No. 382.
Mr. McLane
to Mr. Bayard.
Paris, April 27, 1888. (Received May 8.)
Sir: As anticipated, almost the entire Republican party in the chamber has been united in support of the Floquet ministry upon its assurance that it would suppress all manifestations in support of General Boulanger which had the character of a “plebiscite” or which looked to the establishment of any unconstitutional form of government. The Monarchists and Imperialists in the chamber as well as in the country at large gave great support to the popular manifestations in favor of General Boulanger giving to their action an unconstitutional character.
The immediate friends of General Boulanger earnestly professed their sincere attachment to the Republic and a desire to revise the constitution in a democratic sense. These professions have not been accepted by any section of the Republican party, and popular counter manifestations were organized in Paris and elsewhere before which the friends of General Boulanger were glad to yield and accept even the protection of the police.
Efforts are still made to reconcile the general to his Republican friends in the chamber, and they may possibly succeed, but only on condition of his public and absolute renunciation of all association with the Monarchists or Imperialists. Meanwhile the movement in his support and the attack involved in it upon parliamentary government has united the Republican party in the senate as well as in the chamber, and an understanding in both houses is now established between the ministry and a majority thereof, for the revision and reform of the constitution and a dissolution of Parliament in the course of the year 1889.
Although this understanding may be disturbed and even abandoned, since nothing of this kind can be considered absolutely stable, I am of opinion that the political crisis caused by the Boulanger incident has lost its importance, and unless he cordially unites with the Republican party in the chamber of deputies he will not be formidable in opposition either in the chamber or as a candidate.
[Page 534]Neither the Monarchists nor the Imperialists have strengthened their hold upon the country by their readiness to unite with the revolutionary proceedings which contemplated the suspension of the existing constitutional government, and the substitution for it of a constituent convention before which they were both willing to compete with General Boulanger for the executive power of the state; indeed, it is conceded by all the best informed and most serious men that I know, that their action has had for its immediate result the union of the Republican party in the chamber, and the strengthening of it with the people who are now manifesting their attachment to it by addresses to the Government, and Mr. Floquet seems to me to have all the tact necessary to avail of these manifestations and to so strengthen his ministry that any opposition from either the center or the extreme left of the chamber would be greatly discouraged by the constituencies who are now declaring in his favor.
I am, etc.,