New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-10
named to fill it. What excuse can there DC
for blocking the wayP
TILE nEADLnCR ~ FRANCE.

THE DEADLtCh ~ Ihh-'oi-'
The present situation in France, viewed IN
the light which the history OF the past BIZ
months throws upon 1t. Is SIMPLY aiil'"'"S'
"Statesmausbipn is Il term which can no longer
be ornlieI 70 the course of the MacAlahOn Govern
mont II has degenerated into what we can ohiy
call bull-headed obstinacy. 1t is not surprising
that the French people should surmise the eXls'-
epcc of some deep-ad nefarious plot rs 'ile ''o,
five power of the resistance to the emphatlc WI"
of the majority and the purpose OF the ConStl'u-
t1on. They are accustomed to almost any o'iioi
fault than stupidity public affairs ana iic,io9
only accent n blunder when they have falleu
to discover any evidence of crime Inc pop
Mar belief that violent measures were ohiE pre-
vented by the frmness OF General berthaut'
fine recent Minister of War, is thus eXplaiheu.
The rcport may or may not have been based
nm trutb; but il will equally increase the dis
trust of MacMahon and possibly diminish his
actual influence over the army.
The new Ministry was understood, on both
sides. TO be merely an dd interim arrangement,
intended to last while the Marshal-Presidcnt
sounded the possibilities of second dissOlu
ton of the Chamber of Deputies. The plan
failed, owing to lie prudence of the
with the Republicans on this question, formed
a majority OF the Senate. Without the concur
renee of that body dissolution could not be
carried, and so nothing but for the Min
lstIy TO resign. Their resignation was accepted
on Thursday last, ond NJ. Dufaure was sum
moned to aid in the construction OF new
Ministry. AS an cX-Ministcr himself, Con-
servative Republican and on good terms with
the Orleanists VI. Dufaure was in n position
to select men from the Right and Left Centres,
whose appointment would satisfy the Repub-
ican party, without beng specially objection
able to the MOnarchists. Bur, after very re-
luctantly accepting The conditions, that the
Ministry should have entire liberty as to all
official appointments chat the power to declare
4 siege and the laws concerning the press
should he modified, and the Chamber guaran-
teed against capricious dissolutions, MacMahOn
suddenly demanded the right to appoint the
Ministers of War, Marine and Foreign AZ
fairs. 1t was n prepos.crOus claim, since 1t
would have left the whole offensive power Of
the Government in his own hands, precisely
as before. Thereupon, NJ. Dufaure gave up
all hope OF forming a new Ministry, and now
". BatMe has been summoned to the work.
So the deadlock continues and is not likely
to be looscncd 50 far as 10 assure even tOlcra-
bic quiet in the future. What may be cX-
Dccted from VI. Batbie, may be guessed from
his declaration, on Saturday, that MacNlahon
had made every concession consistent with
honor, and henceforth the observation-disclosures
follow HIM, even TO voting second diSs0lu-
ton. The B0napartists in France appear to
be growing inpatient from deferred chances
Of action. and therefore somewhat reckless;
the Legitimists have no other policy than hos
tility TO the Republic; but the Orleanists have
nothing to lose, ana possibly something to
cain. in ranging themselves with the Repub-
lican majority in this crisis. We believe they
will be patriotic enough to defeat the plan OF
again dissolying the Chamber; but we
cannot expect any real submission, or
even any honest compromise, from the
Government. Meanwhile, the depression OF
business in France increases from day TO day;
industry of every kind lauguishes; the people
are disturbed, anxious, irritated; enormous
prenarations are in progress for a grand EXhi-
bition in 1873, and the world is not yet quite
sure that 1t can be held; and the final adjust
ment of the political trouble seems to be nearly
as distant as it WAS in May last. All these
evils have fallen upon France, because parties
forced into retirement the prudent, experienced
and patriotic statesman who was at the head Of
affairs five years ago, to give his place TO a
soldier who was never a great commander iii
the larger sense of an organizer and Il strate-
gist, and whose last previous distinction was
only that Of i0nOmIDiOus defeat