The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-28 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAT EVENING, MAY 28, 1851.

I not pm throlagh the Colonial-Mike ita all. Mlsan hear.)
lie (Sir G. Grey) regretted that he did not make that In-
quiry, and rogretled also that the litm. mereberalseuid say
he was fully vindicated in making the charge. (Cheers,
and " Hear, hear.")
Mr. W. MILES, amidst a scene of grease uproar, main-
tained that the Coloniadottice was responsible in ad colonial
matters and was, therefore, implicated in this transaction.
Viscount PALMERSTON conceived the Colonial-office,
from the explanations which had been given, was entirely
blamelme in this matter. It appeared that there had been a
difference between a written paper given in to the committee
and the printed copy of tact paper as inserted in the bills.
If that paper had been given in by the Colonial-office
it would not have been to blame, because the paper
had been perfectly correct. But the paper had not been
I given in by them, so that if it had been wrong the Cobo-
-1 nial-office would not have been chargeable with any
wrong. It had been in the printed copy, where the words
"ditto ditto" had been inserted, that the mistake had
occurred. The House of Commons printed the document,
and not the Colonial-office, and if blame attached to any
one (and he was not saying that blame did attach
to any one), it was surely to the chairman of
the committee —(" hear, hear" and laughter) under
whose auspices the report containing this erroneous docu-
ment had been made. (Hear. hear.) As chairman of the
committee he (Mr. Daillie) ought to have known that the
document did not at all come from the Colonial-office, but
from another quarter.
Lord C. HAMILTON asked the house to mark the eon-
trust between the tone of the remarks which had just been
made, and that of those which had fallen from
tie right honourable gentleman (Sir G. Grey.) (Uproar.)
He thought the hoe. gentleman the Under Secretary for the
Colonies had made use of terms which he ought not to
have used, and had deviated from that honourable course
which he ought to pursue.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the noble lord who
had just sat down had complained of undue warmth on that
side of the house. How had the warmth arisen ? A charge
' was deliberately made by the hon. member for Inverness
against his hon. friend the representative of the Colonial. I
office of having wilfully and deliberately falsified documents I,
(Ilear.) That was no light charge ; it affected the character of •
those who were implicated in it as gi ntlemen and as men of
honour as well as of public men, and in support of that
charge the hon. gentleman referred to a certain document
in the printed evidence. Tho hon. gentleman whose cha•
racier was affected, had received no notice on the part of
the hon. gentleman of his intention to bring it bethre the
house. Now, he (the Attorney-General) cont.. iided that
common fairness between man an man, and between gen-
tleman and gentleman, required that when a man was
about to he thus grievously assailed, some intimation
should be given to him.
Mr. HERRIES expected that the hon. and learned
gentleman who had just sat down would have used per-
suasive epithets, but, instead of that, be had made a most
violent attack. He (Mr. Herries) did not think it was in.
cumbent on his hon. friend to give notice that, in the course
of his observations, he might speak of this docu-
ment. Ile lamented that his hon. friend was
mistaken, as nailouhtivlly he was. Certainly there was ne
blame in the Colonial-office; the blame, if any, was with
the corrector of the press. It was impossible, however,
to state that the right hon. gentleman the Secretary of
State for the Home Department had exhibited his usual
courtesy.
Sir G. GREY said the right hon. gentleman had ex-
pressed an opinion that the charge was altogether without
foundation—(" No ")—that there was no charge that could
be substantiated against the Colonial-office in the matter,
and that the hon. gentleman was mistaken. He (sir G.
Grey) had now no hesitation in expressing his regret that
he should have mule use of any expression that could be
personally offensive. (Hear, hear.)
The debate was then adjourned till Thursday.
COURT OF CHANCERY.

