New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-01
THE FRENCH IMPERIALIsTs.

THE FRENCH IMPERIAL1STS.
THE ELECTION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CALVApOs-
EXAGGERATIONs OF BoNAPARTIsTs AND EX-
PLANTATIONS OF REPUBIICANs-POPULAR DESIRE
FOR SOMETHING SETTLED.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
PARIS, Aug. 19.-The triumph of the Bonapartist
candidate at the special election held in the Cava-
dos last Sunday is for its numerical extent at least
an equal surprise to elated Bonapartists and de-
pressed Republicans. though both now, for different
reasons are busy attempting to show that 1t is Just
what they expected. Both are as ingeniousy busy,
the one in exaggerating the other in alternating Its
apparent significance. The intensity of their diverse
efforts is but one of the proofs of its intrinsic i'm
portance.
The Calvados is a department of Normandy, rich
agricultural country, prosperous and populous' Dut
with no large towns-Caen, the largest, numbering
less than $1,000 souls The intelligence of its inhab-
itants whether they are tried at bargain or by the
reading and writing test, is quite up to the French
country average. OF the nine deputies it sent to
Bordeaux in February, 1871 five were Monarchists
of the Orleans school, the sixth was liberal Mon
archist. since converted and the other four were
very moderate Republicans. These were voted for
on general ticket but some tickets were scratched
or otherwise varied. The happieSt of them had as
many as 75OOO the least favored-who were. think,
one or two Of the Republcans-1OOO votes.
One of them dying a special election
was ordered in October, 1872, in which
but G3OO0 citizens took part, $4,000 OF whom cast
their ballots for Paris moderate Republican, 1900
for the Legitmist 5000 for the Conservative, u. e.
OrleanisN and $500 for the Bonapartist candidates
II was to fin the seat vacated six months ago by the
death of NJ Paris that the special election Of last
Sunday was ordered. The whole number OF regis
tered voters was 1919 being within an uuim-
portant fraction the same as ON the two previous oc
casions OF these the Royalist candidates (Legtlmst
this time) polled s,aS2; the Republican moderate
bnt positivel 1925; the Imperialst, 40S17 votes.
Thus while the single Royalist Ia very decided
IeoitimisU gathers to his support little more than
half of those who sustained his fellow sectarian two
wears ago. and little more than onefourth of all the
seemingly ROyalistminded citizens Of that day, aud
while the new Republican standard-bearer is fol-
lowed TO the polls by the but slightly diminished
numbers who secured victory for NJ Paris, the rep
resentative of Imperialism has recruited for himself
or his cause some $1,000 followers. Observe, too,
that the proportion OF citizens who did go to the
polls last Sunday to the whole number who have the
registered right to CO. is better by more than 1000
than it was in 1871 and by more than 1000 than it
was in October 1872.
Among the explanations of the unpleasant re-
turns of the Calvados election furnished by yexed
Republicans. ] will note a choice few.
The steady drift of Government action and mac
ton, with more OF less conscious intention on the
part of the Duke de Broglie and his subordinate
honest MacNlahon, has been, ever since de BrOglies
first attainment of his heart-desired ministerial
power TO restore the late Imperial administrative in
huence over the elections. This charge, as against DE
Broge is essentially well-founded, and the proper
force of il is not essentially weakened by the fact
which his Republican accusers overlook or need
lessly misrepresentation the enormous majority of
local mayors in Calvados. as elsewhere, have
not been removed by central administrative
authority. The great majority of popularity
elected mayors and municipal councillors are
men with whom the central administration has no
quarrel, men whom, in large part, the central adj
ADMINISTRATION would appoint if they were not elected
men who, with considerable but not merely nu-
merical EXCEPTIONS have not bothered themselves
with any independent, earnest. individual political
ideas Bat they are with shrewd consciousness,
enormously influenced by their notion of what the
Government wants in matter of popular elections,
and possessed Of an influence peasant voters the
turously applicable force of which to whole castles
of voters in French village, an American or En-
glsh shrewd observer of French national economy
from the Paris boulevard point of view is than
ridiculously incompetent to record.
The Bonapartist candidate in the Calvados was an
ex.prefect-an ex-lmperial project of that depart
ment. He had thereby made himself agreeable to
gar popuace. lie had above all. learned in his years
Of prefectOral Office under the Empire and when
elections were TO be made, to know most Of the mu-
nicpal magnates and electiOneering ropes of the
department Here again. no doubt, the explanation
by advocates of the future republic is explanatory
of the apparent defeat of the Republican in the
Calvados last Sunday. But there few depart
ments in France that did not have a similar project
between 1852 and 1870, and few to an inestimabe
fraction are the removed projects of the late En-
pre- who not ready when occasion serves TO re-
turn to public life candidates for the National
Assembly.
There are shows of reason and even rational bases
for the Republicans explaining away the apparent
progress of returning Imperialism, which seems to
be alarmingy indicated in the results of the Cal
vados election, following. they do, the results
of the famous Nieyre election. To outsiders, the
fact Is patent that some months ago. in depart
ment assumed 10 be- with show of reason, an almost
exceptionally secured Republican department. the
Imperialist candidate at special election, ran to
triumph, far ahead of his Republican competitor
To-day, far distant department. once seemingly
Repnbcan-miDded-se that il returned by
handsome majority a moderate Republican for its
representative 10 the National Assembly -secures
like triumph for the Imperial fayorite against like
competition.
Thepopulsr Interpretation Of this result is that the