The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-30
MacNIahon Refuses.

| Marshal MacMahon declines to disor-
| ganize the army" and 'sleaves the respon-
sibility for such steps to others. This is
the form in which he puts his refusal to act
on the demand for the displacement of GER
tain corps commanders and he thus at
once objects to a phase of. tho republican
policy and impeaches the motives of those
who urge it, Transfers in high commands
do not disorganize armies, or, il they do,
few armies in the world are without this
source of disorganization, for such changes
are always a current part OF the history OF
military administration. 1t cannot be
merely changes, therefore, that the Mar
shall objects to, but he objects to the cause
of the change and, perhaps. to the men
with whom it would be necessary to replace
the removed commanders. 1t would de-
moralize the army to put at the head OF
its corps men with faith in the Republic
and demoralize it to pretend that the
actual corps commanders could in any
contingency lend themselves to the projects
of any parties or persons who might desire
to try coups d'etat, and for these reasons
y
Assembly is less delicate in its appreciation
of what corps commanders might do. AS
armies have supported usurpers before this
the republicans take the libertyto believe
they may do it again, and, therefore, they
want to obtain the only guarantee that
seems possible in the circumstances put
at the head Of the troops men who, in any
conflict between individuals in authority
and the representatives of the nation, would
be in sympathy with the national cause.
Consequently the apparently absolute
refusal of MacMahon puts the repub-
licans face to face with the diff
Guilty; he will not do the one thing
that it is imperatively necessary should
be done, as they belicve-the one thing
necessary to render impossible an abu-
sive use of the executive power, and he
stands on the prerogative of his Office as
the head of the administration, in the ex-
ercise of function with which the Legisla-
ture may be said to have no right to inter-
fere. If he persists in his attitude he will
in few hours probably find himself with
out the means to carry on the government
in a constitutional way, and he can either re-
sort to extra constitutional means or resign.
His action will probably not be accepted by
the Ministry, which would, by accepting
it, make itself responsible before house
in which, on this issue, it is only remotely
possible that it might get majority. 1t is
true the issue on the army appointments
would not divide the House in the same
way as it was divided on the vote in regard
to the Mihistry's promises, and there is o
chance that the show Of right in an ex-
ecutive who stands on what is indisputably
the function Of his Office might rally support
from many quarters that could scarcely be
counted upon as supporters of resistance
to the Republic. Should, however, the
Ministry obtain vote of confidence from
the Chambers the Marshal may resign. In
deed it is announced that he has actually
done SO, but it is we'll to recall that he has
hitherto held on to the Office with peculiar
tenacity through situations where his dig
nifty would have been better consulted by a
graceful retirement In case he does this
the Chamber will Immediately proceed to
the choice of new President, and will fill
the Office with some capable man of known
republican principles like M. Dufaure, M.
Grevy or General Chanzy. and then finally
the three great divisions of the govern
ment will be in the hands Of the friends of
the republican constitution. The trouble
will probably move toward definite solu-
| ton to-day.