No. 111.
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.
Paris, May 15, 1873. (Received May 31.)
Sir: The elections on the 11th instant resulted, as I had predicted, in an overwhelming radical triumph in three out of the four departments where they were held. In only one department, the Charente-Inferieure, (La Rochelle,) did the reactionists succeed in electing their man, and there only by a majority of less than three thousand in a poll of nearly ninety-five thousand. As I wrote you he would be, Ranc was elected in the department of the Rhone, and his majority ran up to 72,000.
In twelve different departments, holding their elections on the 27th of April and the 11th of May, eleven radicals and two clerico-reactionists were elected. The votes in both elections given to the radical candidates amounted to 700,000, while the votes given to the opposition candidates of all shades amounted to 461,000.
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The “situation” is now the great and engrossing topic for the newspapers, in the clubs, and in all circles. The assembly reconvenes on [Page 254] Monday, the 19th instant, and much excitement is anticipated. I do not, however, anticipate any trouble. I think the country will acquiesce in the continuance of that body till the Prussians are paid off and are out of the territory, but nobody can undertake to say what will be the state of things if it undertakes to hold on after that.
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I have, &c.,