New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-11
MACMAH0N's MESSAGE.

| S~>o
two branches of the government. There
is manifest difference in his tone since
he lately addressed note of acceptance
Of the powers conferred upon him for
seven years by the same body. The hero
Of Magenta saw the hand of France in the
first named act of the Corps Legislatif, but
there has since been change. Now
France refuses to entrust its sovereign in
terests to any but the executive who in
| forms his late benefactors that they have
themselves enchained their own sovereign
ty. For the Kramer in which he exercises
these powers, so generously conferred
upon him, be declares his responsibility to
France alone. At the same time he re-
minds the Assembly there are certain
financial measures, on which immediate
| deliberation is demanded, and no longer
delay is to be permitted. In plain En-
glish, he wants the Assembly to vote the
necessary supplies and then dispense and
60 home, as he says for several months.
He will probably invent some way to
prevent the return of the majority of the
present members.
1t can hardly be understood by an
American or an English mind how it is
that ruler who accepts powers at the
hands of an assembly, acting without a
chart Of some sort, either written or tradi-
tional, and accept the gift as the will of
France, can, within a few months deny
the same body the right to withdraw this
mark of confidence, and at the very
moment of doing SO, and in the next
breath, contradict his own position by
conceding to them the right to levy taxes.
During all the ages the right of taxation
has been the highest attribute of SOW
ereignty. For many centuries, neither
the monarchs of England, France, Spain,
or Austria have been able safely to exer-
else this prerogative without first consult
ing their legislative assemblies. True,
Louis XIV. tried it, and his successor fol-
lowed his example, but the hapless Louis
XVI. and the nobility of his age suffered
the full penalty of the tyranny. Presi-
dent MacMahon nominally comedies the
right of the Assembly to deliberate upon
financial measures, but at the same time
indicates in unmistakable terms the
shape their deliberations are expected
to take. The executive powers he has
accepted from France, he will decline
to surrender to anybody but France.
When the reins of power were first
brought to him he never thought to de-
mand the credentials of the messengers.
He took it for granted they were the en-
bodiment of France, because they enter
tanned such correct views. But, no sooner
did they reappear, with demand for the
surrender of the trusts they had conferred
upon. him, than he repudiates their
authority to act in any capacity except
that Of tax levyers. They are even in
formed that the powers France conferred
upon the President are irrevocable, and
also give him ample means to defend
them.
We profess more respect and admira-
ton for President MacMahon in this con-
troversy than for the French Assembly.
According to our limited notions of gov
eminent, the Corps Legislatif had no
authority to invest Mr.. MacMahon with
the executive power, in the first place,
nor to extend it afterward. They usurped
functions which their constituents never
conferred upon them, and the ambitious
Marshal eagerly accepted grant, in the
name of France, which the acuteness OF
perception which he has shown in the
present case ought to have enabled him
to see had defective title. But the
members committed the error, such as
it was, and now seek to correct it
before returning to their several arron-
easements and facing their constituents.
The President of France, however, does
not intend to let them sacrifice themselves
in such a manner. He consi ders it
question between himself and France,
with which they have no concern. This
is very high ground, indeed, and its as
sumption by MacMahon may have the
effect of paralyzing his enemies for awhile,
but we apprehend they will prove to be
too many for him at last, unless he is in
fact what he has been charged with being,
a secret friend Of the imperialists, and
working to restore the Napoleonic dynasty
Certain it is, we have not heard such de-
FAINT language from ruler of civilized
people to their accredited representatives
for many years. Even Napoleon always
protested to concede more authority to
the French Assembly than he really
thought they possessed. But be never went
SO far as to coolly inform them that the
power they had placed in his hands gave
him the means of defying them. This is
what the President Of France has just
done, and we expect he will have trouble
about it yet.
THE CHICAGO BRIDGE AT ST. LOUIS.
The ungrateful journal, which kicks
away the ladder by which St. Louis has
climbed to her present eminence, will be
appalled, at the positive claims that CHI
caco now makes to the commerce west OF
st. Louis Until the fourth instant the
Mississippi was breastwork and rampant,
which the invading ENTERPRISE of Chicago