New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-15


prevailed. for when battle was joined
in the bureaus Gambetta's Ministers and rep
resentatives were defeated. The Presidents
son-n-law has been elected to the presidency
of committee which the member for Belle
vile has controlled for years, and in which he
can now muster only mn insignificant minority.
The Ministry are tolerably safe for a twelve
month. and the Deputies have reasonable
assurance of serving out their term undls-
turbcd.
Gambettas rivals are profting by his re-
verses. The President is stronger than he has
been at any time since he was elected, and
the Premier now has an opportunity OF con-
Quoting the administration without interior
once from irresponsible political managers.
De Freycnet's capacity and character have
never been doubted, and now that the Grand
Ministry. for which France has been waiting.
has proved to be body of clerks that could
only be kept in Office few weeks, he may ex-
ercse his unrivalled talents with vigOr and
confidence. so as to play an important part in
the reorganization of the country. a states
man of original genius, he has won high
reputation as n practical administrator with
progressive tendencies, and, by his industrious
habits and baneless life, lac commands re-
spect ms Republican of the purest type. Grevy
who was sent to the EIysee because he was safe
and moderate, has not only governed prudently
and shown remarkable patience under cOnsti-
tutional restraint, but he has eyinced one OF
the highest attributes of statnsmanship-po-
ltical foresight While the Premier and the
President have improved their regulations and
prospects, Gambetta's prestige has waned. lie
has failed in a country where success is wor-
shipped. He has failed, moreover, after ex-
citing cxtravagant hopes of success. Where Is
public sentiment more capriciOus and tickle
than it is in France La there any country
which finds it as easy to forget patriotic SER
vice when there is an unexpected collapse of
popularity Gambetta has cause for secret
misgiving in his retirement. His countrymen
do not readily forgive popular hero for play
ing fast and loose with his opportunities.
Yet the discipline of retirement may be the
very restraint which the genius of this great
man requires 1t will give him leisure for
foreign travel and political reflection. This
month he is to make journey to England,
where he is TO be the guest CT Sir Charles
Dixie. If he were to make a critical study OF
English institutions, and were then to extend
his tour to America, the results OF
his personal observations would be OF
the utmost value to his own country,
where the revision of an anomalous cOnstltu-
ton cannot be deferred many years. Ills po-
Htical vicissitudcs may enable him to separate
himself from a swarm of mcrccnary parasites
and hatterers VINO have brought reproGch
upon his reputation. The tmc-scrycrs, who
have been trading year after year on his pop
ularity, arc leaving him now, and he is well
rid of ,hcm. With associations Of higher
order, he viii not shock the moral senslbili-
ties of staid and sober Frenchmen, nor excite
the suspicion among the working classes that
be is not a genuine Republican but only an
lmpcrialist in disguise. 4 retirement that VIII
enable him to break away from o class OF
spectators who were banking upon his pres
tige, and from a thronG of political tramps
and adventurers that brought discredt upon
the Republican cause, may be the GROWING
opportunity OF his career