The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-02-07
TWO GREAT

tnc WOIlu We may say tudt tnc Cndil-
Der Of deputies had no power to compel
the retirement of President MacMahon.
His resignation was perfectly voluntary
being for the best interests Of France.
He had full power to retain his seat
until the expiration Of his seven years
term Of the presidency.
The French republic is modelled a
little after the style of the limited mon
arches of Europe. This is especially
SO in the case of the cabinet. which to
succeed, must be In sympathy with the
majority of the lower house, to which it
must answer directly. The president,
like Queen Victoria, for instance, calls
upon some one to form a ministry. lie
OF course, makes such a selection as
proves agreeable to the majority. The
president Of the ministry, correspond
ing to the prime minister of m~onarchies
is really at the head of the policy OF
the state, while the president
Of the republic is merely an execu-
tive officer, giving effect to the conclu-
sions of the ministry. The president
may not even be consulted IN an inn
portant matter. Indeed, the ministry
or the chamber of deputies may prove
utterly Objectionable to him. Or both
may be dlstasteful. lie has not the pow
err Of selecting a ministry; he can only
name the presiding officer thereof, and
then such u person will necessarily
have to be acceptable to the deputies,
which amounts TO no free choice at all
on the part Of the president. A presi-
dent Of France, therefore, is liable at
anytime to have NJ influence or au-
thority in matters Of state, and become
as much an official automaton as Queen
Victoria. 1t was the existence of such
a state of affairs that caused President
MacMahon 10 resign. Rather than
give effect to the dictation of the ener-
getic deputies and a compliant minis
try; rather than prove an obstruction
to the welfare of France by causing
a deadlock and all the injurious intrig-
ues possible in such an event, he resign
ed. That act was as voluntary us an
act of charity. There was no power to
remove him. The French>constitution
provides that the president can be re-
moved only for high treason, and GER
tainly it was not high treason in Mac
Mahon refusing to permit the deposit
ton Of favorite generals from impor-
tant commands. Particularly, when
he had the constitutional right to APP
point and remove officers Mt will; and
the chambers were therefore interfering
with the presidents constitutional pre-
negatives. But he cut the Gordian
knot by withdrawing from office, and
he quilted power and place, with France
not the least undermined in unity and
strength so far rs his conduct is con
cerned.
In the United States, as is well
known, the president, who is elected by
the people 1.-THE French president is
elected by a congress of both chambersl
is at once the chief of the army and
navy, prime minister, ETC., and has the
individual privilege of selecting his
cabinet, which must answer to him.
He has always, therefore, a ministry in
full accord and sympathy with him.
There are scarcely any complications,
and certainly there have been none, to
compel the resignation of our presi-
dent We need only go back to the
farm IF A pdrarv Iotpaon ror ,vor,,1o
True, an endeavor was made to remove
him, much because lie differed in toto
with both houses Of congress, and legis-
lation and government was somewhat
clogged. But it is well for the strength
OF h nation that he was not impeach-
ed, for the precedent would be a sad
one. 1t is settled that treason to party
is not treason to state. II it were,
whenever a congress was oppos-
ed to the chief executive the impeach-
ing process would be employed, to the
eventual death Of the republic, or,
what is scarcely less disastrous. the
Mexicanization of the people. 1t is
safe, perhaps, to say that II Andrew
johnson had been removed from the
presidency, by a republican congress,
President Hayes would be removed by
the next congress, which will be demo-
cratic. But, thanks to the condition
Of things, our government is stable and
the people can therefore go on in man.
u~factures and commerce, unmindful of
the possible complications in politics.
Prosperity is consequently assured.
What the French republic needs is a
closer resemblance to the greatest of
all republics. Sudden changes of gov
eminent are always provocative of dis
trust, and too much distrust begets
ruin. Recent events in France have
established the precedent that the chief
magistrate of the nation, though elect
ed for a period Of seven years, holds
his Office simply by grace of the cham
bers. They may at any time resort to
freezing him out, It is this uncer.
tainty which presages trouble. and It
seems to be the principal weak point in
the French republic which stands erect.
stately and grand, amorg the noble
historic structures Of Europe.