The New York herald., 1873-11-11
The Situation m rranee-A Contrast
and . Lesson.


alton in France by . careful reading of the
letters from our correspondent in Paris printed
elsewhere. 1t is amusing sometimes to read
''the predictions of fortnight since, antici-
pated, as they generally are, by telegraph.
We can only come to full understand
ing of the dispatches we have by the
cable from day to day in reference 70
French affairs by reading the views OF gliteu
men like our correspondent written at .ne
time under the impulse of events, and IN the
excitement attending one Of the most extraor-
| dinary political struggles in the history OF
| France.
Our correspondent makes one point clearly,
which has no doubt occurred to the minds OF
MANY of our readers 'sWin the American
reader" he says, ''try to picture the condi-
ton of New York if Congress were going to
meet at Washington on the Sd of November,
to determine whether the Republic should
continue in existence and it, furthermore
this Congress had received no powers from its
constituents to determine any question OF the
kind, but were acting of its own good pleasure
in direct defiance of the popular will2 Tumult
riot, evaporation are certainly mild words to
describe what would be the state of matters
and, indeed, the supposiion will best be met
by saying that no situation like this is possi-
BILE in America, or conceivable When our
people are disposed to criticise the
French, as, indeed, they generally are,
for the absence of those qualities of
which, as Americans, we are SO proud.
it will be well to remember the situation so
aptly put by our correspondent When we
censure the French for their disposition to re-
bel we ought to remember what provocations
they receive, and especially what we should
be apt to do ourselves if similarly provoked.
The true cause of French revolutions, and,
in fact, of revolutions generally, is to be
found in precisely such conditions of affairs as
we have seen in France since the beginning
of this monarchical conspiracy. Nothing in
the history of France, not even In that OF
the Bonapartes-and for the purposes of our
citation no history could be worse-can sur
pass the treachery, the persistent defiance of
public opinion, the craving lust for power
shown by the friends of the Count de Cham
bord. A year ago, and he exhibiteda stern and
Incorporating virtue. the highest quality
of manhood. and bringing respect and honor
to the unworthy name of Bourbon. The
world regarded him as one who would rather
be gentleman and Christian than king.
He put away the crown when it was within
his reach for q sentiment which all men
respected even when they did not share it
But ambition has shown that the Count de-
Chambord is only o Bourbon after ALL and
to-day, instead of being honored with those
ideal kings of the early and austere times, he
is seen to be simple Bourbon of the stamp
of Charles TX. and Louis XI
Our correspondent leaves us nothing 10 say
in illustration Of the situation in France from
a French point OF view; but there are some
considerations that should not be forgotten.
nation like France is in its application to our
selves. We are told, in brilliant graphic
STYLE of the march of events that has brought
| on the present crisis. We observe in France
the deadening of tone which comes from
illegal actions in high places. We see the
effect upon the people of disregard for law
by those who have sworn to maintain the
laws. nation easily moved and prone to
passion remains torpid under the pressure Of
events that we believe-or, at least, hope
would drive the States of America into re-
bellion. France is not what we have seen
her SO many times during the last
seventy years because of any sud-
den impulse of her people. Liberty
has been constantly attacked by the
most powerful influences in the State the
aristocracy, the Church, the rich middle
class, the army, or, at least, those of the army
who make war a profession. Sometimes the
attack comes in one shape, again in another.
We have seen it by reasonable intercourse
| with foreign Powers, as in the case of Louis
XVI by sudden military usurpaton. as
when General Bonaparte dissolved the As
sembly at the point of the bayonet; by vio-
lation of q charter granted only to make easy
| the way to the throne by Louis XVIII. by
an effort to -re-establish the ecclesiastical GUS
| toms of the middle ages, as, for instance, the
death penalty for sacrilege, as was done by
| Charles K; by outrages upon free press and
free speech, like those Of Louis Philippe; by
| the coup d @tdt Of Napoleon Ill, and, more re-
Gently by this most dishonest conspiracy of
| the legitimists, who would have taken advan-
tage of their country misfortunes to force upon
it prince whom no one knows and throne
which no one respects; sovereignty without
life and dynasty which has long been dis
honored These are the stages of the war
against French liberty on the part of the
friends Of monarchy. In every case the
conspiracy springs from the one root-a dis
regard of the sacredness of the law.
This spirit of Indifference to law, which has
had such an unhappy effect upon France,
c. IL ~ L.