The Councils-General of France have been electing their Pre- sidents,
and out of seventy returns received, 39 Presidents are Republicans, 21. Monarchists, and 10 Bonapartist& This shows an increase in the number of Republicans, and is important, as indicating that the influential classes from among whom the Presidents are generally selected are accepting the Republic. The proportion of Monarchists is still large, but it must be remem- bered that the heads of the oldest and richest families in France, including, for example, the Duke d'Aumale, compete for these posts in their own Departments, and usually obtain them. Even in strictly Republican Departments a Legitimist who happens to be personally popular is often preferred to an active Republican of less standing in the Department, the Coun- cillors believing that he will preside better and make their rela- tions with the officials much more easy.
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