New-York tribune., 1877-06-01
THE FRENCH CRISIS.

I
ULIRAMoNTANE AGENCIES All woRE-GRADuAL rE-
vELOPMENT OF THE CON sPIRACY-AN oRLEAN-
IsT NONARCHY THE MAIN OBJECT OF TIIf
eCHHME-JULEs SIMON UNEQUAL TO TIE oCcA-
sION-GAMBFTTA IN GENERAL FAVOR WITH The
REPUBLICANS.
fFHOM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT oF THE rRIBuSE.l
PARIS May Isl presume there can be no need
10 state that the insane act committed the day
before Yesterday by Marshal MacMahon was
planned and dictated by the Ultramontanes. lhey
have been the potters hut their combination rests
upon what they believe to be the universal noatIng
hatred of all the conservative classes IN France
against the Republic; il is perhaps here that may
lie the great mistake and in this misapprehen-
sion OF facts that will he found relative safety
The whole is involved IN such complicated inirlca-
cies that if were describe TIL tomorrow mgh'
faI 10 make foreigner understand what the several
divisions and subdivision OF individual inter
ests are in this threatening imbrogilo. VIII
first esta ilish the general outlines OF the situa-
tion: We are, at the present moment III
France and have been for many years, in the ago
MES of two crises; ore is special TO France the
other is common to the French and to every other
European nation since the days of Rousseau ana
Volaire. This last is. namely, the struggle between
superstition and free thought; the struggle special
to France only is that which Is going on between
the absolutely exhausted upper or so-called gov
erniug classes ard the entire mass of the country
it-elf Ii is because they feel the shadow OF the
future growing over them, AID because thcy Degh
to hear the heavy football Of advancing Tine, taat
the condemned of all denominations rise in wild re-
volt. and from time 10 time seem 10 FIGHT together
for hc same but the shades Of their creed are
different
For instance. this crisis first began on the meet
ing Of the Chambers last Winter, after the vote
a. T4 hon ftplff
shade Of color was distinctly OrleaEist. advised
Won of il AT the time. About three months ago the
conspiracy was thoroughly organized the Senate
was 80 hrlg about LEGALLY the dissolution OF
the Chamber Of Deputies and then "somehow
or othern the Due dAumale was TO De
made President Of the Republic. Here lay
the chef weakness. Surprising the senate
rlshed the C0tp d6Gf of the Marshal, ana
really voted the dissolution which Is by 10 means
sure and above al was not 20 last January, what
then9 1le advent of au Indignantly Repnhhcan
Chamber was Inevitable. and after that the open
and possibly violent contest throughout france. 1t
was against ills that no adequate provision was
made no lstinc; form Of procedure adopted. IL va,
to be, repeat. somehow OF other that the II Sc
.cncy ~ Inc par dAumale was 90 be brought about,
and tins was 20 lead 30 the reign Of the Comte
dc PA;.s. Iut how il was al 20 be achieved
was ltft in a dcplorlbly vague condition
one If fhe defects of this combination that ~
necessarily eutliiel che immediate retirement Of ae
Mare! al ard the nomination OF the Due GAumale 10
the Presidency of the Republic, ior II was step
deemed essential 10 the she, ess.og of tie Comic
De Paris. Ihi, defect helped such leu rs adding
ton and Say open che Mar~haIs eyes io She danger
and the crisis vs. hich opened On the retreat of u Du
flure was skii'ully tded over 10y the nomination
OF o. member OF the Lit to thc Premiership.
u has hitherto been stated a these letters wins.
gorouzl!r uuslfe character was jules Si.aon. Md
ne been otherwise, had he had in him The stuff Of
Cayour. Rad he even had The high ambition his few
friend credited him with, the present crisis could
never have is.cd. Eut Simon has 100 lofty ccnvic
touo no sta.nI-a, moral pH sca', urrigH.ness,
and node of tncse G1and, genuine qualities which
compel faithful adherence, because authority and
leadership are only aimed at for the sake Of the
common veal. Simon, who is the most eloquent
# shutters, but notliu. more. Is not ingenious
in iureutiug expcaients From he date of h.s en-
trance or his ministerial functions ;,il wednesday
bis sole action was one If staving on But the
moment a necessity for real honest action came,
even lis eioqucuce failed Simon. because in real
crisis where great issues are at stake eloquence is
the plain clear reflection u great honest. patriotic
mind of simple, cleaiiy-defned public duty. Ia
such situations ~ ths eioqueuce Is uo longer talk
Well with tie Premier ship OF Simon the Orleanist
intrlGics received damper, and IOr Tie moment
there was % forced Improvement IN the situation.
Had peac, IN the Ea- been secured, the Roy Iii-ts
would have considered themselves defeated bGt
with te rreal OF war came the clerical difficulty.
Two currents snrged mp the day after Marshal
Mol-hss speech ir rim one, the energetic resolve
10 MAINTAIN peace ~ "a political understanding with
Germany Oiach al understanding being pracficablol:
the other. Wild insane desire to provoke an Ultra
m e. .N. ff.ff Il.
against italy and Bismarck The vote on Go ith
OF this month wac tnc determining of AL that
has happened tins week.
II was q dec'aration With Government sanction,
Of the national policy Of France Tins haste"c3 The
crisis. The large portion OF what ! would call the
vulgar Catholicism OF France demands new papa!
crusade. But, on the other hand, theoyerwhelmng
majority of the country Is determine. upon peace,
and will under no pretext be dragged inro a war
with Bismarck, and ind Itself exposed TO a second
invasion.
These are now the two conflicting forces: The
bishops tbc pilgrims, The miIacusts, on the one
side, and nc country on the ether represented. since
The speech le made on Che 4th of MAY by Gambeta.
During q 20 days between thc 4th and tie 10th, the
Due DE- Broeiie scarcely left le Marshars side, and
coming ~ By back entrances, he was at all hours
prompting evil deeds 10 the weak, narrow-nindcd,
and opaque intellect OF the soldier-Presidcnt
Stra; ge TO say there was one obstacle 10 success
that had not been dreamed of the Marshal was
not 10 be inspired by the glories Of a purely
clerical campaigns; lie was not disposed
to aght for the temporal power Of the Pope against
the Popes strong adversary, Prince Bismarck. No
Presented thus the Marshal vas inclined 10 20 on
tolerating his Ministry, and the intriguers of the
Right Center had to mask their batteries well
that the interpretations fixed for the I4th in the