The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-10 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.
There is not a breath of news stirring to-day. The
Assembly did not sit, on account of the fete. fhe
two or three newspapers which have appeared con-
tain nothing worth quoting.
The grand difficulty of revision is its inseparable
connexion with the electoral law. M. de Tocque-
vile admits that Fiance calls for revision, but he
hesitates to respond to the call lest the divisions of
the majority should give the socialists the victory in
the elections, particularly under the present system of
voting,which is peculiarly favourable to a united mino-
rity. It is therefore clear that one of the guarantees de-
mended by M. de Toequeville before he will consent
to revision is a modification of the electoral law.
Larnartine also demands an alteration of the law of
May; but,plecing more confidence than deToequeville
in the right sense of the people, he requires the
restoration of universal suffrage unmutilated. This,
according to him, is the surest guarantee against the
restoration of monarchy. lie is satisfied that the
vast majority of French citizens desire earnestly •
reformed republican constitution, equally free from
the Utopias of socialism and the privileges of the old
regime—an opinion which bears a remarkable affinity
to the President's assertion at Dijon.
The committee on the Internal Administration
Bill, on Saturday, concluded the revision of the Mu-
nicipal Bill. One article alone remaining to be re-
vised, gave rise to a discussion of some interest. This
article (170) is as follows : "The organisation and
the municipal administration of the city of Paris
shall be decided on by special law to be presented to
the National Assembly in the year succeeding the
promulgation of the present law." M. de Vatimesnil
proposed not to specify any fixed delay. This pro-
position, which was opposed by M. F. de Lasteyrie,
was adopted by the committee. In consequence of
this decision, Art. 1760 f the committee is suppressed.
It is said that there port on the part of the bill rela-
tive to the municipal law will be presented at the
end of the week.

The committee charged to examine the bill for the
ratification of the treaties of La Plata, after having
successively heard the explanations of several ofH-
cers of the navy, who have held commands in that
quarter, and M. Deffitudis who was minister pleni-
potentiary in La Plata, yesterday heard those of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, which were considered
perfectly- satisfactory. The committee is, it is said,
posed to propose purely and simply the ratifica-
tion of those treaties. The report will be presented
for examination at the next sitting of the committee.
The inauguration of the Poitiers Railway takes
place on the 15th. The President is expected to be
present. It is reported that he contemplates a
journey through the central departments.
The funds have risen sensibly to-day. Tho Fives
closed at 91.40, with a rise of Vie.; the Threes roes
30c., and closed at 54.80.
On Saturday M. Lamartinespoke in the 15th burets.
He began by an allusion to M. do la ltloskowes
assertion that unless the Assembly remedied the 45th
article of the constitution the nation would do it far
them. Two things were necessary for that re
bellious pretender, and an army of insurgents ; sad
he respected too much both the President and the
country to believe that either of those conditions ex-
isted. Ile next pointed out the absurdity of the.
club-government advocated by the Mountain. He
then addressed himself to refute the arguments
of M. Haze against revision. M. BOZO wee
for deferring the question until the country
made its opinions known in a more decided way. In
Lamartine s opinion it was better to prevent a danger
than to wait for it. He then proceeded to show the
necessity of establishing the republic after the fall
of Louis Philippe. The republic was a neutral
ground on which contending parties met in peace. If
the people suffered, which no doubt was the case,
they suffered to pin political rights, which they
would not sell again for a mess of porridge. What
the people wanted was the settlement of the re-
,
public, the consolidation of republican institutions ;
order, security for acquired rights, inviolability for
property, the source of all wages, inviolability for
capital, the heart of all work; the stability of mo-
narchy with the dignity of liberty, the possible and
not the impossible republic. It was quite a mistake
to suppose that such republicans as he represented
were averse to tho reform of the constitution. Two
chambers, the re-elegibility of the President, the
suppression of the sereitin de tide in elections; mew
tion of the conflict between the two powers; longer
lease of power to the President; partial renewal of
the chamber;—all these reforms were called revi-
sion, and were not unwished for by republicans.
Well : was it wise to repulse brutally such hopes of
amelioration, and to say to the people, "No ; you 11
shall have no change; you shall return to roll ea
your uneasy bed without remedy." No ; that was
the way to make the republic hated ; to drive the
nation in despair tinder the banner of pretenders and
The example of America had been cited.
Wile American republic had been assailed by
the same intestine divisions as republican France.
Royalists who wanted to set op a king ; radicals who
abolish the presidency ; ambitious men
perpetuate the presidency ; eon-
for plunder; timorous people