The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-02-03
lonalosonbllle Cbltf.
A POuting President.

Mr.. Theirs would seem to be enter
ing his second and final childhood, If
we are to Judge by the report of his
extraordinary proceedings of the last
few days. As soon as the Chamber
had rejected Mr.. Pouyer-Quertier's
bill for the tariff on raw material, the
President sent in his resignation and
those of the other members OF his cab
met. This act showed clearly enough
that the suspicion was just which ac-
cused him of being the real author OF
the bill which was introduced by the
Minister of Finance. All the trl-
umphs of his life have not weaned him
from his early life of economical sub
ieets. He still thinks himself the
ablest financier in France, and exer-
cises more controlling personal in
terest in the administration OF the
Ministry of Finance than in that OF
any other branch of the Government.
1t seems, therefore, it was rather
movement of wounded vanity than
any conviction of parliamentary ne
cessity which Occasioned this petu-
liant resignation. Whatever may have
been its motive, its results were prob
ably very gratifying to the veteran
Minister. All parties in the Assembly
and the country seemed stricken with
horror at the prospect of losing the
chief of the Executive power. The
irreverent members who had rejected
the bill made haste to explain that
their votes were to be taken purely
in a financial and not at all in poll
teal sense. All shades Of opinion APP
peared to join i'll the loyal petitions
to the President to stay. The De-
partments sent in their adjuratiOns by
telegraph. And so at last Mr.. Theirs,
who really seems not to have desired
the death of the sinner, but rather
that he should be effectually, soundly
frightened and taught his place, con-
sented to take up again his burden OF
official cares. But he plainly told the
Committee of the Assembly whocame
to him that he could not stand many
more such scenes; that he expected
there would be just such a disagree
ment coming up on other important
questions, especially those of the
Church and the Army. And he wish
ed to warn them now of the risk they
were running in crossing his desires.
1t is to be hoped that this incident
may result IN bringing home to the
people as well as to their legislators
some sense of the danger and insecur-
ity involved in trusting so much in
the hands of any one man. Mr.. Theirs
is at once President of the Republic,
Minister, and Deputy. He assisted
in initiating laws which he is to dis
cuss and vote on, and, if passed, to
execute. Whenever the majority of
the Chamber differ from him on any
leading point, he is confronted by
that practice of free constitutional
government which prescribes resigna-
ton in case of disagreement between
the house and the ministers. Up to
the point when the representatives of
the people agree upon some definite
establishment of the form of govern
ment in France, there are many rea-
sons why there should be no change
of the Chief Executive. But to en-
able Mr.. Theirs to remain where he is
with dignity, and to prevent in future
such unfortunate incidents as those of
last week, the President should lay
down, or at least suffer to fall into
allegiance, his position of legislator
and responsible minister, and confine
himself strictly to his executive duties.
1t seems that some members of the
Chamber have seen the necessity of
thus separating these incongruous
functions, and have projected a bill
providing for this. It cannot be
passed any too soon.-N. I. Tribune.