The importance of this incident is two-fold. In the first
place, it shows that M. Buffet's Government, so far from conceal- ing Liberalism under model. in,, even more Tory than was
suspected ; and, in the second place, it taxes the patience of the Left to the utmost. If M. Gambetta withdraws, the combination which carried the Constitutional Laws is broken up, and even his Italian genius for patience must be sorely tried. To be told that even M. Dufaure is too Radical for a Republican Government, that a circular mentioning the Republic is a dangerous document, that allusions to possible oppressions of the Press are not per- missible, is almost too much. We can only hope that M. Gam- betta, always wiser than his party, may still hold them in hand till the Dissolution reveals the true judgment of France ; but even English Liberals could scarcely be trusted to keep their tempers under such a Ministry. If the Left can keep rank under such provocation, they have learnt the secret of government, and will yet hold power.
