New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-09
FRENCH POLITICS.
SIGNS Of PROGRESS APPARENT.


PARIS, Aug. 11.-fhis has been week of small
events: or rather signs, than events-but all are
good First, there is distinctly tendency toward
common sense in the Senate, which has begun to see
that it is suicidal to make itself the instrument OF
Priests and Bonapartists alone instead Of trying to
obtain legitimate share of power by alliance with
the liberal majority that represents the gains aud
the spirit of our age All this has been produced by
the wonderful moderation and unity of the entire
Republican party and the natural discussions that
inevitably split up the reaetionary ones. 1t is all
very well for Legitimsts, Orleanists, and Bona
partists to league together for special end
OF AIM to engage sOlemny to outyote the Protest.
ant Waddington on a single question, where
clerical interests are thought to be identi-
cal with Conservative" passions or prin-
ciplcs. But this won't endure. We come
back forcedly to Disrael's famous question Con-
servatve of what Z" Each fraction has something
different to preserve. All Reactionsts are not ceri
GALS nor are all Republicans freethinkers. The ex-
treme Right alone are welded to the Papacy and
the Syllabus;r the Bonapartists dare not be I'M
compromising Ultramontanes, neither do the Or
leansts dare to be Both know that the real pub
hc-the large public. the mass of Frenchmen-are
inveteratey acknowledgment to the backbone.
In spite of Pope and Jcsuits, the entire pubic
opinion of France is, and always has been. secular.
The proof of this is among thousand others, the
outburst of enthusiasm which greeted Waddington
last Monday ut the Sorbonne. At the first sight of
him. and before he had uttered word, the whole
assembly met him by an outbrrst of what would be
applause even in Northern Community. When ne
did speak, every sentence Yves greeted by almost
House of Commons cheering. lou felt that by him
the chord had been touched which really does bind
A. of,
speech of N. Waddinetot's on Monday last.
at the distribution of prizes, was the Minister'S
first public triumph; but it was complete, unmis-
taxable. overwhelming triumph. On leaving the
Sorbonne one heard the most curious remarks.
veteran of the great days of the University. man
who lived through the Restoration, said TO me;
"This puts me in mind of the glorious days OF
Vilemain and Cousin, in '27 and '2S, when was o
Young student and when intellectual food was
really our daily bread' A very distinguished gen.
eral made this remark II have now for the first
time in France seen popular minlster-"adding-
ton may be leader here one day, for he knows how
10 touch the notes that vibrate, as did Lamartine"
An old professor who was close by, said: Yes, but
the reasons different it is not mere eloqnenee
that charms here il is not words-it is the weight
of the worth of what is said"
AL this heard with my own ears and give it TO
YOU as / heard IT, for it is quite WORTH while. Tie
impression left by Frances Anglo-Saxon minister Is
that of the authority of WORTH of character People
are getting used to the concise, quiet manner OF
speech that means precisely all that it says and
they feel the mau who can guide otherS-the future
leader of men-the statesman.
But NJ. Waddingtons lsurels are more than
divided though in very different way, by the most
extraordinary young scholar ever heard of III Paris
in modern times. This is young Reinach, boy OF
H. an Israelite who carried off in succession every
one of the eight prizes, all that could be won In
classical attalnments. geometry, geography, modern
languages, French composition, in everything, III
short, this boy disanced all competition from such
hight that when the last prize was proclaimed the
whole assembly rose to it's feet aud cheered hIm
with stsntcriau force. For these few days this has
been the event" universally talked of. and you
NAV hear, as you pass down the Boulevards
Young Rcnachs name passing from mouth 10 mouth
On the other hand the Senate has distinctly given
way on two points-the Municipalities bill and tie
Dufaure election. What is passing at this moment
az Versailles upon the third clause OF the bill this
letter H. of course not in time to record; but the
first t;yo clauses have been voted under very par
ticu!ar circumstances and il will be OF very small
import that Clause 3 should be thrown out L will
explain Clauses / and revoke nonIinatively the
obnoxious Broge bill of 1874. and give 20 $4,000
rural cOmmunes the right of electing their Mares.
Iu reality everything is gained by these two clauses
This was deeply felt yesterday by the keactlonist
Opposition that NJ. Buffet got up to make his first
speech in the Senate against Clauses ana =. lie
did his very utmost, for he tried even TO be modeT
ate knowing how invariably his bitter and aggres-
siye tone harms every cause ne defends. But it
would not do better speech than his was made
b. NJ Bocher-a really excellent specch--but moth
ing would avail; the resolve taken. and no eo-
ouence had power 10 alter it. In fact, the Govern
ment hes gained its victory, and Clause is as rea-
lively unimportaut az ii was undreamt OF when
first the municipality discussion was raised
in the Lower House. Clause Is very
ike the degrees clause in the University
bill. When everything else was won small band
of adventurous spirits bethought them of an article
which till then, no one i'll their senses would have
yentured TO glance at. even. When the so-called
Liberty OF obstruction" movement began no cleri-
cal of them all ever for an instant imagined that the
collation. dc5 grades could be wrested from the State.
But once their hand was in" they caught at every
thing and no one was more amazed than the Ultra
Right when they found themselves with the re-
sponsibties of the United Jures onther shoulders.
Thus also has it been with the Mayors bill. Having
at once las was quite Indispensable destroyed NJ. dc
Broglies most miscellaneous bill of 1874 and obtained
really fa,r measure of of municipal freedom, GER
tain group became DESTROYS of Furnishing the Coun
ellis whence reactionary Senators had issued. The
amendment at the last hour was tackled on TO the
two essential clauses Of the BILL and it was voted by
the Lower Chamber that within three months gen.
eral municipal elections should be held throughout
France This was so little required, that among the
most ardent Republicans many did not disguise
that they thought the amendment absurd, and that
they should abstain from voting it. However, it
passed II is now before the Senate, and may very
probably be over.hrown, but whether it he not