Mr. J. 8TC:ill:I then roV-ionaov; an "address
praying that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to add
to the commissioner; appointed to inquire into the practice
and proceedings in the High Court of Chancery, two or
more persons not of the profession of the law, but such as
to her Majesty may seem qualified, as men of business, to
assist in, and make more effectual the labours of the com-
missioners; and also praying that her Majesty would be
graciously pleased to cause instructions to he given to the
said Commissioners, to direct their itumedi. tc attention to
the course of business bcfarc the masters in ordinary of the
said Court, so as to report, as speedily so may be, their
opinion as to the proper steps bar regulating the business in
those offices, in such manner as to diminish the delay and
expense to the suitors."
Sir J. TROLLOP!: seconded the motion, ns having been
a sufferer, if not a victim, by the present system. Having
waited an long in vain, fur the profession to abate the evils,
he thought it right fee the public now to take up the matter.
Tho ATTOIt N EV-6 ENEHAI, deprecated the introduc-
tion of so large and important a subject at that late hour,
and when his hon. and learned friend the Solicitnr-Gencral
had left the house, never dreaming that this matter would
be brought on at that time.
Adjournment till Monday neat.
T.tx COMMITTEE.
Mr. IllilklE postponed the nomination of this committee
to a future day.
The Bridges (Ireland) Bill went through committee.
The Apprentices to Sea Service (Ireland No. 2) Bill was
read a third time sod passed.
The report on the St. Albano bribery commission was
brought up and agreed to.
The house adjourned at a quarter to 2 o'clock.

PATRS.—Vi.eount Seaham paired on Monday in favour
of the Eechwhistical Titles 1.1111 with Mr. John O'Connk-li
against.

Wit ‘--raigritiso.

Ithey did not destroy it in a day. Nor did they put
arms into the hands of the catholics, and say, re-
cover by violence what you lest by defeat. But
they said, we will not, indeed, give you the sword
to conquer your equality; but we will give you
better weapons, that is, every constitutional
right. Make use of these, and you will win back in'
the nineteenth century by the practice of Saxon
habits more freedom mid mole power than the Celtic
sword and Celli° passions could ever have given you.
But the constitutional war is one not of a year or of
a lustrom, but even of more than one generation. That
the Roman catholic liberties were increasing day by
day and year by year was the cause of eongrutulation
with every liberal mind. None favoured them in their
efforts more than the whips, though they have been
the constant object of abuse with the catholic party.
This, however, is of little consequence. In despite
of it, there was every reason to believe that the great
llrish church question was progressing. The most
eminent, the most conservative as well as the most
liberal statesmen, entertained and expressed ideas
and intentions on the subject most promising to
the catholics, when, unfortunately, the events
lof 1818 came ; and those events, which left
protestant England unruffled, affected every continen-
' tal society and religion, the Roman catholic along
with it, to a lamentable degree. The Papal govern-
-1 ment it Hung front the most liberal views to the
most retrograde ones. The V 'PE it converted from a
liberal churchman into a vindictive monk. He and
his school in these countries quitted the constitutional
path and struggle, and rushed at once to coups rniats,
and assumption of dictatorial authority, only tit for the
latitude of Austria and the policy of the sixteenth
century. The English and the Irish conservatives
felt the change, and the very whip were forced to
put themselves and the state in a posture of defence.
Such is the history of the aggression and its causes.
The latter, we trust, are temporary. Whoever would
know what Rome is and its government, has but to
read the graphic and truth telling letter front that city
which we published yesterday. Such a state of
things cannot lust. Such a government conducted
by one, calling liiiitsAt the successor of the chief
apostle, is a mockery upon both humanity mid re-
ligton, and must bring n curse from above, as it has
already brought disgrace from below, upon the
creed of which it is the living and the guiding
principle.
The Roman catholic church must reach some other,
some normal state, something less incrusted with the
anihity and cruelty of the past, and profesAng poli-
tidal and social opinions at least more consonant
with the equality, the (institutionalism, the enlight-
enment of our age. When this comes to pass we
shall not need an Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, nor pro.-
initaire, nor a new Mortmain Act, nor a nunnery in-
spection law. But really until this comes to pass,
or at least for a time, we must protect the nineteenth
against an invasion of the men and the ideas of the
fourteenth century.

