The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-20

ment which can attach to him is that OF
pity, and it is scarcely worth the while Of
Republicans TO kindle an intense feeling Of
compassion on his behalf.
The presence of NJ. GREvY in the oxecu-
tive Office makes IL easy for the majority in
the Chamber to carry out their threat, but
with the difficulty seems to have vanished
a chief motive for the prosecution. 1t would
have been waste Of time for our House OF
Representatives TO impeach ANDREW JOHN
son after his term had expired, and to chas-
tise MAcMAuoN's coadjutors, now that their
principal has been got rid Of, seems well.
nigh as superuous proceeding. The
measure, we are told, Is called for as n
warning. But warning to whom Not to
NJ. GREvY, certainly, or any sincere Repub-
lican who may acccde TO his position. And
II the future election OF a reactonist Prcsi-
dent Is conceivable, IL Is obvious that such n
change must have occurred In public opin-
ion as would quite draw the sting from the
admonition offered by the Imprisonment OF
Mcssrs FoURToU and DE BRoGLIE. Tho
fate OF the PoLTGNAc Ministry did not avail
to naralvzc the BONANZA rtiat an"sPi-~to-o of
the Second of December.
1t Is vain to deny that the radical major
ity In the lower House Of the French Lcgls-
laturc have already done something to JUS
tify apprehension on the part Of their friends
In this country by their sweeping and ex-
travagant course in the unseatng OF mem
bers. The rough remedy OF invalidation
was sanctioned by abundant evidence Of
bribery and repression in the great majority
Of instances, but sometimes it savored too
much Of persecution, and in more than one
case its injustice is attestod by the result OF
second elections. No doubt the Deputies
and the candidates Of the Left can point to
shocking record OF official wrong doing
during the summer OF 1877, and many OF
them have ranking remembrance OF
grievous personal injuries. But when lcgit-
innate redress showed tendency to drift
into indserimnate rcprisals the old fore
holdings OF recklessness and instability on
the part OF French Republicans were natu-
rally revived. These will be intensified II
the urgent and capital business OF recon-
struction and progress is now TO be inter
rupted and deferred by an act OF vengeance
whose practical utility cannot be distinctly
recognized.
Impeachment, too, is one thing, conviction
is another Now 1t is obvious that the Left
would suffer a deplorablc eclipse in public
opinion by failure to convict. But IL Is by
no means certain that the Senate, where the
scale may still be turned by the men of mod
crate views, would find the DE BRoGLIE
Ministry guiltyof technical treason. Such
a divergence Of sentiment, forced to trans
late itself into act, and envenomed by mu-
tual rcproaches, might irrevocably split the
Republican party At best some OF its most
judicious and helpful counselors, like DU-
FAURE and WADDINGroN, would In all prob
ability be driven from its ranks. And after
all, what would be gained supposing the
majority in the Chamber could succeed In
imposing its will upon the Senate, and in Sc
curing the sentence OF half ACCOMPLISHMENT
enemies TO a few months Imprisonment
They would probably render NJ. FoURToU
and his colleagues the only service they
can now hope to receive from any quarter
Their punishment might substitute sort
OF sympathy for the resentment and disdain
with which these persons are now regarded.
and dignity the instruments Of an abortive
conspiracy with a false air of martyrdom.