Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-02
A HITCH.
The French Government and the Mag
istracy at Loggcr crheads.


PARIS, April 1.-fNew York Herald Cable
Special to THE BEE. The proceedings
which the government seems decided to IN
stltute against Boulanger, on the charge OF
conspiracy against the safety of the state, Is
the burning question Of the moment. 1t was
expected that tho chamber would have been
met with demand for its authorization OF
the contemplated prosecution on Saturday.
but IL seems certain that on the morning OF
that day M. Bouchez refused to put his sig
nature to the demand. In consequence tho
government for the moment was placed in
the presence of an obstacle, which, however,
it 10 credited with the intention TO
overcome by asking M. Boucher
TO resign. The misunderstanding between
the government and the magistracy
q. the outset of this affair at this moment is
of the gravest character and causes many
doubts as to the wisdom and utility of prose-
cutting Boulanger. 1t is impossible to COM
ment logically upon the affair without an ex-
act knowledge of the facts, and to say
whether the cabinet or NJ Boulanger is in
the right 1t would be necessary to make a
thorough study of the facts in the hands OF
the judicial and governmental authorities.
The procurer generals resistance may have
a motive in the fear of being implicated in q
trial which would expose him to the resent
ment of the Boulangists, no triiiing matter,
supposing that party should at later period
hold the reins of government, or in legiti-
mate scruples, due to conviction that Bou-
langer is not culpable before the law. 1t will
be known which of these hypothesis is cor
rect when the facts upon which the indlct-
ment is founded are known more explicitly.
At present all that has been made public is
that the charges against Boulanger are SINH
lar to those on which the leaders OF the
Llguc des Patriotes are arraigned before
the tribunal correctional, which have been
brought within the cognizance of the public
by the illegal publication of the indictment
in several Journals. The dominant impress
sion remaining after the perusal of the docu-
ment is that the counts of the Indictment
are sufficient to sustify the prosecution for
illegal association and even for participation
in q secret society, but that they are hmsy
and feeble as grounds for an accusation OF
conspiracy against the state. The gravest
charge against the league is that of having
advocated the mobilization of the league
forces, but the object they had in view has
not been ascertained with precision. There is
nothing to prove that Boulanger had any
personal connection with the Llgue des
Patriotes save the fact that he gave it SUBJ
scription of 300 francs. 1t is impossible not
to suppose that the government has in its
possession other proofs which it refrains
from making public at the present juncture,
otherwise the prosecution which it contem-
plates would be a grave imprudence even
from the point of view of the government,
for if the trial resulted in acquittal, the de-
feat would be disastrous for the whole re-
publican party. If, on the other hand, an
illegal and unjust condemnation, inspired by
political passion were pronounced, public
opinion would rise il revolt against his judge
and accuSerS.