1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132

A story is circulated in Paris that on the opening

of the Assem- bly a proposal will be made to make M. `niers President for life, and renew the Chamber gradually by one-fourth every year. The first proposition is unwise, as M. Thiers might be re-elected every three years ; and the second, though it might work well if the President had the power of dissolution, would without it be fatal. Even in America legislation is sometimes suspended by a conflict between Congress and the "one-man power," and in France a dead-lock of that kind would lead to an armed collision. It should be added that the reason advanced for gradual renewal is the necessity of continuity in the policy of the country, which ought to be secured rather by the country itself than by its represen- tatives.

Next page