Year: 1875

ANOIHER ChJSfS al vbHohibbH'''


The coalition which looked so promising
few days ago, between the Left and the h'eh.
Center of the Chamber at Versailles, has proved
like many before it to be rope OF sanu. IL
has given way at the first serious test. INC
monarchists of the Right Center douDtiess
thought they were making such an enormous
concession in permitting the nominal estaD-
lishment of the Republic that the RepuDiicans
were bound to yield TO them in all matters Oh
detail involving the safety OF conservative
interests. The bill for the organization OF the
Senate was going swimmingly forward and
was in fair way TO pass when the Left pro-
pOsed an amendment to elect the members OF
that body by universal suffrage. There might
very well he two opinions about the advisa-
biity of this amendment. There would seem
to be no reason in having two houses II
they are both to be elected by uni
versal suffrage and to bold by the
samo tenure As the Chamber is at present
constituted and under the conditions of the
new coalition, it was certainly an act OF
doubtful expediency for the Republicans, II
they cared to keep up the combination ana
pass the bills, to endanger this programme by
such a radical proposition. III they Wlshed
merely to put themselves right before thelr
constituents by voting in q body first accord
inc to their democratic professions, with the In
tention later of adopting the conservative
plan if necessary, they committed grave
mistake. For in thus voting they exposed
themselves to the fatal support OF the lmperi-
alists. This squadron of light skirmlshers saw
their opportunity, and by casting their vote
solid with the Left gave them the victory
over their conservative allies and broke up
the coalition. Upon this the Government
announced their intention of retiring rather
than submit to such an important deviation
from their plan. Marshal MacMahOn accepted
their resignation and applied at once 10 tne
Duke de Broglie to form new Cabinet


The crisis is once more complete, ana the
Assembly and the Government are equally at
sea. No element of difficulty or trouble seems
absent from the problem. If there were two
more or less evenly matched parties in the
Assembly representing a similar proportion OF
voters il the country at large, the way before
tho Government would be comparatively plain
and easy. If defeated "a the Assembly, it
could either yisid or throw its influence IN
favor of the dissolution of the legislative
body, and then appeal to the country. But
there seems no principle of cohesion in the
Assembly at Versailles upon wlnch any one
can rely. The Government has ius5 been de-
feated by combination of the Left, which
formed much more than half its majority the
week before, with the Imperialsts, by whose
help it was placed in power year and hal1
ago. 1t is accompanied III its defeat by q
minority composed of conservative Republi-
cans who may be supposed to share its views,
and of Orleanists and LeGitmists who only
vote with it when such action seems to for
ward their own purposes. If the Cabinet of
MacMahon had any straightforward or decided
policy it might succeed in forming party OF
its own out of all these warning and incohe-
rent elements. But it suffers from its own
weakness OF principle and aim. 1t is neither
republican nor m0narchist. 1t is simply Mac
Mahonist, and there Is no spell IN the name
of the commonplace soldier at the head of the
Government which possesses any constructive
power in politics, or rouses any enthusiasm
on the simple programme of his Presidency
for six years. and after that the unknown.


The threat of dissolution has no terOrs ex-
cept for the Right. The Marshal is thus
deprived Of his most effective weapon. The
| RcpuDllCaUS Ieel stIc VI eHO hOA"
Assembly, IN case of an appeal to the country,
and the Impcrialiss, whose only stock in
trade is their constant cry for such an appeal,
cannot pretend to object to it. When the
Marshal talks Of new Assembly therefore,
or of his own resignation, he puts himself IN
an attitude which is lacking in dignity. a
majority of the Chamber, as it now appears
pretend to be ready for either of these events
and the only parties interested in keeping
this superannuated Parliament at Versailles
are the Government of the Marshal himself
and those Legitimists and Orleanists who
are sure of losing their seats in case
of new elections. To all those outside
of France, who think well of that
nation and desire to see it once
more at peace, everything which tends to
bring about dissolution of the present AS
sembly and the fair election of new one
ought to be welcome. We do not say the
people of France media form of government
like ours; but they certainly need some gov
ernment based upon some fixed foundation.
If they are capable of governing themselves,
they ought to have chance to try it. If
they desire or need dcspotism, the sooner
they get it the better. They certainly do not
deserve to be trifed with forever by an acci-
dent so insignificant as MacMahon, and by
such an Assembly as that which daily ex-
hibits its incapacity at Versailles.


! -----