Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, with the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1875, Volume I

No. 214.
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States,
Paris, January 7, 1875. (Received January 23.)

No. 1079.]

Sir: “Le ministére est renversé” The Assembly came together on Tuesday last after the holiday recess. By general understanding between all parties, nothing of a political nature had been acted upon before the holiday adjournment. This was on the ground that the Assembly did not want to raise any excitement which might injure the holiday trade of Paris. It was well understood, however, that as soon as the Assembly should reconvene after New Year’s day, it would have to face the political questions which have long been before it, but which have been passed over from time to time. From the general feeling in the Assembly, and from an uneasy sentiment throughout the country, it was evident to all intelligent observers of political events in France that there would have to be some important changes in the ministry. In fact, the weakness of the septennate, or, as we would call it, the administration, had become very apparent. Nothing of particular interest was accomplished on Tuesday, the day of the meeting of the Assembly; but among the first measures taken up yesterday was a bill in relation to legal proceedings in Algeria. This was adopted as a government measure, and supported by General Chabaud La Tour, the minister of the interior, and opposed by several of the opposition. When a vote came to be taken on the first article of the proposed law, the ministry was badly beaten. This was defeat number one.

After this was disposed of, Mr. Grivart, the minister of agriculture and commerce, read to the Assembly the message of the President of the republic, of which I inclose slips both of the original and of a translation cut from the Paris newspapers. When the reading was over, Mr. Batbie, as president of the commission on constitutional laws, moved that a day should be fixed for a discussion upon the laws of the organization of the public powers and the law upon the senate. He said that he was charged by the commission to demand priority for the law upon the senate, leaving to the second place the law upon the organization and transmission of powers. This proposition was immediately combated by Mr. De Kerdrel, a member of the right, by Mr. Laboulaye, of the left center, and the Marquis de Castellane, a straight-out legitimist. They insisted that the project for the constitutional laws was more important, and should be first discussed. General Chabaud La Tour, however, insisted upon the proposition of Mr. Batbie, thus making it, in point of fact, a ministerial question. After some further discussion, a vote was finally had by sitting and rising, (par assis et levé,) and the government was so overwhelmingly beaten that a “scrutin de liste” was not called for. It is said that only 250 voted for Batbie’s proposition, while 430 voted against it. Those who voted against it were the republicans of all shades; members of the left center, members of the extreme right, and about half of the Bonapartists who were in the Assembly. All the particular friends of Mr. Thiers, such as Dufaure, Casimir Perier, and Leon Say, voted against it.

* * * * * * *

At nine o’clock in the evening the ministers, who had all come back to Paris, met at the Elyseé in a council, presided over by the President, and the result was that they all placed their resignations in his hands. Another meeting is to be held this afternoon at the Elyseé, for the purpose of taking measures to form a new ministry. We may know the result to-morrow; and, if so, I shall write you another dispatch on the subject.

It is thought that the Due Decazes will retain his place in the new ministry; also Admiral de Montaignac as minister of marine, and General de Cissey as minister of war.

* * * * * * *

I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE,

[Inclosure in No. 1079.—Translation.]

President MaeMahon’s message.

[From a Paris newspaper.]

The National Assembly sat yesterday, M. Buffet in the chair:

The order of the day was the adjourned discussion on the third reading of the bill to maintain the state of siege in the commune of Algiers.

M. Warmer presented, as an amendment, a counter-project, declaring that a bill on the legal system of Algeria should be immediately presented by the minister of the interior.

General Baron de Chabaud-Latour (interior) had to declare that the government could not accept the motion thus made.

After some observations from M. Jules Favre and Count d’Hareourt, reporter, the amendment was put to the vote and rejected.

Some further discussion took place on the general tendency of the measure, M. Randot, General Billot, M. Clapier, and M. Ernest Picard being the speakers; after which Art. 1, being put to the vote, was rejected. (Agitation.)

M. Grivart, minister of agriculture and commerce, ascended the tribune and said:

Gentlemen, the President of the Republic has directed me to read to the National Assembly the following message from him to that body, (movement of attention:)

“Versailles, January 6, 1875.

“Gentlemen: The hour has come for you to commence the grave discussion of the constitutional laws; the labors of your commission are complete, and public opinion would find unaccountable any further delay.

“Anxious now, as I have never for one moment ceased to be, to see this essential compliment given to the power which I exercise in virtue of the law of the 20ta November, I charge my ministers with the duty of asking you, at an early sitting, to place the law for the establishment of a second chamber on the order of the day.

“That is, in fact, the institution which seems most imperatively demanded by those conservative interests which you have intrusted to me, and the defense of which I shall never desert.

“At present, the relations between the Assembly and the Executive, emanating therefrom, are easy; but it might perhaps become otherwise on the day when, having yourselves fixed the lapse of your authority, you would make place for a new Assembly.

“Discussions may then arise, and for their settlement the intervention of a second, chamber, offering by its constitution solid guarantees, is indispensable. That necessity would not be diminished, even if, to terminate such conflicts, you should deem it expedient, as my government has requested, to arm the executive power with the light of appealing to the judgment of the nation by means of a dissolution.

“The exercise of that extreme power would be perilous, and I should hesitate myself to make use of it, unless, in circumstances so critical, the government felt itself supported by the concurrence of a mediatory Assembly.

“I have the satisfaction of believing that upon this point I am in accord with the majority of this Assembly. Should my ministry, in the course of the deliberations, present certain modifications, it will only be for the purpose of rendering the adoption of the measure more facile.

“Another moot-point requires a no less prompt decision; that, namely, which relates to the transmission of power when I shall have ceased to exercise it. Here my intervention must maintain a character of greater reserve, inasmuch as my personal responsibility must under no circumstances be involved therein.

“Nevertheless, I do not hesitate to say, that in my opinion that transmission, on the expiration of the 20th November, 1880, should be so regulated as to leave the Assemblies which will then be in existence fully and entirely free to determine the form of the government of France.

“It is on that condition that, during the intervening period, the concurrence of all the moderate parties may remain assured to that work of national reparation which I am charged to prosecute.

“I attach less importance (and I think the country is of my opinion) to the question of settling what course would have to be adopted in case, by a dispensation of Providence such as every man must look forward to, life were taken from me before the termination of my authority. National sovereignty is imperishable, and its representatives will always know how to give expression to its will.

“However, the desire has been enunciated that in such an event nothing should be changed in the present condition of affairs until 1880. It will be for you to judge whether it may not be well, by such an arrangement, to complete the guarantees of stability promised by the law of the 20th November.

“In any case, this is a subject to be debated and settled among you in a broad spirit of conciliation; France, I feel assured, would scarcely understand that a difference, based upon hypothesis, should come to trouble the present and certain good that she awaits from your accord.

“Such are the views suggested to me by the study of the real necessities of the country, to which I have devoted myself during the past year. The conversations which I have been enabled to hold with a great many members of this Assembly, lead me to hope that a majority will be found to sanction them by their votes.

“This is my earnest desire, which, indeed, in the interests of the Assembly itself, I conjure you to realize. The anxieties of France, the perils which besiege it, indicate to you your duty.

“For my part, I believe I have thoroughly discharged my duty, and whatever may be the result of these debates, I count upon the justice of my country to appreciate my efforts.

“MARSHAL DE MACMAHON.
“Duke de Magenta.”