Another incident of almost equal importance, which we have discussed
elsewhere, in connection with the result of the four French elections, is M. Rouher's letter, published on Sunday, to Baron Eschasseriaux, the President of the association for procuring an appeal to the people. In this letter M. Rouher declares for the :democratic principles of modern society in the strongest way, - and pronounces it impossible to take the people's savings, taxes, and children, and yet refuse them the right of deciding on their own form of government. The Imperialists, he professes, desire this appeal. "The Empire, overturned by tumult, conquered, proscribed, calumniated, whose bonds of union with the people - have been broken by hatred and violence,—the Empire, which ought to tremble at its isolation and feebleness, makes appeal to the direct will of the nation." This letter of M. Masher's, in which he treats the accession of Henri V. as an attempt to return
to a state of society long passed away, and contrasts the dread felt by the Monarchists of popular suffrage with the eagerness of the Imperialists for that ordeal, has produced a great effect on the Royalists themselves. Indeed, Marshal MacMahon, appealed-to to give the other vacant departments the chance of electing repre- sentatives, and so taking part in any momentous act of policy which the Assembly may enter upon, intimated in a very candid reply that it was a subject deserving the gravest consideration of the Government. The policy of conjuring an unwelcome King on to the throne by a stolen march, is not gaining in favour.
