The sun., 1882-01-29
Gambetta,s Overthrow.

Gambetta's Overthrow.
The news from France is the most impor
tant which has reached us since republican
institutions wcrc solidly established in 1877
by tho discontinue CO the BRodLIE-FoUR-
ToU combination. In less than three months
after it's entrance into Office. GAMBErrA's
Cabinet, the oGrdnd Ministtre that was so
loudly hcraldcd, and of which such great
things were expected, has succumbed, before
presenting one of its announced reforms, and
on ON issue which need not for the present
have been raised at all. This is one OF those
victories, however, which the victors may
not be able to turn to any positive account.
A review of the field will show that with
GAMBErrA in opposition, no Minister is likely
to command a permanent majority IN the
present Chamber Of Deputies.
The report Of the committee, which GAM
BETA personally opposed in q long and elo-
Quent speech, was adopted by a vote Of 2s2 to
227. That Is to say, in House having 800
members present (the whole number OF seats
Is $50, the Ministry was beaten by a majority
Of So. Beaten on which feature Of its pro-
gramme? Nominally, on GAMBErrA's Wow
of the powers residing in constitutional
Congress, but really on his project OF elect
ing Deputies on departmental tickets, the
so-called scrtttin de liste. The proceedings
had ON Thursday show that there was no in
supcrabIe difference between the Judgment OF
the committee and that of the Cabinet on the
former point. The committee refused to rec
oInnend complete revision Of the Consti-
tuition, and the Chamber sustained them in
this course by a majority far larger than that
IN i,.b snl l,-n a.
1t is true that the committee declined to
follow GAMBETTA in assuming that the
Chambers, sitting sevcrally, were entitled,
a. a matter of law, To prescribe the range of
action for the joint meeting of both bodies
for constitutional purposes. But they woto
willing to affirm the expediency of limiting
discussion to certain subjects, and such II
declaration, though it could not operate as u
bar would naturally exert a great moral
pressure on the Congress. 1t is plain, from
the Overwhelming vote against the pro-
priety Of complete revision, that the Minis
try would have encountered no practical
difficulties on this head in the Congress.
When the committee, on the other hand, re-
fused To include the sc1,Hn de Este among the
matters suggested 10 their consideration, they
raised an issue which could only be settled by
a withdrawal Of that project OF by u rcsg-
nation OF the Ministry. For although, on
CLEsENCEAU's theory that the powers Of
the Congress are plenary, there would be no
objection to introducing the scheme for de-
partmental tickets in the Joint session Of the
Houses, it is obvious that the Cabinet, having
disowned this doctrine would be estopped
from doing SO. 1t was, therefore, for the
s7utin de Este that GAMBErTA made his
desperate uncomprOmising fight and being
worsted on this issue, lie had no alternative
but resignation.
1t is unfortunate for GAMBErTA's hold on
the Chamber and on the country that he
should have voluntarily staked his official
fortunes on question affecting merely the
electoral machinery, before he had justified
the hopes Of his partisans by effccting any
substantive legislation. 1t is said, indeed,
that series Of important reforms, well cal
culated to command public confidence, had
been prepared, and that bills embodying
these measures will now be introduced by
GAMBETrA as a private member of the
legislature We have no doubt that
such a programme exists, or that its
publication will produce good effect
but the impression on the public mind will
by no means be so deep as it would have
been had these reforms been proposed and
pressed far toward execution before the fall
of the Cabinet. Divulged so late, the good
intentions Of the Ministry may plausibly be
described as afterthoughts, and will quite
probably be taxed by its opponents with in
sincerity. Despite, however, the grave
blunder which GAMBErrA is now seen to
have committed In taking for granted his
ability to carry through the scrltit de Hste
and Notwithstanding the obstacles to his re-
gaining his lost position In the present Cham
Der, he is still stronger than any one man in
that body, he retains an ascendancy over
majority Of the Republican members of the
Senate and he is incontestably the most pop
uar man in France.
His successors, supposing that NJ. GREvY
can find men competent 10 construct Min
istry which will endure even for week, will
be placed In most embarrassing predica-
ment. 1t Is said that NJ. SAY and NJ. DE
FEEYCISEr have been asked to form Cab
met. But out Of what materials can they
frame 1t in order to secure a working ma
iority in the present Chamber Of Deputies
VI. SAY has always belonged to and NJ. DE
FREYcISET has of late acted with the Left
Centre, section which, though IL includes
several able men, is numerically insigniti-
can't These gentlemen have sometimes
voted With the reactionists In the Senate, but