Never, of course, had there been so provisional a government. It was of
an extravagant illegality. It was, indeed, hardly more than a club, a
club of about a hundred persons. At the outset there were ninety-three,
and these were increased afterwards by the issue of invitations which
more than balanced its deaths, to as many at one time as one hundred
and nineteen. Always its constitution has been miscellaneous. At no time
were these invitations issued with an admission that they recognised a
right. The old institution or monarchy had come out unexpectedly well in
the light of the new regime. Nine of the original members of the
first government were crowned heads who had resigned their separate
sovereignty, and at no time afterwards did the number of its royal
members sink below six. In their case there was perhaps a kind of
attenuated claim to rule, but except for them and the still more
infinitesimal pretensions of one or two ax-presidents of republics, no
member of the council had even the shade of a right to his participation
in its power. It was natural, therefore, that its opponents should find
a common ground in a clamour for representative government, and build
high hopes upon a return, to parliamentary institutions.
The council decided to give them everything they wanted, but in a
form that suited ill with their aspirations.
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