New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-08-15
FRENCH INTRIGURS.

The alarming rumors which have come to us
from France during the past fOrty-eight hours
Justify the apprehen5iOns expressed by our rams
correspondent in the letter which We publish
this morning. The fact that the Conservative
papers are clamorng for declaration Of mar
tial law, and that majority of the Ministers
secretly f,vor, even if they have not openly
advocated thi. measure, is of OminOus import 4;
and the report that the influence OF the Bona
partSts il TO be strengthened III the CABINET
and that the Prince Imperial is to hold conn-
ell Of war at Chisehurst Is far from reaSs,if-
ing. Is the civil comp GGtat TO end in mill
tary c0up G(Ht?
At first sight all the chances seem to be
against it. President MacMahon Is surrounded
10y conspiratOrs, but he is neither fool nor
knave himself To betray tho Republican
cause is one thing; To betray France Is another
thing His Ministers are straHlng the Con
stitution III their attempt to wrench by intim-
iIati0n and fraud Conservative Chamber our
of Republican constituencies; but the President
himself, in reversing the Government engine
aud putting the Due de BrOghe at Cho wheel
in the place of jules Simon. kept his eye
upon the official chart and did nothing
that was Illegal. He had the right under
the Constitution to turn ont Of Office
one Ministry and to appoint another that alb
horrcd what twO-thrds of the Chamber non
Orcd, and with the concurrence OF the Senate
to appeal 10 the Judgment Of his conntryme n
He may have violated the spirit OF the Con
stitution but not the letter OF the law. This
blunt soldier is obstinate, but neither am
bitions nor unscrupulous He has Andrew
Johnson's faith in the necessity and efficacy of
his policy, but not Louis Napoleon's reliance
upon luck. intrigue and force. He has no SYM
pathy with Republican institutions, but he l.
loyal to France and jealous of his honor.
When he Is again confronted with Liberal
majority ne viii not call upon the army to defy
the people. lie will serve out his term with \
new Ministry rather than violate the COnstitu-
ton. His Polignac Cabinet can drag him to
the brink Of usurpation, but not over it.
But the adventures who surround the Pres
ident of the Republic may conspire against
him as against France. They will carry him
with them If they can, but strike him down if
they must. This is the startling suggestion
which our correspondent makes. The Home
Minister and his B0napaTtlSt allies realize
that the Marshal will resist AL their
attempts to reestabliSh the Empire, and
they are prepared to shut him up
for forty-eight hours and transform him into
Grand Constable Of France after Napoleon
". is seated on the throne The success OF so
nonstrous plot as this is improbable but NOS
impossible. The Due dc BroGlie is by birth
an Oreauist, but no one who has studied his
political career, can doubt that he would will
ingly become BonapaTtist Prime Minister.
The Bonapartists are already in possession OF
the most Influential! bureaus of the Govern
ment, and the Prince Imperial is the only
claimant TO tho throne OF France who is pOpu-
lar in the army. They know that France
always forgives success, and they believe that
audacity and force always succeed. IL is a
Jolly plot for Imperial tramps.