Prince Hohenlohe, the German Ambassador in Paris, who has been
appointed Stadtholder of Alsace-Lorraine, and is one of Prince Bismarck's most confidential agents, has taken a very strong step. He has expressed to the Paris Correspondent of the Times, obviously with a view to publication, an opinion most hostile to the result of the elections. If, he says, the two Republican sections coalesce, the extreme one will dominate, and Europe — which means Germany —may not be able to live on good terms with them ; while, if the Conservatives make use of their increased strength to disturb the established order of things in France, all foreign statesmen must watch events with the closest atten- tion. He himself intended, during the remainder of his term, to stay in Paris. It is rarely that a foreign Ambassador inter- feres so openly in the internal crises of a State ; and the Opportunists, whom the Prince favours, will not benefit by his patronage. The Monarchists have always made it one objec- tion to the Republic that Prince Bismarck approved that form of Government in France, avowedly on the ground that it could neither create a strong military system, nor form stable alliances with crowned heads. Ambassadors everywhere favour parties ; but they seldom say so publicly, and never when their reason for favouring them is a belief that they weaken the State.
