, 1877-09-12


" We have confidence, therefore, that God
who protects France, will protect you,
and restore to our dearly-beloved coun.
try those Old days of prosperity and
glory" We cannot misconStrue the mean
ing Of the Archbishop to be that, whatever
happens, the Marshal must not give way,
though, indeed, the confident prophecy is
added that nothing will happen to require
the Marshal to give way. The President
of the Departmental Council is even more
pronounced than the Archbishop. He con.
terred on the President a Divine right 10
his office, describing kim as the Head given
by Providence to the French nation The
President of the Court Of Appeal did not
go to this ex9ggeration Of aduIation, but
he used language which we must regard
as most strange in an eminent judicial per-
son, and as more threatening TO the future
peace of France than the phrases Of the
Archbishop and Of the President Of the
Departmental Council. We are accus-
toned to suppose that a Judge relies
on the innate force Of Justice as the
real security for law and order
but this Judge Of Appeal told the
Marshal that the Magistracy regarded the
brave Army placed under the Marshai's
orders as the best guardian Of indepen-
dence and liberty. Eaglishmen would
fad it impossible to imagine a County
Court Judge using such language 10
Sheriff, Principal or Deputy, would
dream Of employing it in Scotland aud
not even in Ireland would any one clothed
with the majesty Of law, in however sub
ordinate a raak, so far forget tho dignity
of his duties rs to remind a Lord Lieuten-
ant that he had an Army at his disposal.
We need not dwell on the language of the
Mayor of Bourges, nor on that OF the
President Of the Chamber of Commerce.
Each did his best to exalt still higher the
already dangerous cxaltation of miud of
the Marshal, Everything was represent
ed as depending upon him. Peace abroad
and order at home, a tlourishing trade and
prosperous agriculture-thcse and a thou
sand other blessings would be secured if
Marshal MacNIahou remained at the helm,
and they would all be endangered or des-
troycd if he rc.inq ishei it.
1t must be admitted that the Marshal
was much more sensible at Bourges than
his friends but how long can his mind,
or could the mind OF any one, withstand
tlc DciNICIOuS IbIIQCllCC u SUCl language
as was there addr e,-d to him? A man
who is told that he is i%utrusted with o
Divine Mission, and has a Divine Right to
maintain it to the end, Is very apt to be
persuaded that these statements are SIM
pie truth. The Ma sal himself il already
TOO much disposed % believe these things,
He has u confused notion chat in some
way or other be has trarsoendent duties
to perform and if this IS continually
whispered in his car il private, aud is
loudly proclaimed by The iunctionaries
he meets in public, Il c1o scarcely resist
being carried On from step to step until
he arrives at the position Of Charles x.
1t is much to the credit of his modesty
that he has not yet advanced 90 far. He
sill speaks of " marching on the ground of
"the Constitution and, though we canuot
be at all sure what this phrase means in
his mind, we must at least believe that it
points to some limitation Of his otherwise
irresponsible freedom Of action. In some
way or other his %prerogative is defined,
and the best of motives would not war
rant him in overpassing its limits. The
Constitution is something which he will
not violate ; neither will he return to the
abuses of the old regime nor yield to the
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