, 1874-01-21

tuition, because it has root in the country
and is nourished by public opinion.
If MacMahon settles down to. be the
chief of France and not of the Fusionists,
and eudeavours to consolidate a republic,
as far from radicalism and petroleum as
from absolute monarchy and f%anatical pro-
c%essions, he would fill an important place in
history. He has obtained a lease of the
Presidency for seven years, and there will
be. nothing hazardous in predicting that in
1850 the monarchial question will be
nearer its definite solution than in the pre-
sent year of grace; for the sentiment of
royalty seems to be dying fast in France,
and only the plumbers of republicans could
revive it for an occasion. The voice Of the
country is entirely with these: All the
partial elections that have been allowed
to be held, have turned out in their favour,
and will soon give them a working, and
above all, a manly and reliable majority
in the assembly,. Then, when in power,
they can constitute the Republic with all
honors. As yet the uncertain and Prov
sional remains in force. The royalists have
yet something like the to-day, but the re-
publicans will have the morrow, provided
they display moderation, and remain slow
to wrath and slow to anger.
The organs Of the monarchical coalition,
intoxicated by their unexpected success, in
the midst of their misery, consequent upon
the failure of their ~"fusion project" preach
up a crusade against republicans, compare
them to wild beasts, and their cause to a
monster, that should be Gagged, Timour the
Tatar fashion. If this spirit be introduced
into the framing of the projected laws
which it is to be hoped it will not,
although the news received by last mail
seem to bear out the rumour that it will,
then the darkest annals of France may yet
have to be written. The present Ministry
will of course do as little as possible to
assist the republic either Professionally or
for seven years. They hope to have a
majority in the Assembly willing, nay
anxious, to curtail universal suffrage, and
suppress the partial elections, by means of
which the nation can only make its voice
heard aud its influence felt. These are the
black points to be conjured away, and
which demand from MacMahon modera-
ton and sagacity, rather than the threat
of force. Whether Ministers remain or 60
away; whether MacMahon, like the gods
of old, descend into the arena and share in
the combat, with his present, " combative
ministry, or maintains an Olympian neu-
trality, the nation is so cynical as to wait
to Judge by mems deeds instead of their
words. That scepticism even is healthy,
as the French were hitherto easily captur-
ed by delusions and phrases. Confidence
has evidently since 1870 become the slow
est growing Of plants in France.
A dentist Classics French editors, as
he does the teeth "incisors, CANNES, and
grinders The destructiveness implied
by these terms seems however to subside
somewhat. French journalists do not de-
YOUR each other so extensively. They
commence to occupy themselves with such
mundane affairs as the Virginius conflict,
and the question of a gold standard.
There is certainly something akin to an
alarm respecting the political feelings of the
army. Toread between the lines of current
events, the introduction of so many military
men into the Assembly has had a regretable.
influence on the ranks. The men, like
the officers, have experienced the political
passions of the times. The opinion seems
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