Year: 1873




monarchists resolved to stake success appears
to have gone against them. A week ago the
chances were about even that the monarchical
coalition in the Assembly could be counted on
for few days after the opening. The odds
were hundred to one against the coalition
remaining intact for fortnight after the 9th
inst, on which the Assembly opens, II
whatever coup was the object OF the
combination had not been accomplished
before that period The reason for this IN
stability may be stated in few words. The
people, reduced almost to silence as they are
would yet be enabled to bring sufficient pressure
on the trimming Deputies of the Right Centre
to make them waver before committing
France to q Bourbon absolutism with their
casting votes. The developments OF the past
few days give q strange picture OF the straits
Of party in France to-day. They show that
out of the five large parties composing
the Assembly each one is compromising in
some direction to gain in the end triumph
over all the others, while below these the party
subdivisions are almost innumerable. The
legitimists are compromising with the
Orleanists on constitution and flag, that
through Henry V. they may come to power at
once the Orleanists are compromising with
the legitimists on the royal succession, being
content to take second place for the present,
that their day may come when HenryV. dies;
the Bonapartists are divided between the royal
lists and the republicans-the first coquetting
with the monarchy in hope of having share
in the expected power and playing Pouches
part in more respectable way, the sec
ond holding on to the old Napoleonic
tradition that the proper way to capture the
nation is to suddenly gag it when it has thrown
off its guards in a republic; the conservative
that time is fighting for them, accept adhesions
anywhere, that they may live until their hour
arrives; the radical republicans compromise
with the conservative ditto, that their time may
come when the people have outgrown their
more cautious brethren. 1t is sad picture,
but not without its strong beams of hope. Out
side Of all these parties the people wait with
wondering eyes and are making strong sign as to
where their sympathies are. The late elections
have shown very pointedly that France is
republican, and it needed but little to show
the monarchists that France, to be made
monarchy, must be so transmitted by sudden
work, with the Strong hand and in defiance
Of the people-a people having SO in its
history, as we'll as an 18th Brumaire, July,
1880, and February 1848, as we'll as
I'd of December, 1851. 1t needs no little
desperation to face this people-a des-
peration that can scarcely be commu-
nicated over party of weathercocks
like the Right Centre The army might be
counted on, with MacMahon at its head; the
clergy, led by Archbishop Guibert, of Paris
and Bishop Dupanloup, Of Orleans, might
make an efficient royalist chorus, and the Pre-
fects Of the Due de Broglie might gag the out
spoken press, but the coalition would be frail
indeed, with all this conceded. Small wonder
then, that it should be shaken down with a
piece Of paper covered with the divine right
pretensions to absolutism, written by the
Count de Chambord.


The announcement that the French Cabinet
have resolved to advise the prolongation of
MacMahons presidency comes just in time to
show how hopeless the monarchists chances
are. That they should adopt the very policy
upon which M. .Thiers was intent is great
tribute to that statesman's sagacity. If this is
carried out the crisis will be deferred, and M.
Theirs, with the hands of the monarchists tied,
will be free to press for the dissolution of the
Assembly, when monarchy will retire to the
shades and the people have their chance to
speak as loud as they please through the bal
lot box. There is deep lesson in the change
which the late utterance of Chambord has
brought about 1t is this:-When kings, or
would-be kings, are honest In stating the full
measure Of their pretensions royalty must be
detestable when kngly pretenders make
professions Of hberality and moderation they
must be dishonest. It is we'll worth the while
to have these things taught from royal lips
Let France take it firmly to heart and we shall
have an end to the spectacle of national un-
steadiness which has made her the type Of all
that Is politically fckle