Year: 1877




readers win peruse with interest the


following commentupon the French


elections, cut from an English paper,


the illustrated London News" II


our readers care to compare it with


our own article of about the same


date upon the same subject, they
will find described, more in detail


than we are able to give it, the
tremendous government pressure


against which the resolute common


atty of France poured in their ire


sistible majority for the Republic:


LONDON, Saturday, Oct. 20, 1877.
Marshal MacMahOn has got his an
sWer from the Electorate of France
an unWelcOme one to him and to
the political parties which he chose


to represent, but clear and decisive
one, not to be regarded as hav-
ing been given this time under


the influence of misapprehension.


"ChOOse," said the Marshal in eff


feet, stchoOse between me and the


Republic; between Personal and


Parliamentary Government; be-


tween the tastes, sympathies, pur-


poses, and policy Of the Chief of the


Executive Power and those of the


Chamber of Deputies dissolved last


May" The issue submitted could


not be mistaken; as a matter of fact,


it can scarce be said to have been


veiled, however thinly, by the au-


thority submitting it. The response


has been by a majority of some 120


elections condemnatory of the course


pursued by the President of the Re


public. The opinion and the will


of France, after struggle of unsur-


passed severity, have been cOnstitu-
tiOnally recorded in favor of Re


publican Institutions. The voting


Power of the Government, it is true,


has been somewhat increased. That
of the Republicans has been some
what curtaiIed. But the majority
of the latter is large enough to dom
mate the proceedings of the Cham
ber of Deputies, not on one question
only, but on all questions that may
be brought before it.


The coalition of Monarchists may
affect to see in the present result
justification of the course they have
pursued during the last five months,
and a ground of excuse for persist
ing in that course. The "Radicals,"
they say, have received an effectual
check. because their estimate of
strength before the Elections has not
been numerically sustained. The
pretence proves to be hollow at
Single tap. In the first place, ma
iOrity of upwards of hundred is
quite as effective as one of much
larger prOportiOns) and perhaps may
be even more safe) for the perma-
nent establishment of Republican
Institutions. The loss of few seats
will serve to give cohesion and to
increase caution in the Party which
has had to bear it. In the next
place, it has to be borne in mind
that the Electorate of France have
very decisiVely replied to Marshal
MacMahOn's appeal under an adj
verse administrative pressure un-
parallaIed even in the days of the
Second Empire. The expedients
which the Government, and even
the President himself, were not
ashamed to resort to for the purpose
of influencing the result were most
outrageous, manifestly unfair, and,
if not altogether illegal, were yet ia
spirit grossly unconstitutional. All
conceivable impediments were
thrown in the way of Republican
candidates, Every sort Of license |
was allowed to those nominated as
sanctioned by the President, So far
as violence was resOrted to, with a
view to coerce public opinion, it was
resorted to only by those in author
ity. So far as injustice had to be
borne and fOrbearance to be eXercis-
ed in the face Of multiplied provo
cations, they were exhibited only by |
Republican candidates. Now an |
answer given under such circum- |
stances was, to a considerable ex-
tent, an answer given in duress.
Even the torture of the screw tuens |
ed upon France without mercy has |
proved unaVailing to eXtOrt from |
her a verdict differing in tenor
from that which she would have re-
turned under perfect liberty OF
choice. 1t is little less VOlumin-
Gus. but it is not at all less resO-
lutte and unwavering. 1t has been
given under a threat, but 1T has
been given quietly and firmly.
There have been no electoral dis
turbances. There has be n scarcely
a scufle, The process of voting has
been carried on under the eye of the
and France, consciously
Impressed with the sOlemnity of the
occasion and of the responsibility
to her behavior in cQnnec-
ton with it, has proclaimed to her
self, to Europe, and to the world,
that she desires and will have a
Conservative Republic.


Now, who is to gainsay her In the
of her purpose? Who
is the Marshal that he should set his
voice against hers? Nobody dis
putes his honesty, as no one seems
to deny his political ignorance. But
to whom is he honest? and of what
is he specially ignorant? He may
be honest to his own faith, such as
It Is, He may be honest-in lnten-
ton, at least-to the coalition be-
hind him. He is evidently ignOr-
ant of the duties of the position in
which the Constitution has placed
him. Nay, he seems to know very
little, if anything, of the relative
weight of his official authority or
his personal influence. He does not
perceive that the clothes of NapO-
leon LII. are too big for him. He
bears himself with the air Of
heapen-hOfn Dictator, He speaks
as if he had a commission to sway
the destiny of France by enacting
the part of "saviOur of society"
All this might be eXcusable before
the Election. The illusion he cher
ished might then have some color of
in it, or at least of PLAUSIBLE
ity. But, now that the FrenchpeO-
pie have spoken in response to the
invitation foisted upon them by his
Government, it is impossible that
he can avoid the alternative of ''res-
ignation or submission" We de-
cline to believe that he will do so
until we see it. We cannot even
vet realize as a fact that such ego
tism is possible, or such infatuation
capable of being displayed. The
ridiculousness of 1t il quite sufficient
for Frenchmen to laugh it down. If
it only shows itself (as we trust it
will not do), it can only be met by
an Outburst of contempt.


But France has not even yet said
her final say on the question sub
,,oi+tad tO her The Municipal Elec-