-an assembly, felt as a mass, without analyzing the
elements.

After enumerating briefly the ties which connected him with this region,
slipping in as he did so an adroit and dignified allusion to his birth
which "was not like that of others," Sallenauve stated clearly his
political ideas. A Republic he thought the finest of all governments;
but he did not believe it possible to establish one in France;
consequently, he did not desire it. He thought that a truly
parliamentary government, in which court influence should be so
vigorously muzzled that nothing need be feared from its tendency to
interference and caballing would best conduce to the dignity and the
welfare of the nation. Liberty and equality, the two great principles
that triumphed in '89, would obtain from such a government the strongest
guarantees. As to the manoeuvring of the royal power against
those principles, it was not for institutions to check it, but for
men,--customs, public opinion, rather than laws; and for himself,
Sallenauve, he should ever stand in the breach as a living obstacle.
He declared himself a warm partisan of free education; believed
that greater economy might be exercised in the budget; that too many
functionaries were attached to the government; and, above all, that
the court was too largely represented in the Chamber. To maintain his
independence he was firmly resolved to accept no post and no favors from
the government. Neither ought those who might elect him to expect that
he would ever take steps on their behalf which were not warranted by
reason and by justice. It was said that the word _impossible_ was not
French. Yet there was an impossibility by which he took pride in being
stopped--that of injustice, and that of disloyalty, even the faintest,
to the Right. [Loud applause.]

Silence being once more restored,--

"Monsieur," said one of the electors, after obtaining the floor from the
chairman, "you say that you will accept no post under government. Does
not that imply reproach to public functionaries? My name is Godivet; I
am registrar of the archives, but I do not consider that a reason why I
should incur the contempt of my fellow-citizens."

Sallenauve replied,--

"I am happy, monsieur, to learn that the government has invested a
man like you with functions which you fulfil, I am sure, with perfect
uprightness and great ability; but I venture to ask if you rose to your
present position at one jump?"

"Certainly not