The Southland Times. INVERCARGILL: TUEDDAY,OCT.28,1873.

Southland Times, Issue 1812, 28 October 1873, Page 2

The Southland Times. INVERCARGILL: TUEDDAY,OCT.2B,IB73.

The question of the permanent form of government in France appears to be as far off solution as ever. The elasticity of the nation, nevertheless, remains unimpaired, and its commercial position continues to improve. The conviction appears to be settling on the mind of the nation, that should the reactionary ] movement in the . Assembly, and the country, towards Monarchy prove successful, the chances of a Republic will have been weakened by the action of the extreme Radical party, and the Republic will have to pay the cost. In the language of the Journal des Debats, the RadiVnl party hast demonstrated " that there is.no Bepublic possible but theirs," and in showing this, has also demon- : strated " that the only Eepublic possible is precisely that which is impossible, that which the country will not have, that which France rejects with horror and fear." The course of the Radicals has also had its effect upon the tactics of the Royalist party, furnishing them with a lesson of which .they understood the value. For all this, it seems barely possible that there can be a restoration without a civil war, and indeed parties are bo balanced as that without the ac cession ;©f strength to one or other by the fusion of a number of minor parties, a prediction of the result will be but a guess which accident may either verify of falsify;. ; Whether the country is to gain or lose by the restoration, is a matter which . Frenchmen alone can settle,' and many of them undoubtedly in their longing for settled rule, and^ne repose of order, appear to have concluded tb»t it is more likely to be attained under a Monarchy.: On the other hand, Republicans say, " We know what a Republican Government can and will do, but with France declared a kingdom once more, we enter again into the regime of the unknown, that is, of speculative finance, anxiety, hoarding, and laws equivalent to coups d'etat." The Bonapartist party originally operated' on the express declaration that they were the party of order, " to combat and annihilate the principles of the revolution," but they have since much modified their views, and now evince some disposition ~6t Sfliietjr to return tcr the-principles of the revolution— the firjst of which, according to Republican, organs, , is the sovereignty of the nation, and arguing from the past they may within a, short time declare themselves Republicans. Le Temps criticises the address of the son of Napoleon 111. at Chislehurst, by saying that therein "he took up the position' of a pretender ; he spoke of the paternal heritage of the ' dynasty,' of which he is now the representative, and ' of the sovereignty of the nation,' and of ' the flag which consecrates it,' words evidently 'discussed and drawn up by the leaders of the Bonapartist party as the first official demonstration of the young prince.' " La Patrie says of the same address — " It is evident that the Prince was ' determined to make political declaration, and to proclaim once more the fundamental dogmas of the Imperial system." It is asserted that the gain to the Royalists has arisen from " the bifurcation of the Repub licans," and that in the Paris election the partizans of the Monarchy and of the Empire opposed the candidate who came forward in the name of liberal opinions, and many of them voted for the revolutionary candidate, the two candidates at that election being both Republicans, but representing two Republics^ and that France will not accept that one .of the two which; wag victorious on that occasion. It is also asserted that the . gave} the indisputably -Royalist majority of the Assembly the reason and the opportunity for overthrowing the government of M. Thiebs. There is in the

\ speech of the Due de Bboglie, the Vice-president of the Council, a marked sensation of uneasiness as to the result of a struggle which all admit is impending, evidenced by the repeated appeals to the Conservatives to maintain union of action, and to put to silence their personal claims and predilections, and he is supposed to have merely laid bare 'Hhe perplexity of- a Ministry\ obliged to substitute a prolongation of the powers of the President of the "Council for the Monarchy which it has not succeeded in restoring." The affair of the fusion if we may call it such, between theXoaiiE de Chambohd and the Comte de Paeis is but an incident in the struggle. The Journal des Debate says of this — " Perhaps the only thing that is clear is that in the event of Monarchy being desired, there is but one possible Kiug. The Comte de Pabis, in paying homage to { the hereditary Monarchy, necessarily gave up elective Monarchy The reconciliation of the two branches of the ancient royal house is but a family affair, and .cannot, in any way, pledge the nation. The Comte de Pabis is said to have declared that his act was personal, and that he had no authority to make any bargain, and that is the truth. Speaking as simple witnesses, who have no reconcilation to effect or pardon to ask, there are no longer any Orleanista, but there are still men who wish to live under a regime, with laws for its guarantee. We know not whether the grand-nephew of liOUTs'XVTII. is endowed with the same foresight as his great uncle ; certainly it is in his power to follow the happy example of the Republic, and to render himself as impossible as it has become. But in that case, between white follies and red follies we know not — or rather we know too well, unfortunately— what will become of France."