, 1873-12-21
FlOttings in the National Assembly for
q Restoration Of tho
D0urbOns.
The Count do Ohambord's Famous
Letter, and It's Effect,
uaemahon Placed in Power as . Tool Of tho
Monarchists and Clergy,
Franco Not n Republic Now, and
Never Has Been.

war with the Germans; aftor Louis Napoleon
vaa dothroned and prisoner in Germany, and
tho Empress M oxiloin Engnnd after 1aris had
cApitulnted, md Dazaino surrendered his army
at Motz; aftor ono-ha1f Of tho country was In
nctual possession Of tho invader, and all resist
ance had coaacd, md poor Franco lay, bruised,
bloody, and hhlf-dead ut tho feet CT tho " Al(o-
magne,"
NO NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
remained III existence to whom tho yictors could
dictate tho terms Of peace. France had not
only succumbod but ler National Government
WAS extinct. Even the various Committees Of
National Defense wore dissolved, and tho 1nem-
bers fugitivca. The grand army lad disbandea,
and every man had iod to his own tent. Tho
1and was given up to the spoiler, and to tho an-
archy mud p1untlor Of the Commune. In this
crisis Of affairs, Bismarck stated TO Thiors, Jules
Fnvre, tho Duke do Brog1io, saycB and other
prominent Frenchmen, that, boforo terms Of
poacd could bo proposed, 1t waa necessary to
CREATE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
with authority to accept conditions and bind
France to their fulallmont. The Cor
mans Ind an elephant on their hands.
Tho nations OF Europe would not permit
them to reduce Franco to tho condition OF Il con-
quorod province, to bo ruled US q colony OF Ger
many; aud there WIS no legal Government In
existence with which to treat. Tho only solu-
ton Of tho situation WAS to i1nproyise Govern
ment, and compel 1t to sign, iu the namo and
bohaff Of Franco, whatever terms tho conQueror
might dictate.
With this purpose in view, Bismarck granted
an artnistico and acting through tho name of
Thiers and other leading Fronchmon, issued IN
order for the holding Of an election Oh the 9Th
ef February, 1871. to elect 7s0 mombors Of
AN ASSEMBLY,
OF Parliament; this body to have both
constitutional and Legislative powers, and
to consist Of but ono branch. Bis
narck authorized elections to be hold in all
tho provinces and citios occupied by tho German
army, including AIsaco and Lorraino, which
elected and sent to this Provisional Assembly
thirty members, who took their scats acted and
voted. until after these departments wore torn
from Trance aud thrust into tho embrace Of
Germany, IN disregard Of tho tears aud protcs.a-
tions, not only Of tho people thereof, but Of all
Francs besides. It was the mont shocking case
Q. international rapo ever committed III modern
times. But there WIS no help for it. Tho will
of the conquoror waB law and must bo obeycd.
This Provisional Parliament WAS elected for
NO spEc1F1o LENGTH or TINE.
10 term Of Office WAS fixed in tho mandate for
their appointment. The universal understand
ing waHt however, that, aB BOOB aR tcrns Of
peace were concluded md 1nw aud order re-
established, tho finances restored and tho Cor
man indemnity provided for, and some form Of
Provisional Government erected for the en-
1orcemont Of the laws and preservation Of do
nestle peace, this emergency Legislative Cham
should be dissolved, and regular Corps
ogelatif bo elected by the constituencies for
h defined term Of office.
When the people came to make choice Of dol
egates, thoy SOLICITED those persons who had
been opposed originally to the declaration OF war
ngainst the Prussiaus. Tho caucus-commit-
tecg put in nomination men who were supposed
to be
LEAST OBNOXIOUS TO TEE coNouEnon.
PerHous OF Communicate sentimenta werc cnro-
fully excluded meu OF radical opinions yoro,
BY far az possible, left out Donapartista wore
vigorously ignoredi politicians OF oxtrono views
wore rejected and mon OF wealth, social stand
ing, mud personal responsibility were sought
for The Instructive feeling Of tho country vas,
that easier terms could DO obtained from Biz
marcl aud tho German Court by Conservative
body OF ropresontatve who were opposed both
TO the - Empire" and to the Democracy, than
bya body which really reflected the yowa and
opinions Of the French people on political ques-
tlons: Tho French hoad was in the tigers
mouth, and the most Important question was
bow to get it out. Tho coustituom2icH, therefore,
n d a mo1 f. b. for
wore actually Bourbons, aud in favor neither Of
Of the
nEsTonAT1oN OF THE Old BOURBON DYNASTY.
Rs represented ut present in the person Of Count
de Ohnmbord, aud, after luis deatl, by tile Count
10 pariB, Of the OrleaniBt branch Of the Dour-
honB.
This body Of Deputies, elected for au emer-
E::s~5T.7sz'd aelectcd parposofy to misrcpresent
tho real sentiments Of Franco but to he accept-
Rbo to the Gerrnan nutocracy, assembled at first
In bordeaux afterwards returning to .Versailes)
early in the spring Of 1871. nnd
APPOINTED Theirs TEMPORARY PRESIDENT,
or rather Chairman, Of tho nation, with uu-
defined powers: He retained bis soat III tho
body, and acted as sort Of Prime Minister.
uo and Jules Fayre entered into negotiations
with Bismarck for terms Of evacuation, obtained
The best from him that he would col,ccde, re-
turned to tho Adshmbly, and had them ratified
by that body. A national subscription was
H." which was throe or four times moro % than
enough to reimburse the Germans for all their
expenses.
Tho appeal to tho nation was auccessful, tho
money yaA subscribed, mud tho first nHtallmeut
promptly paid; whoreupon Db.masck md tho
bulk Of lia army nlurched homo in triumph. uo
had hardly crossed tile border before all intrigue
was set on foot to-
RESTORE THE nounl.oSs
to the throne Of france. TlierB pronounced in
behalf Of i Conservative Rspu6lc as tho only
form Of government tho French people would
Slllingly endure; wherenlmn tho Royalists i'll
the Chamber began TO nuke Sar OH linn, and
throw obatructione III his Way at oVery stop. Lie
threatened several times to resign; after which
HEY would let up little i'll their hos
ality,, "a ho could not yet 10
.gaped from TIE public lelna,7hla great
Renaaple. But, % soou az 1o had fairly restored
she finances, md brought thu revenues up to MI
M saulbs!um y, with the expenditures, aud hud paid
on ant al t te German tue except the !ast Install