The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-24
THE RESIGNATION OF NJ. CASl'
MER pERIER.

The cry of give le ROf' that Tor the hIhl
time in years broke from the iirmly sup
pressed lips of the royalists in the chaih-
her of deputies when the announcement
of the resignation of NJ. Cashier ferier'
president Of the French republic, empha-
cizes the distinction between the repupiic
of America and the so-called repuDlic Oh
France. That such disloyalty should
be permitted in the highest parliament
tary assembly of republic shows the
weakness of the bands that Dind Ihat
republc together The resignation mas
stirred up France and caused general
alarm.
Unfortunately for that people they are
all extremists with no middle srouhu
upon which conservative government
NV the people and for the people can
no built up from foundation stone 10
turret. Either royalty or extreme social
;sm nrevonts such permanent govern
ment. -,
The president of the French republic
il elected by the members OF the chalh-
her of deputies and the senate, compris-
ing the national assembly, anu Is the
creature, not the equal of the rcpresen-
tatives of the people. Ii is hctlon Oh
the French republic that the president
il responsible to the national Assembly
for nil his acts, but in point of fact phe
ministers are the governing power ana
tbev orc responsible to the assembly
Of course under their system OF govern
lent when the national legislature falls
m sustain the ministcry the ministry
resign, and it has never heretofore peeh
considered imperative or proper 1Or 'he
president to resign, but the weakness
of that link in the chain is produced by
the fact that the president is elected by
the national assembly, and not as with
ne Nv the people. NJ. Cashier ierler
may be peculiarly sensitive man or IL
nav be that he recognizes that the people
ought to elect a president responsible
alone to the people and in accordance
with that idea it may be that he mas
nrecpitated crisis in order that the
French republic may be completely iash'
toned after its more perfect model, the
American republic.
IL he is animated by the latter motive
he has exhibited n larger statesmanshir
than any Of his predecessors, but IL he
was animated by the former motive ne
manifests both a selfish vanity and Il
weakness and want Of patriotism IN per
hitting q stab at his personal dignity
10 endanger the republic without any
provision to shield it from the encroach-
ments of royalty on the one hand ana So
cialism, that at any moment may break
into anarchy, on the other.
"Vive lie Roi" means more in France
than it or any similar cry would mean
here. Our foundation of government is
laid too deep and its mighty fable Is
TOO solid to be shaken by any wind that
blows, but the issue Of royalty has been
the enemy of free government, forcing
an opposition that naturally drifts into
the extreme with such a mercurial peo'
ple, and its bold cry in the presence
of the chamber of deputies sends alarm
throughout the borders of France.
We fear NJ. Cashier Perier is not the
man to inaugurate radical changes, fash
ioning n more complete republic, and We
also fear that his resignation is the de-
velopment of wounded personal want!
nnbecoming the head of republic. One
,f the genuine advocates of Il republican
government remarked, 1--WE thought we
had elected man, not child And
another said, at is Il crime in the face
of Europe" 1t is either magnificent
stroke of genius to force the election oil
the president by the people or silly
resentment of wounded vanity that un
der the circumstances constitutes it ~
crime in the face of Europe