, 1877-06-18
THE FRENCH CRISIS.


Of S1Aca1A1roS prorogning tho Chamber Of
Deputies and tho message aslting the assent
Of tho Senate to its dissolution, and has OBJ
Gorved the events that haye trnnapired be-
tvo:n tho delivery Of the two messages,
cannot fall 10 underatand tho real animus Of
thoprssent political crisis in France. The two
messages proceed upon theory, ostepsibly
Republican, which is exactly tho opposite OF
Republican, and antagonissio to tue spirit Of
Republican institutions and responsible Gov
ernmont as these two terms aro understood
In tho United States on tho ono hand and
England On tho otller. In Ills message
Of May 1c, prorogulng tho Chamber for a
month, II. NAcAlAuoS sold: ~ could not
taxo further stop In tho Same path without
making an appeal to tho Radical faction,
which desire tho modification Of our In
atitusions," tho "Ilalical faction" %
ho. terma 1t, bolng tho Republican
party which constitutes minority
Of the Caambor representing q ma-
jority Of tue people. In 1la message of
tho 10Th inst, asking tho assent Of tho Son.
ata to tue dissolution Of tho Chamber, whicl,
assent is rendered necessary by tho Conuti-
tuition, lie saya: "On May 1c Ind to MAKE
known to tho country tile Emergencies in
the Chamber. thea Stated tbat no Minis
try could maintain itsclf in that Chamber
without seeking MI a1lianco with and sub
mitting to conditions OF tho Nadical party. 4
Government reduced to such d necessity ii
no longer muster Of ia own notions. II
mnst servo tho designs OF those whose sup.
port It accepts, mad prepare tho way for their
accession TO power. 10 this would no
longer lend 1nyself. .. France, like
myself, wishes to presorvo hor Constitution
intact. SlIe does mot with To sec her lnuti-
tntions disturbed 1,y Iia,licalA,n." The two
e1trncts We havo tnMlo c!rarly show tho
theory upon which MAoNiAuoN is cudoayor-
Ing to shape events In France no as to con-
solislase aud conlralize powor. When
Louts NV. said ~ am the State"
ho only expressed In nn al,soluto
aud aogmasio way what n. b1AcMAtox
states tnore circnmspocsly md witl, moro Of
oircnmloontion. In these Incsaagss he aub-
atantially saya, :''rho Ministry aud arc
France" When he says !" France does not
wish to rec her institutions disturbed by
A~licalinln," 10 really says, ".rhe minority
OF tho people of Franco Comprising the
IcgitimiHts, ImperialiBts, tho Clcrlcals, tho
Ministry, aud II, slAoMAHox, whoarc tl1o MI.
nosisy) 10 not wish to see their Institutions
disturbed by the Republicans, WHO ara the
majority" Upon II. M.oMAuos's theory, The
majority Of tho people ropresunt tho Minis
try,ana aro ita agents; tho Ministry docs
not represent tho majority, and ts not its
agent. Tho action Of the Ministry during
the Interim In diminishing thu Prefects Of tue
majority, In wnruing students that they can.
not discuss political questions, In imprisou.
luy and filming editors Of Republican news.
pnpers for declaring the sentiments
Of the majority, iu stopping tho
circulation Of Republican newspapers,
In sorbIdding the distribution Of politt.
cal documents, aud in establishing rigid
press censorship. arc al in keeping with this
theory OF the minority. The struggle going
OH in Franco, therefore, Is between the prin.
ciple that the majority shall rule and that
tha Government must represent tho majority
on tho ona hand, and tho relics OF that I'm.
pcEiallstio theory Of Lou.a XIV, that tho
people must submit to the personal ideas Of
the party In power. In the tmo OF LOUIS
XIV, tho theory involved tho submission Of
tho majority to tho ideas Of tho monarch. In
Ii. MAcafAuoNs time, 1t involves the sub
mission Of the minority 10 the iloas Of a
nominal President aud Ministry iu relig-
ioas and political sympathy with him. All
THIS goes to show that tho Republic is not