Year: 1872




democratic candidate we are on the threshold
Of one of the most exciting and most hotly
contested Presidential battles in the history of
the country.


The French Govcrnment-Cabinet Ten
der or Resignation.


The French government is vastly impeded
in its efforts for national recuperation by the
turmoil and tactics Of the contending political
parties in Parliament President Theirs
meets, evidently, vast deal of trouble in his
excellent endeavor for the completion of
harmony. We are told to-day by telegram
from Paris, that the executive affairs of the
republic are approaching to an important
crisis rapidly. 1t appears to us, judging from
the subsequent portion of the report, as if the
point of difficulty has already arrived. The
interview which was had between NJ Theirs
and the members of the Right on the Goth
inst completed a rupture between the
Chief of State and that section of the
Assembly, and leaves the government dependent
entirely for constitutional support on the party
of the Left-a poor position and very demoral-
izing as a public precedent. The forces of
the Right held caucus at which much irrita-
ton was vented against the venerable states
man. Then again the Cabinet is divided.
The members of the Ministry rendered q resig-
nation of their portfolios The President
persuaded them to remain in Office, which
they did, with the single exception Of the
head of the Department Of Public Works, who
has, it appears, gone over to the opposition.
Next we are informed of Legislative caucus
coquetting with the Bourbons-the Duke
dAumale having been invited to a committee
room conference with the sorehead Right The
idea of having to persuade public men, and
Frenchmen at that to continue in the SER
vice Of their country is not o very heathful
sign for the perpetuity Of the spirit of patriot
ism in the land, nor do we approve Of the
course of holding the members of a deposed
royalty-excellent citizens as each Of them
may be individually-in q sort of everyday
terTorem over the head OF the administrator Of
q republic which has been freely chosen by
the unanimous acclaim of the millions, and,
so far. exhibits vast strength and power This
system of party tactics is, to say the least, un-
dignified, and not in any way respectful to the
existing representatives Of the kingly race
whom it is sought to SO use, or honor, as it
may be taken. The Paris Treasury negotia-
tons with Germany for the relief Of the soil Of
France from the burden of the war indemnity
are progressing favorably. We are glad Of
this, for it is really here that France must
begin. She must be truly free, of her debt as
in her honor, before she can expurgate the.
republican constitution from the taints and
sores which have been induced upon it by the
strifes and vulgarisms of mere political party.
Metcorology Availing Itself OF the Bal


loon-An Important Ascent.


A series of aeronautic and aerial experiments
is to be made on the 4th proximo, by the Sig
nal Office, in the monster balloon Colossus, Of
Mr.. Samuel A. King, of Boston. The ascent
will be made from Boston Common during the
festive commemorations of the great day. The
balloon is of the finest texture and of immense
size, having a circumference of one hundred
and ninety-one feet with capacity Of nearly
one hundred thousand cubic feet, and is said
to be the largest ''ship of the air. ever yet
launched in America. The most important
passenger it will carry will be the meteoro-
logical observer detailed by General Myer for
the special duty Of gaining all the physical
information to be had in its voyage in the
cloud land and amid those lofty upper currents
which roll in silent but majestic force. Ser
geant Schaeffer, the observer sent on this sci
entifc mission, is distinguished for his keen
perception and instrumental skill, and is
already on the spot, thoroughly supplied and
equipped with all the meteorological apparatus
and instruments proper to his work.


The public will henceforth look with great
interest to all aeronautic ascents which include
scientific investigations of the high atmos-
phere Meteorologists have long asserted that
great band of warm equatorial air moves
aloft over our Atlantic seaboard and forms a
part Of that grand, fan-shaped, equatorial
current which Mr.. Glaisher, the English
aeronaut ascertained to move from the south
west to the northeast over his own country
with steady volume and great velocity, and
which he characterized as a "Gulf Stream in
the air." Since Mr. Glaisher's aerial voyages
the French balloonists alone have made some
sixty or seventy experiments, and generally
with similar results. The most interesting of
these was that of NJ. Roller, who travelled
with cloud-speed from Paris to Christiana, in
Norway, over twelve degrees Of longitude, in a
northerly course, and over eight degrees of
latitude, eastwardly, or, in straight line,
over twelve hundred miles, in fourteen hours,
in a little less than twelve of which he crossed
over the North Sea.


We presume, Of course that the signal OBJ
server in the forthcoming adventure will not
be taken by surprise if he encounters in the
higher atmosphere such o current as may
| carry him towards the sea with o velocity of