It is not yet known whether this remarkable transfer of
power, accomplished so easily and with so little friction, will be followed by any change of Ministry. The Ministry, which is not dismissed by the Constitution, has resigned, to leave M. Gr4vy free ; but it is believed that unless M. Dufaure, who is past eighty, insists on resigning, the new President will re- place the present men, with the exception of the Minister of Commerce, M. Teisserenc de Bort, who is a crypto-Protectionist, and a failure. M. Gambetta will not take office, and intends, indeed, it is stated, to succeed M. Gr4vy as President of the Chamber of Deputies,—a proceeding only to be ex- plained in one way. M. Gambetta wishes to occupy a position in which, for a time, he may be exempted from battle and strife, and may display himself in the attitude of a moderator, whose justice is trusted by both parties. He probably sees that with the fall of the Marshal the pivot of power is transferred to the Chamber, and hopes to exercise there the great, though quiet, influence which M. Grevy possessed. It must be remembered that the President of the Chamber occupies a position some- what different from that of an English Speaker, being treated much more as the representative of the Chamber, and a power- ful as well as respected entity in the State. He may speak, too, outside the Chamber with much more definiteness.
