The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-15 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.
To-day the great debate on revision commenced
in the Chamber, whose benches and galleries were
squally crowded.
M. ])spin, president of the Assembly, gave addi-
tional solemnity to the opening of the debate, by
reading a short preliminary address, setting forth the
great importance of the occasion, and the necessity of
observing the widest tolerance and calmest modera-
tion.

M. PATES was the first to ascend the tribune to speak in
oppaitien to the motion. You arc already aware that DI.
Payer was the author of a motion for partial revision.
The object of his speech, which was delivered amid signs of
extreme impatience, was to show the evil of setting at stake the
republican form of government by voting for total revision.
It was his opinion that republican institutions had worked
well, and to hazard their abolition would throw the coun-
try back out of the right way. lie entered into an exten-
sive comparison of the republican government with the mo-
narchy of July, and attempted to show that the advantage
in all respects belonged to the former. The speech of M.
Payer failed completely to gain the attention of the As-
sembly.
M. DI FALLorx spoke next. He was of the mind of
Louis XIV., who said that nothingought to be left to
chance; and that they ought to guard against delusive
hopes, which caused people to speak ill and act ill. On this
solemn occasion every representative who was not a hero of pa-
triotism and abnegat ton was not even an houest Man. (Cheers.)
The right of revising the constitution was only contested
on account of the blow inflicted upon universal suffrage by
the electoral law of May. That law was not in the eyes of
any one the best pua-ible, hut it was the only one which
! was allowed to be enacted by the fetters of the
constitution Even M. Lamartine had Raid that
universal suffrage delivered the destinies of the country
to hazards, intrigues, conspirators, and idiots. But the
only answer that could be made to the opponents of the law
of May, was that its amendment could not be undertaken
until after the amendment of the constitution. Universal
suffrage had received a much heavier blow from
its own pretended friends than horn the law of May, when
those friends declared that the republic was placed above
universal suffrage. He wanted total, radical, complete
revision of the constitution by the substitution of the
monarchic principle fur that of the republic. Examining
then the various phases of the revolution, he attempted to
show that France was falling continually into more ruinous
decay by the spread of demagogic principles. While
this decay was going on in France, the great na-
tions of Europe, whose populations increased in a
greater ratio than the French, were getting
persuaded of the necessity of forming a coalition against
this country. So that, while France grew weaker, her
rivals grew stronger mid more hostile at the sante time—a
double movement. which threatened the future. And if
France were doomed to reach at some future day the depths
of anarchy, Prussia and Austria, dominated and protected
by Russia, would answer by straining to the utmost their !
system of compftssion; and than a terrible struggle would
commence. M. de lalloux spoke, from the weak state of
his health, in an extremely feeble tone of voice, so that his
words were difficult to catch ; but the outline of his speech
wag such as I have described. Ile seemed to come abruptly
to a conclusion; for his czonlium promised a much ampler
development of the question.
M. De MORNAY succeeded, amid laughter and noise. His
attitude, gestures, tone, and language, were full of a pre-
tention so exisggentml. that his hearers could hardly be
lieve that be was in earnest.

[heft speaking.]
The committee of the budget of 1851 held to-day
an animated debate on two demands for supplies--one
of a million and a half francs for the Roman expedition,
and the other of mox than four millions fur the ex-
traordinary levy of 40,000 men, which was voted by
the Assembly at the time of the differences between
Austria and Prussia. The committee decided, on
the motion of M. Chavoix, to call on the Ministers of
War and Foreign Affairs to afford explanations on
these subjects.
At the meeting, on Saturday, of the parliamentary
club of the ltuo de Ricoh, General de St. Priest
rendered an account of the visit made by MM. Ber
rver, Benoist d'Azy, and himself to the princes of the
Orleans family. Ile, declared that, while being
perfectly satisfied with the step which had been
taken, no engagement had been come to at the inter-
view at Claremont. Some members of the meetinfr
afterwards asked whether the whole of the legiti-
mist party had given its word to vote for the revi-
sion of the ',constitution. M Nettement and M. de
Scoville declared to the contrary, and insisted on re-1
toning their independence. M. Berryer himself
took part in the dismission, and expressed a wish
that each of the members of the club should be free
to vote as he thought fit, which was immediately
agreed to.
The schism in the legitimist party on the subject
of revision was strikingly evidenced by a vehement
altercation in the last sitting of the Ituc do Rivoli
Club between two leading men of the opposed
fractions, M. de Kerdrel, and M. Alfred
Nettement. The latter is strongly opposed to M.
Berryer's policy in support of revision, and possesses,
through the journal O. inion Publique, which he
conducts with remarkable ability, great influence in
the legitimist party. The members of the club took
side with either party with so much vivacity that
there has been serious talk of dissolving this club.
Preparations are making at the Hotel de Ville for
the fete which is to be given by the city of Paris to
the royal commission of the London Exhibition. M.
Berger, prefect of the Stine, sets out this week for
London to distribute invitations. It is expected that
Prince Albert, the Lord Mayor, and several of the
Enfliah ministers will be present at this banquet.
the funds experienced to-day a slight improve-
ment. The Fives closed at i 4•30, with a rise of 25c.
The Threes rose 5e., and closed at 56-10.

A company, consisting of English and French ca-
pitalists, has been formed for procuring the conces-
sion of a railway from Douai to Itheiron. The
French capitaists have already signed the demand
to be addressed to the government, and it has been
sent to London for the signatures of the English.
It is proposed to terminate the whole line in five
years. The President and ministers are stated to be
favourable to tho project.