New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-20
FRENCH POLITICS.
THE FUSION MOVEMENT.

PART-A NEW ENEMY OF REPUBIICANIsM.
lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUyE.l
PARIS, Aug. 20.-The tone of the Bonapartists
grows more angry and querulOns, of the Republicans
more anxious, of the Fusionists more confident.
The parade manifestation on Assumption Day at
Chiselhurst, with its representative Populations
from France and its political pety in the chapel its
throne speech from Napoleon ". the greensward,
and the rest of its carefully prepared mise
failure and has no echo in the country. The
words of one Napoleonic able abroad don't weigh
against the united clerical party at home-though
the little attempt connect the of the Church
with that of the Sedan dynasty is noteworthy, as is
also that passage in NJ Rouhers speech, extempor-
lied by the young pretender that declares as I'M
quafedly for the national revolutionary Tricolor as
the Frohsdorf pretender uniformly has declared for
the family Bourbon white flag against that striped
symbol of the Revolution" One of the chief obsta-
Giles to the fusion of the royaist parties and their
chances of success under the Count de Chambord
lies just in his persistence. You remember how abb
solute and exclusive his declarations were in his
famous manifesto of July 5, 1871. The sole sacri-
flee cannot make for France" he said, is that of
my honor. will not let be torn from my hands the
standard of Henry ~. and of Francis l. will fear
lessy intTust II to the vaor of army received
it as a sacred deposit from the old King, my grand
father dying in exile it has always for me been in
separabe from the memory of the absent country
it loated over my cradle, and would have it shade
my tomb. In ITS glorious, spotless folds will bring
you order and liberty. Henry V. cannot abandon
the white flag of Henry ~"
Later when one of the few Orleanst prelates of
France, Bishop Dupanloup, vainly then working for
a Fusion, urged the Count dc Chambord to some
partial and moderate sacrifice of his personal opin-
ha ta1 nd izpl Sub
the Manifesto and in respect of the flag wrote
infer from your illusions that, in the first rank OF
the sacrifices regarded by YOu as indispensable to
meet the wishes of the country, you place that OF
the flag That is a pretext invented by those who
while admitting the necessity of a return to the
traditional monarchy, desire at least to preserve
this symbol of the Revolution" Immediately he
added, with almost witty allusiOn to the fiery
Bishops withdrawal from the Academy on
the occasion of the election of Littre: France
is not so dead to the sentiment of honor,
and would no more comprehend the head
of the House of Bourbon renOuncng the
standard of Agiers conquered in the last year OF
Charles Y. than it would have comprehended the
Bishop of Orleans cOnsentng to sit in the French
Academy in company with atheists and Skeptlcs
This was written but six months ago, Feb 9. 1913.
II is well enough to remark here, in the historical
v,
less comprehensive ease IN the French Academy in
company with ste. Beuve and one OF two equally
skeptical fellow members; that Henry ". did not
renounce the white flag because in his time there
was no call to do So but did renounce his religion
for the sake of rening over Paris and France that
Louis XVI certainly did, under stress wear revo-
ntionary cockades and even caps of liberty. and
swore 10 Constitutions and sent circulars to foreign
ambassadors TO saw that he swOre Voluntarily
The Fusionists now omit these declarations re-
parding the flag, and equally positive declara-
tions on several other points, formerly published by
the Count dc Chambord, but take notable pains to
circulate such select and elegant extracts from his
numerous letters and manfestOes as express liberal
sentiments in an indefinite, sentimental way. Mean
while the clevcrest managers of the Fusion intrigue
are busy some here and others mission to Frohs-
dorff to induce him to that sacriiicial yielding re-
commended aforetime by the Orleanist Bishop of
Orleans with such arguments as these Gould not
Won stoop a little. most Royal Hghness The nation
will not have the White Flag nor hardly the army.
Virtually il will be the sign by which Republicans
and Bonapartists will conquer you and us. Suppose
Won fused it, in shape of white crdudte or tassels
only and perhaps a slight sprDkling of tleur de
Lys with the Revolutionary Symbol. You see, your
Majesty would to Heaven common sense and the
interest of directing classes you did see that the
people you want to reign over, whom You have not
seen since you ten years old, canuot be brought
back TO loyalty or military step under the white
wlndng-sheet of your respected grandpapa"
VIII the pretendant yield to such representations
Is he as honest, obstinate and impracticabe as he
has had the credit of bengi Seeing what his tenn
perament and education in exile have been, and
that so far as he may see all the yielding yet has
been in the Orleanist branch. will he not rather
stifien himself in exactiOni Or again, seeing what
his religious education and educators have been and
are NAV not Jesuitic salves for the stings OF his
conscience be so applied TO enable him not TO
renounce the White Flag in petiO but to LEI the
wicked for temporary and prOvidential purposes
ostensibly hang out the other symbol such
are the questions, and among the most
serious questiOns-by many held to be vital-that
are agitated to-day in France. Nor, however SAD
is the case and seeming pitful they slight ones
if we consider the deep and manifold significance
of symbols to the sons of men. Americans, whose
memories 90 back 80 far as 10 years, may APP
preciate the value of "colOred rag" Another
profounder and more complex question is, to what
extent Henry V. will or will be permitted to
modify interpretations of his frequently as alb
solutely, publicly affirmed politco-religious opln-
ions in the foreign and domestic policy of French
Government.
What was said by latterly half-listened to coun-
selor of the Count de Chambord's unlucky grand
uncle, who, had be lived, might possibly, with AID
of Marie Antoinette have saved her helpless hns-
band, and changed the mask of history, remains
always true: I'm JdcObn mi,ristre ne serait pas uH
ministre Jacobin. Gambetta in power would be
what indeed he essentially is-conseryative The
Count de Chambord on the throne would not IN
stantly apply to practical policy the ayowed prInc
pies of Henry " in pdrtibas That of course he could
not. But he would yet less take counsel for the
conduct of his relations with the Pope and the KING
of Italy from Gambetta. Historical antecedents III
his case. for this matter would like the historical