Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-02-14
SHALL THE FRENCH
ROYALTIES RETURN
THE REPATRIATION OF FRANCES
ExILED PRINCES PROPOSED.
Amnesty for DerouIede the Basis of a
Plea for Justice" to Victor Napo-
leon and the Duke of orleans-M.
Fernand Engerand Explains His
Motives for Espousng Their Cause

Translated from lie Figare.-M.
Fernand Engerand's bill to soften the
rigors of the law of 1886 as it bears
upon the members of families who
once ruled in France is certainly enc
of the most important political enter
prise undertaken for long time, and
the quiet way in which it has been
laid before the chamber awakens no
little curiosity Nor does the curios-
ity in the least diminish when we real
ize that NJ. Fernand Engerand advo-
Gates not the abolition of the law, but
| merely its attention. His bill seeks
to abolish article /. of that law, which
exiles the princes and their direct
heirs from France. II would permit
them to return to their country, but it
would still maintain the other provi-
sions of the law regarding them, and
would permit the government to exile
them afresh eff they should seek to
change the republican form of French
! institutions The other members of
these families are restored to respec-
l liability before the law by legislative
measures long ago taken in their be-
/ half
NJ Fernand Engerand at our re-
/ quest thus explained his position.
For long time | have wanted to in
| troduce this measure, but have hith-
erto been prevented from doing so by
the question of amnesty. for l was ex-
| tremely reluctant to Z Ike steps that
would tend to balk thu discussion of
that question. This difficulty no
longer exists. Deroulede is once more
in France, and / rejoice at his return
Now that we have put an end to our
injustice toward Deroulede. we have
a free field for our efforts to repair
that other and eql ally intolerable in
justice which makes outlaws and ex-
lies of Frenchmen who have commit
, ted no other crime than tina of bear
ing iliustrious names.
1T seems to me that the psych0log-
ical moment has at last arrived for
raising this question The circum-
stance that brought the law of 1886
into being was the marriage of the
king of Portugal, our present guest,
with the Princess Marie-Amelie of
Orleans The ceremonies attending
that union and the subsequent demon
STATIONS at the Hotel Galliera not
only caused the prescription of the
princes of Orleans, but by a senti-
ment of equilibrium was the
lovely phrase employed by the pre-
mier at the time-the Bonapartes
were included in the prescription,
| though they had nothing to do with
the business AMI were not even in
vited to the wedding.
"The law of 1886 Is unjust and use,
| less-unjust because it Furnishes
French citizens not for what they do,
but for what they are; useless be-
| cause, as anyone will admit, there is
no longer any sense in talking of the
monarchical peril The country Is
thoroughly accustomed to the repub-
lfc. The so-called pretenders have
! for twenty years shown that they
mean to respect the laws Of the coun
try from which they are exilei. Mum
berless opportunities for an opposite
! line of conduct have been Offered
them There have been times wher
the government was veiy much like {
vacant house, and yet the exiles have
rightly efused TO take advantage o
such occasions. What, then, are VI
to do. When shall we put 81 end Il
this ostracism, and what pray, is Gu
motive for maintaining it? Is thei
exile to be perpetual? If not, wha
must We do to bring 1t TO an end p
"Do you mean to say that tn,
princes are prescribed merely becaus'
of the names they bear?"
Precisely. And yet those unfortun
ate gentlemen didn't choose theil
names Moreover. those names ar,
closely associated with the history o
France and are among the most glori
lous names the country can boast. d.
we ever think Of prescribing men wht
bear evil and detested names. names
that recall treason and high crimes
against the fstherland? Is 1t not tru,
that man bearing such name
rises 70 some brilliant post of author
tty?
You see the absurdity OF the pres
ent situation The exiled princes have
never Zone anything, directly or in
directly, to menace the established
powers. Their exile has lasted twenty
years, and no one has ever suggeste,
bringing IT to a close. During this
period only one attempt has beer
made to overthrow the government
not the republic. it is true, but The
present constitutional system an,
those who maintain it. This was
done by Deroulede whom I love with
all my heart for the Frenchman anC
the patriot he IS. His exile lastes
five years and everyone, whethel
friend or foe admits thai his punish
ment was excessive The AMNESTY
was a profound relief for tbs public
conscience. I repeat it: w vii
the exile Of these French citizens
come to an end? Must It indeed x
eternal?
1.-THE law Of 1886 was law promul
gated in anger and by way Of retal:a
ton for the preliminary disturbance
attending the elections OF + 1856 and foi