The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-28 00:00:00

PAft CORRESPONDENCE.

THURSDAY EVENING.

The New Tress Law has actually passed through the
Corps Legislatif, and henceforward we journalists may
enjoy the dignity of being fined by a jury instead of by the
Correctional Police. If the example of M. Deleschize is
to be accepted, the change will not be for the better.
Tried in 1849 under the Republic for endeavouring to
overthrow the Government, he was sentenced to three
years' imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 f. Tried by the
Seventh Chamber, the other day, for a similar offence,
he escaped with a fifth of the fine and a sixth of the im-
prisonment. However, matters are not now exactly as
they were in 1849, and the alteration in the system is un-
doubtedly, as M. Gamier Pag6s called it, a step in ad-
vance. The last of many sittings on the bill was not
without interest. You will remember the awkward con-
tretemps of the other day, when the narrow_Ministerial
majority of two on M. Picard's amendment proved
to have been, after sal, a mythical triumph
—M. lcou, - Bernard having put in the wrong
bulletin by mistake, and M. Buffet having been set down
as not voting when he voted for the amendment. Upon
this it was not unnaturally suggested that the amend-
Lent should be again presented to the Chambers, in a
new form, but this M. Schneider would not agree to.
Yesterday, however, M. de Atiratry proposed the follow-
ing addition to Article 23 :—" Proof is likewise admitted
whenever the action for defamation relates to public or
even communal interests." This, you will see, was sub-
stantially the same as M. Picard's amendment, and in
fact, M. de Ktratry (of October 26th memory), did not
attempt to deny it. The Ministers were not, we may
suppose, very well pleased at the reapparition of the
ghost they thought laid; but M. 011ivier did not object
this time, and the amendment was carried.

Then came the vote on the bill as a whole. On this
point there was no uncertainty, but the sight of a valiant
minority of three against the majority, numbering 194,
put the Chamber in good humour by the laughter it ex-
cited. Bons mots circulated round the benches. " The
seven sages have been reduced to three !" cried Pelletan.
" No, they are the three graces !" suggested
Guyot Montpayroux. " Say rather the three Horatii !"
said Granier de Cassagnac, himself one of the trio.
Charpin Fengerolles, Deputy for St. Etienne, who is
called Cassagnac's shadow, was another, and Dollfus,
Deputy of Ndrac, the third. The latter has two claims
to distinction. He has the finest beard in the Chamber,
and he has married one of M. Haussmann's two daughters.

Before the sitting was over the shadow of a coming
storm appeared on the political horizon. It may pass
over innocuously, but it may likewise lead to serious re-
sults in the present critical position of things.
M. Bethmont, evidently suffering from severe illness,
ascended the tribune and asked permission to interpellate
the Government on the dissolution of the Plebiscitary
Committee in the Rue Rivoli. M. 011ivier would have
been very glad, if I mistake not, to have disposed of the
troublesome query there and then, but the feeling of the
majority was against it, and the discussion was adjourned
till to-morrow. I have heard it said that this interpella-
tion may even imperil the newly reconstructed Cabinet,
but this must be accepted with reserve. The Emperor,
it is said in some quarters, is so wearied by M. 011ivier's
vacillation that he would not be sorry -to see a majority
against him in the Chamber. In that case he has a
Cabinet already, its chief members being Rouher and
Ilaussmann, and the rest young deputies. I give this
merely as a sample of the absurd rumours current, since
the Emperor is far too wise a man to suppose such an Ad:-
ministration could stand for a week.
The Minister of the Interior, M. Chevandier
de Valdrome, has . issued a circular to the
Prefects respecting the simultaneous elections to the
Conseil-General and the Conseil d'Arrondissement on the
11th and 12th of June, a coincidence whose possible
inconvenience he endeavours to avert.

The Emperor, it is said, will go to Vichy this autumn to
drink the waters, the Empress remaining at Fontainebleau.
Her health has latterly not been good, according to some
accounts. Princess Clotilde has been in a state of great
anxiety about her eldest son, who it is feared has caught
the prevailing epidemic. She has removed him to
Mendon. I do not know whether this illness has anything
to do with the alteration in Prince Napoleon's plans, but
he has postponed his voyage to the East, and his yacht
has been sent to Cherbourg.
M. de Casal Ribiero, the Portuguese ambassador, has
sent in his resignation. Vicount de Lancastre, formerly
First Secretary to the Paris Legation, and recently
removed from thence to Florence, will, I believe, be
recalled to Paris as Chargé d'Affaires.
The announcement of the death c,f Madame de Mon-

tebello vvas premature, though her condition is hopeless.
Fori„eightesn months 'she has been a great sufferer,

and during the last few days her illness has become more
and more painful. The Empress has visited her repeat-
edly, but at the last visit Madame de Montebello no
longer recognised her. The General, therefore, has taken
the daily report to the Tuileries. This gave rise to the
absurd statement that he had himself announced his
wife's death, a mistake the more to be regretted as the
General has been distressed by the receipt of numerous
letters of condolence. Madame de Montebello is known
to English, as well as to French readers, through Winter-
bailer's famous picture of the " Empress and her Ladies."