Year: 1877

Enough is known Of the result OF the


elections in France to indicate that the


country was not intimidated by the
| menaces Of MacMahon's defiant manifesto
| It has returned Chamber in which there


will certainly be a great republican major


ity Precisely what the majority Will be 1t


would not yet be safe to declare for many


districts, as we are already informed, are in
dispute, and disputes will also certainly
arise with regard to many more that are


now set down positively for one side or the
other. All the returns that have been
given to the world with such uncommon


promptitude in this election have been accu-


mulated at Paris by the party organization
of the republicans on one side and the
efforts of the Ministry on the other, and as
natural consequence the statement of re-


suits is partially inferential. 1t is very


probable that the statement of the "conser-


vative" gains over those of the last Chamber


is Of this nature. 1t is strange, in fact, that


the government claims are not greater, and
that they are not is in some degree an indi-
cation that it has been surprised and demor-
allied by the sweep of the popular will.
Many Of the seats it now claims will melt
away when it attempts to grasp them; for
we believe that every change made, as more
precise knowledge OF the figures is obtained,
will be change in favor of the republi-
cans. Another fact will trouble the govern
ment as result OF the success actually
scored against it, which is that many candi-
dates returned with the sanction and sup
port of the Ministry will abandon that
allegiance upon the discovery that the voice
of the country is against those with whom
they were in sympathy. Except the small
number of representatives who are bigoted
opponents of republicanism politicians in
France as well as in all other countries are
agile in ranging themselves on the triumph
ant side.


But with three hundred and twenty-five re-
publicans and less than two hundred Of all
other parties the case is bad enough for the
Marshal 1t would be a very poor point on
which to indulge any vainglorious clamor
to say that the three hundred and sixty-three
were reduced by thirty y-eight votes, when
indeed that number was part Of majority
against the government of one hundred
and ninety-three. It is true the number of
republicans returned includes those Of all
stripes and hues, from the very moderate to
the very extreme. There are those who
would desire that ''the red pestilence"
might ''strike all trades in Rome" and who
would go to some lengths to further that re-
suit; and those whose republicanism is Of !
the moderate type that contemplates the
constitutional monarchy as itself the best |
republic. Between these extremes there is |
little sympathy; indeed, in the absence Of |
Republic against clerico-imperial usurpa-
ton, there might be war between these fac
tions. On the other hand, the ''conserva-
tives," so-called, or representatives opposed
to the Republic, are far more profoundly
divided. They are for Henry ", for
the Count de Paris, for the Prince
Imperial and for the Pope. The only pas
sion they have in common is hatred of
popular institutions; and this will hold
them together effectively enough to fight
the republicans. But if they should in
any contingency be called upon to aban-
don this negative ground and endeavor to
agree upon any common constructive
they have for the Republic is a mild i'm
pulse by comparison with the hatred that |
each of these factions has Tor the passions |
and purposes Of the others. Imperialists |
stand by the Marshal solely because they |
believe he will restore the Empire or can |
be used to that end. Legitimists and Orlean-
lists hope in him, each one in the faith that |
he is only keeping the place of power warm |
for their respective pretenders, and the |
''drum ecclesastic" is beaten in his name |
in the wild aspiration that French armies
may yet be led to the restoration Of the |
temporal power Of the Pope in Rome The
government can hardly stir foot or raise a |
hand without exciting the jealousy of, some |
one of the factions, and If it moves a hairs |
breadth to serve any one it offends all the |
others. Therefore the divisions Of the re-
publicans, though they might in some cir
cumstances render helpless great apparent
majority, are so insignificant by compari-
son with the divisions of the other side, and
SO much less likely to come up on every
occasioh, InAt thcy ieaVe tHs party IN prac-
tical possession of absolute power in the


Chamber.


What will the government do in view of


this defeat unqualified by any satisfactory


salve to its hope or its arrogant pride? In


the simple view of the principles of consti-


tutional government that is clear enough


An issue arose between the Executive and


the representative body, and the Executive


held that his own view was more nearly in


accordance with the will OF the country. 1t


is possible, certainly, that party passion may


drift Chamber away from proper relation


with the opinions of the constituencies,


and, therefore, the constitution gave the


Executive the right of appeal to the


4.