Count d'Haussonville, who is now considered the mouth- piece of
the French Legitimists, delivered a speech on Sep- tember 24th, at Montauban, which has attracted and deserved much comment in France. He maintained that the Monarchy had still followers among the people, and that discouragement was felt mainly in the chitteaux and salons. The party suffered much from a persecution which banned them from the public service, and from the desertions of men whose patriotism could not be doubted, but most of all from "an august voice," which had given to them the pain that children feel when a father issues commands they cannot obey. " There is a domain "—honour—which is outside the Church, and "inviolable and sacred." "Surely there is not a new sin, the sin of believing in Monarchy." The Holy See might as well tell Lorrainers to renounce France for ever. Democracy requires disinterested servants ; but are they to be found among Republicans ? It requires something to moderate its own absolute power ; and where is the fly-wheel to be found, save in Monarchy ? The Revolution broke a national tradition which will revive when the union of Monarchy and Democracy revives, as the union of the Church and Democracy is reviving. The Count exhorted his audience to wait, and still remain Monarchists. The speech, of which this is a poor summary, was most effective,—for cultivated Royalists ; but it will fall nearly dead on the party who are Monarchists either from tradition, which is dying ; or social vanity, which is taking another direction ; or clericalism, which the Pope has formally discountenanced. There is a chance for the old Monarchy yet ; but it consists in a possible misfortune to France. A defeat would extinguish the Republic, and, if it were a great one, might recall the ancient dynasty which took so many centuries to make " France."
