The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1889. AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2104, 11 April 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1889. AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

Whether or not it be the opinion of the present Government m France that, after the manner of the typical Irishman who is supposed to dread becoming " blue mouldy for lack of a bating " every now and then, the vivacious and excitement-loving population of the Republic are longing for an eruption of red caps and barricades by way of divertissement, certain it is that it is just going the right way to work to bring about a return of such stirring times. No means better adapted to provoke an outburst of popular feeling m favor of Boulanger, and even of Boulanglsm, even though the carrying out of the aims of the General and hia supporters should involve a revolution, could not possibly be imagined than those which are being taken. Boulanger's indictment before the Senate, and the sentence of expatriation, which will doubtless follow, will assuredly make a martyr of him, and he will be looked upon by the lower orders of the people, and by the Army certainly, as a martyr for the people's cause. For result it is quite on the cards tha.t we shall see one day his triumphant return to Paris, and hie assumption of the Presidency of a re-organised Republic, to be followed perhaps by another ooup-d'dtat and another Empire. It is a good thing no doubt for Governments to be on the alert to meet danger when it comes, but vigilant waiting is one thing, and advancing towards a supposed danger is sometimes to evoke the danger itself. . In the present case, indeed, we cannot help thinking that the efforts put forth to ward off revolution are precisely the steps best calculated to produce it — m a word that the present French Ministry are breeding a revolution just about as fast as they can.