The French President has at present the best of it
in his political game of chess with the Assembly. His last move has been followed by a desponding pause on their part. In such a contest the odds are greatly in favour of the single player against some seven hundred., who must discuss every move before they make it. The Presidential message, published in our last week's Postscript, was immediately followed by the announcement of the "Ministry of Transition." It is composed of men in good repute for administrative ability, but unknown as politicians or states- men. So long as such a Cabinet exists, the President is the respon- sible Executive, and Ministers are merely his secretaries. This accords with the theory and practice of the United States consti- tution, and it is allowed by the letter of the French constitution ; but it is at variance with the practice of France under the existing regime as well as under all preceding governments since the first Revolution. The formation of an extra-Parliamentary Cabinet was met at first by vehement denunciations in the Assembly and the Parisian press. On Saturday, M. Hovyn Tranehere gave notice that he intended to put some questions to the new Ministers on Monday : the challenge was at once accepted, and the majority bragged of what they were to do. Rut the reflections of the intervening day of rest sobered the assailants, and Mon- day, instead of presenting the spectacle of a &brad bd by the allied foreea of the majority, exhibited on?y L Tforyn Tranchere asking Ministers, in respectful and guarded lan- guage, what were their intentions ; the Minister of Jus- tice replying in conciliating but firm phrase ; M. Mathieu de in Drome firing upon the Orleanists and Legitimists as "deserters from the camp " ; and the President of,the Assembly precipitating the close of the discussion with the connivance of the whole As- sembly except. the Mountain. Louis Napoleon, thus left master of the field, is understood to be bent on realizing the fruits of victory. It is confidently stated that the new Minister of Finance will present a dotation bill in the course of next week ; and exten- sive changes in the appointment of Prefects are said to be con- templated with a view to put in persons devoted to Louis Napoleon.
The French public appear still to side with the President. Se- veral members of Assembly who voted in the majority have re- ceived peremptory rebukes from their constituents ; and the quo- tations at the Bourse which receded slightly after the presenta- tion of the message, rallied again in the beginning of the week, and have continued to advance.
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