Year: 1874

The election of Nj. DellsSe Engrand IN the
Department of the Straits-Of-Calais, has been
invested with far more significance than it
deserves. Every time BOnapartist is chosen
in France, it is made the occasion for swift
statements among the journals which affect
imperialism, to the effect that the current has
finally set in which is to bring the late En-
perOr's son back to the Empire which his
father lost at Sedan. On the same day when
NJ. Engrand received plurality in his depart
ment three Republican deputies were elected
in other districts by large majorties. The
Duke of Padua, the foremost retainer of the Bona
parte family in France, was signally defeated
in Seine-et-O Ose, and NJ Engrand partly owes
his success, in a region so strongly Bonapartist
that it is called the Continental Corsica, to
the fact that he vailed his imperialism under
the most pronounced professions of devotion
to the Septennate There has been so much
outcry over the scattering election OF Bona
partists from time to time, that it will hardly
be believed that only four have been elected
to the Assembly in all the partial elections
held since the advent of Marshal MacMahon
In that time, that is to say since the Gath OF
May, 1S73 the Republicans have chosen twenty
one deputies, and the Monarchsts not one.
The extent of the reaction against the republic
may be calculated correctly upon this basis.


The long vacation was an expedent adopted
by the Government for the purpose of giving
themselves breathing spell from those par
Iiamentary contests which were made so awk-
ward by the aggressive ability OF the orators
and debaters of the Left, and the unreasonable
and embarrassing utterances Of the extreme
Right 1t was a mere measure of delay and
has accomplished nothing. The Assembly will
come together again on the 30th Of this
month, no more manageable, no more capable
of sound and effective legislation, than it was
when it separated four months before. There
is the usual swarm of rumOrs and reports as
to the intentions of the Government and of
the different sections of the Chamber, but
nothing which affords any prospect of definite
settlement of important pending questions.
1t is said in one quarter that Marshal Mac
Mahon will open the session by urging an
immediate consideration of the constitutional
laws, and will lay especial stress upon the
necessity of establishing and setting in
operation the Senate or Upper House.
1t is also reported that the various factions
of the Right will coalesce long enough to ex-
tend the life of the Assembly to the year





whole of the Septennate. But there is little
promise in either of these plans. The plain
truth is that the Government no longer pos
sesses trustworthy majority in the Chamber,
and the Chamber has entirely ceased to repre-
sent the country. Out of the twenty-five
deputies elected since Marshal MacMahon's
accession to power, the Left has secured
twenty-one and the BOnapartists four. There
is not one who can be relied upon as steady
defender of the Septennate pure and simple,
or who can be approached with any scheme
either Of restoration or for the organization OF
the present state of provisional chaos. In the
elections to be held on the goth of this month
there is no reason to expect any different re-
suit, and with every such accession Of force
to the Opposition, the hold of the Right Center
upon power grows more and more precariOus.


1t is difficult to sec how it is to strengthen
itself from any quarter. 1t cannot expect to
make any alliance with the Left without
giving up its Improbable connection with the
Right. and this it has never shown any dispO-
sition to do. 1t is thus condemned to sterillty,
for the Legitmsts refuse to agree to any
plan for the organization of tho Septennate,
and the Imperialists only live by affirming
CnaC INC appear W oHc pooPiO 10 " H"NN'"",'
precedent to any definite constitution. In this
state of affairs the usual thing is to talk of a
Broglie Cabinet. But such resort would be
in its very nature temporary. No one doubts
the dexterity and political skill of the Aca-
demic Duke, but if he entered the Cabinet it
would be with an avowed programme which
has now become more difficult than when he
was formerly in office. At that time the Right
Center was not only stronger than it now is,
but both the Legitimists and Bonapartists were
much more trustworthy adherents than they can
ever be again. For since then the partisans of
| Henri V. have lost much of the hope which
animated them, and the BOnapartists have
greatly gained in prestige and in positive
numerical force. The discOuragement of the
first and the confidence of the latter have
| made them both far less amenable to minis
terlal control than they were. Nothing will
be gained by giving them a share i'll the Gov
ernment, although something might be lost by
| excluding them. The center of power is
clearly shifting to the Left, but perhaps the
MacMahon Cabinet are prevented by the very
nature of the case from yielding to that ten
dency. No patient likes to admit the signs of
approaching dissolution.


THE PUBLIC CREDIT.


| Ry vesterdav the result of orr Tupsdoyjs