THE National Reform Association lms judged
wisely in resolving to persevere with its monthly
soirees. It may be true, as was remarked by Sir
JOSIWA WALMSLET on Monday
evening,thati the
association has not met with the aid and support from
the public which its founders expected ; but there are
Once at which it behoves reformers to strain every
sinew in rowing against the ebb tide and be satisfied
if they can only keep the boat from dropping down
stream. We must not imagine that seed does not ger-
minate because the green blade does not appear above
the earth the very day it is sown. Earnest re-
formers do well to maintain their organisation, and
exercise themselves from time to time even in in-
tervals of seeming public apathy ; for only thus can
an agency be kept on foot to work the public will
when the public is again seized by a working mood.
In any circumstances such considerations would war-
rant continuous effort on the part of the association,
but at present the signs of the times are such as to
cull upon it imperatively to keep on the alert. The
preliminary tremor of a movement in advance is
thrilling through seciety, and no one can say how
soon it may begin.
Though some affect to sneer at what they call the
" little charter," it would be most injudicious on the
part of the association to abandon the reform pro-
gramme it has put forth. Them is not one point of
it that is not essential to an efficient amelioration of
our electoral system. The abridged duration of
parliaments is required, in order to preserve identity
of opinion and purpose between representatives and
constituents. Extension of the right of suffrage is
required to bring within the pale of the constitution
large and influential masses of opinini, now placed
without, and, in consequence, opt to be hostilely
disposed to it. A greater approach to equality
among the constituencies, in respect to the num-
ber of voters comprised in each, and the ag-
gregate amount of property possessed among
them, is requited, in order to ensure a real
and fair representation of the national electors—
a thing impossible so long as the little (virtually)
nomination boroughs arc allowed to exist. Lastly,
secret voting—" vote by ballot" is a phrase that has
the disadvantage of making the means morepromi-
nent than the end—is an indispensable requisite to
honest elections. Secret voting is requited not only
to shield the hottest voter from after consequences of
giving an independent vote, hut to shield him from
all temptation to sacrifice sincere conviction to
purchase eitl'er patronage at the hands of power, or
popularity at the hands of the for the time predo-
minuet majority. It is not necessary to show that
these four points would give a perfect system of
representatian: it is enough if it can be shown that
all together would give a better system than any one
or two of them taken separately. On that account
the association appears to act judiciously, when it
insists upon the concession of all, and determines not
to take a portion of them as payment in full, but to
remain in the field till all have been granted.
While we approve of the pertinacity with which
the asaoeiationurges its claim to have all these points
conceded, we approve at the same time of the practi-
cal spirit which has determined it not to insist upon
defining some of them with an affectation of mathe-
matical exactness. Secret voting, indeed, is a point
on which no such latitude can be allowed; for a
vote must he given either secretly or publicly. Again
triennial parliameuts appear to be a good practical
medium between the exorbitant length of seven
years which allows a gulf to yawn between the senti-
ments amid opin ion s °Monet ituen ts and represe n tativist,
and annual parliaments, which worry and harems men
by the frequency of their recurrence, and end by
tree ing a numerous and valuable class of electors to
hold back in disgust from taking any part in elec-
tions. But with regard to the crasser who are to be
admitted to participate in the electoral franchise, and
the extent to which electoral districts are to be
equalised, all that need he insisted upon is that the
extension and equalisation shall be real and their
working felt. lo place half-a-dozen of the worst of
the corrupt little boroughs in Schedule A (which the
Timer asserted a week or two ago is the utmost
ministers are likely to attempt next session) and
to lower the franchise qualification from ten
pounds to eight pounds, would be merely to
" keep the word of promise to the car and
break it to the hope. There ought to be
no constituencies so limited in number, possessed of
so little aggregate property as to render them cer-
tain to be wheedled or purchased by one or two am-
bitious and self-seeking individuals. The electoral
qualification ought to be fair, simple, and such as
to embrace at least all the steadily industrious, and
honest classes, however humble.
The meeting of the National Reform Association
of Monday evening evinced by the combined reso-
luteness and moderation of its temper that it knows
where to stand firm, and where to give way. This
affirds good augury of its ultimate success. The
appearance of Mr. COBDEN at the meeting disposes
us to go further, and conclude that the
period of that success cannot now be
very remote. Mr. Cosmos has hitherto, he stated I
so himself, rather stood aloof from movements in
favour of constitutional reform. He refused to have
anything to do with them so long as he had the
corn laws in hand ; eveu since corn-law repeal was •
carried he has left others to bear the burden and
heat of the day in promoting electoral reform. Now,
however, he has declared his intention to take the
labouring oar; and the tact he evinced in selecting
his time to initiate the anti-corn law movement, pre-
disposes one to anticipate that he will be found to
have judged as well of the proper time for setting
about parliamentary reform in earnest. Two int-
po:tant lessons Mr. CoaoLx impre..s.d open
audience, the value of which he has learned
from experience. One is not to unnecessa-
rily shock the prepossessions of a people so

I essentially conservative as the English by infant-
ing upon any innovation, even in their accustomed
Ipalwaseology, where it ix not necessary; the other is
to undertake only one task at a time, and stick to it
till it is completed. And probably Mr. ConnEN did
a service not lcry essential to the cause of parlia-
montary reform when he insisted upon discarding all
showy but unsubstantial reasons for it, and placing
the demand 1, w it ou its true basis. We do not so much
want parllawevtary reform to carry any practical im-
provement; even with our detective legislative
machinery, firtune ss and perseverance must in the
end carry any tneaa, are that is demonstrably wise and
just in itself. But w.e waif parliamentary reform to
make a united people of us, and to give such force to
real public opinion as wil, render an efficient govern-
ment possible, which the b:vaking down and confu-
sion of all old parties has rendered impossible wider
the old system.

