ference. Its action and its preferences were then occult, and for that very reason compromised its dignity and its authority. But by what favours could the government be now supposed capable of influencing the immense body of the electors? By places? The whole government of France has not establishments vast enough to contain the population of one canton. By money? Without speaking of the honourable susceptibilities of the electors, the whole public treasury would not be sufficient for such a purpose. You will remember to what the result of the efforts of the government was reduced on the 10th December, 1848, in favour of the candidate to the presidency who was then in power. With universal suffrage there is but one powerful spring, which no human hand can restrain or turn from the current in which it is directed, and that is public opinion; that imperceptible and indefinable sentiment which abandons or accompanies governments, without their being able to account for it, but which is rarely wrong in doing so; nothing escapes it, nothing is indifferent to it; it appreciates not only acts, but divines tendencies; it forgets nothing, it pardons nothing, because it has, and can have, but one moving power-the self-interest of each; it is alive to all, from the great policy which emanates from the chief of the state to the most trivial proceedings of the local authorities, and the political opinion of a department depends more than is generally believed on the spirit and conduct of its administration. For a long time past the local administrations have been subordinate to parliamentary exigencies; they occupied themselves more in pleasing some influential men in Paris, than in satisfying the legitimate interests of the communes and the people. These days are happily, it may be said, at an end. Make all functionaries thoroughly understand that they must carefully occupy themselves with the interests of all, and that he who must be treated with the greatest zeal and kindness is the humblest and the weakest. The best of policies is that of kindness to persons, and facility for interestsand that functionaries shall not suppose themselves created for purposes of objection, embarrassment, and delay, when they are so for the sake of despatch and regularity. If I attach so much importance to these details, it is because I have remarked that inferior agents often believe that they increase their importance by difficulties and embarrassments. They do not know what maledictions and unpopularity they bring down on the central government. This administrative spirit must be inflexibly modified; that depends on you; enter firmly on that path. Be assured that then, instead of seeing enemies in the government and local administration, the people will only consider them a support and help. And when afterwards you, in the name of this loyal and paternal government, recommend a candidate to the choice of the electors, they will listen to your voice and follow your counsel. All the old accusations of oppositions will fall before this new and simple line of policy, and people in France will end by understanding that order, labour, and security can only be established in a durable manner, in a country under a government listened to and respected. INDEX. ABERDEEN, Lord, the public out- stripping government, 105, note. Absolutism, ever desirous of making Absolutists, whether monarchical or Abstainers from voting, see Elec- Abstinents from voting, see Elec- Abuse of Pardoning, 390, et seq. See Acclamation, 362, 363. Accumulative Constitutions, 131, note. Adams, John, on Common Law, 174. Address of British Merchants to Louis Administration of Justice, self-deve- Administrative Judgments, 89. advocate discussed, 199, et seq. Alexander, dragging Betis around Alison, Sir Archibald, on Repudia- Allegiance, American and English American Supreme Courts decide 122. American Declaration of Independ- tion of independence on monarchy, ayes and noes, 220. Executive can- Ancient and Modern Liberty, 28, et Anglican Liberty, 37, et seq. How we Anglican tribe, 11. Anglican type of Liberty, 244. Antiquity, difference between, and Appropriations, short, for army, 99. Aristotle, 30. On Psephisma and Armenian term for liberty is self- Arms, right of bearing, 101. |