Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-04-25
THE PROFESSIONAL CLUB.
Rev. Mr. Rabbit en- Republication, 10
France.

Rev. Mr. Rabbit en- Republication -
france.
Another excellent meeting was added on Mon
/ day evening 10 the remarkably interesting and
useful series held by the Professional club during
the winter. The paper by Rev, J. II. Rabbit Of
/ the West village, on "Republicanism IN France,
its Strength and It's Perlls" showed diligent and
comprehensive study Of the subject and a sym
pathetic understanding Of the issues involved
In his opening pages the essayist sketched with a
/ graphic pen and with thrilling effect the history
Of the French revolution Of 1889 and 1872 and dis
cussed the causes which led up 10 this remarkable
period Of anarchy and bloodshed The time per
mltted only cursory glance at the numerous
revolutionary changes Of government, seventeen
! In ALL including the two Napoleonic empires
which succeeded this preliminary struggle and
preceded the final establishment Of republican
! government In France In 1870. OF the machinery
| of the French government "a II exists today the
! essayist said: The republic has 80 departments,
resembling our states 1872 ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
answering 20 our congressional districts, these
sub-divided into cantons similar TO our counties,
and the cantons into communes corresponding 70
| our towns the units Of government The
sovereignty Of the people is represented by three
| powers, the Chamber Of Deputies, the Senate,
aud the President of the Republic. Each aTron-
disement sends one deputy for every lOO,OO tnhabi
| tants The Senate consists Of 800 members elected
at triennial elections One-third at time. The
| president i chosen for seven years by the senate
|
Besides this there is Il council Of state somewhat
| analogous TO our supreme court, but having other
| functions, consisting Of q members. The pTesi-
| dental cabinet consists Of nine members, whom
| he appoints and dismsses but who are responsible
| to the assembly. The department offices down to
| those Of the commune are innumeiable, but
| elected ultimately by universal suffrage. TINS
| machinery Of government has, up 10 the present
| time, worked remarkably well.
| Republicanism has steadily gained ground III
| France, and is In the asceudency. While opinions
dliter as to Us ptrmanence these things are 10 De
| list. The French are liberty loving people
| from Of old, and have learned much by expert
ence OF rs value and the way 70 preserve il.
| End. The prosperity Of France during the
| period Of the republic has been remarkable A
recent writer tells us that the English traveller IN
! France Is amazed at the wealth, Independence and
| comfort of the French peasant There is another
side to this picture, but to the general truth Of
the statement there can BE- no doubt The great
| prosperity Of the French colonies is another i'm
| pOrtant and favorable factor.
! Bird. The stimulating and conserving power Of
| republican ideas abroad in the world is an in
| nuence that can hardly be Overestinated This
| influence see everywhere encouraging and
| fostering the republics.
9Th. France as a republic has advanced far in
| the worlds esteem, and cannot fail 10 feel the
moral force Of the backing which she has thus
| acquired
5th. A very important element of strength is
the conservative power Of the national debt,
| which amounts to SG9O,OOOOOO Of American
money, This is the favorite investment of the
| careful peasantry every man Of whom thus ac-
quires an individual interest in the strength and
permanency Of the government
In considering the ndisputable pers which be
| set the republic, Mr.. Babbitt put upon the list:
list. The peculiarly excitable temperament Of
| the French people. one can never tell what they
will do next and they have way which 10 US is
unaccountable Of taking things into their own
| hands aud acting upon impulse
end The persistency " claimants u the throne
is a factor constantly at work though this danger
| grows to be less and less
Bird. The monarchal tendency among the
people has not yet spent its force and is felt rs
| prcially IN the public institutions.
ith. landlordism enters into the hist Of perils.
Ohe-third Of France Is totally uncultiVated,
another third yields only half harvest and the
| other third Is worked under conditions that arr
| positively grinding. The owning Of large estates
| Tor hunting preserves causes many laborers to
suffer, aud millions of families eat meat only
| twice or thrice In year
9Th. Another powerful agency not to be ignored
u the church the old Roman Catholic church Of
! France whose claims and pretensiOns were fos-
| under the republic
In striking a balance between the sources Of
strength and peril the conclusion reached was Ia
the main hopeful Following was the closing
| portion Of the paper.
AT the OUTSET We must express the belief that
| history is not moving backward today, and that
| France is m the progressive line. She has disap-
| pointed many expectations but on the whole Is
! IN the way u advancement. This view must
have prevailed with Wendell Phillips when be
made the remarkable statement that the French
| revolution Is the most unstained blessing that ey-
! er bfell humanity With all the existing evils
the foundations Of government evidently stand
hrmtr than at any period IN the past. The ma
tiona estimate Of the right to rule has all but
completely changed from the basis Of divine ori
gin 10 the consent Of the ruled ON the other
hand the demand for absolute equality. SO strong
IN the early debates, has become tempered by
the better spirit Of fraternity. Along with these
appearances see the power Of rival claimants
waning. The elder branch OF the Bourbon fam
ny persisted seven years ago with the death Of the
Count ChamDOurd. Then the legitimists and the
| rOyalists became united IN the person Of the
Comte de Paris. lie has abiicAtedi In favor Of his
| s4tu he tkA Of hoe. h.,f.a
emily very small; 50 small that one of the French
papers In the United States remarks while ad-
hitting that there very sincere and strong
ties TO a royalst tradition, the appariton OF a
member Of the Bourbon family is no longer capa-
ble OF disturbing the republic any more than the
eXhumatOn Of a descendant Of the Stuarts could
shake the throne Of Queen Victoria Against all
forms Of Imperialism We believe the love of po-
htical liberty will grow, and diminish all peril.
| The school system, broadening and working in
| higher planes, will more and more enforce the
healthy lessons Of the past Land troubles and
peasant interests will receive better attention and
improve through added wisdom The church
and state will learn to abide together In peace If
not in lasting friendship Religion, by virtue Of
the fresh activities spreading over the country
viii rise from the secondary place il has long
held in popular thought TO chief place In ac-
cord with these views We read in the program Of
the new ministry the policy Of political concilla-
ton Industrial aud commercial protection amel-
loration Of the condition Of the labOring classes
the better enforcement Of the school laws and an
endeavor not 10 wound the religious sentiments
Of the people all hopeful signs Guizot closes
his history Of France with these words: France
has not lost and " III not lose courage She Is la
boring, she is hoping and, while endravoring to
md her proper path, she r,-ckons upon the day
when revolutions will be at an end. and when li6
| rrty with order Will forever crown the long and
painful efforts Of her most faithful servants Of
every name and every period This expected
day, We believe. has dawned, and has risen far
toward the meridian. The republic shines in its
strong vitality. American hearts Join IN the ma.
ton public prayer, Niye la Repu6lique
The discussion which followed was bright and
] strong h. ~