M. Gambetta, again, in a speech at Auxerre, delivered last
week, has openly acknowledged that the struggle lies between the Bonapartists and the Republic, and hints that a, soldier has been found who may strike the coup d'etat. He repeated his desire that the Republic should exclude no one, but receive within its bosom even the Orleans Princes, denounced the Imperial regime as a failure, and promised peace to the peasantry. It is said that his speech had a marvellous effect upon them, and dissipated the delusions circulated by the Bonapartists, one of which is that the " men of the 4th September" were answerable for Sedan. M. Gambetta's plan is evidently to conciliate the Legitimists and the peasants, and thus, as the Army is divided, prevent a coup d'itat, so that, after the Dissolution, France may freely express an opinion, which must, as he believes, be for the Republic. We agree, but dread the effect of the laws which disfranchise the soldiers and of the postponement of the dissolution. On Friday week, the Pradie group in the Assembly agreed to submit to it a proposal for dissolving on the lst of January, 1879, nearly five years hence, and for decreeing that it should not exercise its Constituent power till six months before dissolution. Of course, such a resolution, even if passed on one day, could be repealed on the next, but it indicates the determination of a large section of the Chamber not to dissolve.
