The National Register.
London, England, 1815-12-31 00:00:00

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this file ) suggested, that he was assisted in his flight by
some British efficers. We trust. thil► last idea is mere ima
ginatioti Th. national Representatives are excessively
indignant at the circumstance of the traitor's escape from
justice ; and they would doubtless feel additional, dissatis
faction if this event had b..en brought about by the Officers
of an %Hied Power. No such hint, however, sas thrown
out in the warm debate which took place on the proposition
for demanding information from the Keeper of the Seals
and Minister of Polir•e. M Dr Sesmaisons who had given
notice of this motion, seems to have been very unwilling to
press it hastily on the two Ministers. Ile ofli.red, there.
fore, to defer its consideration ; but the Chamber would'
not hear of this : and yielding to the general wish, he read,
as is usual, his speech in support of the motion. He was
succeeded by others. who remarked some circumstances a
little extraordinary in the scape ; such as that a large man,
as Livalette was, should pass for a small and delicate wo-
man; and that, under an order for admitting his wife to
him, three persons should have been allowed to enter.
These and many similar remarks were at least sufficient to
justify enquiry ; and we ow n it appears to us, that it
would have been more politic, as well as more manly, to
have met so natural and reasonable a demand at once with
all the information that it was possible to procure. As it
generally happens in cases of such a nature, where the ma-
jority of an assembly desire information, the resistance to
their ..emand, especially if supported on weak and frivolous
grounds. only tends to impress them more deeply with the
importance of the object. The order of the day was in
vain called for the majority rejected it : and the original
proposition was, of course, referred to the Committees.
This, at least, shows that there is in the present Chamber a
spirit of independence, and a resolution to require what
would undoubtedly be required in a similar case by our
House of Commons, full and satisfactory proof that there
has been no crimisal evasion of the law by those whose
duty was to look to its impartial execution.
The other important subject which has occupied the
attention of the Chamber, is the Budget. The outline is
simple, and, on the whole, we should think, not unsatisfac-
tory. The Ways and Means for the year amount to
800,000,000 francs, the ordinary expenditure (including a
Sinking Fund of 14,000,000) to 5241700,000 : and the
Extraordinaries (incliiding a surplus of 4,500,000 to meet
eventual expenses) to 275,300,090. Among the Ways and
Means, the only article which appears to us very objection•
able, is, the sale (if we understand it right) of 100,000 Hec.
tares of Woods, the property of the Clergy, or some other
revolutionary spoliation. Surely it is "above all things
expedient that no unnecessary sanction should be given to
injustice. Since it has been determined that 'those who
bought the estates of which the Royalists were soCruelly
robbed, shall enjoy their purchases, let it be so : but let
not the nation, which has so solemnly abjured confiscation,
continue to make confiscation a source of revenue. The
first necessity of France is to be just : and foreign nations
can reckon but little on her justice to them, if she is unjust
to her own subjects.
The disturbances which had broken out at Avignon have
been quieted by the voluntary submission of the people
themselves to the law. It seen►s•some Rebels had been put
on their trial before a tribunial which either was in reality
too favourably inclined towards the prisoners, or which
the people thought to be so. mob collected on this
occasion. The ringleader was arrested and put in prison.

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