Year: 1873

public To Be Savcds


few days ago it seemed as if the "Child OF
Miracle" the obstinate, narrow-minded, sin
cere Prince, who has lived beyond middle life
and will no doubt die in the firm conviction
that France is his patrimony by Divine right,
was actually about to ascend the throne which
was placed at his feet when he was o child of
ten summers by the abdicaton of Charles K,
and to enjoy the reality of Court at Yer
sailles, in place of the sham with which
he was wont to amuse himself at his
London mansion in Belgrave square
twenty years ago, when Chateaubriand, Ber-
ryer and other legitimists bent the knee before
him and paid him all the respect due to q
reigning sovereign. A few days ago the Count
de Chambord appeared destined to destroy tho
hopes of free government in Europe, to cast
Spain back again into the tolls, and to reas-
sure the monarchies of the Old World, which
have been looking on with so much concern at
the growth of republican ideas within their
own borders To-day, through an unforeseen
and providential evlIt, the aspect of affairs
has undergone q wonderful change; the ap-
partition of the old throne has disappeared as
suddenly as it appeared, and once more there
is hope that the young and vigorous Republic
may reassert her strength and give encourage
ment to the people who are looking on
anxiously at this struggle between progression
and retrogression, between the rights of the
many and the privileges Of the few. To-day
the Count dc Chambord, by an act which
grows out of his bigotry and sincerity,
stands in the involuntary position Of the
savior Of the Republic, the destroyer Of the
fattering hopes of the monarchy. His letter
to NJ Chesnelong-honest. candid, overbearing
and illiberal-has dashed the spirits Of his
friends and enraptured his opponents "An
hopes Of the restoration of the monarchy have
been abandoned, we are told, and, although
our latest cable dispatches refer to new efforts
and new propositions by the monarchical
party, it seems as if the statement must be
correct


The Royalist Committee held meeting on
Thursday, and the result of their deliberations
has not been announced; but it is known that
one section of the monarchists still desires to
proclaim monarchical principles without
naming sovereign, and to appoint regent
or lieutenant general of the kingdom to act
professionally. Those who favor this pro-
gramme are, no doubt, the adherents of the
Orleans princes who have been willing to ac-
cept the childless Bourbon only as
stepping-stone to restoration of
the Orleans dynasty. On the other
hand, the republicans have not been
idle. They have had their consultations, and
the Cabinet also has been in special session
The one prominent fact in the excitement is
the increasing prospect of prolongation of
MacMahon's term-a policy which is favored
by the press and receives the support of the
conservatives and imperialists in the Assem-
bly,. 1t may be possible that the republicans,
encouraged and emboldened by their unex-
pected good fortune, may strike for more than
this; but at present the continuance of the
Marshal at the head of the nation appears to
be the most probable solution of the question.


When Sedan fell and the Empire crumbled
to pieces as thing SO false and unsubstan-
tial could not help doing, there was feeling
Of hopelessness among the friends Of France.
The future seemed to be despaired Of; "France
was nothing" When the fearful days Of the
Commune followed SO closely upon the weary
ing siege the same depressing influences pre-
vailed But out of the fire of these trials
sprang the young Republic. The world
was amazed to find how naturally
she took her position among the ma
tions and to witness the rapidity with
which she recovered from the effects of the
disastrous war and entered on new career
Of prosperity. The apparent danger of the
destruction of all that has been already ac-
complished in the cause of free government,
and Of q return to the narrow prejudices and
absolutism of half a century ago, has recently
revived the fears that prevailed after Sedan
and during the days of the Commune. But
it now seems as if the ghost of the monarchy
had only appeared for the providential pur-
pose of uniting the friends of the Republic
and rendering the eventual triumph of free
government the more secure. The people
have seen that they have nothing to expect
from retrogression but return to those evils
from which the nation has been rescued only
through long years of suffering and blood.
They have learned that restoration of the
monarchy means placing their necks under
the heels Of absolutism. We may
well regard this episode Of the Bour-
bon Prince as an interposition
of Providence designed to check the bicker-
ings and rivalries OF the friends of freedom,
to arouse the lukewarm and to place the
Republic upon more substantial foundation.
Let us hope that such may be its effect, and
that, when the Assembly again convenes, the
Republic of France may be found the stronger
and the purer for the trial through which it
has passed.


CIVIL SERVICE REFORM, THEORETICAL AND