PORTUGAL.
TILE NEW MINISTRY.
The Peninsular Company's steamer, Tagus arrived
at Southampton this morning, from the Black &a.
She called at Lisboa f:r passengen, and left that
port on the 23rd. Lady Seymour and family are
among the passengers.
Saldanha was still very popular and the Queen
very unpopular.
The Septembrists were urging the abdication of
the Queen.

The following administration has been formed by
Saldanhu: Jon Ferreira Pestana, Minister of the
Interior; Joaquim Fillippe de Soure, Minister of
Justice; Marino Miguel Fmnzini, Minister of Fi-
nances; Antonio Aluizio Jervis do Atouguia, Mini-
ster of Foreign Affairs; Marquez do Lotil, Minister
of Marine.

Our correspondent writes as follows:
LISBON, MAY 23.
Events have lately followed each other in such
quick sureession, that tfic office of a correspondent has been
by no means a sinecure, our is it likely to be fur some time
to come, us the days of rejoicing for the triumph of the
national cause ought now to terminate, and the labour to
begin which is to bring the country from the ntiry by-
paths of corruption and precipices of ruin to the high-road
of honour, honesty, and national prasperity.
There is no doubt that some disorders of the 17th
were the result of a deep-laid plot to obtain reaction,
and there is reason to believe the soldiery of the
Don Carlos faction is greatly compromised in it,
for it occurred between the time of Ikon Carlos
giving up the command of the municipals, and the
Baron de Franeos taking the command ; and it nay he
assumed that when subordinates systematically restart sedi-
tious cries, they are encouraged by their superiors; and
those superiors would not encourage than were they not
impellst by a secret Power which has the means of reward
in its grasp, should that sedition prove successful; hence
the necessity of dismissing every determined Cabralista, and
keeping its visible head in such powerful cheek,
that its efforts will he abortive, until the national
voice, raised by its representatives in the forum of
debate, shall legally determine how to dispose of that head;
seeing that it is as insensible to the stronglysexpressed
desire of the nation, as a stone is insensible to the action
of a violent storm. I'resent measures have been taken
against a repetition of the attempt of the 17th by sending
the 2nd Cacadures from hence to St. Übcs, and removing
Colonel Taborda from the command of the 16th regi-
ment, and directing him to reside at Torres Vedrno.
The Ist regiment of infantry, from Oporto, has also
strengthened the regenerating army in Lisbon; we
are, therefore, breathing an air which is fast
Lppreaciiing the temperature of security. I must not omit
to mention that during the disturbance the students of the
I'olre:chine and Army schools went to the marshal and
offered to aria in defenee of, and to maintain the move-
ment that has been [fleeted.

