The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-10 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, SATesinsT EVSNINO.
M. Piscatorv's report on the Rotation Bill com-
mences by recapitulating the various en flits assigned
under different heads to the President of the Repub-
lic, and makes the sum total amount to 3,425,0110 fr.,
supposin. g the bill'to be adopted. The sum total is
made up of the following items :—Salary fixed by
the constitution, 600,11001.; expenses of representa-
tion, inscribed on the budget. 600,000 f. ; expenses of
the Elvs:e, inscribed on the budget, 240,00 f. ; hire'
of a hotel adjoining the Elys• e, 35,00nf.; share
assigned to the President in the funds of succour
charged on the budget of the ministry of the interior,
extraordinary expenses demanded fw the present
bill, 1,800,000 f. The committee had' heard several
j ministers, who referred to the statement of motives
of last year, having no more complete explanations
Ito give for the present ; and had decided, by a ma-
' jority of 13 votes against 2. to rroposc to the assem-
bly the rejection of the bill. The minority recalled
I the motives, which had determined the vote of last
year, and maintained that the same identical grounds
existed for repeating the grant this year, and for
securing to the President a situation suitable to his
rank. The majority thought that perhaps it
would appear unconstitutional to vote a supple-
ment of salary to the President of the Repub-
lic. Nevertheless, in presence of the vote of last
year, it did not stop at this consideration. but ad-
mitted that such supplements might he voted always
under the condition of not altering the character of
the high functions of the presidency. The corn-
mince did not think that eircumstnnees this year
were the same as last vear ; nor did it think that
without the 1,8110,000 f. demanded, the position of the
President would be below the suitable style and dig-
nity of the great power with which he was invested.
On the contrary, this position would be out of all pro-
portion with every other existence in a coun-
try where the division of fortunes was so
great. The committee desired to maintain
the executive power, but not to aggrandise
it. The presidency is not royalty. The President is
only the first citizen. Ile is not the head of the
state; he is the head of the executive power. (Move-1
ment and approbation.) When the assembly voted
last year the supplement of salary, it hoped 'that the
danger with which such a vote might be attended
would not show its had, and that the prudence of the
executive power would respond to the benevolence of
the assembly. It had sacrificed its doubts to the
desire of maint • g harmony between the
two powers of the state. Doubtless the do-
teflon might become a means of influence, LI
political instrument. But the assitembly had found a
conformity of policy and a concurrence of action in
the President of the Republic; and it trusted confi-
dently to find them still. But this confident expec-
tation has not been fulfilled; and the assembly,
justly alarmed, has not deemed it possible to keep
silence. It deems it its duty to observe a conduct
and to hold a language about which no person can
fall into mistake. The union of the powers has saved
France—all that tends to divide them excites the
same uneasiness, the same regrets in everybody,
although differently expressed. The assembly ought
to speak with 'sincerity and firmness, otherwise it
would weaken the legislative power, and tender bad
counsels to the executive power. (Movement.)
A discussion then took place as to whether the
debate on the bill should be fixed for Monday or
Tuesday, the ministers wished for Tuesday • hut, after
two doubtful divisions a ballot took 'Alice, when
there appeared a majority in favour of Monday, of
348 votes against 306. (Movement.) Generuls Ca
vaignac and Changanner voted against the govern-

meat.
I have to draw your attention to an important
declaration of the government to-day relative to the
application of the electoral law of May to the prod-
dential election. You remember, doubtless, that M. i
de Rover evaded a question upon this point put in
the interpellation of M. Howvn-Tranchere. M.
Waisse has, however, repaired that omission to-day
in the presence of the committee of initiative, before
whom he was summoned to explain categorically the
views of the government. M. Waisse has declared
distinctly that the government considers the law of
May equally applicable to the election of the presi-
dents, as to that of representatives. This question is
therefore now set at rest.
The same minister, on being requested to state the
views of the government as to the sale of journals
in the street, said that the ministry were oppoc.ed to
the plan of X I'ascnl Duprat for allowing free sale
to all journals without exception, and preferrtd that
of M. Raze, which established equality by inter-
dicting ull without exception.
The Assembly, after hearing M. Piseatorv, then
proceeded to discuss M. de Tinguy's proposition, for
authorising extraordinary meetings of the councils-
general in case of Paris being surprised by an emestr.
M. Ilennequin opposed the proposition on the part
of the Mountain, and said that the Left would
pardon the President a coup d'etat which should
abolish the electoral law of May. M. Nlontigny
defended the proposition, as the only safeguard
against the revolutionary tyranny of Paris over
France.
M. Waisse, Minister of the Interior, applauded the
intention of the proposition, but thought it impracti-
cable. In answer to M. Ileunequin, he declared in
the Assembly, as he had done in the committee of
initiative, that the government considered the law of
May applicable to the presidential election. M. de
Tinguy defended the proposition amid much noise.
M.Dufaure opposed the plan as creating confusion
and anarchy. M. Depasse spoke in its favour amid
loud cries for a division. The Assembly rejected this
and the other propositions of a similar character by
361 votes against 261. Nothing further of import-
ance occurred before the silting broke up.
Notwithstanding several fluctuations the Fives
closed at the price of yesterday, 96.55. The Threes
fell 10c.

SUNDAY EVENING.
The decision of the Assembly to proceed at onec
without delay, to the &bate upon the Dotation-Bill,
indicates that the house is too impatient fora final vote
to tolerate long speeches on the subject. To-morrow
evening, therefore, I expect to be able to send the
result of this momentous division. The interest of
the government in adjourning the debate to Tuesday
was obvious. Every hour of reflection must tend to
weaken a coalition which has resulted from irritation
and passion; several Bonapartist members, like Gen.
Magnau, were absent on leave; the emphatic
declarations of M. Waysse, the Minister of the Inte-
rior, in favour of the maintenance of the electoral
law of May, of the application of that law to the pre-
sidential election, and his approval of the interdic-
tion of the liberal journals from street-
sale, tend to rally the ranks of conserva-
tism to the Elysee ; and, lastly, it is I
thought that an object of the adjournment was
to put off the renewal of the Bureau of the
Assembly. It was clear that Dupin favoured the
adjournment, by reminding the Assembly that there
would be no time for printing and distributing the
report. Leon Faucher made a.virrous stand for the
government to gain time, and pouitmg out the open rap-
ture between the powers proclaimed in the report, be.
the Chamber to pause before it rushed to •
hostile vote. The Duke de Broglie and Count Mole
both voted for the adjournment. It would not be
altogether safe to prognosticate the fate of the bill
from the defeat of the government in the division at
yesterday, as there were only 644 members present,
whereas to-morrow there will be upwards of 700.
In comparing this division with the division on
the amendment of St. Benve, I find that the go-
vernment has gained 56 new votes. These, added
to the minority of 286, will make 342. Therefore,
if the 56 new adherents to the government vote the
Dotation, as all the 286 may be counted
on, it will be a neck-and-neck affair, and no one
can predict which side will carry the day. It
must at the same time be allowed that, although
the influential names of de Broglie and Mole
figure among the voters in favour of the adjourn-
ment, it is not probable that either of these will vote
in favour of the Dotation, although theytnay not vote
against it.
I confess that, considering the extremely harsh
tone of M. Piscatory's report, and the tendency which
language so aggressive would have to repulse mode-
rate men of his own party, and taking into account
the influence which thegovernment's pledge to main-
tain the leectoral law of May will have upon
many, who dreaded a Billault-Lamartine mi-
nistry, I think the rejection of the Dotation Bill
by no mean so certain as is generally given out.
On the contrary. it seems far from improbable that
the government will carry the day.