Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-27
FRENCH GOVERNMENT
The Administrative Changes Numer-
Gus as Well as Sensational.
ALL SORTS OF RULERS AND FORMS
From Crown Down to 8 Vigilance Com
mittee Bave Been Tried.
SOW 4 REPUBLIC ONLY IN NAME

The apparently precsrious condition of
the French Republic on account of the reve-
lations made by the Panama Canal investi-
cation is unquestionably causing no little
uneaslness to the friends of popular govern
ment, lest some of the many aspirants to
sovereign power should take advantage of
the situation to attempt q coup d'etat and
thus overthrow the constitution. While
such a result may not be probable, says a
writer in the St. Louis Globe Democrat, it is
far from impossible. Popular government
exists in name and form. The present Re-
publican form is as truly despotism as
that of the Gar of Russia.
The traditions and usages of France are
all those of a despotism. A habeas corpus
exists. but may be easily set aside and is so
frequently ignored that 1t may be practic-
ally nullifed whenever the Government
chooses; the courts of justice are those of
the Middle Ages, the presiding Judge act
ing the part of public prosecutor; every
year a merclless conscription draws the best
youth of the country into the ranks, and the
most rigid despotlsm could do no more. The
people are fully aware of the fact that
change would be in name only and this
knowledge has perhaps contributed to the
facility of change. Ever since the terrible
outbreak of 1889 the national life of France
has been one long agony a nightmare
lasting 103 years, a constant effort at
change, in the hope OF finding something
better than what has been already at
tanned.
Frances First Baptism of Blood.
From the year A. d. 41S, when the
Franks settled in Flanders and began to
make inroads into Gsul, until 1889, period
of !, 81 years, the people of France lived
under an absolute despotism. For gener-
alton before the Revolution all France was
smeuldering fire; the American Revolution
came, famed the fire into furious blaze,
and the year which on this side of the At
lantic witnessed the establishment of a
stable Government to succeed the lightly
regarded Articles of Confederation also
witnessed in France the most stupendous
social upheaval of history. 1t is called the
Revolution; it was that and more. II. was
a social and political earthquake, in which
the lowest strata were exposed and the up
per were torn and rent in a thousand direc-
tions 1t was the downfall of the system of
hereditary succession, for never since has a
King felt safe on his own throne nor certain
that his son would peacefully succeed to
his crown.
From 1889 to 1899 the French people re-
semble nothing so much as a man lost in
the dark, unable to detect a single familiar
feature OF his surroundings, feeling his way
to and fro in the hope of touching some
thing that might enable him to regain his
bearings. At first moderate counsels pre-
vailed. In the confederation of the Champs
de Mars, July II, 1890, limited monarchy
was proclaimed, and the King swore to
maintain the Constitution. Aware that he
was virtually prisoner in the hands of his
enemies, he attempted flight, was captured,
brought back, and on September 10, of
the same year, again swore fealty to
the document of national liberty.
Unable to trust him, the National Conven-
tion, on September %, 1892, deposed him
and declared Republic On January 21,
1898, despotism, the most frightful ever
known, was established, under the name of
the Committee OF Public Safety, despot-
ism the more abhorrent in that it was wholly
irresponsible and sent hundreds to the
guillotine for any crime, for no crime, or
suspicion, or accusation often unsustained,
or charges not proven, or secret informa-
tion often prepared. The King put to
death and out OF the way, free license was
given to the constitution makers, and con-
stitution followed constitution so rapidly
that it was the saving of the Partisan book
seller, when asked for copy of the consti-
tuition, Monsieur, We keep no periodicals.
Establishment of the Empire.
But little by little order gradually came
out of the dreadful chaos, the need of a
stable administration was felt, the legisla-
tive power was placed in the hands OF q
Council of 500 aud the ancients, while the
executive power was lodged with Di-
rectory of five members, chosen on Novem-
Der ], 1875. But the Revolution had already
found its master, and the "whiff of grape
shot" that ended the insurrection OF the
sections on October 8, 1895, put an end to
uncertainty of the situation and disclosed
the man on horseback.
The campaign in Italy made Ronaparte
Emperor. The Directory had shown so
signal degree of incapacity in the control
OF affairs that when the victorious General
determined to assume supreme control he
found little difficulty in doing so, and on
November 10, 1799 he drove the members
of the Council out of their chamber at the
point of bayonet and established the Con-
sulate, with himself as the head of the new
administration. The great victory at
Marengo made him Consul for life, tine for
NAL declaration of this change being on
August 2, 1902, and all understood by that
act that France had merely made change
of masters, the absolute but ir-
responsible despotism of the Com
mittee of Public Safety being sue
ceeded by the not less absolute but
responsible rule of military tyrant From
the consulate to the empire was an easy
and natural change, which came on May Is,
1904, and the coronation of Napoleon on
December of the same year ratified the
new order of things. Founded by the army,
the supreme power Intrusted to the head of
the army, the imperial throne was sale so
long as the army was victorious, and Aus
terlitz and Jena, Eylau and Vienna served
but to establish more firmly the CALLING
yoke of absolute force. But with the re-
verses in Russia the throne began to totter,
and the news of the annihilation OF the
greatest army that had ever taken the field
since the millions of Huns and Scythians
poured from the North and East to the con-
quest Of the Roman Empire so disturbed
Paris that formidable insurrection broke
out, and the Emperor, deserting his army,
hurried back to save his throne
The Fall of Napoleon.
A tremendous struggle followed, Ma
poleon and France against the rest of
Europe, and after one of the most heroic
campaigns on record Napoleon failed, the