The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-14
The Conflict In France-rho Inevitable
Empire.

active, and the several little explosions that
within the past few days have given interest
and piquancy to the kilograms are scarcely suf-
tieient to relieve in any degree the pressure that
the heat of the seething summer weather con-
stantly increases. 1t is no permanent political
satisfaction to anybody for an ex-oficer to give
Gambetta cut across the face with switch
for if this pleases Bonapartists it will please
royalists also, and, indeed, it will please a
goodly group of republicans with little faith
in Gambetta and for Gambetta to call the
Bonapartists rascals will delight full as many
as it viii annoy of that gentleman's enemies.
Neither is there much progress in the rhodo-
montade of the political editors who propose to
fight ten on a side, Bonapartlsts against repub-
icans, that is to say, who propose political
fencing match with sides chosen from the re-
spective parties, the match to end when ten men
are scratched by the steel skewers used Ill this
game. This is as if democrats and republi-
cans should settle their differences by game
at base ball. None of these things give vent
to the long pent-up fury that animates the
various parties in France but since Gam
beta, who postures as leader, ordinarily
with some moderation, now deems it q time
to cast moderation away, and, as the fighting
journalists Of the several parties fancy it an
occasion to let the public hear of them, it may
be taken as the opinion of these experts that
the hour for the onset has come that gen.
eral action is imminent, and, though they err
sometimes, they are oftener right in judgments
of this sort.
For three years the effort to establish and
organize government in France has been
persistently made in exceptionally favorable
circumstances, and now the game is assuming
new and extravagant character, partly due
to the exhaustion and retirement of some of
the players and to the growing desperation of
the others. as they find themselves yet unable
to prevail Altogether the pact of Bordeaux
was well kept 1t was, moreover, an I'M
conscious piece of political wisdom. The
parties were at standstin from mutual ex-
haustion, and have been very near balancing
point ever since-and truce to their deeper
hostility-an agreement that government
should be set up which should not be the
government Of any one Of the parties, but
should be government to keep the peace
between them, while France, like Micawber
up Such truce, as we see by the fact that
the parties are yet not sure which is the
was the only condition on which
the country could have any government what
ever.
With that truce, maintained first by Theirs
and afterwards by MacMahon. as guarantee
that the political conflict should be kept within
the limits Of public order, the parties have
had fair field to try their strength, and the
result is instructive From the beginning
the contest assumed the form of an
endeavor to set up the monarchy, be-
cause the monarchical parties had
clear majority in the Assembly, and the
Bonapartists at first were confined to one
voice, which was always howled down, while,
through the caperings of the republicans
of Paris such odium fell upon republicanism
at large that many deputies representing
liberal constituencies lost faith in the priu-
ciple Of popular government, and would not
have opposed constitutional monarchy. For
these reasons the way to the throne seemed
open and prepared for the,monarchical party
and the fact that, even with so many advan-
tages in their favor, they could accomplish
nothing must be taken as final evidence that
they were absolutely unequal to their oppor-
tunity. During two whole years it was posi-
BILE to have established monarchy on any
day, with unqualified certainty that the pub
lie tranquility would have been maintained
1t was only necessary for the Assembly to vote
the monarchy but before the Assembly
could do this it was necessary for the mon
archical deputies to agree among themselves
upon man and programme, and this they
were unable to do. Chambord was imbecile
enough to believe that the nation would bow
down to his sixteenth century chatter Of
divine right, and the Orleans princes, who
through many marriages are merely sort of
Frenchifed Germans, are. Of all men in the
world, the least in sympathy with the French,
and it is to the character of the candidates
that the failure of the monarchical party is
DUE SO that the failure may be looked upon
as final.
Monarchy, therefore, as one of the possible
results Of the conflict, is put aside, and the
issue is simplifed to a struggle between the
imperlalists and the republicans. But by the
very hopelessness OF the monarchists and by
other causes great change has been made in
the strength Of the Bonapartists. AT Bor-
deaux there was ONLY old M Cont One ~
two Corsicans, besides, # they were really Of
this party, kept it quiet; but as the various
parties have, one by one, drifted away from
practical steps the Bonapartists have acquired
votes; and, the greatest advantage of all, they
have at their head in the Assembly NJ Rouher,
a practical politician, man of real capacity
and Of courage and Of very great experience.