AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1703, 19 January 1874, Page 2

AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

Npthing a common-sense man could say with * ref ererice :to French.* affauV, '-at. the present moment, can be new, or^nfony way difficult to predicate^; The 'flfslory of the last 100 i years' 'has notuonly/shown plainly enough the general itendency of things in ; that: country,! ibutl pointed out the precise course affaifsT would, take under given circumstances; and it was only the brutal obstinacy of a few wealthy men, belonging to ancient fam'iliea, to whom France ;b wed mudh in- her past/ but to whose' contempora^ it owes absolutely npthingj J f that ' the !Parliainentary bußiness ''pi', the country . jias ,been so fearf ully'; "inwmariage^! .'jfp^.^th'esV'jjast two years. v Since , the ,empire' jcpuld^ot hold out, in consequence of its head not inspiring the nation with a sufficient amount of respect either for his capacities or for his personal character,! the only possible .' Bort of government for that country becomes a Republic, with a sharp and cunning man for President. After the disasters of the last war this becomes more clear than ever, for the Republic being an anonymous; form of government, it can patiently wa'it r the time when the co.untry , shall ( be jeady to enter ' upon revenge, ' whilef sovereign that might , be- on the 'throne could be, immediately overthrown od the plea of want' of 'patriotism' if x tll4 party in opposition had got up the dodge of constant remmding the ; people 'of the obligations of th.c , mpnarch ,to restore the country's military glory/., If compelled to obey cries of this sort the sovereign would risk to lose ; his crown as well as the country, while, not listening to them, he would, have to .stand; that, -which no monarch has yet ; been able to Btand— the accusation of want of patriotism. By a simple stratagem of this soft the. Republican party would overthrow the^loriarchy in France without even \ mentioning 'die word "republic". And partially, though with not quite. so much sqegess, the aame dodge could be well used against a milU tary president like .Marshal. MJMahpn, especially if his power; be extended to ten yeara, -as has x just^be'en' proposed. He will clearly have ' to;cul| France through the army ; and ais,' now-a^days, no people would 'stand a 'ten years'" militaryl rule, the army aa well as the President, wovftu have to" gain* some; s6r.t""ofrr)restigp-'by drawing themselves into war with Germany. Every wellr wisher to Franqe and Europe must ore rejoice at,. the failure of the .royalist intpigues, in, Paris, and must desire ,',tte spjßedy failure, pf M'Mahonandithei retui?n;tpippwer ; pf;the little historian whose shrewdness haji s,q well managed Frendyaffaira. since the war. and who will certainly, .find -^n -himself strength arid shire wdrieas ! enough i forla couple of years more, until France. makes, up he mind as "to to whois'tlie'civUian person worthy to 'succeed : him.^rA^^MAT BAt usl in^the' Melbourrie"-ii)'jriW. >■ ! ■> y ■ j ■'■