Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-05-30


The cable brings full details of the i'm
portant change in the French government.
On Saturday the debate which was COM
menced on Friday on the Interpolation was
resumed. The Hall of the Assembly was
crowded to excess. President Theirs mount-
ed the tribune, and when he gave emphasis
to the remark of his Minister on the pre-
vious day that the time had come to make an
end of the provisional government and defin-
lively to proclaim the Republic. the cheers
from the Left were deafening. The mon
archical Right was ominously silent. After
the Presidents speech the Assembly ad-
iourned until two O'Clock. AT two O'Clock
the Deputies reassembled, when an ener-
getic speech was made by NJ. Casimir-Pe-
rier. the Minister of the Interior, justifying
the general policy of the government. At
the close of the speech a vote was taken,
when 1862 against 34S voted down the simple
order of the day, which had been proposed
by member of the Left and supported by
the government This, however, did not
end the fight. 4 motion was made by
member of the Right to the effect that the
present form of government was not under
discussion, and regretting that the recon-
struction of the Ministry did not afford con-
sentative guarantees. This motion was
adopted by a vote of 800 against 344.
On the announcement of the result it was
proposed that there should be 4 night ses-
sion. Minister Dufaure declared that
France would not be left without govern
ment. There was a Republic and there was
a President; and the Ministers would be
responsible for the maintenance OF order.
The Right demanded that as the crisis was
serious the government should promptly
decide. \ night session was ultimately
agreed upon. At eight o'clock the mem
bers reassembled. Dufaure announced that
the Ministers had rendered their resigna-
tons to the President, and that they had
been formally accepted. He then handed
to NJ. Buffet a message from President
Theirs. In this message, which was read
amid the profOundest excitement, President
Theirs formally rendered his resignation,
sending back to the Assembly the high |
functions with which he had been entrusted. |
General Changarnier and the Duke de |
Broglie moved that the Assembly imme- |
diately appoint successor. Amidst the |
widest uproar it was moved by the Left |
that the resignation of the President be not |
accepted. This motion was rejected by |
vote of 3GS to 339 The resignation was
then formally accepted. After motions had |
been made by the Left and the Right-the
one for delay and the other for immediate
action, the Assembly proceeded to vote for
a successor to President Theirs, when 800
voted for Marshal MacMahon, the members
Of the Left not taking any part in the vote.
The ministers temporarily remain but only |
till the new President can ELL their places.
Thus ends provisional government estab-
lished on the. 18th of February, 1871, when
NJ. Theirs was chosen chief of the executive
pOwer,-as President of the only govern
ment France has known for three years.
viz, the Assembly, elected solely to make
peace with Prussia, but continuing itself in
office indefinitely and now changing the
executive because the President declared
that in the light Of the recent elections it
was clear that France desired a Republic,
and that it was time for the provisional
government to end.
1t is but few months since, with singu-
lar unanimity, the Assembly voted its
thanks to the President and declared that
be had deserved well of his country. For
more than two years he has wisely ruled
France. Under his government the most
enormous indemnity ever exacted from one
country by another has been nearly paid,
md the evacuation of French territory has
,een secured. The people have enjoyed
anger liberty than they had been granted
inee 1913. Order has been maintained, the
lections have been free, commerce has been
estored, the finances have been put on
lore secure basis, and peace has been main
aimed with other countries without any
1rther sacrifice of the dignity and honor
France. What there is to be for France,
nder MacMahon, remains to be seen;-per- :
APPS a Republic established over him and the
ssembly; perhaps a monarchy; perhaps :
dictatorship.