New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-05
GAMBETTA'S DOWNFALL.
PREPARATION AND READING OF IhE
FAMOUS BILL.


Ihave carefully reported TO YOU the different fai-
lamentary and Ministerial evolutions OF NJ YAM
betta since the day on which this Chamber met IN
November have shown you the dangers 10 which
his popularity exposed ana Tue eil -
which the impetuosity IF his temper as wei a. 'A0
facility of his disposition have led him lh's 'aSA
was not 10 me a labor Of love, for If GamOetta mas
his faults he has many great qualities. Inc actua'
nostion of Gambetta toward the CsamDer, you
hoye heen prepared for inasmuch as 1t is the out
come of the hgh-handed and cavalier action taken
nv the uustrious orator and his friends ID the
November session. when he was elected temporary
President; and at the close in the same month ol
the debate on Tunis. when he imposed resolution
on the House dtasteful to 1t and las IL mas turned
out 10 the country. These errors nave oeeh loI
loved by other grave mistakes, such the creation
of Ministries for no other object than 10 ehaole
three very second.rate men TO live IN palaces ana
grab public money; the savage hostility OF the
Government toward re cheforJ at his trial for llOe
ling Ronstan the attacks of the official press on the
Jury which acquitted the Lanternler; the hahu"'s
over of the War Office TO Generals who are VloIeh'
reactionsts; the nomination Of journalistic par'I
. san of q Coup d'Etat Government NJ WEISS u 'ro
most influential post at the Foreign Oice' anu
lastly the attempt TO suppress manifestation
over Blanqui's grave. This last action was lIesa
uncallcd for and altogether unjusuiaoie' ls oo
icct 10 now beginning TO appear. and shows an III
epton TO ayenge the rough conduct of the electors
of Charonne in August
These events produced painful impression out OF
Parliament A member of NJ houviers family
made Things worse by announcing through the IN
deueldeaoe ECjJc that GamOetta was determined u
establish a new Parliamentary and Ministerial IRA
aitiou lie would only su1ier this authorized person
stated the Chambers to direct the general Outline
of his policy and not only would not tolerate inter-
ference with administrative details but would dis
cinline the Cham ier into n degree CT suDJcctlCh
which would enable il and the Government to WORK
tremendously together. To this end he wOud
make il often consent to acts Of Government OF
nature to excite its repugnance." what mas oc'
Cured since November has greatly diminished Daih-
bcttas popularity. Provincial Deputies IN VIC
christina, vacation became alive to this great fact
On their return to Paris they startled by the
announcement that clause which II accepted
wonll Mace them as legislators entirely at the
mercy of Gambctta. was to be introduced into tAe
bill he was preparing for the revision OF the con-
stiuti0nal laws The purport OF TINS clauSe was 10
restore the regime of the scrutin de llse. OF depart
mental vote, at general elections NJ OreNy was
consulted by nearly every Republican Deputy VINO
is either creature of Gambeta or desrouS OF see
inc him elevated to a sort Of Tacounship during
the four years that have to run of the Presidents
lease of office. The opinion expressed al the Eiysee
wostbat 10 accent the ScrutIn DE- Liste clause would
he TO put the Constitution out OF JOINT and 10 trans
form the Chamber into Runp Parliament utterly
devoid OF effective and moral power. NJ Grevy also
nointcd ont the danger which would attend the
reyisonist projects of the Government such as they
had been Announced by the Ministerial journals
for ne had not been consulted or enlightened on the
subject These views the President who is an eX-
periepced iurist and has logical, calm head, could
not accent The greater could not be restricted
nv th, less: besides. Article OF the organic
constitutional law was clear and formal.
There was not word IN 1t 10 authoI-
ize the theory that the two Chambers singly could
(etter the action of the National Assembly. How
ever there was a Class of OPpoTtunst JuTlsts who
did not shrink from accepting Gambetta's doctrine.
All their opinions were trumpeted III seml-oihclal
and Official journals. lawyer named LaierreIe
had attained great prominence by assert
inc that Gambettas view the sound one. NJ
Grevv observed that should the Assembly decline 10
be restricted by the programme separately traced 'y
,be Chambers there would at be a conflict be-
Tween it and Gambetta-who bad the war once
nnder finger and thumb. There were too many
generals there who, under the pretext of vindlcang
aw and protecting order would be eager oreestab-
fish le drou du plus t9rt which is the essence of
.psarisn NJ Grevy did not ascrbe any coup ddat
sesgus 10 Gambetta but he said the head OF the
Cabinet was man to be governed by strong sltua-
lions. and that he was Jacobin in theory and
quto,itaire by the force of natural disposition.
Tie President of the Republic was only apprised
of the exact nature of Gambctta's revision scheme
Of the last Council, where il was read TO him. lie
had many objections TO make, and offered them
with franKness and irmness, and at some length.
The reading of the bill and the preamble consumed
two mortal hours. The latter is long-winded aud
involved The bill is complicated, aud would II
accepted intensity the Chinese puzzle features OF
the Constitution. NJ. Weiss, who is a scholar ana
has literary taste and skill, was doubtless not the
author of the preamble which Rochetort says Is in
the heavy style OF NJ. SpU.ler, aggravated by NJ
Reinach, now the secretary OF the Ministerial
Council. aad still a sub-editor Of the RepUbHQue
Franchise for which he writes the aggressive
leaders that have alienaed many friends from
Gambctta It was he WHO attacked in that lourna.
Mr.. Gladstone during his Midlothian campaign.
The task Of reading the bill and It's preamble TO
the Chamber was discharged by Gambctta himself
lie chose for It Saturday in order that Deputies
might study at leisure the iuterminable tdctum on
Sunday. The lobby had the physiOgnomy peculiar
70 times Of crisis. Fishers in troubled waters
blocked up the corridors; timeservers were on the
alert to discover from what quarter the wind was
blowing Were they TO drop 1.-THE men in office and
were they TO pay court to another setY Were they
TO see IN Gam beta falling star aud III De Frey
cinet rising sun? These perplexng questions
they put In more indirect and less compromising
forms TO Deputies supposed to be well posted. In
the Chamber there was a good deal of agitation.
Members of the Centre were either embarrassed.
angry or disappointed and depressed. Some-and
not a few-were a prey to all these emotions.
Those most hostile TO the Cabinet did not hide the
oninion that its fall might be attended with grave
results for the Democratic party. lmprudent
friends. who may be designated as the deaf adders
NJ the Gambetfist marty. appeared 10 rejoice the