Year: 1872

or overturned.


Srance-The Government and the


Assembly.


Our news from France this morning shows
tnat the situation is still full of peril The
demand for the dissolution of the Assembly
mas become so general among all ranks and
classes OF the people that it is fairly entitled
TO DO called national. Petitions in favor of
dissolution are largely circulated in Paris, and
tney are obtaining numerous signatures.
fetitlons for the same purpose abound in all
the departments and they are said to be
greatly on the increase The anxiety of the
government in this particular matter is re-
vealed in the fact that the projects of several
departments, where the movement in favor
OF dissolution has assumed formidable proper
tlons have been summoned to Versailles. It
would seem as if the movement in favor of
dissolution was gaining ground in the Assembly
itself, for it is now authoritatively stated that
the members of the Moderate Left-which
means the more moderate men of the Left
Centre-have arrived at the conclusion that in
the peculiar circumstances in which France
finds herself the wisest course to be followed
is the immediate dissolution of the Assembly,
coupled, as of course it must be- with fresh
appeal to the people. To those who hope for
the establishment of the Republic by the As
sembly, as at present constituted, the election
OF the Duke de Broglie, monarchist, as a
member Of the Committee of Thirty in the
place of M. Fourton, just appointed Minister
Of Public Works, must be admitted to be dis
couraging. To us it is only fresh proof that
the present Assembly is anti-republican.


1t is an old proverb that a house divided
cannot stand; and, although in the matter of
Parliamentary government this adage must be
received with some slight qualifications,
it does seem as if in the French Assem-
bly, division were too radical to allow
the machine of government to go
smoothly on. The Committee of Thirty
may by judicial proposals stave off the
difficulty. Some of the suggestions which
have recently been thrown out-such as that
NJ Theirs should be elected President for
four years; that there should be Vice Presi-
dent; that the Assembly should be partially
renewed by annual departmental elections,
and that there should be immediat tely created
an Upper Chamber or Senate-are good
enough. But they do not touch the root Of
the disease. The great trouble of the moment
is that the government does not represent
any powerful section of the Assembly or of
the French people, II is not republican
government; it is not monarchical; it is not
imperialist; and the French people, impatient
OF delay, are anxious to know under what
form of government they are likely to live
for the next ten years. 1t is our belief
that the mass Of the people are more or
less Indifferent to the form of government
which may be established. What they want
is to be rid Of this vexatious uncertainty, and
to have government which shall have dis
tinctive character and an Ineligible name.
The Committee, as we have said, may be able
to effect a compromises; but no compromise
will effectually heal the divisions now existing
in the Assembly. It will still be weak,
because divided Honse.


1t has been our opinion for months past that
the dissolution of the Assembly was the one
satisfactory solution of the difficulties which
now menace France. Such is our opinion
still; and the petitions SO freely circulated
and SO numerously signed promise to render q
dissolution an absolute necessity. After all,
the popular will is stronger than the Assembly;
and, as between the Assembly and the people,
it is not difficult to decide, if the fight is fairly
commenced, on which side victory will lean.