The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-03
THE FRENCH CRISIS.
why MacMs hon Resigned the Presidency
Of France.
baltimore Bun.1

LONDON, Jan. 30--The Times Paris dis
pat eli says: president MacMa ahon's fall has
become a necessity. 1t will produce NO Ill
effect at home or abroad, ana VIII % pos1-
Leon Say submitted list OF changes of
treasurers general. The marshal said moth
ing concerning the proposed changes, but
asked M. Dufaure president Of the council, 70
remain after the adjournment Of the cabinet
meeting. Whep they were alone Il learn this
from two informants, one of whom heard 1t
from the marshal and the other from nj.
Dufaure,) the Marshal said: 4 will not sign
who gets into a passion. These execu-
be benz no going going Into passion But M. Leon
Say replied M. Dufaure, is not a
minister who gets into q passion, he
Is the minister who arrives first at his object;
that is all. We all took o formal pledge at
last Mondays sitting, and we all resolved on
acting up to it, But surely, rejoined the
heaps Of dlsmissals to sign I? I hope we are
all going said M. Dufaure, to keep our
word. We will not make hecatombs, but will
| give every satisfaction to which public Opin-
| ion is entitled. We have each our list ready.
/ have mine and the Minister of War has his.
We are each going to submit 1t to you, and
| hope you will sign it. for by not signing 1t, so
far from screening the functionarles, you
| would perhaps expose them. Seeing that
| what we do not do others will do still more
energetically. and If you prefer, as you tell
US, to retire, not only will you not save those
| you wish to protect, but you will jeoPardize
those we are really now protecting Here
the conversation ended. Next day the Mar
shal signed the financial changes. M. Du-
| faure believing him won over, at Tuesdays
mornings council submitted to President
MaCMahon decree affecting six public pros
| ecutors. The Marshal examined 1t, and then,
| turning to M. Dufaure, said Il am going to
| sign this, but leave the responsibility to
| YOU and signed it..
"Gen. Gresiey, Minister of War, submitted
his list. The law provides Tor eighteen high
military commands, each intrusted to a gen.
eral who may be relieved every three years.
or the eighteen generals 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, they ought. by tacit re-appoint-
ment, finish another term OF three years.
The law certainly says nothing OF the kind.
1t simply accords the power OF removing the
commander after three years. Gen. GreSleyS
decree dealt with nine generals. Of these
four were to be transferred, and five-Bour-
baki, De Lartigue, Batallle, Du Barail and
Montaudon-defnitely relieved. Marshal
MacMahon declared he could not sign this de-
cree.
"I cannot he said, Sign decree suppressed
ing brave generals, my own friends and COM
panions, whose legal term OF command only
expires in five or six months. There is no
| danger In my refusal. l cannot consent to
stay at such cost. blush at the thought.
| assure you, on my honor, 1 will not do it.
1t will have to be another who does it.. Polit-
icai categories must not be created In the
army / would prefer to resign. My child
rem would not forgive me for such an act. l
cannot, when the army is concerned, for which
| am responsible before the nation, obey in
functions OF newspapers like these and the
marshal showed two Republican newspapers
which for some days back have been pub,
fishing lists OF officials classed In political
categories. AS usual with him In
such circumstances his face flushed, and
he spoke hurriedly, as IL anxious to get what
he had to do soon over. The ministers
said nothing, for after hearing this 1t was
difficult to form an immediate resolution.
The council accordingly adjourned. In the
afternoon the cabinet met again. After much
| hesitation the ministers came to the cOnclu-
sion that their propositions must be main
tained. The law on the great military COM
mands Is one full Of dangers, begueathed by
the national assembly as piece Of anti-re-
teen military powers, the chiefs OF which have
come to look upon themselves as beyond the
governments reach, whom hitherto none
dared to interfere with. The ministers saw
point they would be exposing the
country to possible danger and
creating an insurmountable obstacle to the
settlement OF the government The cabinet,
therefore, determined to main ain its resou-
| ton. M. Dufaure was charged to inform
Marshal MacMahon OF this decision. He re-
piled that la view of this official demand he
asked for a cabinet council on Thursday at
o'clock, at Versailles. The ministers meeting
to deliberate on this reply resolved unani-
mously to abide by the resolutions. M. Mar
cere waited on the Marshal to ask him
whether he had no instructions to give him, the
Minister OF the Interior being responsible for
the public tranquility, and whether the Mar
shall did not wish to state his views on the
resolutions he had formed and the measures
they might entail. The interview was brief
and courteous, but the Marshal did not in any
way manifesta final decision. He confined him
So II to referring to the fact that he would pre-
side at the cabinet council on Thursday"
The Daily Tetegrdpks Paris dispatch says
''The commissions operations may possibly
have helped President MacMahon's decision
to resign. 1t is said materials have been
found strongly incriminating not only Gri-
maude Rouchebouet, formerly President Of
the Council and Minister OF War, but Marshal
MacMahon In an attempt to organize a coup
detdt. If MacMahon should not resign an
attempt will probably soon be made to bring
the facts before the Chambers