The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-03
OUR FRENCH LETTER.
Correspondence of the HERALD)
PARIS, August 9.


tai Beaujon, that dozes eighty days
uninterruptedly, surprised her nurse
a few days ago by speaking: cat
last we have a ministry she said.
and heaving sigh of relief, relapsed
into Information. This skit paints
the good humored cynicism which
has reigned during the latest inter-
regnum Of ten days that the country
was ministerlesS; affairs marched
regularly all the same; the taxes
were punctually paid, and the ex-
cabinet, by Professionally conducting
Affairs, gave more satisfaction than
when dressed in their brief author
ity. M. de Freycinet has gone to
occupy his niche in the museum of
used up ministers.
1t has been q terrible ten DAYS
work for the placid N. Grevy, whose
life is based on curfew bell lines.
At first, he, the pink of constitu-
tiOnal governors, began forming
cabinets after his own heart. as
budding politicians IN schools sketch
plans Of universal government. But
what he built in the morning came
down at noon what he patchedIin the
evening fell to pieces at midnight.
At last he remembered France was
under the parliamentary system
then he sent for everybodY-saye
Gambetta-to implore them to form
q ministry-the premiership went
a begging, Not much was REQUIRED
Of the new cabinet, only to take
charge Of the ship during the long
vacation; there was no fear of min,
listers being placed in a minority,
since the deputies would be enjoy
ing their holidays, so the chamber
could hot unanimously vote them
out tomorrow, after pledging to
support them for three lives, or
thirl y-One years to-day. Ordinarily
the aim is to seek politicians hav-
ing ideas, opinions; in a word, men
signifying something; on the pres
ent occasion it was just the reverse;
ministers were in demand who were
absolutely inoffensive and insignifi-
cant; the excuse not to accept
Office, because one is sick, or Old or
deficient in the necessary calibre,
became exactly the ne plus ultra of
conditions for serving the state.
The difficulty of republicans to
cease their intestine divisions, and
unite to form a ministry, strong,
resOlute, and representative,
has been exposed to the
full light of day, and is
comprising the life Of The republic.
There is no evidence that this state
of things is ON the mend. The new
ministers are all personally amlable
men few of the Old salts remain,
and some Of the hacks. The pre-
mier, Senator Duclerc, and minister
of foreign affairs, is 20 years of age.
He commenced life as printer,
then a proof reader, ultimately an
editor. Arrived at this stage, the
world was of course all before him,
where to choose. He is so popular,
that not 8 government which
existed in France since half a cen
fury, but might have ayailed itself
of his LONELINESS and good sense.
He has nothing equivOcal or hypO-
critical in his character, and recOg-
nizes only one morality. But he is
not destined to live till quarter day.
1t is not the constitution but the
duration of a cabinet; that is the
question and since vigorous min
istry, like Gambetta's, an undecided
one, as represented by DeFreycinet,
and the harmless, gOody-goOdy cab
met of Duclere, are alike impOs-
sible, the political future is not gay.
Were it not for M. DeLesseps
protestation, i ike minute guns,
against war ships desecrating his
canal, the name of France would
never be heard of in connection
with Egypt. All the authorita-
tive correspondents Iof the French
press in the east, unanimously de-
plOre the effacement of France In
the Egyptian question. Her Austen
ton is viewed as an irremediable
fault on her part as an Arabian and
Mediterranean. power, while
demonstrating to the world that the
republic Is helpless and incapable Of
having a visible foreign policy. But
it must be remembered that Bis
marck forms a kind of chain ball on
the movements of France, and there
is no divining what little game the
Chancellor might play weIe France
as deep in Egyptian troubles as
England. Those only who hold the
handle of the pan, know how diff
cult it is to turn the pancakes.
The correspondents in question
all concur that throughout the east
Arab is viewed as weak edition of
Mahomet; he embOdies the struggle
between Islamism and the Infdels,
Writers from ConstantinOple avOw
that it would be madness on the
part OF England to permit the
Turkish troops to land in Egypt. ]
think the prOtectOrate Of Egypt by
Mr.. Bull is making way; at all
events, no European power is pre-
pared seriously to dislodge him, and
when the quart d'hestre dc R06elGtS
arrives, powers and principalities
will find it as difficult to make tina;
Old gentleman as stubborn in the
matter of moving on, as France in
Tunisia and Austria in Bosnia.
The collective protection of the
canal of Suez is only regarded as q
Vaudeville. While England Is a
vast maritime power, with over
whelming interests in the canal, nc
one excerpts she would ever consent
to its being neutraliZed in the sense
j Of ctornrni Nc H. -,.nrrn..- tr.n0r