The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-01 00:00:00

The PRESIDENT—M. de Sainte-Beuve, do not interrupt.

11. DE S.urrit-Brurs—lf it is to M. Henan that M. de
Segur d'Aguesaesu intends to allude, I protest against un
accusation levelled at a man of conviction and talent,
whose friend I have the honour to be. (Order, order.)
The PRESIDENT —I did not remark any personalities in
what 11. &gar d'Aguesseau said. He spoke of certain
doctrines but did not name anybody.
SEVERAL Voices—Call the interrupter to order.

Benin de Cuarris-fflosrvi.avit.t.e—lt is impossible not
to feel deep affliction when we ace in a certain modern
literature, the authors of which have just been eulogised,
the laws of eternal order trampled under foot, re-
ligion attacked, and the bases of society under-
mined. (Great applause.) No one should be permitted
to come here to praise men who carry the torch of the
incendiary into social life, by propagating amongst the
masses doctrines of atheism and irreligion. All the ener-
gies of good men should be combined to avert that peril.
We protest against these doctrines with all the energy of
our convictions. (Renewed approbation.) The cup of
immorality is overflowing, and to us more especially be-
longs the task of indicating to the government the means
of providing a remedy. I, for my part, shall never shrink
from any duty of the kind. (Hear, hear.)
M. DE SAINTE-IL:EVE (again rising amidst cries of
"Order, order," from all part► of the house)-31. de Segur
d'Agueaseau spoke of two things. There is a current of
immorality and obscenity which nobody defends, and
which I reprobate with contempt ; but there arc also
honourable and respectable philosophical opinions which
I defend in the name of the liberty of thought, and
which I shall never allow to be attacked and calumniated
without a protest. (Order, order.)
Y. ns MAUPAR.—Then you will be the only man in the
Senate to defend such doctrines. (General assent.)

Count Dg GlU)l4.44.Luts-FLAN•axtres.--It is the first time
that atheism has found a defender in this assembly.
Marshal CA:4110111111T (turning to It de Bainte-Beuve)---
You are not here, sir, to defend a man who has denied the
divinity of Christ, and who has set himself up as the in-
veterate enemy of the religion of our fathers, and which
is still that of the great majority of Frenchmen. (Prolonged
movement of approbation.)

M. DE MAUPAR—ThE opportunity is e good one for pro-
testing with energy spinet such principles, and against
the anti-religious and immoral tendencies they produce.
(Hear, hear.)
M. Dr SaIM•BEOVE pronounced SOON words not dis-
tinctly heard. (Cries of " Order, order.")
The PRESIDENT —lf you persist in your interruptions,
M. de SaintHeure, I shall be obliged to call you to order.
You raise, an you perceive, incidents of a nature to dis-
turb the habitual calm of the deliberations here. Nobody
was thinking of H. Henan ; it is you who in naming him
brought him into court. Let me nquest you not to pro-
long this regretable incident. (Great &Kilauea. fieverel
members rose to speak.)
H. Suin—We wish to return to the question under die.
cussion.

Several VOW/IC—Yes, yea,
The Priest DENT--1 invite the speaker to continue, but to
confine himself to the question as the Senate desire..
Calm was then gradually restored, and the discussion
went on for a short time longer.
Commenting on the above, the .lotimsal des DAM* of
to-day remark. :—" One is astonished at the pretension
of the Senate to met themselves up as a council to decide
questions of dogma, for it was really • point of dogma that
was discussed on Friday. The cardin►ls who were present
took no part in the incident ; at least the Mon deur does not
inform us that they did. Perhaps they were stupefied
even to the loss of speech at bearing mere laymen speak
on this matter with so much authority. It is too much the
habit in certain quarters to regard the human mind as •
kind of conscript, which it is necessary to subject to camp
discipline. But Marshal Canrobert will permit us to
remark that this is an enterprise even more difficult than
the taking of SebeatopoL"

A New York telegram in the Timts referring to
the treaty ceding to the United States for a consideration
of seven millions the whole of Russian America and the
adjacent islands, says :—" It is reported that the British
diplomatists in Washington are greatly excited, and will
request her Majesty's government to remonstrate upon the
subject. The President bus convened the Senate for Mon.
day, to take the treaty into consideration."