Year: 1872

France-M. Thiers and the Assembly.


In the HERALD of yesterday we printed an
able and instructive letter, from the pen of
one of our Paris correspondents, relative to
the political situation in France. The late
crisis-a crisis not yet ended-is very clearly
explained For the first time we are made to
understand that Bonapartism or Imperialism,
which it was thought was ashamed to show
its face is powerful and vigorous unit in the
Assembly. ''We are thirty-fve imperialists,
heart and soul" said prominent imperialist
some few days ago, in the Assembly. Accord
ing to our correspondent it is this united
section Of the Assembly which for some time
past has determined the votes Of the House
and given the majority now to the Left, now
to the Right. The imperialsts are united and
move as one man. and it is not difficult to see
that, unless the contest between the President
and the Assembly is brought to a satisfactory
close by the Committee Of Thirty, this
vigorous little party in the Assembly, like the
Peelites, some years ago, in the British Parlia-
ment may prove themselves masters of the
situation They can unite to-day with the
Left and tomorrow with the Right, and, by
skilful man9uvring, they can for their own
purposes use the republicans and the
monarchists in turn.


In the late contest in the Assembly the mon
rialists felt it to be their interest to act with
them. The President had been showing un-
mistakable leanings towards the party Of the
Left; but the decision Of the Assembly was so
emphatic that he yielded to the necessities of
the situation and made such Ministerial
changes as were satisfactory to the monarchi-
cal majority. The majority had gained q
great point in having M. Lefranc removed
from the Ministry Of the Interior. They were
not satisfied, however, with M. de Remusat,
whom Theirs appointed in his stead. The
result was that in the appointment Of the
Committee of Thirty the majority again put
forth their strength and placed on the COM
mittee nineteen men devoted to their opinions.


The immediate future Of France depends
upon the report which the Committee of
Thirty may make 1t is quite certain that the
committee, whatever they may do with regard
to other matters before them, will report in
favor of Ministerial responsibility, and thus
exclude the President from the privileges of
the Tribune. In the Assembly the Ministers
alone will represent the government. 1t is
doubtful what course the President may take
in the event OF the committee SO reporting and
the Assembly adopting their report Should
he accept his new position it is probable that
L. oc ~ 4. =.
it unlikely that as check on rash legislation,
some sort of suspensive veto will be granted
him. Should he resign the Assembly will
assert its authority by appointing his
successor, and it is generally understood that
Marshal MacMahon will be offered the Presi-
dency. Marshal MacMahon would be accept
able to the Assembly; first, because he has
firm hold of the army, and second, because
he is not politician. Such, it is understood,
is the policy which the majority intend to fol-
low. 1t is quite possible, however, that the
President has sketched out policy Of very
different kind. It is thought by some that
the President may, before he abandons the
reins of power, abolish the Assembly by de-
cree, make an appeal to the people, convoke
another Assembly, and as his first measure
propose bill of indemnity for himself, with,
perhaps, three months term of Office. That
the President has right to adopt such
course in country where universal suffrage is
law seems to our mind sufficiently cI.ar. Such
course, however, implies an amount of
courage which it is doubtful whether Presi-
dent Theirs possesses, and it exposes the coun-
try to such fearful risks that it is doubtful
whether it would be wise. The Assembly
would not, without bold and daring effort,
abandon its hold Of power; and it would be
certain to make an appeal to the army. The
President could do nothing without the army
at his back. Such conflict between the
Assembly and the President would divide
France would most certainly divide the army
and the result would be civil war. 1t will
thus be seen that the situation in France is
beset with serious difficulties and that much
depends on the report Of the Committee Of
Thirty