The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-06 00:00:00

THE FRENCH PRESS BILL.

The Paris journals of yesterday are occupied
chiefly with the report of the debate on the Press
Bill in the Senate and with, the comments of the
writers upon it. The bill was vehemently im-
pugned by M. de Maupaa and M. Segur d'Agues-
seati. The former concluded his speech by a per-
sonal reference to the Emperor as follows :

Let us remember that since the 19th January there has
been in all serious minds, time for study and reflection.
On that day the sovereign, in his munificence, wished to
give to the country • larger share in the control of the
government. I eooept the idea, but the form of it
excites my uneasiness. The bill appears to me to pre-
sent dangers. I say respectfully to the Emperor:—You
were able, alone, and when striving spinet the in-
credulity of your party, to bring back the
dynasty of the Napoleons to the throne of Francs.
(Movement.) Yon have saved France from anarchy and
terror, and Its,, given to the country 17 years of prospe-
rity. (Applause.) It is to you alone ;it is to your pow-
erful meditations that I will still look for improvements
in our institutions. And when such serious questions
arise as the present one, consider me only as a trustworthy
friend, when I say here : Let us await with confidence,
and instead of these dan6erou experiments, we,shall have
a real solution of the problem at a not distant day.
(Applsuse.)

M. Segur d'Agueeneau was more emphatic than
even M. de Maupan :
Let us do all we can to prevent the government from
engaging in an adventure more dangerous than the lut.
(Noise.)
Several SENATORS—What adventure are you 'puling
oft

Count Sawa WAGUIVOirAU —Riots in the streets are
not what you need fear. If a few madmen ventured upon
a rising, you would crush them in a moment, as at Rou-
baix, at Toulouse, at Bordeaux, and at Montauban. (In-
terruption )
M. MiItOCHE —But nobody has been crushed ; there has
been no riot.

Count :isiun ti AceanaKAu Nor have you any
reason to dread a rising in the journals, because those who
conduct them are too clever not to know how to avoid
suppression. What is to be feared is an 'mead(' in
universal suffrage. The popular mass, the majority of
which is bit little enlightened, almost ignorant, and above
all credulous during temporary suffering, will be easily
led astray on every question, political, social, and
economic. When that majority shall have been corrupted,
perverted—when it shall have become only a vile multi.
tude—(lnterruption : M. Rouher made a gesture of
denial.) You are wrong, M. le Ministre, to regald this
question with so much calmness.

M. ROEHER—The gesture I made had only one object,
to protest against the expression " vile multitude."
Count SEGUR D'AGUISSEAU.—When the Emperor,
driven to extremities, shall use his right and appeal to
the peopie, the response will proceed from that majority
which, at heart Napoleonic, shall have been completely
corrupted and perverted in its social instincts. Paths-
mouthy propriety prevents me from speaking more pre-
cisely. (Smiles.) And thus it is that the Emperor's
government shall have played into the hand of his greatest
enemies. (Sensation.)
The Journal des Debats, commenting on these
speeches, asks whether, even supposing it to be
true that the press was as bad as represented and
had produced the crises of 1830 and 1848, " the
excess of a power without control or counter-
poise also twice opened the sacred soil of the
country to the foreigner and left her defenceless
to the mercy of Europe 1 This is the question
we ask of the enemies of the press...

(REVIM'S TELEGRAM.)
FRANCE.

PARIS, bfAy G.

The Moniteur de 1 Armie of to-day publishes an
article commenting upon the observations of the
New Prussian (Cross) Gazette, which, in giving the
particulars of the Prussian military reductions, ex-
pressed the hope that other powers would follow ker
example. The Moniteur states that France had
already taken the initiative by sending to their
homes 14,000 men at the end of March. Conse-
quently the Prussian reductions were subsequent
to those of France, and in proportion smaller.