60 MEETING, MONDAY, MARCH 7. 



persons brought np Napoleon, the menacing attitude of 

 Germany, the consequent necessity of maintaining a large 

 standing army, the vast centralization of power at Paris, 

 and the immense patronage that must be intrusted to the 

 executive. Bonapartism seemed dead beyond power of 

 resurrection. The army could be reduced when Bismark 

 and Moltke died. The methods of these men were short- 

 sighted efforts to introduce a Lycurgean system, and to 

 foster masculinity. With a reduction of the army a diffusion 

 of patronage could take place in France and the adminis- 

 tration be decentralized. Others objected that the illiter- 

 ateness of France was so great as to render a representa- 

 tive government inexpedient. But our ancestors in ante- 

 revolutionary times were more illiterate, and yet their 

 government was wise and prudent. France needed a 

 strong government it was said, and this was true ; but it did 

 not mean a despotic or an imperial, or a military govern- 

 ment. Despotism was weak financially, and could not 

 indulge in philanthropy or education. The weakest gov- 

 ernments to-day were Turkey, Russia and Germany. Any 

 month might bring tidings of revolt and insurrection, in 

 the first two of revolution. Great Britain's government, 

 by reason of the prevalence of aristocratic and monarch- 

 ical influences prior to 1832, had been unable to prevent 

 secession, and was so hostile to the people as to have pro- 

 voked many insurrections in the island, which defied for 

 weeks the whole power of the government, and caused 

 much weak and pernicious legislation. Although Great 

 Britain and Spain had lost their colonies, and the govern- 

 ment managed so poorly as to fail to obtain support by 

 reason of the aristocratic bias which controlled every 

 measure, France with republican energy was able to put 

 down revolt in La Vendee ; Switzerland held in allegiance 

 seven cantons which were bent on secession in 1832 and 



