The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-25
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
THE OBSTACLES IN ITS MARCH.
opposition st Home and Abroad--fts Foe-
uaies Among the CicrGy-Pops Lees
overwhelmingly Established.


on the Continent who does not condemn
IN strong language Mr.. Gladstone AZ
favoring popular rights and a constant
enlargement of local self-government.
The most violent and unreasonable of
these dcnouncers of the Grand Old Man
are she clcrgymcn, one of whom l heard
wish az public table that his tongue
might be cut out. Society, literature and
the plutocracy of England are on the side
of the classes against the masses. During
four months travel in Europe / saw only
one Liberal journal. while in all tae lead
lug hotels could be- found the Times, or
Telegraph, or Standard or Globe. each
OF watch favored the retention OF the
coalition Government and INDUCED IN
woiu jeTemiads over the calamues
which "a Liberal government would bring
Oh religion and civilization.
Nearly the same unaninity OF sent-
mcnt is found in reference 30 the French
Republic. a hundred years ago press
and parson filed the world with carlca-
lures and ISLANDERS OF the French ltcvOlu-
uOu. its acts and actors, ana
d., the present day, In spite OF the Judg-
ucht of Sir James Macintosh. one 81
Ingland'S most phiios0phlc statesmen,
that the Revolution was u most most
0nces of the enemies ot democracy are
repeated as IL they were intdlhOle truths.
lu our young days, predictions based on
wishes were made as TO early collapse
OF the United States. and the trchCn
Republic IL alike divided and It's early
death forctOld, because, while 1t SURVIVES
and succeeds. II Is protest against ana
a demonstration of the unwisdCm ana
wickedness OF class legislation and OF
l4t ION. Ia
With such prophets of evn the wish is
father to the Thought and our ears are
dinncd hy the sad fOrebOdings OF anarchy
and revolution and an empire. With
singular Inconsistency not few Amen-
cans echo these adverse opinions ana pro-
phcdes.
TWESTY-ONE YEARS OLD.
Twenty-one years have passed since
the capitulatiOn of Paris, which was me
result OF the FrancO-Gernan war. Inc
loss of Alsace and Lorraine, the heavy
tribute exactcd by Germany, the moru-
featiOn of defeat, the mourning IN so
many families naturally excited hoStlhty
towards the Empire. The revulslOn OF leel-
INC towards NAPOLEON was IntenSlied by
tbe mart the Emuress Eugene played ia
preclpitating the war, by the military I'M
preparedness of the Empire 1or such
li-autic conflict, by the dlsorgahZdtl0h
ID
rulers and officers and the rOtlchheSS
of the administration. The Republic was
unclaimed and has since had a nara
rood TO travel" ia recovering from dis
astrous consequences OF the war, ia ad-
iuSting herself TO domestic ana foreign
foes. I'm establishing Oh stable louhua-
tiOns new political Institutions. Inc lee
public has not simply encountered crlh-
tism mon its political doctrines, upon
&C. rr,i -fraf IN
an incesSant struggle for existence. fiOts
and con~piraCies Tor overthrow have been
omen and continuous. Parties with us
are supposed TO represent measures OF
governmental policy, questions OF cur
rcucy or economies, and both, or All
ere alike and equally friends OF lhe FORM
Of government aud the declared objects
of ms being. 1t would be strange III lhe
nited States 10 hear speech. OF READ
an editorial. IN favor of a monarchy, OF
Of the divine right of kings, or the le-
eitimacy of the descendent or George
ILL., as our rightfui sovereign. or the
direct overthrow OF State autonomy, or
of official lclSionsm, or OF me nght OF
n ser, 10 control schools and determine
Worship but in France such aVoWals are
She daily mental food of the readers OF
certain newspapers.
lP7oNrNIs or THE REPUBLIC.
The opposition 10 the Republic having
a common cnd-tne overthrow OF the
Goyernmmt-Wn enlisted under dliier-
emf bannorg. are actuated by 4 cOncurrent
iuouarchcal sentiment. They cless them
selves LcrltlmstS, latOrng regular ne
rrdItary succession. as OrleaulsLs. Clalin-
ing the throne and crown for Compie de
Paris. and lmperiaiiSts, demanding as
,..pcrOr or monarch some one allied 70
Napoleon. These. however, disunlted as
L. men. were in harmony of anu-RepuD-
Lean opinion. and were ready TO form
any alliance or make any coalition which
promised success To the mOnarcmcal idea.
The stars in their courses fought against
Gisera. Providence has thwarted the
decp.lad schemes of those who would
overthrow popular liberty. Death re-
moved Compile de ChambOrd, and the
alliance of the mOnarchical factions, which
sccmod hopeful. was defeated 10y the lack
Of energy on ambition or capacity on the
part oi Compile de Paris. The NapoleOmc
dynasty is, also, fortunately without
head. Those phantom courts, royalties
without Kingdoms. fit hither and thther
through Europe, occasionally attracting
notice or exciting contempt and laughter
ty absurd pretcus,Ons of Divine commits
FIons or ridiculous verbal disputes as 10
the right OF one or the other TO bear GER
tain names or Wear certain insgnias.
MoNAECHIsTs AND cLEBGY.
The MonarchistS in this warfare, not
80 much against men and measures rs
against institutions. have had the power
FIJI support OF the Catholic clergy.
Whether papacy has habitually sustained
Ciyal 0hsOiutism and the pretentiOUs as
suuptiouS of ihe better born need not
bc considered here. Gan0etta condensed
us belief ID the popular phrase lie
clcrcallsmc. VOLTA Icnncmi. and The Re
puhlicIis of France have generally acted
ip accordance with the sentiment of the
phrase. The clergy and priests of the
ltoman Catholic Church have been dis
trusted ana regarded with more than SuS-
llclOn. The laws secularzinc Inc schools
and compelling students preparing for
the priesthood or ministry 10 do military
service Were the outcome of the DISPOSE
ton and purpose 10 cease the ancient
Determinations end privileges in behalf
of q particular Church. The antagonism
between the republic and the clergy in
q country long distinguished as the eldest
daughter Of the Church was not fayOra-
bic To either the one OF the other. An
inlplacable contest between Catholicism
and the Republic would ALLEVIATE many
people from the Church and possibly
from religion. Pope Leo XIII. is the
head of his Church. and as a Russian
dipl0matisi has lately said. "un homme
d'Etat aux wastes conceptions. n dlstn-
guishcd Frenchman. in an Introductory
address as president Of the Council of
I.oi,re. has also said: LEO NH. has
,,...r ho.n "a RnDnhlicon He is Il pro-