A letter from the Count de Thocuar to the Duke de Sal-
danha iv now the subject of consideration. [This letter has
ulre.uly appeared in the columns of the London daily
papa•rs.l
The billowing is D. Miguel Ximene's reply "D. Miguel
Ximenes, armed by his conscience, and shielded by the
opinion of the Portuguese people, repels with the highest
disdain the calumnies and injuries which were published in
Spanish, copied into the Lei of to-day, and written by that
accomplished defaulter, infamous embezzler, and proved
thief, the Count de Thomar. Lison, 19th of May, 1851.
D. Miguel Ximenes."—As I have mentioned the /A, it is
necessary to observe, that that paper, having been the
count's organ, and supported by a treasury allowance,
discontinued when its patron tied, but it having
re-appeared, it is to be presumed that it has received
timely succour ; it !masts of its principles, and this alone
shows that hopes—indeed they must be delusive—waist that
Thumar will return to power. The result of the Spanish
elections must show that those hopes are vain. The Count
do Thomar will have it that he has conferred great benefits
upon Portugal. A ruined commerce, exorbitant taxes, an
unpaid army anal navy, a demoralised and retrograding
social community, :mil an additional debt of forty millions
of crasadus are among those beuctita, while no account was
ever given of the public money. Senhor Avila'. successor
iu the finance department, Senhor Iranziui, now affinals
a wide contrast between his system and that of his pre-
dreessur, inasmuch as he publishes a daily account of the
receipts of the treasury, and the use made of the funds that
come to hand. This cannot fail to prepossess the impartial
observer in favour of the actual minister, and consequently
of the ministry of which he forms as part.
The gentlemen and other persons connected the
press, and the students of the Naval Polytechnic ono Army
Schools, have presented addresses to the Duke de Siddaulia.
Upon the &Suite formation of the ' try, perhaps the
press will be relieved from the odious law which oppresses
R, although it remains at present a sort of dead letter: yet
the deposits made under it ought to be returned under
some provisional h•gislation.
The Count de Tiaomar hail a short time ago his wife's
mother, a Mrs. Reid, at his house, and was desirous of hav-
ing all his property !dated in her nape; fur which end, it
is said, he made inquiries of the British authorities, to
know how far they would protect it in an eventual cue- ; but
I believe the encouragement was so weak that the desire
was abandoned. The count knew full well his power was
built upon delusion, and he anticipated that one day he
would lie obliged to give an account of his possessions.
In many places, civil governors have been appointed who
are well affected to the popular movement; and here, in
Lisbon, the civil governor has dismissed, or is about to dis-
miss, the administrators of Bairrus, and has nominated as
their successors gentlemen who are said to combine the
necessary qualifications of honesty, patriotism, and devotion
to the cause. It is necessary to dismiss all Cabralistas.
Thu Count de Azinhaga goes as ambassador to Paris, and
Senhor Luiz de Noronha to Madrid.
The Marquis of Vallada and his friends gave a aplendid
reception to the Duke Regenerator at the theatre of Donna
Maria the Second last night. The enthusiasm has not di-
miui•hed; but descriptions of such receptions would only
be a repetition of former ones.
. . -

The most satislketory news begins to reach Lisbon from
the provinces. Braga, Braganca, Bte., enjoy the greatest
possible tranquillity ; all letters express the satisfaction of
the people and the hopes they entertain from the duke's
goi ernurent.
Thu definitive ministry is formed (as stated above). The
Duke remains with the Presidency and War depart-
ment. All the ministers ore nuidernte progressistas,
and will, no doubt, have the confidence of the nation.
foreign nations do not interfere to preserve intact the au-
thority of any lump of morality that may he in the place of
a more worthy p. :sou, and ther,.hy again opui the pande-
monium of iutrrgue and corruption, l'ortugal may yet be
prosperous, happy, and free, and her sons take their ride-
tire stations among the statesmen of the world, for eloquence
in the tribune, or eminence in the departments of learning,
sciences, or the arts.
. _ _

CounZillor Ferra9, who was dismissed from the Amorti,a-
lion Board, in consequence of the arbitrary and illegal
conduct of the Count de Thomar, has been reinstated a
member of that board.

FRANCE.

PARIS. TI:EdDAT EVENING.
The club of the Rue des Pyramides held last night
an extraordinary sitting, under the presidency of the
Duke de Broglie, and, after a debate, in which MM.
de Broglie, Lestiboudois, Ileurtier, and others took
part, adopted the Mowing resolution: " The under-
signed representatives, with the object of restoring
to the nation' the full exercise of its sovereignty,
have the honour to express the wish that the consti-
tution be revised." This resolution was signed by
182 members.

A fresh subject of contention between the frac-
tions of the majority has arisen in the proximate
renewal of the questors. The ltue-des-Pyramides
men, who wish to strengthen the hands of the exe-
cutive, want naturally to exclude the strenuous
parliamentarian Baze, who loses no octiu.'.on of
marking his contempt and opposition of the Elysee.
But the same reasons that make Due an objeetion-
able qttestor to the larger fraction of the majority,
cause him to be zealously supported by the ultra-
le.itimists and regentists.
fhe amatituliunnet devotes several columns to re-
gistering the results of the petition movement.
The Bonapartist petition has obtained 20,000 sig-
' natures in the department of the Marne.
The battalion of Chasseurs de Vincennes, just
ordered to Rome, is a corps of those formidable
sharpshooters who did such terrible execution at the
siege of Rome by picking off the Roman gunners.
Their missile, instead of a ball, is a cylinder, with a
conical tip, which is carried by the rifles an immense
distance with fearful precision. The men are picked
with great care from the nimblest and most quick-
sighted, and arc generally small and square set. It
was by a chasseur of Vincennes that Lavevron, the
French sympathiser, was shot in the &reit-cad as be
peered R moment over the Roman walL

