Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1872-02-25

enginery for the control Of the SOW
erign as the English Parliament
could apply, down to the time of
Louis Kill And there was a time
when it seemed as if Professionalism
was quite as likely to prevail against
Catholicism in France as in Eng
land. All these struggles of pro-
tests, however, yielded slowly to the
gradual aggrandizement Of the royal
function, through the humiliation Of
the mobiles, begun by the policy Of
Charles XII-thence called the
Wise!-and of Louis XI, carried OF
by the astute villainy Of Richelieu
and Eazarin, and completed by the
resolute will of Louis XIV, acting
on a state of affairs and of opinions
thus prepared to his hand.
Thus the French nation has
grown up and been educated for
centuries into a sense of dependence
on some one man-king, consul,
emperor, or president; and what it
wants now is, the man for the hour.
Mr. Theirs answers for transi-
tional moment, and as long as he
lives and retains his place there is a
feeling Of the relief which arises
from the putting off Of an evil day.
France is in the condition of a ship
driven of the winds and tossed, with
only one man capable of holding
the helm, and he past the appointed
years of human life. The crew were
in CONSERVATION when, in a pet, he
left the wheel, and threatened to
leave the ship of state to the mercy
of the winds and waves of faction
and anarchy. A republic cannot be
made by resolution, or the ingrained
habits of q nation worked out of it
by the adoption of a constitution.
Republics and monarchies are not
made, they grow; and the first con-
dition of republic is that there
should be republicans, as it is of q
monarchy that there should be will
ing subjects. Seif-control is the
essential element of free govern
ment; and this is a quality which is
developed in an in lividual only by
careful education, and in a nation
by institutions which have formed
its character through generations 1t
is this which makes the American
people capable Of governing them
selves. When a question has been
submitted to a vote, and it is decid-
ed by ever so small majority, one
way or the other, the minority sub
mits without resistance, and waits
for another trial. This is what
seems impossible to the Latin races,
and notably to the French. Their
idea of a republic seems to be that
it is the right of the minority to un-
seat the majority by any means,
and get into the saddle themselves.
No institutions since tile downfall
of the old monarchy have lasted
long enough to incorporate them
selves with the life of the nation.
The recent demonstrations at Yer
sailles are proof of this truth. What
the French need is, Man, for they
cannot get along without one, as we
have often made shift to do and
the whole course of their history for
the past eighty years has been cal
culated-we might almost say has
been directed-to hinder one from
being made. 1t is this which GRE
ates the danger Of Bonaparte's
being recalled, impossible as such
disgrace seemed SO lately. We trust
the world may be spared this dis.
graceful example but, Bonaparte,
or Orleans, or MacMahon, the Re-
public of France, if it retain the
name, will be the virtual autocracy
of one man for years to come. The
greatest blessing he can confer OF
his people will be to teach then
how to do without him.-Independ'