President Carnot, who is now always moving about, made on
Friday week an important speech at Poitiers. The Mayor, in his address, had expressed a hope—it is said in the Times, after a hint from headquarters—that the guest of the evening would be re-elected, and M. Carrot did not repudiate the honour. On the contrary, after professing his desire that there should be political peace, and that all parties should work together in unity, " a unity of which our dear Army gives us an admirable example," he declared himself " pro- foundly touched by the wish so cordially expressed that he might continue the work entrusted to him for long years to come.' " He would, however, " strike out the personal reference, and only retain the patriotic thought by which it is inspired." France " will always find devotion,—those who are ready to obey its sovereign will when it again requires guardians for its institutions and its flag." That is understood in Paris to be a clear advertisement that, in December, 1894, M. Carnot will be the prominent candi- date. If the election were next week, his success would be assured, for his only rival would be M. de Freycinet, who is feared by all financial interests. The peasants, it seems clear, consider him an excellent Head of the State, and, until the great war, his name is sure to retain its legendary charm. The unexpected, however, happens too frequently in France to justify prediction, and the announcement is chiefly important because it somewhat changes M. Carrot's position before the country. Henceforward he is a candidate as well as the reserved and dignified Head of the State.
