Paris, and almost France, has been full all the week
of the Paris election of to-morrow. M. de Rerausat's candidature has gained in favour since M. Grevy, the Ex-Speaker of the Assembly, General Chanzy, M. Eugene Pelletan, and other distinguished Republicans, have given it their hearty support. M. Grevy has declared that "as far as relates to the strengthening of the Republic, the nomination of M. Barodet is a great mistake. In the difficult position in which it is placed by party conflicts in the Assembly, the Government needs all the strength that can be given to it to face the enemies of the Re- public, and not an unseasonable warning that would be for it a check or the infliction of a dangerous wound." M. Grevy added that it is supremely impolitic to furnish pretexts to those alarmists who wish to connect the Republic with associations of fear. The Conservatives have exchanged their unfortunate can- didate, M. Libeman, for Colonel Stoffel, whose cause has been pleaded by no less raputable an authority than M. Paul Cassagnac, the Imperialist, who declared that if the Republic " divides us the least," it must be because "it disgusts us the most." M. Gambetta adheres, of course, to his support of M. Barodet, not as a vote of want of confidence in the Government, but in order to swell the force of the "constitutional Opposition," which would be all very well if there were not also a reactionary Opposition that is not at all particular about being constitutional, and which will gain in strength by every addition to the " constitu- tional Opposition." The contest will be severe. M. Gambetta is said to have laid a bet that M. Barodet will have a majority of 40,000 at the first scrutiny, but we hope for better things. In the elections of 1871 Victor Hugo was beaten for Paris by M. Vautrain by a very heavy majority.
