The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2575, 19 May 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1871.

It is impossible to read the accounts received of the state of France, without feeling the conviction that the ideas which led to the first revolution have been nursed and cherished bj a large class, and that it has only been by force that they have been prevented bursting into anarchy. So long as there was an army under one leader, occasional outbreaks were repressed. But the overmastering force being no longer available, the Communists find themselves sufficiently numerous to attempt to carry their theories into effect. It is very questionable whether the country sympathises to any extent with Paris. The rural districts most certainly do not, although no doubt there are large sections of the population of the manufacturing towns that hold ideas in common with the Communists. The chief difficulty of France now is, that there is no class to whom the masses have been accustomed to look as guides. The old aristocracy abused their position, and the abolition of the law of primogeniture has prevented the renewal of a territorial one. The people, untrained in self-govern-ment, have no notion of maintenance of order except by force, and the sudden disruption of the empire has left them without a leading principle on which to reorganise society. Tho history of France during the past century presents us with striking examples of unsound institutions carried out to their ultimatum. The revolution of 1789 was the consequence of a privileged class laying burdens on the masses which they themselves refused to share. There was nothing in common between the i governing classes and the governed. The one claimed to live and fatten upon the labors of the other. What wonder • that the oppression of the rich should engender hatred in the working classes. But while groaning under a bad system unfortunately a better was not ready to take its place when it was thrown aside. Nothing is more certain than that freedom of discussion is required to prepare a people for self government. 1 The freedom of the press is the great means of establishing sound religious and political doctrines. The conduct ' of public men requires to be carefully and vigilantly watched in order to secure impartial administration. The tendency of certain modes of thought to produce certain social effects is encouraged or checked in proportion as the theories propounded are subjected to free criticism. It is impossible to imagine a greater contrast between any' two countries than is presented in France and the United States. During the very worst period of the civil war in America, definite purposes were in view—government never’ ceased. The North had one object to gain and the South another. The civil war was bad enough, but it was not marked by brutal outrages such as we read of in Paris. Had the South succeeded in securing separation, there would have been two republics instead of one; two presidents, two Parliaments. The laws would have been observed within the respective limits of the territories, and order would have been maintained. But in Paris, at least, if not throughout France, all that appeal’s at present is a war for the destruction of order. It cannot be supposed that the anarchy will last for any great length of time ; but during its continuance all progress is More than probably another military despotism will be found necessary, although the difficulty of forming and disciplining an army is a formidable obstacle to such a form of Government, apart from the fact that there are no generals of note equal to the task of governing. It would seem from the accounts now to hand that there is a lamentable deficiency of men capable of leading and commanding. There is no Lamartine to charm by his eloquence, no Cavaignac to command the troops. There is scarcely a general who has not lost his prestige in the German war. The true abate of society in France is laid bare, and the picture is horrible enough. Rough as British freedom may sometimes appear, communities inspired by it can govern themselves, without armies and without civil c inflict. A few policemen suffice to protect life and property, and public opinion, founded upon habitual voluntary submission to law, does the rest. Had France possessed a free press by

this time her people might have been prepared to govern themselves. It is hard to say now when that time will arrive. The people are suffering the natural consequence of Government by brute force.