5 JANUARY 1889, Page 9

General Boulanger has issued his address to the electors of

Paris. He is vague, as usual, about his purposes, and denies any idea of claiming a dictatorship ; but he is not vague about his hostility to the Parliamentary regime. Its defenders have, he says, "disgusted the country by the state of degrada- tion to which their incapacity, low intrigues, and tedious dis- cussions have reduced the Republic." He relies, in fact, upon popular contempt for the Chamber to secure his election, in order to secure a Revision which will abolish its authority. The Republicans, as yet, have been unable to agree upon a can- didate, M. Clemenceau in particular proposing a dark horse, M. Jacques, probably because he is dark, and the decision may be delayed till a late hour. Meanwhile, it may be noted that Republican journals are beginning to discount defeat by alleging that the election will, after all, be only an election, and that if the General is returned, the Republican Govern- ment will still remain in existence. That is not the way sanguine men talk.