M. Thiers and M. Rouher have both addressed France this
week, the one at Arcachon, and the other at Aja,ccio. We have commented elsewhere on M. Thiers' speech, which was in brief an approval of the Republic, and a disapproval of the Ministers who, while serving a Republic, will not pronounce its name, and only long for its overthrow. M. Rouher, on the other hand, denounced the Republic as a mere device of wearied men, determined not to allow that direct appeal to the people without which govern- ments are illegitimate. "Numbers, gentlemen," he said, "are in society the real representation of all interests, of all legitimate influences, of the duties of property, and of the sacred right of suffrage?" "Universal suffrage has become our political gospel." The "Constitution is but an experimental regime," but it yields a place within it to the Bonapartist, for it concedes the right of re- vision; and whenever the ballot-boxes are open, "the Imperialists will valiantly take their part." "They will have for their first auviliary the unchaining of Radical passions." The "nation will never accept this Republic as a definite Government." It is stated that this address will not be allowed to appear in Paris newspapers because of its violence, but M. Rouher is not in language more violent than his opponents. He is only more terrible because if they succeeded they, would leave him, as now, a place within the Constitution, while if he succeeded he would send them to Cayenne, to die sloWly of hard labour in a tropical morass.