t~:~

The folloWing semi-official article in the Dalktia
de Paris, upon the instructions sent to Gen. Genuau,
is worthy of attention, as it indic4tes a diversion in
tUvour of liberalism on the part of the French go-
vernment, and the firm intention of detaching the
Pogo from Antonelli and the Jesuits, and setting his
Holiness, with polite constraint, on the way of thoso
reforms which have of late become so unpalatable to
him:

The instructions which have been sent to General ()emcee,
commanding the French corps of occupation at Rome, are
very energetic and very explicit. 'They are favourable to
the pontifical government; they assure protection to Pope
Piux IX and have for special aim the security of cur
army. Italy is at the present moment in a state
of ferment which might become dangerous were not the at-
titude of our flag strong and lofty before the country and
before Europe. There is talk of a great military 1111 A
in Naples, the aim of which is not known. Gcn. Getneau
has provided the means for maintaining tranipilliq in
Rome and the neighbouring provinees,as well as fur resisting
all attempts on the part of the demagogic faction. Thu
public clay be assured on this point. (Jur diplomacy will,
at the same time, know how to foil such wicked intrigues
WI have no support from the moderate party, and which are
di-approved of by the liberal wisdom of the Pope. Severe
repressive measures have already caused the cessation of the
agitations and criminal acts which have fur some time h'cn
observed in Rome. Whatever happens our troops have
nothing to fear at ROM'. General Gemeau has taken such
precautions that no sunrise or attack is to be feared.
12,000 French soldiers, well supplied, need fear nothing in
a town where, in Ifil 1, General with a few hundred
conscripts, could hold the Castle of St. Angelo fur three
months, in presence of an insurgent population and an
army of 50,000 Neapolitans. France hue undertaken a
glorious work in reestablishing the sovereign poutilf on
his throne, overturned by. demagogic; she will accom-
plish that work by maintaining him upon that throne, vene-
rated by all Christendom, and at the same time assuring to
the population of his states the benefits of a liberal h.ter-
Tention.

The amendment of 31. llennequin, relative to ex-
clusions from the service of the National Guard, was
rejected at the close of yesterday's sitting, by 391
against 231. .

