mitted to all. France became the compass
that pointed the way, and while her people
in this gigantic struggle, had to so through
unprecedented horrors, Others derived the
benefit in degree Of liberty and security
previously unknown to them.
Strange, however, that never afterwards
did the masses of the French people come up
to the standard of republicanism which they
themselves had formerly raised. They have
had three more revolutions, and are now at
their third republic, without however enjoy
ing degree of freedom at all superior to that
which is the share of any tolerably liberal
constitutional monarchy. To be sure, they
love liberty and the republic; they are even
enthusiastic over it, but only in general way,
without a clear perception of the true princi
Piles of republicanism, and consequently fail,
as soon as they are put to the test to embody
them in their institutions. If the rumor that
Mr.. Theirs is to be made President for life,
should turn out true, it would furnish another
strong evidence of their misconceptions about
the very foundations of republican govern
ment, and it seems almost incomprehensible
that out of desire to avoid and prevent great
connections, they should virtually invite rev.
olution, by making il impossible for the peo-
pie to effect a change of administration in
lawful and peaceable way.