The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-17

Rome was one of his great MISTAKES and he was
always anxious to evacuate Rome. OF course we
should give offence to the clergy, but the French
clergy never were and never win be sincere friends
OF the Empire. The French clergy are intensely
hostile to all but legitimacy and only tolerate
any other sovereign than Henry V. as a
necessity ana protection against the
Communists, who have deplorable habit OF
shooting priests. There is nothing so intensely
unpopular in France with nine Frenchmen out OF
ten as clericalism, and the present government
owes not little OF its unpopularity to the WIDE
spread belief that it secretly avors the priests and
would give them more power II 1t dared The
Emperor would. in my opinion, have been wise II
ne had broken completely with the clerical party.
| WnOm IL would have been better to have had
| open enemies than insncere friends. AS to any
idea that IN case OF the restoration of the Second
Empire we should make another expedition to
| Rome, this thing s quite absurd. We should as
soon Shink OF undertaking another Mexican eXpe-
dltioh. The policy OF the Empire would be peace
and reorganization. We need some time to re-
organize our army, our finances and our admins
tratlon before we can think OF endeavoring to win
back our lost provinces. Win them some day we
must and Shall. Every Frenchman Is convinced Of
that In his heart, you may be very sure"
! PRINCE NAPOLE0N-HIs POSITION IN THE IMPERIAL
PARTY.
| Your correspondent asked M. olivier what he
thought Of the recent 'schism' in the imperast
party caused by Prince Napoleon.
81 have awaysn said he, "been very intimate
tres he) with Prince Napoleon, but confess that
do not understand his last letter. do not imagine
he has any hold on the popular Imagination. Per-
haps he knows better.n
! NJ. Olivier did not seem TO care 20 say any more
! on the subject. His remark about Prince NapO-
| Icons "hold on the popular imagination" was
made quite gravely, though the fact is that the
popular opinion about Prince Napoleon is that he
Is not as brave as he might be in battle, and the
jokes about his showing the white feather are as
numberless as they are probably unfounded.
WHO is TO BE THE DICTATOR?
| The conversation then turned on the different
men who outside the imperalist party, might
possibly aspire to the position OF dictator of
France.
"The Due d'Aumae is not" said M. Olivier, Gin
my opinion, the man to make any such attempt.
he Is said to be ambitious to serve against the
Germans under any government and to have no
political ambition. do not know him personally.
Then he Is one OF the richest men In Europe, and
rich men do not make co,tps detot. l am told
but do know from personal knowledge, that the
Due de Joinvle is the only really distinguished
man in the Orleans family" (Oddly enough NJ.
Olivier made q mistake in the title, Louis
the 'Duc" de Joinvilie}. "Tbere is no future, to
my mind, for the Oreanist party, now
they have joined the Bourhons. The French
nation at heart detests everything belong
ing to the Bourbon family. Napoleon said, when
First Consul, France would endure five more Com
mittees OF Public safety, but she would kick out
the Bourbons in three months The idea that
the BourbOns are at heart opposed to the Revolu-
ton, its principles and its consequences is as
deeply rooted in France as the idea that the fam
lily of Bonaparte represents all that was good in
the Revolution, and the Republic great deal that
was bad"
WHAT GOVERNMENT THE BEST FOR FRANCE.
Your correspondent pointed ont that, admitting
a dictatorship was necessary in tue present I'M
happy and distracted condition of France, yet
such a form of government could not be con-
sidered a definite one, however good as q tempo
rary remedy.
81 quite admit that said NJ. Olivier, "and that
is why, after his letter Of the 10Th OF January
went to the Emperor and said, Il will make a COM
pact with you; give France liberty and l will
insure your dynasty on the throne The Empe-
ror agreed, and both parties were doing their best
to Keep their compact when Bismarck forced the
= war upon US, and the work OF twenty years was
uudone in little more than many days. France
wiz. Ifear, be long while before she has again
chance OF obtaining such stable free institutions
as she had under the constitutional Empire
Parliamentary government has never really had q
fair trial in France. We have either had mon
archy with republican institutions, or q republic
with mOnarchical institutions. You ask If we
might not succeed better with strong Executive,
as in America, where, once the President has NOM
mated his Ministers and they have been accepted
by the Senate, the cannot be expelled during the
Presidents term OF Office. That might work under
~
monarchy | am afraid our circumstances are
widely different that we can learn little either from
America or England"
NJ. OLLIvIERs FORTHCOMING RECEPTION AT THE
ACADEMY.
Your correspondent then asked NJ Olivier if he
felt any apprehension OF hostile manifestation
at the Academy, when he makes his speech and
is "received' a member of that body next month.
81 am told, " was the answer ''that the Orean-
lists, who are very numerous in the Academy, are
trying to plan sorG or demonstration against me
when l make my opening speech. But l do
not concern myself much about it. My
speech will be answered by NJ. Emile Angler, the
dramatst, and as ne is not only an imperlalist but
a friend Of mine have nothing to fear from that
quarter. l succeed as you are aware. to M. de
Lamartine, and my speech must necessarily be offs
somewhat political character, as have to give
sketch of Lamartines career and you know how
conspicuous part ne played in 1S4S IN the poti-
cal world"
PARTING WORDS.
Here the conversation ended and your corre-
spondent rose.to leave. NJ. Olivier accompanied
his guest to the door, and as he politely opened it
said :-"Be sure you say that no government can
be founded in France without p'eoiscte, anu If
we have one the Empire will receive far more votes
than all the other parties put together"