Year: 1872

Tho TAreateaed Resigaatien or N.


Thiers.


There appears to be q crisis in the affairs Of
the French Republic, or at all events in the
affairs of M. Theirs, who ct present seems to
be all there is Of the Republic. Our cable
dispatches from Paris. published this
morning, indicate stormy time in the Ma
tional Assembly, and we are not only furnished
with the startling intelligence that the venera-
BILE President has passed ''sleepiess night
fact which in regard to man seventy five
years of age is by no means insignifcant-but
that he is resolved upon demanding another
vote of confidence, and that in the event of
being refused larger majority than
that which may be said to have
barely saved his official life, he will
resign his position and retire from the head Of
the government. This is certainly serious and
alarming news We can conceive of no means
by which the present form Of government in
France can be preserved in the event Of the
retirement of M. Theirs. As there has always
been found Frenchman for every crisis
in that singularly changeable nation,
the present Chief Magistrate has appeared to
be the very man fitted to hold the reins Of gov
ernment in the stormy and uncertain period
succeeding the national defeat and the occu-
pancy of portions of the territory by the con-
quering power. His peculiar qualifications,
his advanced age, his previous history
his immediate associations the posi-
ton he had occupied during the war, free
from the necessities of active service
yet consistently evincing patriotism and 10y
atty to his country-all these tended to recon-
cile Frenchmen to his rule and to conciliate
if only temporarily, the conflicting interests Of
faction. Thus he was allowed to take and has
been enabled to retain power up to the present
time, and if he should be driven to resign the
Presidency there will, we fear, be but a sorry
prospect of peace and stability for the French
Republic


Our dispatches represent that the members
of the Left held meeting yesterday, and sent
deputation to the President to dissuade him
from his purpose 1t is evident from our
report of the proceedings of the government
party that they have no faith in the success Of
direct vote of confidence in the present adj
minstration. In their interview with M.
Thiers they are represented as assuring him
that they would introduce in the National
Assembly to-day or tomorrow certain consti-
tutional projects in harmony with his views,
upon the passage of which they appear to
rely and which would be equivalent to vote
of confidence. In other words, they pro-
pose to bridge over the difficulty, probably
by a legislative act to make M. Theirs
President for life, with provision
for the creation of Ministry at his back SINH
lar to that of the Empire They evidently
believe that the Right would be compelled to
give their support to such q measure. In
deed, the members of the opposition, who also
assembled in caucus yesterday in great force,
resolved to oppose any formal proclamation of
the Republic, but signifed their willingness
to grant to NJ. Theirs the life Presi-
dcncy provided. he would take conservative
ground constitute responsible Ministry, and
give up his right to participate in Parliamen-
tary debate. The Left probably would not go
SO far as this for M. Thiers would not be likely
to assent to yield the privilege of watching
and operating upon the National Assembly.
But they evidently hope to overcome the diff
Guilty by meeting the Right half way, and
for the sake Of peace leaving the Presi-
dent for the few remaining years of
his life in the enjoyment Of the power he has
thus far used discreetly and to the advantage
Of the country.


While it is probable that some such compro-
mise as that we have foreshadowed may post
Mona tho cr;s;a IL aeono av;dont thof ,,rbop,,,
France trembles on the verge of another revo-
luton. The very proposition by which alone
the present difficulty appears capable
of being overcome carries with it
the evidence of the instability Of
the present form of government. The Re-
public, if suffered to exist, is not to be for
mally proclaimed; it is to be, in fact, q mon
archy under the name OF q republic, with
citizen instead of a legitimist or an adventurer
at its head NJ Theirs, now in his seventy
fifth year, is to be left in the enjoyment
of the Chief Magistracy during his Life,
which cannot be much longer pro-
tractod. During his few remaining years
the rival factions will be prosecuting
their intrigues and perfecting their plans and
at his death each doubtless hopes to be in a
position to seize the succession Bourbons,
Orleanists, Bonapartists and republicans seem
to be equally contented to abide the profered
time and test; but their very willingness to ac-
cept this compromise is, as we have said, an
evidence of the disordered and unsettled con-
dition of the public mind. If M. Theirs
should remain obstinate in his apparent
20 vrto of
from the Assembly, or, in the event Of failure
to resign his Office, it is impossible to see how
a peaceful solution can be expected. Who is
to be his successor? The alleged infamma-
tory cnaachas Of M Gamhetia in tha nrn.