The Ministerial crisis of England has had a reflected effect
in France ; just as the anxiety respecting the French Ministerial
crisis, some months ago, was shown in the faces on this side of the Channel. Though, from its very nature, producing no marked results, the present juncture in the relations between the two coun- tries is one of much' interest. The excitable French, tired of M. TIMERS'S problem-driving in diplomacy at the expense of nations, wearied of military colonization in Algiers with much labour and small crops of glory, disgusted with war-parade for which they have been called upon to pay, turned to a new diversion which offered itself for the moment, and founded a series of their favourite emeutes upon M. I:Inhumes clever idea of making Frenchmen pay the full amount of the taxes which they owed. That game has had its turn, and the interest in it is just subsiding, when one of the most intelligent men in France, who is labouring to impart to his country what he finds useful in the more stable political institu- tions and customs of England, lifts up his voice in the lull, and appeals to the reason of the people : M. GUIZOT, when he ad- dressed, English-fashion, his constituents at Lisieux, and rebuked the French with compliments to their intellect and appeals to their views of political perfectibility, knew well the force of his expe- dient: the lull in the storm was succeeded by a deeper hush, and practical business-like M. HUNIANN can tell his brother financiers throughout the world, that a few well-turned periods from a brilliant and holiest historian may be of eminent service in the collection of taxes. M. GUIZOT has solved a better and a harder problem than smart M. THIERS'S " armed peace."
Just at this point occurs the English Ministerial crisis; and in echo of M. GUIZOT'S peaceful speech at Lisieux goes the Queen's Speech of the Whigs, with its strongly-expressed satisfaction at the reconcilement with France, backed by Sir ROBERT PEEL'S speech, the speech of the Tory Minister-elect, recognizing the high station of France, eagerly hailing the friendly advances of the great foreign statesman, and powerfully asserting the common need of all the world for peace, and its absolute common sense. The French nation, who during the height of their covert threats of war bad some pretty strong manifestations of the desire which the English people feel for peace—who see a Whig Ministry labouring hard to prove its adherence to the principle upon which the party was ushered into power—now see the other great party in the state urging, to its fullest extent, the same principle. Recennts
have proved that no weakness dictates the English love ce : the French will perceive too that that affection is no 0 'wish of a people thwarted by authority ; not a matter of party 1r out of power—of Ministers or Opposition ; not the opinion Chartists or "constituencies," or any section of the people ; but The real, determined, and universal desire of the whole English nation, Bur. viving all the conflicts and changes of the day. The lesson on Europe, ripe to receive it, will hardly be lost.
