M. Meline, the leader of the Conservatives and Protectionists in
the French Chamber, and hitherto supposed to be secretly allied to the Nationalists, made at Remiremont on Sunday last a rather remarkable speech. He repudiated Bonapartism utterly; or, indeed, any form of one-man power, and even rejected the idea of revision, as it "would only increase the fever which is undermining the life of the nation." He is entirely for the Republic as it stands, but he believes the next four years will be sterile unless all parties agree during one Parliament to a "political truce," during which they should attend only to measures calculated to "improve the foreign, economic, and military situation." As almost every measure must have its relation to the political ideas of those who support it, this proposition is a little vague, but it has this serious meaning behind it. • M. Meline, who has much experience, sees that it is useless to pronounce against the Republic, and confines himself to urging on a campaign to be fought within the limits of the arena already staked out. That implies that all France, except the fanatics of Bonapartism or of the white flag, agrees to accept the Republic, which, we may be assured, will for a time be guided by M. Waldeck-Rousseau. All accounts from Paris prophesy this result, which in the absence of the unexpected appears certain. The only ques- tion is as to the majority.
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