The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-20
The Ministerial crisi. in France.

sembly is one of the events which recent
experience has taught us to look forward
to without any apprehension of those ex-
urally to attend such occasions; and we
believe it may be confidently predicted that
what is said to-day in France will not in the
slightest degree disturb confidence there or
elsewhere in republican principles as the
only right foundation of good government.
but will, on the contrary, prove that all the
really capable men in public life in that
country have rallied to the side of the re-
publican system, and that the other side is
defended only by those who have vested
interests in organized wrongs or by those
so prejudiced by education and association
that they are unable to judge clearly what
is right and wise in the administration of
authority.
Our dispatches have pointed out the dis
satisfaction with which the Ministerial dec
laration made the other day was received in
the Chamber of Deputies. Somewhat an
alogous to our Presidential Message that de-
livery is not precisely like it. inasmuch rs
the absence from the declaration of any
reference to some topics deemed of great
moment by the majority has excited disap-
pointment and provoked the assault, more
or less fierce, that is to be made to-day
while the absence of an important state
ment Of intentions from q Presidential
Message would never startle any one in this
country, though it's presence there might.
Precisely why the republicans are dis
gusted with the government is plain and
clear enough; they want to have u dis
tinct and practical recognition Of the repub-
lican system of government by the ma
jority, and the administration is obstructive.
They want their overwhelming victory
before the country to be made effective and
produce its fruits in the composition of the
official world. They never go to the polls
but what they sweep all before them. One
Assembly is dissolved because the govern
ment cannot restrain its republican i'm
pulses, and, presto! another is elected more
dominantly and aggressively republican
than the first. Elections for replacing
one-third of the Senators take place,
and out of eighty-one seats the re-
publicans capture sixty-fve; thus change
the majority of the body to their
own party and present the splendid
spectacle for the first time in the history OF
France of two great legislative bodies
brought into harmonious support of rcpub-
lican principles-not by revolutionary
methods, not by sudden resort to the peo-
pie on the heels of some bloody conflict
with .despotism, but in the regular course of
popular progress, in the smooth experience
of seven years of government by the peo-
pie; an experience that all the prophets
have said must at any time produce anarchy
and chaos and disgust rational people
with self-government. AS the result Of all
these sober and rational triumphs over pop
ular prejudice--and that prejudice cult
waited by the head of the State-the repub-
licans claim that France is with them and
demand that the Executive shall recognize
the state of public opinion and no longer
obstruct the application of the popular will.
But the Executive seems not to know
what has taken place. 1t goes on as if it
had not heard the news, or as if the point
what may be the politics of the people did
not concern it. 1t acts as if in the compo-
sition OF the administrative departments
the only element worthy attention in a re-
publican government is clique of irrecon-
cilables, opposed to the Republic and
determined to improve every occasion
TO obstruct it's progress or defeat its
purposes. In the presence Of this indif-
ference and contempt the republicans
are like litigants for whom the jury has
given verdict and in whose favor decree
has been issued to which the clerk of the
court will not give the validity of the neces-
sary formalities. France has declared for
them, but an old public functionary and
his reactionary adherents stand in the way.
"All the trouble" says one of the Paris
correspondents of the London papers, sis
about patronage" Patronage is one of the
aspects of a subject that is far more impor-
tant in some other aspects than patronage
ever is but as it is the side that seems to
indicate sordid motives it is always held
up as the conspicuous element in the case
by those who are eager to cast odium on
party. Marshal MacMahon and his reac-
tionary supporters want to hold en- to the
permanent machinery Of administration by
keeping the offices filled with their crea-
lures. They do not want the patronage;
they want the chance it may give to- con-
troll every department and functionary at
u critical moment. But they shout
that the others want these places only
for the patronage, and they have
stentorian repeater of this opprobrious
cry in the person of that Paris correspond
ent of the London Times who has carried
to a ruinous limit the system of selling out
the independence of great journal for the
small price Of some slight facilities ex-
tended TO reporters. Any government in
Europe that will throw the cold victuals of
State information into n correspondent's