No. 230.
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

No. 965.]

Sir: The National Assembly will reconvene on Tuesday next, the 12th instant. That event is looked forward to with great interest by the political world. During the recess there has been comparative quiet in the country, and matters have moved along quite smoothly. Two members have committed suicide: Mr. Bealé, who was the first minister of the interior under President MacMahon; and a member from the Alps Maritimes, who blew out his brains a few days ago.

From the givings-out of the semi-official organs of the Government in Paris, it has now become well understood that among the first things to be done after the Chamber meets, will be the presentation of the constitutional laws by the Duke de Broglie. Such being the case, the extreme right are taking an attitude more and more hostile toward the Government. The right considers the Septennat simply as a “régime neutre,” a mere temporary affair, which must cease when it shall be deemed that the time has come to proclaim royalty. Finding that the cabinet is endeavoring to consolidate this MacMahon government by constitutional laws, the legitimists have commenced an active campaign in a contrary [Page 410] sense. The last and most significant thing they have done, was to hold at Tours a convention of the editors of the legitimate Catholic press. Sixty-five newspapers were represented at this congress. Forty of them have put out a manifesto against the Septennat and against the projected constitutional laws, and also making an appeal to the chamber to reestablish the monarchy and recall the “King.” The Union, which is the organ par excellence of the legitimists, declares formally to the cabinet that the presentation of the constitutional laws would be considered by the right as “an act of hostility.” There are further rumors of a coup d’état on the part of the Count de Chambord; on dit, that the “King,” as the ultra-monarchists now call him, will come into Versailles on the 12th instant, and place himself at the disposition of the chamber, if the “good of the country” shall demand it. The more sensible of the legitimists see great risk in such action in the present state of feeling in the country, but such is the excited state of feeling among a certain class of monarchists that the most senseless projects find adherents.

Two things appear certain, however: first, that the government will present to the Assembly what they call the constitutional laws, that is to say, the law electoral and the project for the two chambers. The extreme right will vote against them, and should the government be defeated, there must of course be a modification of the present ministry.

I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE.