The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-10-31
LETTER FROM FARANI.-No. 4.

PARIS, september Oh, 1919.
DEAR ADVERTISER Now that our Solons have,
in their wisdom, decided that they had done enough
in doing nothing, and are enjoying their Summer
e otium cum dignitate,'' politics are uninteresting
and internal affairs are much in the same state as |
have described them in my last communication.
Both the Bonapartists and Monarchists still try to
get the ascendency over the Republicans, but if
we are to Judge by facts, France, on the whole,
appears to favor the Republican idea. OF 1T
partial elections which took place since the organ
ization in 1871, of the present Legislature, $50
Republican candidates were returned. IL the AS
sembly, after the recess, be dissolved, a Republican
majority would unavoidably result from new cleo
tions. Nobody believes that Marshal Mcmahon will
be left for six years more in the undistarbed pos
session of the executive. The Bonapartist party.
since Bazaine's escape, are more and more confident
of success, and the Count de Chambord does not
give up the hope Of being restored to the throne Of
his fathers. On another hand Mcmahon has de-
clared that he will keep the governing power dur
ing the time it has Deen entrusted to him, by a
vote of the Assembly, and seeing that BonapaTtists
and royalists have turned against him since he has
eyinced a determination not to be a tool In their
hands, il is not unlikely that after all, be, the Pres
ident of the Republic will become a Republican.
II he really mean to serve his time of Presidency,
and lean on the Republican party, a real Republi-
can form Of government would be the consequence,
putting an end to the sterile agitations of the last
four years.
Mr.. Jules Simon, ex-Minister of Public Instruc-
ton, and now a member of the Assembly, lately
addressed his constituents at Reims to defend the
party Of which be is one Of the prominent leaders,
against the foolish accusations of communism and
socialism, hurled against them for want Of better
arguments. With due respect to all opinions, said
he. 81 here declare, in presence OF the Holy Cathe-
dral OF Reims where the Kings OF France were
once anointed, that, were Monarchy to be revived,
it would not, and could not live long"
Such is my opinion, and my conviction has lately
received an additional strength from the peTusal
of an able pamphlet, in which are satisfactorily
explained the causes of the great triumphs achieved
by Germany and of the consequent changes ac-
complished in Europe. The most powerful states
of Europe are protestant, and their sovereigns are
more or less closely connected by marriage rela-
tons. The accession to the threne Of France of a
King, entirely devoted to the Roman faith, would
be likely to break the harmony in the European
concert, and would be a counteracting Influence
not to be disdained. Such a Monarchy would
neither receive encouragement from abroad nor a
long support at home. and could only be main
tanned through a confederacy of the Latin races.
There is something forcibly striking in this reason
ing, and a Republic, following a more liberal
course, would have more chances of vitality.
The Congress Of Brussels has been, since its
opening, the cynosure Of public attention. The
Emperor of Russia, on the instigation of Prussia,
it is thought, proposed to all civilized nations that
a conference should be held, in a philanthropic
point Of view, for devising the best means Of allie
waiting the ~sufferings Of prisoners, wounded, &c,
in time of war. The Convention Of Geneva had
thoroughly discussed those matters, and many gov
ernments failed 10 see the necessity Of inaugurating
q new system, the old one working-as satisfactorily
as in human power lies. England and some other
countries were, with difficulty, persuaded to join
the Congress, whose programme had, in the mean
time, strangely enlarged its limits and included
now a complete revision Of the laws OF warfare.
After many diplomatic hesitations and reserva-
tions the Assembly met on July 2lst, and it did
not require a keen foresight to predict that the
object Of the meeting would prove a failure. When
the fercest passions of men are in full play. when
the demon Of destruction is at work, in time Of
war especially, who can stop the retaliating hand
of an all-powerful foe exasperated by a long
resistance? Who would even dare interfere, at
the risk of being involved in the strife Rules
can be made round the eOuneiEtable, but ii is next
TO impossible to enforce them on the battle field.
At any rate, the Brussels Congress adjourned with
out having effected any serious changes in the
established code of war, but the main object of the
meeting was frustrated. 1t was proposed that wars
should be carried on only between the armies OF
the contending parties. These had nothing to do
but to look on aud to abide by the result OF the