New-York tribune., 1875-12-11
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
THE NEW ELECTORAL BILL.

The ORLFANIsTs-THE MONARCHIsrs SUPPORT
ING TIE ADMINIsTRATIoN-THE REPUBLICANS
UNITEp-THE NEW PRESS BILL
[FRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF IHE TRIBUNE.l
PARIS Nov. 17-Since / last wrote the Republi-
cans have undergone a series of parliamentary de-
fcas. On the second reading of the Electoral bill,
the article making scrutin ACKNOWLEDGMENT, /. e. the
uninominal ticket the method OF voting at the next
general elections, has found majority IN ITS favor
The same majority has, by another article in contra
diction to the general principle of the bill itself
duced the number of deputies from Algeria, and III
spite of the principle of universal suffrage entirely
deprived the other colonies of their right of repre-
sentation in the Assembly; for Algeria and with
single exception the other colonies sent Republican
deputies to the present House. The same majority
has voted indefinite adjournment of discussion on
the Mayoral law. The Cabinet has triumphed all
along the line. and things now seen--though 1t
must always he remembered that. more even than
own, French political things are not what they
seem"-M Buffet will "make" the new elections
with NJ. de BrOge's mayors and eX-imperial higher
functonaries for helpers The test debate last Thurs
day on the Electoral bill was very long, warm
though not violent, and instructive. IL was main
tanned on the ministerial side with great ability not
rs you might have expected by VI. Buffet, but by
his far more capable much less questiOnaby repnb-
can colleague, Minister Dufaurc. Gambetta's reply
is admitted all hands 10 be one Of hismost eloquent
efforts if not his best The policy of il is doubted
by some. because of his open breaking, they say,
with party which lac aptly characterized in these
words: 81 do not forget that there exists within
this Assembly and out of doors party, single one
that has, or seems to think it has. an extreme in
terest in this Scrain dGrrOadisscmeai, and | believe
that hc.e lies the real knot of the question. In fact
of all the parties in this House that have declared
their antpathy to the scraR de ie, there is hardly
one but that does SO with passion, with bitterness
This is not the Legitmst party, nor the BonaparlSt
party. nor the Republican party; it is-the other
This other party is dstinguishablc by two charac-
teristics it is constitutonal-the 9th of February
but not the 2jth of February-and after having
been constitutional the 9th of February. II would
fain be dyuastic under republican government
Never in so few lines so strikingly faithful
portrait shetched of that drectngclass party that
sits on the Orleanist fence, facing 10 the Re
public for fear of the Empire, and now avertiug Its
face in dread of democracy.
The Ministry has been sustained in their reac-
tionary measures mentioned above 10y aid OF those
MonarchlstS who, on the strength of great conceS-
sious from the Let's and ia their common fear oi
growing Imperialism, joined with the Republicans
in making the Constitution OF the 2jth Of February
they had taken last Thursday but they who had
already broken the February alliance. The OLD
rcaelionary majority Of the 9th of May, composed
by De BroGic for the overthrow of Ihiers seems to
be in good part reformed. Buffet, who raised TO
his actual post by the help of all the l.efs, now has
his hearts long desire fulfilled of holding on to il in
their despite The ladder by which he mountcd-at
least the lower half of t-which he has always been
kicking at is at last kicked away.
FRUUs OF THE VICTORY.
The victory Buitct has long ouglt for he has un-
doubtcdly won such a it is. The defeat OF the Lets
is not to bc denied such MS it is But the race is moi
ALWAYS 10 the swift nor the battle TO the strong. This
tournament aur ares c1Groisc in the closed lists AZ
Versailles resulting in the triumph Of the " govern
ment of combat" does not necessarily nor finally
divide the nation into conquered and conqucrois. IL
is yet not impossible, though highly improbable
that the actual cabinet may he defeated by some
sudden turn in the humOrs of the now short-liycI
Assembly. The already great improbabity, by the
way. was strengthened by a menacing hint thrown
out bv Buffet from the tribune two days ago, t. the
effect that were the Homogeneous cabinet of
which lac is the chief 10 be oyerthrown, the Marshal
President would BE- likely to select the members oi
a new one from without the House. Another pretty
illustration of tins doctrinaiTe parliameniaran's
practical estimate of parliTncntalrlsm We are 10
suppose th,n that it will be VI. Buffet Minister of
tie Interior, who will undertaKe to make the
elections early next year. with his desired in
dydual district ticket system, and his imperial
functionarics and De Brogan mayors to help, and
thcn2 Hear part of Gmnbctta's prophetic answer.
Il will tell Won how far that will profit certain
persons, and what that will do with the party the
other for which its leaders dream such lofty des-
TIMES. The real truth is, that what may be called
the corps daymdc which ha, at It's head grave
doctors indeed. but not very skiful ones, viii be
crushed at the scraiiR GdrrORdascment! hciWccn-
whats WY of course between the schools that
dcrde universal suffrage. And let me say, IN pass
ing that at bottom. what you regret OF the Empire
is-nut the Empire. of course, do not DO YOU that
injusticc-but tie Iunctl1narlcs of the Empire Their
ingenuity Of resources and their electoral victories
Al, sou would be glad To borrow these from the
Empiie hut You have not ltS manner Of making
use of them" Nothing is truer than ths.
With all his rcactonary good viii. NJ. Buffet
is not frankly dishonest enough, not of
"A vigorous t,mpcram, mt enough To ply the lnstfn-
ments of electoral pressure borrowed from the lnl-
peral with the reckless tborOughness OF PerslFhy
ROuher; and furihcrmorc ana better, times nave
changed, and the people iyen under the Emllie
the Imperial system of making elections was last
wearing out. The figures of the elections of lSGe
conchRiyriy showed that - SO cOnclusivcy, that
while in view of them Nicc-EmpcTOr ROuher tr-
gently recommended 10 his master IN instant return
10 the club-law policy that ruled tle realm III the
Empires palny. early days, as the only safe means
of preventing the fatally coming CattclNsll 20 ms
dynasty, the master Ingeniously devised to avert
il by adding German territory and new military
glorics 90 the faded stcg of NapJleunic piestISc.
Tie mischief likely 10 cone from the making 0i
elections by NJ Buffet is that, under his yainiy com
balive pr0yocatiOn, the canvass viii bc needlessly
embittcrcl, and that the Republican majority re-
turned to he new Chamber of Drputies viii CONT
larger number of lmu0dcrdtc radicals than II would
were the election let bc-not madc-by an impartial
Minister. To make itself on general depart mental
ticket, (,cyaiiit dc isfe). IL Is also quit po,sbt
fhat tie Republican majority will le less than it
would he on the general ticket system. IhI,, OF
itself is not grave misfortune to the Republican
cause The parry that, party, - most likely 10
reap p,hts from II. Buiets otherwise barren vic
tories j. the BOuamrtl-t party.
The three decisions Of the Assembly this week
against scytia ~ is,e against the representative
rights of the colonies. and Or indefinite preservation
of De Bruglics law for appointing mayoIs-are all
IL liz. ~ fIIe lIIiIrIln and