310 



FRANCE. 



urns ; the parties of the past will be finally van- 

 quished ; and France will be able to lace the future 

 with calmness and confidence. 



Although the position of the new cabinet 

 was by no means an agreeable one, they im- 

 mediately set to work. On May 28th and 

 29tb, 225 out of 277 sub-prefectures in France 

 received new officers ; 100 being the subject 

 of transfers, 83 of dismissals, and 16 of resig- 

 nations, while 26 officials were placed on the 

 unattached list, or were appointed to other 

 employments. On the 28th, the Due de Broglie 

 sent a circular to the Procureurs- Generaux, ex- 

 plaining that President MacMahon, exercising 

 his constitutional prerogative, intervened to 

 arrest the progress of radical theories incom- 

 patible with the peace of society and the great- 



ness of France. The minister invited public 

 prosecutors to use redoubled vigilance and 

 firmness to insure respect for the law estab- 

 lished for the protection of morality, religion, 

 and property, and particularly those laws de- 

 fending them against the attacks of a licentious 

 press. He recommended the procureurs to 

 repress apologies for the Commune, offenses 

 against the President, and, above all, false 

 news, particularly the calumny that there ex- 

 isted in France a party in favor of a foreign 

 war. Among the elements composing the 

 Right, the Legitimists were decidedly dissatis- 

 fied with the situation. On June llth, three 

 Legitimist delegates MM. Chesnelong, Bel- 

 castel, and Rhodes-Benavent called on the 

 President, who received them without his 



THE TUHBRIES AND LOTTVBB, BEFOBB 1871, PABI8. 



ministers being present. They represented to 

 him that their party had in no respect hostile 

 intentions against him; but that they wished 

 explanations on three points, about which they 

 were deeply concerned : first, as to the com- 

 position of the present cabinet, from which 

 the Legitimist element had been completely 

 excluded ; then, as to the Legitimist can- 

 didates, who, it was feared, would be beaten 

 at the next election ; and, lastly, as to the pro- 

 longation of his power, which the President 

 was alleged to meditate, and which the Legit- 

 imist party could not but receive with alarm. 

 To these questions the President replied as 

 follows: 



You know the difficulties surrounding the consti- 

 tution of a cabinet difficulties which have been just 

 as great on this occasion as~befere. I could not 

 change this cabinet without exposing myself to the 

 charge of what was seen in the last change a change 

 of policy. My relations with foreign countries are 

 necessarily a very serious concern to me. My duty 



forbids that I should risk a change of the elements 

 composing my present cabinet, seeing that it has 

 offended none of the Powers with which France 

 stands on friendly terms, although the contrary has 

 been said. As to the Legitimist candidates, they 

 belong to the Conservative groups, and any Legiti- 

 mist candidate really having any chance or success 

 will be openly and loyally supported by the Admin- 

 istration. With respect to schemes of prolonging my 

 tenure of office during the prorogation, you may rest 

 assured that I entertain none. I have received my 

 right to remain in office until 1880 from the Assem- 

 bly, and I shall remain, unless a contingency I shall 

 immediately point out to you shall arise. In 1880 we 

 shall see. Perhaps you will then be the first to 

 come and ask me to prolong my tenure. Till then, 

 therefore, nothing can be said ; but I may tell you 

 that the question of prolonging my office will not be 

 considered during the prorogation, and that I shall 

 lend myself to no coup d main whatever. Let me also 

 tell you that I shall lend myself to no venture of Im- 

 perial, of monarchic restoration. I have souvenirs, 

 and this from the Empire, just as I have souvenirs and 

 connections with Legitimism. I am on excellent 

 terms with the Orleans princes, and wish to preserve 

 those terms ; but I shall participate in nothing favor- 



