, 1875-05-26

acknowledgements ana cOuhCIilolS VI "AioA
dissement, that is to say, the local expression
ofthe SURFACES of diverse groups OF citlzens;
and lastly, the delegates of each
Now / entreat you to observe what al
admirable instrument of order, peace, and
democratic progress this intervention OF
the Commune in the great political con-
Germs of France is susceptible of becoming.
1 could not for a long while believe In the
possibility that an Assembly y, the most Mon
srchical and the most-what shall L say :
The least laical that France ever had, would
ever be brought to constitute a Second Chamber
based upon the most democratic element In
France, the Communal spirit,-in other words
the $4,000 Communes of France. The Com
munes which heretofore have been held IN
tutelage, and were severely excluded from
the domain of politics, cannot now elect a
single municipal councillor, without scanning
his political opinions and considering whether
he would be fit to elect a senator. These
Communes, formerly but inert and Isolated
molecules, are now aggregated, cemented'
and endowed with cohesion, force, and life,
constituting a veritable moral parsonage, speak
ing collectively in the name of all the Com
munes of France. The Commune, which, while
deprived Of political life, was careless or in
different, will now be stimulated to inquire not
only into general politics, but the character OF
the men who are to represent their opinions.
And their political education does not finish at
home. Oh no Each delegate will go either on
the railway, in bis own vehicle, or, perchance,
on ~foot,-where? To the canton ? No, the
canton leads too local a life, and IS not a suf-
fciently developed centre. To the chief
town Of the reimbursement No, that is a
centre more administrative than real. He
rDilI 90 90 tbo ob;nf touo ,f +bo lnrartVoant
where he will meet all the delegates, and IN
terchange ideas with hem. Gould
q better system Of propagandisM and pro-
selytism for universal suffrage he invented g
The Senate will not be a Senate in the old
sense. 1t will be tie Grand Council of the
French Communes. The peasantry and the
tOwnsfolk have only to work together, only
to choose vigorous and, abyve all, young men
for Senators, to give up the notion that a
Senator ought to be a passed celebrity, and
the democracy of France would triumph in
the last stronghold of Conservatism. The
country COmmunes of France will be awaken
ed to political life, and to wake men to polili-
cal life is to ensure the triumph of the demo-
cracy. It is easy to understand how al eX-
PLANTATION like this delighted Belleville, but its
real meri is not rhetorical. NJ. Gambelta may
prove to have ~fOreseen more than all the trains
ed statesmen Of the OrIeanist B.ncheS. 1t is
perfectly true that while the Senate must con-
tain seVenty.6ve passed celebrities all more or
less Conservative, the scheme of election makes
1t easy for The COmmunes, whose delegates
will Outnumber all other electors, to place the
men they approve in the majority, and make
the Senate as strongly Liberal as the Chamber
of Deputies can be, aud possessed of far more
control over the Executive, to which it can,
under the Constitution, refuse a dissolution,
and which, after 1880, it will, with the Cham
Der, be able to appoint. Why should the
stream rise higher than its source, or the S1na.
tor be so strongly opposed to thu elector who
returns him 1t is perfectly possible that in
1880 the two Houses, both thoroughly liberalis-
ed, may appoint II. Gambetta President, and a
true Republic, in the most Liberal sense, come
into existence in France, without bioodsurd
and without CoupS d'etat. The mere fact that
this is possible will induce the Left to try to
work the Constitution, and to keep the COM
promise intact, at least until the elections have
been completed and the new double headed
Assembly is fairly at lis work. Then if they
are the majority, tley will at least be able to
say with NJ. Gambetta to al enemies. eve
are the Law, and you only the law-breakers."
Our only dread is that the Monarchists, seeing
their weapon broken in their hands, may make
a last desperate effort to avert the Republic by
establishing the Empire.
M. Gambetta g yes nearly the same answer
60 the remaining charges. He believes that
the indirect election of the President prevents
him from attacking the Chambers in the name