y Empire they did not lose altogether their identity. With the
revival, however, after 1860, of a vigorous political life the two
worked together, and with success, to accomplish the overthrow of the
personal government of Napoleon III. Upon the collapse of the Empire
in 1870 the original cleavage reappeared. The National Assembly
elected in 1871 was divided broadly into Republicans and Conservatives
(which name gradually replaced that of Reactionaries), and during the
five years covered by the life of this extremely important body these
two great groups struggled continuously over the supreme question of
the day, i.e., the style of government which should be adopted
permanently for France. Each of the groups comprised a variety of
elements. To the Republicans belonged the Radical Extreme Left of
Gambetta, the Left of Grevy, Freycinct, and Loubet, and the Centre
Left of Thiers and Jules Simon. To the Conservatives belonged the
Legitimate Extreme Right, an Orleanist Centre Right, and, eventually,
the Imperialists. Following the definite establishment, in 1875, of
the republican constitution, the lines by which these various elements
had been marked off grew less distinct, and Republicans and
Conservatives acquired in each case a more homogeneous character.

*358. Rise of the Radicals.*--After the first election under the (p. 330)
new constitution--that of 1876--the Senate remained in the control of
the Conservatives, but the Chamber of Deputies was found to contain a
Republican majority of more than two to one. From that day until the
present the Republican ascendancy in the lower house has been
maintained uninterruptedly; and since 1882 there has been likewise
always a Republican majority in the Senate. It is to be observed, of
course, that Republican control in both chambers has meant regularly
not the absolute dominance of a single compact party group, but the
preponderance of a coalition of two or more groups broadly to be
described as "republican." During the early eighties there sprang up a
flourishing group which, reviving the original programme of Gambetta,
assumed the name Radical, and in the elections of 1885 this group
acquired such a quota of seats in the Chamber (150) as to render it
impossible for the Republicans alone to retain control. Thereafter
there were three principal party groups--the Conservatives and the two
republican groups, the Republicans proper and the Radicals. No one of
the three being su