New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-08
RUPTURE or THE SrPTENNATE COALI
TInN

Marshal MacMahon has grown tired OF walt
ing for the convenience of his Assembly, and
on Wednesday no made his long-thrcatened
attempt TO induce them to take prompt action
upon his plan for the definite organization of
the Septennate. He requested the immaculate
consideration of the bill for the creation OF a
Senate or Upper House, some provision Tor
the maintenance of the present state OF things
until 1880 in case of his death, and for the
adoption of some permanent form OF govern
ment by the two Chambers after they snail
have been formed. NJ. Batbe put the Presi-
dents wishes practically before the House
by moving that tho Constitutional bills
follow the Army bill on the order of the day,
and priority be given to the Senate scheme.
Nj. Laboulaye opposed this, and in behalf of
the Left Center asked that priority be ac
corded to the bill for the organization of the
Presidents powers. Upon this issue the Gov
eminent was Overwhelmingly beaten, the
Legitimlsts and Bonapartsts voting with all
sections of the Left. The House then put
the Constitutional bills on the crler of the
day next after tho Army bill, which is to
come up for consideration on Monday The
Ministry then resigned, and the crisis seems
complete.
| This result can hardly be called unexpected
| The Septennate was founded upon the most
incOherent coalition which ever effected so i'm
portant q piece Of work The only thing its
different factions had in common was their
hatred and fear of the Republic. This was
quite sufficient to keep them together for tho
overthrow Of M. TIMERS, and for the election
of Marshal MacMahon to exercise the exec
utive power for number of years, 30 as to
prevent the return of NJ. Theirs. But there
was manifestly no such principle OF cohesion
| among them as was necessary for the eStaD-
| lshment Of new government and Ii soon
became evident that they were not serious
even in their support OF the Septennate They
simply meant that for seven years NJ.
Theirs and his party should be kept out of
| the Government, but that if all OppOr
| tunity should occur for bringing in the
Comte de C1ambOrd, or the Comte de Paris,
or the Prince Imperial, in the mean time, they
had no idea of allowing their vote for the
| Septennate to embarrass them. AS soon as 1t
| became evident that Marshal MacMahOn took
| the matter more in earnest, and proposed not
| only to stay out his full seven years, but also
to have his power distinctly recognized and
organized, the mental reservations with which
| the members of the Right had voted for him
were speedily brought to light. That there
might be no doubt about the matter, the
Comte de Chambord wrote letter fOIbidding
| his adherents in tho Assembly to consent to
| any arrangement which should even for any
| fixed timo outlaw his rights to the throne.
| The DonapaTtists were equally unwilling to
| consent to any definite establishment of the
authority of MacMahOn which might pre-
| judice their Owa professions. SO that
of the coalition which had driven
out NJ. Theirs and voted the Septen-
nate, there was nothing left at the be-
ginning of the present session but the Right
Center. 1t was still possible for Marshal Mac
Mahon to obtain the invaluable support of
the Left Center, and by uniting the two Cen
tiers to secure a firm and powerful majority
which might have held its own u good while
against the Legitimists, Bonapartists, and ex-
IRENE radicals. But he and his advisers seem
to cherish such on invincible repugnance
| against even q moderate Republic that they
| could not consent to the slight notifications
of their policy required by the Left Center.
| They exhausted themselves in painful and
| htmiliating efforts to gain the alliance of the
different sections of the Right, and were re-
| pulsed with an arrogant Obstinacy which
| ought to have made them fOreSee the result
of the voting on wednesday. The only re-
| sort within the reach of the Government seems
the dissolution of the Assembly.
| The position of Marshal MacMahOn and his
supporters is, and has been ever since his cleo
ton, entirely illogical 1t rests upon no sound
basis either in the country or the Assembly.
| He is supported, cordially and with conviction,
| by only about One-thrd of the Assembly, and
the Assembly itself only represents about one
third Of the voting strength of the country.
| With all possible use of the machinery of ad-
| ministration. his Cabinet is never able to re-
| turn q candidate to the Assembly. BY throw
ing their whole force in favor Of the Bona
partists they have succeeded in electing two
or three during the past year, but in most
cases the Republicans have chosen their rep
resentatives by good majorities against the
combined efforts of Septennalists Monarchsts,
and Imperialists. 1t is perhaps too much to
ask of soldier so prejudiced as Marshal
MacMahon, that he should recognize the cur
rent of public opinion which sets so power
fully against him. But it would certainly be
singular if he should now refuse to see how
dangerous to himself and the State has been
bis reliance on the two parties which have
always been ready to sacrifice him at any
| moment to their respective pretenders.