, 1875-02-20

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and to indulge in philosophical reflections
on the emptiness ofall these displays, and
on the impossibility of keeping alive q
Republic in a country with Monarchical
instin cts. Parliament having prohibited
the meeting of officers in which they
discussed political affairs, the officers were
furious and repaired to Oliver Cromwell
(cries Of Richard Cromwell !)-yes,
Richard Cromwell, and demanded the Dis
solution of the Parliament. Richard Crom-
well dissolved Parliament, and a few days
afterwards he was obliged to give his for
NAL resignation. I consider, therefore,
the right of Dissolution as a poison which
produces death CA Deputy Is there a
poison which produces life ~, and vote
against it,"
M Paris, on behalf of the Committee,
asked that the Amendment should be re-
ferred to it.
President Buffet remarked that it was
almost the textual reproduction of a pro-
posal submitted by NJ. WALTON long ago.
Still, it had better be referred.
NJ. Dufaure, another member of the
Committee, said the vote of Saturday had
completely altered their scheme, which,
ms stead of a personal law, must now be
made q general law organizing public
powers. He himself should support the
Amendment, but the Committee had not
had time to come to a decision upon it.
The debate was accordingly adjourned
to enable the Committee to consider the
Amendment, the sitting lasting only q
little over an hour.
The Opini0p Of tho Drncc on tho nf1pot
of NJ. Wallon's Amendment is of three
kinds-one, which %rejoices at it as an
important step taken towards the es-
Enlistment of Republic another, which
sees in it the ruin of the country ; and
a third, which laughs at the idea of a
Dehnitive Government being established
with q majority of one vote. The opinion
OF the MOaltem is, perhaps, the most inn
portant on account of the authority it
possesses as the organ of the Moderate
Parties which Marshal MacMahon would
fain rally round his Government. 1t
says
"Longer reflection has confirmed the
opinion which we expressed Immediately
after Saturdays vote. The adoption Of
the WALTON Amendment is a success for
Constitutional Government and q great
step towards its organization. Scruples
which must be respected prevented the
majority of the Right Centre from voting
the Amendment, but we think that this
majority has no reason to regret the
failure Of their attempt to out-vote M.
WalIon's proposition. Two Parties alone
deplore, with more or less reason, the
adoption of a law which gives the actual
Government the stability so eagerly de-
sired by all France-it is the Legitimist
Party, which, despite the most convincing
experience, refuses to b. persuaded that
Monarchy is at this moment impossible,
and the Imperialist Party, which %latters
itself that the Empire is very possible
and even very near being restored The
sterling good sense and the patriotism of
Marshal MacMahon will be easily supe-
rior to the bewiIdered senses of those
who are crying out that the Assembly
has just iuaugurated the abomination Of
desolation, and that he who was already
President of the Republic will no longer
be able to govern because the Magistrate
whose title he bears will be inscribed in
our laws as a regular institution, instead
of being a personal and ad interim pow
er. The Right Centre-we speak of that
part of it which has remained faithful
70 tbo Nooc+;+,+ional traditions which ~