lhe first speech, worthy the name, which has been
made on the debate on the National Guard bill has
been that of Jules Fevre. One of the features of the
new law which has stirred the most reassoicsble oppo-
sition is that which prevents those citizens tor whom
the service may- be onerous from being the judges of
their own case, the decision as to their
exclusion lying in the hands of the rim veil ,le rereow-
meat, a council consisting of nominees of the govern-
ment. The range of this clause is evidently immense.
It enables the executive power to disarm the whole
poorer class, under colour of the service being
onerous. The speech of Jules Favre was not, how-
ever, confined to this provision, but embraced a
popular view of the whole institution.
The argument by which M. de niancey defended the
clause smacked of the jesuitical school in which that
lieutenant of Muntalembert has studied. It spared the
pour, he said, the shame of confessing their poverty. And
to remedy this, replied M. lavre, you puldirh their poverty
on your lists of exclusion. The excluded may remonstrate ;
but with what chance of being heard? By the law the
care of forming the mires of the national guard wag con-
fided to the executive power. The consul/. de recenscnient,
the juries of revision, would consist of the friends and de-
pendant, of the sub-prefects. They feared authorities freely
elected; and would not trust the municipal councils. Thu
juries of revision would invariably confirm the
decisions of the coated. de recensc,ievel. Ile would
vote this bill only on one condition ; and that
was if they would allow his side of the Assembly to
appoint the sub-prefects. (Laughter.) Support: a ministry
of the Left CAM; into lamer, would they lie then satisfied
with the way in which their law would act ? No ; it was
full of danger, and gave boundless scope fur the sway of
arbitrary, narrow caprice in an institution of which the
origin, design, and nature were essentially broad and po-
pular. The tendency of inferior agClltzl of the government to
err on the side of zeal would aggravate the trills of the law
There was a coterie of statesmen who persisted in regard-
ing the revolution of February as a surprise and accident,
due to the blunder of a cabinet, to the failure in executing
a military order. These statesmen want,il w had 01..nt
back beyond 1830—uay beyond 175th. Ile was permadisl
that the revolution of February was not only an 11111gIVIUM
reality for France, but for Europe; and those who were of
his opinion resisted the retrograde movement of the li-sis-
lature to stave tar a civil war. They had wituirsed the ''sad
spectacle of men who had Inlrun by doing hinn.xie to the
revolution by writing upon the tomb of tae ttttt narehy thu
epitaph of their amnition. But there had changed their
tone. 'their eyes, suddenly opened by the light, bail
closed gradually us the great fact had receded front
them. They had voted a law fur what they called freedom
of education, by which education had been put in the
hands of ignorance. They had a:wliebed universal suffrage.
'They wanted now to crown their work by disarming thos,
whom they had diafranchised. They wanted alive uf helots
sad of privileged citizens—coercion on one hand and suffer-
Knee upon the other. (Great noise, and cheers on thu
Left.) Au authority, whom they would uo doubt prefer to
Itobespierre, w hose none seemed to grate on the delitato
ear of the Assembly, had said " I think with MM. no-
bespierre and l'etient that every domiciled citizen ought to
perform the service of the national guard, that there may
nut be two classes in the starts." M. de Noailles had said
that. (Loud laughter.) The national guard was not like
the army, the armed hand which executed. It was the
armed heart of France. " The ministry of l'olignae would
never have been appointed, nor its ordinances published,
hail there been 60,000 armed cilia, us at Paris." Hu
was quoting from M. Charles Dupin. (Laughter.)
His party had been accused of organising civil
war. To split the nation into privileged and unprivili ged,
was organising civil war with a vengeance. By the frank
practice of civil equality alone they would restore peace and
work. Thu future of Europe was nut in that congress of
kings who sought to crush liberty under the weight of
700,000 bayonets; with them the future was barbarism.
The future he would rather 'mint out amid a free nation,
which invited all intelligence, all efforts to great industrial
conquests. If France had spent since MO, upon works of
industry, the halt of thew sums whirl' she had squandered
upon sterile armaments, how advanced would have been her
prosperity at the prereut moment. The cheapest armies were
those winch lay it, the vast reserve of an armed population
militarily educated. The national guard was hat
au iusti-
tuti"n destined to hinder revolutions, but to make Item
invinciple upon the soil of their country. The t',in
of such a corps would vanish with its mutilation and arbi-
trary composttion. it was continually said that society wail
threatened; and this was the excuse assigned fur sapping
the pillars upon which society stood. The way was being
paved fur the establishment of military sway. (Movement.)
In vain was France dragged toward, the monarchy. She
would and could govern herself. She would not bee go-
vernment at the hands of those political iutriguers who, In
the space of twenty-five years, bud brought about two
foreign invasions, lust three crowns, aud piled up two revo-
lutions.

To-day the Assembly resumed the debate on the
National Guard Bill. Six articles, iueluding the
20th, were passed without discussion. Art 21 con-
cerns the composition of the eohstils de reeensumeht.
The committee proposed to unit• to the municipal
councillors national guards appointed by the preltets.
M. Pascal I)uprut moved as an amendment that the
municipal councils should perform the functions of
the ewseei,s de recensemeid. 'Phis amendment, after
being opposed by MM. Lacrosse amid the reporter,
and defended by General Lamoriciere and M. Dept at,
was rejected b?• 327 votes against 2'%.
Atter the rejection of two other amendments the
clause of the committee was put to the vote and car-
ried. Several articles, up to the 33rd inclusive, were
then passed without discussion. As an amendment
to the filth, M. Schtelcher demanded the re-establish-
ment of the artillery, and particularly of that of
Paris. An incident in the speech of the mentla•r for
Guadaloupe excited some sensation. You remember
that the printing establishment of M. Houk, the
printer of the R•uple, was pillaged by the tui-
tional guards of the Ist Legion. M. Se}Keleher,
and atter him General Gourgaud, affirmed
that these national guards had acted upon this
occasion in obedience to the orders which they had
received from the Minister of the Interior, who
stuck at no measure to prevent certain journals trout
appearing. This assertion culled down an emphatic
denial from M. Dufaure. The amendment of M.
Schleicher, who was twice called to order, was re-
jected.