New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-05
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
IACMAHON'S RESIG,

GLE.
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
LONDON. Oct. 20.-I can hardly give you better
notion of the degree OF interest in French affairs
which peryades the English mind than by saying
that The London journals devote a leading article
to them every morning and evening. The gravest
and the most frivolous people alike concerned to
know what is going to happen; from those who only
caro- TO know whether they can safely take a
pleasure trip TO Paris next month, TO those whose
prosperity depends on French trade, or those who
have to watch over the relations between the two
countries. There Is lively apprehension among the
English of n coup d6tat, and though | think there
is little foundation for it. | must admit that it is
strongest among those who know best the ignorance
and weakness of tile Marshal, the INSCRIPTIONS au-
dacity of the adventures who surround him, the
desperation of the priests whose tool he is. the fury
and blind anger of the whole clique of conspiratOrs
who made the 10th May. The situation has, more
over, cleared up a good deal since Monday. The
MacMahOn party beginning to realize the
full extent of the defeat they have sustained.
The re- leans have found out that their victory is
more decisive chan they themselves believed, and
are rejecting with perhaps too swift contempt the
overtures for compromise that have begun to come
from the Conservative camp. They have found
oat for example, that at the last election, in Feb
Tuary, 1876, the whole number of Republicans at
irss officially declared elected was only 295 who
only after the nvadation Of corrupt elections. and
by the gradual increase from vacant seats, grew to
the historic 1868. Now there are at least 800 in
this first stage. and there is no doubt that
the number will be more largely increased
than il was in 1876. The election under NJ Buffet
was sufficiently scaldalous, but it was purity itself
compared with the reyelry Of fraud and oppression
which went on under Ne de Fourtou. VI. Gambetta's
4 .t1
filled OF not the Republican majority is sufficient
If, however you compare the totals Of republican
and 1nti-Repmblican votes throughout the country
the increase of the latter is proof of the energy
with which Vi. de FouuOu's subordiuates worked
The returns are not quite complete but they show an
increase of moro than 1900 votes in the whole
and the whole of this increase goes 10 the ant-ke-
pubhcans In 1876 the Republican vote was 1916
coo; the opposition. 2,SSf,000; Republican major
ity. l432, 900. In 1877 the Republican vote Is
A273.O 900; the Opposition, 3,57l 900; Republican
majority. 100000. The Republicans are in the as
ccndant, moreover, in Gfy-six departments out Of
eipity-eght What the clericals think Of the stu
alton appears from a dispatch TO The lines, dated
Rome. October Il, stopped on the road BY the
French Government, and published only this morn
ing:
Although broycd up at fret By false telesrams from
Paris o. effect that the success OF tue Republican
PARTY et the French elections WAS uOs rs great as II Was
described and, besides, that many OF the elected DtPl-
. under tie name OF Republicans. were 70 heart faith
an la,t cI.lr to m, vatican and chen bitter was
'i.' y. t , ft- ~ is fui,.tcs "a mo de-
ciareI tina, ejaculation was O. tWluIe,' HhI '.at ths
bishops bad been compromised by the support they mad
been Induced t. give him.
Ii must be said, further that 4 strong current OF
opinion sets directly against the Marshal. The Mac
Mahon newspapers are already noting with surprise
that what they call the most " violent counscls
come not from the extreme Left, but from the Left
Centre. The plaiucst speech of all IS heard from no
less n parsonage than NJ. Emile de Glrardl don't
know that he can be called Left Centre. don't
know what he can be called definitely, except this
an incorporating Republican, and beyond dispute
the first journalist in France lie has in very
high degree that quick and sure perception
Of public feeling which, whether he means 10 20
with il or resist it, is one OF the most essela GiIs
Of a man who has to direct great journal when
Mr. Dclane, for instance had in preeminent desie
VI. dc GirardIn is the editor or director and man.
aoer. 1T this moment, of two papers La France,
which he has raised since he took it from an incon-
siderable position to a circulation Of 10O 600 copies
and the Petit Journal. which, under his guidance,
has seen its sale of quarter of million increase to
600 900. Iueed not comment on the significance of
sucb figures az these. They indicate in some
measure the authority with which NJ. de Girardin
speaks.
Well. VI. de Grardin now says that when N. Gam
bstta stated his famous dilemma Sc soamettIe on sc
dcmeitre he was under Illusion that the alterna-
tive thus offered to the Marshal viii not bear exam
nation; that the sole choice now left him is this:
To resign or to proclaim himself dictator-dictator
with n. Paul Cassagnac, Hippolyte de Villcmessant,
BYcheron called st. Gcnest and sundry other anti
Republican journalists for ministers.
"prt how many hours would such n Dictatorship,
which would excite nothing but shIngs OF tho
sbonldcr and bursts of laughter, endure!
And since il would have no chance Of life, re-
.o.t for the character of Marshal MacMahOn for
LIS M To- do that absurd dictatorship the honor or
reckoning il in the number OF possI1llties.
"TLere remains then to the President OF tho
Popublic but a single door by winch to escape rom
the situation which he has himself MADE continually
,,orc difficult: that door Is tho same WhlCh NJ.
bicrs left open when he gave IN his resignation on
The 9th Of May, 1873, when he honolaDly ana
oi,Vr;onelv resigned on the very evening of the day
=" u.I,irh the National Assembly gave majority OF
e CIV 70 that Broglie-Enoul man@uyre, which
o, Tho nosoued spring and source OF all the per
nIeyities against which France is now struggling"
I'm. Gan,betta deserved a prosecution for saying,
=. nrivate dinner, that tho Marshal must either
snhmt 70 the voice of the country or resign-if he
dos.rved a second prosecution for repeating the
,brosc in bis electoral manifesto-what must ~ de
cirordin deserve for proclaming, in leading jour
~ ut !, "a too late to submit and that nothing is
Ioft the Marshal but to retire But only Is submits
sion impossibei If it be so, it is the Marshal who
has partly made it So by declaring that he viii not
desert the functonaries who have carried ont the
ordcrs Of his Ministers, any more than tho Minis
ters themselves. Suppose he accepted republican
Ministry; s first act must beto cashier the projects
and their subordinates who have made war on the
Republic Its second, to punish Them such MN
istr, pust. moreover demand guarantees from the
- bot i sb,lI have full liberty of action so