No. 221.
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.
Paris, March 26, 1875. (Received April 7.)
Sir: The first ministry named after the passage of the organic laws having been finally constituted, the National Assembly took a recess on Saturday last until the 11th of May. Mr. Buffet, the former president of the Assembly, having been made minister of the interior, he was replaced as president by the Duke d’Audiffiet Pasquier. Mr. Pasquier was the nominee of the majority of the 25th of February which made the constitutional laws. His political position has been that of an Orleanist, being a prominent member of the center-right, and at one time, I believe, the president of that group. He is a man of ability and liberal opinions. Perhaps he has been more distinguished than any other man in the Assembly [Page 466] for his dislike to Bonapartism, and he is very obnoxious to that party. His relations with the center-left have always been cordial, his brother-in-law, Gasimir Perier, being one of the most prominent members of that group. He never has rendered himself obnoxious to the moderate and extreme left, who rallied almost unanimously in supporting him for the presidency. He had presided over the Assembly for about a week before the recess, and showed that he was possessed of those qualities so important to an officer presiding over such a body as the National Assembly of Prance—decision, courage, and impartiality.
I have, &c.,