New-York tribune., 1879-01-31
PRECEDING EVENTS.

IEECLDlNG EN EMS.
DISCUSSIONS ~ CABINET CoUNCIL-THE MINISTER'S
DETERMINED 10 FULFIL THEIR wTDGE-1HE
PRESIDENT FIRM IN REGARD To 1HI MILITARY
DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS.
LONDON, Thursday, Jan. 30, 1879.
Tie Timc,'s Paris dispatch says: president Mac
MahOn's fail has become a necessity. 1t Will pro-
ducc no ill-c(sct a, home or abroad, ard viii be
positive relief. At Saturdays Cabinet meeting NJ.
Leon Say submitted a list OF changes of Trca-urcTs-
General Ihc Marshal said nothing concerning the
proposed changes, but asked VI. DufauTe, President
Of the Council, to remain after tho adjournment OF
the Cabinet meeting When they were alone Il
learned TINS from two in1ormants, one of whom
heard il from the Marshal, and the other from NJ
DuiauJe the Marshal said: i will not sign those
dccrccs. ". Icon Say is Minister who gets into
passion. These executions must not be made
There must be no going into passion
"'But NJ. Leon say replied VI. Dufaure lis not
n Minister who gees into passion; he is the Minis
ter who arrives first at this object; that IS al. We
all took formal plodge at last Mondays sitting
and we all resolved on acting up to It,
49, But surely rcioined the Marshal, 'yOu are not
going TO bring me heaps of dismisSals to SgnY
81 hope we are all going' said VI. Dufaurc, to
keep our word. We Will not make hecatOmbs but
will give every satisfaction to which public opinion
is entitled We havo each our list ready; have
mne and the Minister of War has his. We are
each going TO submit il to you, and l hope
YOU will sign it; for by not signing it, so
far from screening the functionarics you
would perhaps, expose them, seeing that what we
do not do others will do still more cneTgcticay and
If you perfcr as yOu tell US, to retire, not only will
you not save those you wish TO protect. but You
will jeOparGze those are now really prOtccting.'
Here the conversation ended. Next day the Marshal
signed the financial changes.
IN DufauIe believing him won over, at Tuesday
mornings Council submitted to President MacMa-
hon decree affecting six Public Prosecutors. The
Marshal examined ii and then turning TO NJ. Du-
faure, said am gong to sign this, but l leave
the responsibility TO you and signed it.
General GreScy, Minister of War, submitted his
list The law provides for eighteen high military
commands, each intrusted 10 a general who may he
relieved every three years. Of the eighteen gen.
erals thus appointed nine have held their posts
more than five years, and next September will have
been six years. Marshal MacMahon's idea is that
not having been removed after three years they
ought, by tacit reappoimtment, hnish another
term of three years. The law certainly says moth
iIg of the kind. 1t simply accords the power of
removing the commander after three years
General Gresey's decree dealt with the nine gen
erals. Of these, four to be transferred and
fve-Bourbaki De Lartgucs, Bataillc, Du Barail and
Montandon-defnitcly relieved. Marshal Mac
Mahon declared he could not sign this decree. I
cannot he said, sign a decree supcrseding brave
gencrals-my own friends and companions-whosc
legal term Of command only expires in five or six
months. There is 10 danger in my refusal. cannot
consent TO stay at such cost blush at the thought
assure YOU on my honor will not do it. 1t will
have to be another who does it. Political cate
corI,s must not be created in the Army. ! would
urcfcr TO resign Ny children would not forgive
me for such an act. | cannot, when the Army is
concerned, for which | am responsible before the
Nation obey injunctons of newspapers like these
and the Marshal showed two Republican news
papcrs which for some days back have been pub
fishing lists of officials classcd in political cate
pories As usual with him in such circumstances,
his face flushed and he spoke hurriedv, if anxious
to get what he had to do soon over. The Ministers
SAID nothing for after hearing tins it difficult
10 form an immediate resolution. The Council
coTdnPly adjourned.
.'In the afternoon the Cabinet met again. After
much hesitation, the Ministers came to the cOnclu-
sion that their propositions must be maintained.
The law on the great military commands is one full
of dangers bequeathed by the National Assembly
rs a piece of ami-republican strategy. 1t calls into
being eighteen military powers, the chiefs of which
vond the Governments reach, whom hitherto none
dared to interfere with The Ministers saw that If
they were to give in on this point they would be
evposiDp the country to possible danger and Great
ing an insurm0untabc obstacle to the settlement
Of the Government. The Cabinet therefore, deter
mined to maintain its resolution. NJ. Duiaurc was
charged to inform Marshal MacMahon of this dccl-
sion. He replied that in view Of this official de
mand hc asked for Cabinet Council, on Thursday,
at l o'clock, at Versailles.
"Tbe Ministers meeting TO deliberate on TINS reply
resolved unanimously t. abid" by the resolutions.
NJ NarcCre waited CL the Marshal TO ask him
whether hc had no instructions to give him, the
Minister of the Interior being responsible for the
public tranquility, and whether the Marshal did
NOT wish to state his views on the resolutions he
had formed. and the measures they might entail.
The interview was brief and corcous, but the Mar
shal did not in any way manifest final decision.
He confined himself to referring to the fact that he
would proslde at the Cabinet Council on IhuisdaN.'
Referring 10 the probabilities Of the future the
correspondent SAYS: "Pcrhaps VI. DuiauIe viii re-
fire. but a large part of tic Cabinet. strengthened
i'm the ewes Of the republicans and the country Gy It's
decided and proper tttudc will remain. The E0ursc
will greet the Marshaps retirement by Tlse
The conduct Of the Cabinet meets with general ap-
proval. 1t is asserted that twenty-five of the
twentv-nine members Of the Electoral Commission
favor impeachment of the De Droghe Cabinet. The
Commission met on Wednesday, but it Is believed
did not come TO any decision
Tie Daily Tclcgdphs Paris dispatch says the Com
MISSIONS operations may possibly have helped
President MacMahon's decision TO resign. 1t is
said materials have been found strongly ncrm-
mating not only General Gramaudet Ronchebouet,
formerly President OF the Council and Minister of
War, but Marshal MacMahon in an attempt TO or