The sun., 1908-08-16

for the other the desirable Constitution was
to be established at the point whore former
systems and democracy met. Neither the
grands sei9neprs nor the brilliant journal
lists insisted upon the particular nature OF
the regime desired. The Duo de Broglie
wrote: Let us say the word frank ly: a
republic bordering upon a constitutional
monarchy, or q constitutional monarchy
bordering upon e republic. and differing
from it solely by the permanence OF the
Executive and it's Constitution; such is the
only alternative which is left to lovers OF
freedom. Any other kind Of republic means
the convention; any other kind OF mon
archy means the empire To similar
effect wrote Provost -Paradol: I'VE are
seeking for institutions equally capable
Of being adapted to the monarchical or to
the republican form, their sole object being
to secure liberty within democracy Nj.
Hanotaux deems 1t obvious that these two
sentences explain the whole process OF the
evolution Of the Constitution Of 1875. Al
ready In 1861 the Duo de Broglie had not
altogether rejected the republican solution.
1T were wise,' he said. "to prefer the re-
public to civil war; He even furnished
NJ. Theirs with the formula so often re-
peated by the latter: "A republic Is that
, form Of government which will least di-
vide us"
The conditions and restrictions which in
his book the Duo de Broglie imposed upon
the republic are the very Same which were
introduced by the National Assembly into
the Constitution Of 1875. Prevost-Paradol
on his part probed the bottom OF things
when. turning away from the somewhat
belated system OF oounterweights and
brakes-in word. Of the balance OF author
ity-he did not hesitate to claim for the
Legislative Assembly. directly elected by
popular suffrage. -the power of the last
word.' He thus described the practical
consequences Of this principles 'The pre-
tsponderating influence Tor the last vord In
case Of q conhict) being thus reserved for
the popular Assembly, with the sole restrio-
ton Of the right Of dissolution conferred
upon the Executive. that influence will be
exercised in three ways: by the voting
of the budget. the voting OF new laws
| and the renewal OF the Cabinets The
idea OF both writer's was that sin the near
future, when the empire should be over
thrown. it should be replaced by demo-
cratic. liberal. representative and parlia-
mentary regime; something like the July
monarchy. but supported by universal
suffrage" The Duke himself did not deny
that the Chamber Of Representatives should
be born OF universal suffrage.
The author OF this history points out that
between these two proposals.. that Of the
Duo de Broglie and that of Prevost-Paradol,
there was just room for the oscillation OF
the coming National Assembly. that OF
1s71-75. The Right in that body may have
believed that 1t followed the Duo de Broglie
by voting for q republic with the conditions
prescribed by the authority Of that Liberal
nobleman: the Left must have thought that
it was realizing the ideal Of the young leader
whose early death was 90 tragic Prevost-
Paradol committed suicide in 1870 when
while founding the republican-represent-
ative regime. 1t aooeded to the concessions
which he had considered necessary II the
republic was to live. In the opinion Of NJ
Hanotaux. rarely has theory been followed
80 closely by practice.