Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-07-05
PERIER IS PRESIDENT.
Elected Chief Executive OF France
by the Senators and
IDENTITIES.

The election was by the Senate and
Chamber of Deputies sitting as the ma
tional Assembly in the great hall OF the
palace Of Versailles that has been the
scene of so many historic events, one Of
the most recent of which was the proc
lamation January IS, 1871, of the vic
torious King William of Prussia as EN-
peror of Germany. The hall was filed
with spectators an hour before the SEES
sion began, and among the assemblage
were many members of the diplomatic
corps. M. Challamel-Lacour presided, by
virtue of his position as president or the
Senate. AT ITO he called the Assembly
to order, and after sympathetic refer
ence to the late President Carnot read
the articles of the constitution relative to
a President, and declared the national
Assembly opened No time was lost in
proceeding to ballot. The voting was
more close than had been anticipated.
The Assembly consists of about SS4 mem
bers, of whom the senators number 300.
The first ballot gave M. Casimir-Perier
451 votes out of S53 cast
Like NJ. Carnot, of illustrious revolu-
tionary ancestry, M. Casimir-Perler has
family traditions of honor and fame to
sustain. AS did Carnot, he. traces his
pedigree to regicide, and it is matter
of no small significance and consequence
that the leading statesmen of France
should trace descent from men who sent
king to the scaffold. NJ. Casmir-
Perier is not as unpretending as was M.
Carnot in his private life. genuine
Republican, he is not without an attach
ment to the ceremonies and courtly
powers which are rather associated with
monarchy than equality; but once ad-
mitted to his presence, the respectable
visitor is sure of a cordial welcome. M.
Casimir-Perier was approached, about
fxvn NV V
lied pretender to the throne of France,
with promises of the most lavish rewards,
if he would espouse the cause of mon
archy. 1t was intimated that Nj. Casimir-
Perier would be created a duke and
chancellor of France, and the emissary
who brought the offer showed authority
to pledge the word of royalty itself in
support of the proposition. M. Casimir-
Perier repulsed the bearer of the message
with emphasis, telling him that he re-
garded it as more honorable to be cltl-
zen of France than to be Il duke under
king. He also told the emissary that the
Count of Paris might as we'll give up all
hope of the restoration of the monarchy,
for the third republic would continue to
live. This reply from a man so distin-
guished and at the same time SO moderate
for a time put quietus on the schemes
of the exiled Bourbons. The latter had
counted on NJ. Casimir-P erier's jealousy
| of Carnot as likely to lead him to betray
the republic, but they were mistaken.
Casmir-Perier, it was understood, was
not an admirer of M. Carnot, although he
served in his cabinet, but he was as true
as steel to the principles which Carnot
represented
The extreme Socialists also sounded NJ.
Casmir-Perier not long after he had re-
! pulsed the monarchists. 1t was when the
Panama scandal burst upon the country
that the men who tread upon the thin
edge of anarchy, within crossing the bor-
der, prepared for revolution, should the
opportunity offer. They formed a di-
recting body with the dreaded name of
committee of public safety, composed of
chiefs of the various factions of the So
| cialist party, and organized eighty Sec
tons in the eighty districts of Paris, so
that they might all be prepared, on a
given signal to march together against
the Elysee and the chambers. Part of
their plan was to arrest President Carnot
and occupy the Elysee, and they also pro-
posed to make an appeal to the army.
with the object of establishing a social
| republic.
The Socialists saw the need of leader
whose reputation for moderation would
| prevent general uprising against their
| cause should they undertake to put their
schemes in operation, and Geneste, Allie
name, PERM ean and others turned toward
Casimir-Perier as the man. He was eau
tiously offered the presidency of the pro-
fully acquainted with the means by which
it was proposed to create the republic
Casimir-Perier simply warned the dele
cation against disturbing the peace of
France, and told them that he would be
among the first and most earnest to sup
of any disorder. At the same time he
informed his visitors that he felt it q
duty to make President Carnot ac-
quainted with their proposals. This put
an end for that occasion to any thought
of revolution on the part of the Socialists,
high estimate of Casimir-Perier's loyalty
and patriotism.
1t was because of President Carnot's
conviction of Casimir-Perier's impregna-
BILE devotion to the republic, founded up
on the incidents stated, that he selected
before accepting the premiership, NJ.
Casimir-Perier engaged that he would
not be candidate for the presidency.
This was undoubtedly false. 1t is
true. on the other hand, that Casimir-
Perer's acceptance of an office which
fidential relations with Carnot was re-
garded with some justice as a quasi
pledge that he would not antagonize
Carnot's ambition to be reelected. Sew
eral members of the chamber, however,
who are very near to CasimirP erier, as
serted that he was not to be considered
as in any way hampered by the place
which he occupied so far as the presi-
dency was concerned.
The members of the Left held meet
ing before the National Assembly met
and decided to support NJ. Brisson. The
caucus of senators of the Right resolved
to vote for Gen. Fevrier. A scene oc-
Cured in the Galerie des TonbeauN ow-
ing to the fact of NJ. Challamel-Lacour
forbidding the journalists obtaining an
entrance to that part of the palace. The
journalists protested vehementy. but
they were compelled to retire. The gal
leries around the theater in which the
election took place presented a brilliant
scene. They We're thronged with ladies
in fashionable toilets. their faces seeming
much interested during the proceedings.
just before the balloting opened, So
cialist deputy shouted. Il demand the alb
clifton of the presidency" Another dep