No. 223.
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.
Paris, January 9, 1874. (Received January 22.)
Sir: The National Assembly reconvened yesterday after a recess of a few days for the holidays, and all Paris is surprised this morning to find [Page 406] that there was a modified form of a ministerial crisis at Versailles last night, and of which the press dispatches have advised you before this time. It seems that the government, confident of its strength, had determined to put through, under whip and spur, its project of law relative to the nomination of mayors and to the attributions of the municipal police. When the question came up, to the surprise of almost every one, the Marquis de Franchen, an old legitimist and a member of the extreme right, moved to adjourn the discussion until the question of the organic law for municipalities should come up regularly for consideration, as reported from the commission of thirty. This motion was in the nature of a notice by the extreme right, served on the government, that it was not satisfied with its action, and of which a good deal has heretofore been said in the newspapers. The proposition for a postponement was treated with disdain by the Duke de Broglie and by Mr. Clapier, the reporter of the commission on the law. After two votes by rising and sitting the result was declared to be doubtful, and the oppel nominal was demanded and carried; when that is ordered by the Assembly, each member is called by name, who advances to the tribune and deposits his vote. By this time the ministry had become alarmed, as they had discovered that many members of the extreme right were in favor of the postponement of the discussion. The house was thin, and a great many supporters of the government were absent. Then commenced a great struggle to put off the question until to-day, when the absentees could be got in, but that could not be done under the rules of the Assembly. So the vote went in, and it resulted in two hundred and sixty-eight for the motion of the Marquis de Franchen and two hundred and twenty-six against; the government being beaten by forty-two votes. The result was an overwhelming surprise to the ministry, and put them emphatically in a “tight place,” There was nothing else to be done, and so last night they all marched up to the presidency and placed their resignations in the hands of the President, who declined to accept them, and asked his ministers to hold their respective places until he should make a decision in the matter. The news came from Versailles to-day that the President will not take any decision in the offer of resignations until there shall be a vote of confidence taken in the Assembly, and the result of which will be known to you about as soon as I shall know it. If a vote of confidence shall be taken, my own opinion is that the ministers will be indorsed.
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I am, &c.,