Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-09-09
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

The friends Of the French government
must have acquired increase of confidence
in the country since the last elections, and
they ought to feel that they may now safely
dismiss fears which were reasonable enough
while their fortunes were doubtful. They
might be little intollerant and suspicious
so long as the republic was in embryo or in
danger. Now that it has grown to man
hood and is secure, it would become them to
be less exacting, to be ready to offer terms
which do not humiliate; to open their ranks
and recognize the existence of various shades
Of republicanism to be content to know
that many of their countrymeh, though re-
GREETING that monarchy is impossible are
perfectly ready to be good citizens and obey
the laws. II is easy TO follow a different
course, to frame indictments against whole
classes, to brand them with the charge of
being clericals, or to show that they do not
conform to lofty Republican standard
Such attempts, however, are easily mis-
placed. Efforts to put into position of an
tagonism people who, if let alone, would
soon become neutrals, if not friends, cannot
fail to do mischief, and the elections in sew
eral districts in Paris would be best taken to
heart if they were regarded as convincing
proof that magnanimity is polite and that
the sectarian republicanism which imposes
harsh tests and is quick to take offence
should be abandoned as an anachronism.
We are not sanguine enough, however, to
suppose that some of the faults of French
political life will be cast off at once. They
have their root in human nature itself. Envy
is the besetting sin of democracies and envy
has much to do with the intolerance which
forms the only visible danger that threatens
this young republic. This passion, at once
strong and subtle, leads men to cavil and
rail at institutions which they have no call
TO attack-to cavil at the church because il
has influences, at religious instruction be.
cause it is successful, and at the influence OF
any minister who is in power, just because
he is there. This spirit, which is much
more annoyed at distinctions of any kind
than vices, will not be extinguished by any.
thing which has happened, and there will
always be type of republicans envious OF
pedantic enough to take offense at anything
which is not of yesterday.
But the plea of danger being no Longer
admissible and the republic being daily con
solidated, we hope that statesmen will rec
ognize more and more the expediency O
pulverizing all that remains of old France
and the wisdom of accepting her with hel
social and religious differences and her ira
ditions. No one has stated more precisely
and with greater force the cause of the fail
ure OF former experiments of the kind thar
M. Gambetta. He has repeatedly traced the
overthrow of the government of 184S, fol
example, to the vaccinations and hatred o
the friends of the fallen regimes. In hi
famous speech, delivered at Romans, hi
quoted the saying of M. Theirs. "ThC
party which end by triumphing and gov
erning is the one which will prove the great
est and wisest." This aphorsm has no
lost its truth. No administration in France
can avoid making enemies, but they arr
likely to be diminished, and opposition will
be best restrained by offering reasonable
and thorough truce to all who reluctantly
or not, accept the present order of things.