The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-27 00:00:00

A Narrow Escape

The Plebiscitary Administration, as it is called, has
had one of those victories which are after the
fashion of defeats. In the debate on the
new Press Law, which has this week been
discussed in the Corps Ldgislatif, an amendment
was brought forward by M. Ernest Picard, which
placed the 011ivier Cabinet in a very embarrassing
position. M. Picard proposed that in the event
of an action for libel being brought against
a newspaper by any person in a public
position, such as a railway or bank director,
&c., they should be put en the same footing
as officials, and the defendants should be allowed
to put in a plea of justification, and prove the charge.
This is not allowed by the law when the libel
is on a private person. M. 011ivier himself sup-
ported this view a little while since, but he
is not very willing to act up to it in office. M. Picard
made a vigorous speech citing the example of Eng-

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land, and produced so great an effect that on a
division 97 appeared for the amendment, and 99 for
the Government. This majority of two was the
less satisfactory, as four of the Ministers
voted. At the next day's meeting M. Buffet com-
plained that his name was in the list as not having
voted, whereas 116 voted for the amendment,
while Mr. Kolb Bernard said he had voted
with the Government by mistake. The ma-
iority of two having thus melted into thin air,
it was suggested that the vote should be repeated,
butl T. Schneider very prudently refused to sanction
such a motion: The vote is thought to augur ill for
the reconstructed Cabinet.

P IRIS CORRESPONDENCE.

WEDNESDAY EVENING.

A rather stormy scene took place at the sitting of the
Senate to-day. Count d'Aguesseau complained bitterly of
the manner in which the Senate had been slighted on the
occasion of the Imperial visit of Saturday. The President
had made a speech on the occasion. He was met by the
reply that it was the duty of the President of the Legis-
lative Chamber to address the Emperor ; but he was not
to be appeased, and declared that the Ministers were
greatly to blame. The President's explanation was a very
suitable one. He said that he had made inquiries on the sub-
ject, and found that in previous ceremonies of this kind
the Senate had remained quiescent. The Government nar-
rowly escaped a defeat in the discussion on the Press laws.
"It would have increased the bitterness of their disappoint-
ment had this been the case, that M. 011ivier had at first
agreed with M. Picard and accepted the principle of his
amendment to the effect that persons who brought actions
against newspapers should be regarded in the light of
public functionaries when they were possessed of a certain
degree of social standing. The Ministry are now informed
that the insignificant victory which they carried off was
a doubtful one, for ten of their votes are called in ques-
tion. M. Buffet declares that he voted for, and not
against, the amendment, as was reported ; and M. Molb-
Bernard declares that he voted with the Government by
mistake." It is expected that the question will be brought
before the Chamber again in another shape. No doubt M.
011ivier has regretted having changed his mind
on the subject, and doubts the truth of the saying that
second thoughts are the best.
A prominent English official has come to Paris for the
express purpose of studying the telegraph system which is
carried on in France. The Minister of the Interior and
M. de Vougg have given him a cordial welcome, and
placed one of the employs of the telegraph office at his
service, in order that he may be fully initiated into all the
proceedings of French telegraphy. Mr. Brown, on leaving
France, will proceed to Berlin and Brussels to complete
his studies in those important centres of correspondence.
Nothing certain seems known of M. Girardin's move-
ments, but it is said that the Liberte has been
sold for one million two hundred thousand francs,
which confirms the idea of his nomination to the Senate.
Respecting the purchasers of the Libertl, some say that
the proprietors of the Ccmstitutionnel and the France have
bought it, while others affirm that it will belong to a
member of the Centre Gauche.
The editors of the Rappel and the Pays have been in-
dulging in personalties to such an extent that a duel is
looked_ for as the sequence of the dangerous amusement.
It is rumoured here that M. Laboulaye, in conse-
quence of his unfavourable reception at the College of
France, has well nigh abandoned the thought of becoming
a senator.

L' Unit, ers quotes a statement, published by several pro-
vincial journals to the effect that M. 011ivier, before
leaving the Foreign Office, sent a final despatch to M. de
Banneville, entreating him, above all things, to be cautious
in his words. The French representative is to avoid
all diplomatic conversation, whether official or un-official,
and his chief implores him to conduct himself as though
the Council were not in existence, and as though its
decisions had no reference whatever to every day life.
Evidently, M. 011ivier, with a salutary remembrance
of Count Daru's famous note, cannot share the Papal
dream of personal and official infallibility.

THE NAWAB NAZIM AND THE AFFAIRS
OF THE NIZAMUT.

Our magnificent Indian Empire, the arena of so many
sanguinary conflicts and such grand military triumphs, the
history of which has all the interest of romance, is con-
tinually furnishing us with some lesson; past experi-
ence has illustrated, not only native character, but
that of the conquering raco. It is impossible not
to recognise the distinctive marks of each, impossible
not to see that while all the untold wealth, the gor-
geous splendour, the unbounded influence which the East
has poured into the lap of Britain, there are also, with all
these rights of conquests, the rights of nations and indi-
viduals. It is of the utmost importance that our national
honour should be unsullied in every transaction, especially
should we maintain inv7olably treaties made with those who
have been our firm friends and allies. No blot should be
allowed to rest on the chronicles of the past, their pages
should be free from every stain of dishonour, every mark
of impolitic and unjust prejudice; justice, impartial and un-
erring, should be meted out with the most careful yet will
ing hand, while all that statesmanship can secure, all that
honourable diplomacy obtain, all that truth can effect
and power bestow, should, with generous and unsparing
liberality, be granted. Justice, in the truest, noblest
sense of the word, is not only the debt we owe, but
that which we canrot, dare not, withhold without losing our
prestige as a people, and our self-esteem as a nation. When
his Highness, Synd Munsoor Ullee, the Nawab Nazim of
Bengal, Behar and Orissa, one of India's princes, illustrious
in descent, still ranking high among the Eastern represen-
tatives of Royalty and loyalty, comes to lay his claim be-
fore the people of England, we may be sure that he will re-
ceive, as he deserves, a patient and fair hearing. It is not
the custom of England to ignore " numerous and valued
services rendered ;" it is not the rule to strangle all hope of
justice to those who seek it at her hands, and if the meanest
subject of the realm feel this, how much more, when those
whose position and wealth demand a hearing, should there
be prompt and careful handling of the balance of justice?
The claim which the Yawab presents against the Govern-
ment is entitled to, and should without doubt receive, im-
mediate consideration.

It is not becoming our dignity as a nation, neither is it
consistent with our national hon ur, to delay a decision
fraught with so much importance. Whatever the traditions
of the past may have taught us, and whatever the require-
ments of the 1 resent may demand, ought, undoubtedly, to
have due weight, and great responsibility rests upon those
in authority to see that striot and impartial justice should
go band in hand with generous recognition of past services
rendered.

That we should be without fear and without reproach in
dealing with every question relating to India is a fact which
ought to be fully recognised in all our dealings with that
magnificent empire, and no circumstanc, whatever sh( uld
be allowed to tarnish the fair fame of England or lessen the
renown of English justice, as well as English magnanimity,

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