The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-08 00:00:00

At an early hour the quays and avenues leading to the
Pont Louis Seize were crowded, and a strong detachment
of Municipal Guards were in attendance to keep order
among the curious. More than 40 ladies succeeded in
making their way into the Salle d'Attente, in the hope of
penetrating that way to the lower galleries. Many of them
forced their way through 01 impediments into the diplomatic
tribunes, where we observed Lord Brougham. In that part
of the Chamber reserved for the Council of State we re-
marked M. Girod de rAin.

At half-past 1 o'clock about 200 Deputies were in the
Chamber, and at that hour M. Dupin took the chair.
During the reading of the minutes of Tuesday's sitting the
Deputies took their places ; the different parties mustered
in nearly equal force.
Several Deputies were admitted and took the oath.
The President stated that the order of the day was the
discussion already called for during a previous sitting, and
recommended that on this solemn occasion the Chamber
should give its undivided, calm, and dignified attention to
the subject of debate. To the different speakers he would
recommend the utmost moderation.
The Minister of the Interior demanded the right of speak-
ing.—(Movement of attention in the Chamber.) The Mi-
nister declared himself ready to accept the ground of debate
named by the Hon. Deputy (M. Janvier), who wished for
explanations concerning men and measures—that is, con-
cerning the system of the Ministry who had resigned and
then returned to ofqe, on the measures to be adopted by
them. He would first speak of individuals, and would then
be more at leisure to speak of principles. Last summer a
general calm prevailed throughout the country ; the gene-
ral elections were favourable to Government, but this satis-
factory state of things was not durable. The short session
of 15 days had not a frank and decided character ; add to
this, the renewal of civil war in Spain, the troubles in the
East, party-spirit in France. In the midst of all this came
the question of the amnesty, not as a conciliatory measure,
but as a measure of disunion. The Minister, for his
part, had no faith in the generosity of parties. if history
were consulted, the difficulties presented by the question
of the amnesty would be apparent. The youthful con-
queror of Marengo might have granted amnesties which
were joyfully accepted ; but an amnesty which would
only have divided the public mind, an amnesty the
source of which was equivocal, was not a public mea-
sure that could with safety have been recommended to
the Government by the Cabinet. The most serious
inconvenience arising from this state of things was the
separation of Marshal Gerard from his Majesty's coun-
cils. Thence arose the long Ministerial crisis, the first
consequence of which was the dissolution of the Cabi-
net, next the formation of a new Cabinet, and finally
the return of the old Ministry to .office. On the re-
tirement of Marshal Gerard it appeared expedient, in
the present political state of Europe, to place Mar-
shal Mortier at the head of the Administration ; the
illustrious Marshal modestly declined to take the Presidency
of the Council. The difficulty of forming an Administra-
tion was extreme. In 1831, when his Majesty wished to
place a firm and influential individual at the head of affairs,
all eyes were turned on M. Casimir Perier ; during 15
years he had been at the head of the Opposition, and had
inspired all with a high opinion of his prudence, a rare
quality in the head of an opposition.—(Murmurs and inter-
ruptions on the extreme left.) The Minister continued—
The prudence of M. Perier proved him a statesman, a
friend to order and the laws. The extent of his private for-
tune was also to be added to his advantages. The illus-
trious Marshal Soult himself consented to join the Cabinet
with M. Perier. But Providence was pleased to dispose of
a life so precious to his country, and at present the difficulty
of forming a Cabinet was evident to all. It has been often
said that men are wanting ; the Minister, for his part,
thought it was rather justice which was wanting. Amongst
the parties of all shades there were many eminent men, but
a number of them must be set aside, because it was only to
the friends of Government that Ministers could have re-
course. Tried men must Be found. Now it was quite
enough that a man should have been somewhat remark-
able to endure party spirit to slander his actions.—(Heir
from the centre.) Under such circumstances, courage and
self-devotion were required to induce any man to accept
power ; and not only courage and devotion, but the confi-
dence arising from past services, and an intimate union
among the'different Members of the Cabinet. The diffi-
, eulty of finding unanimity was great. It was this circum-
stance,
.and no personal consideration, that induced Minis-
ters to
:esignations. Men who had accepted power
tencier
..nces—men who for two years had go-
under difficult circumsb.:‘
u::+acle, might well, after order
verned in the midst of every
:,riness ;but it was a
had been restored, yield to a feeling
0,
~
,:n. As long
luadable susceptibility which led Ministers to rt.„..•
as danger existed Ministers had found devotion and suppart,
but the moment tranquillity was restored doubt and
cussion arose respecting their system. The short session
of 15 days was not calculated to resolve these doubts. It
had been imagined that another system ought to have been
followed, that another manner of treating with Europe
should have been adopted, another budget presented. Such
was not the opinion of Ministers, who however thought
the moment opportune for making way for other men.
Such were the motives that induced Ministers to lay their
resignations at the feet of the King. Many other political
combinations were subsequently tried. He himself (the
Minister of the Interior) had been solicited to form part of
a new Ministry, but he had refused to separate from his
colleagues, with whom he had been unanimous on all mate-
rial points—for instance, the question of the siege of
Antwerp, the pacification of France by arresting the
Duchess of Berri, the suppression of anarchy throughout
the kingdom ; and in retiring, Ministers declared that who-
ever might be their successors, they were ready to support
them as long as constitutional measures were adopted.
With subsequent events the present Ministry had nothing
to do, and they could not be expected to speak of measures
in which they bore no part. Some days afterwards he (the
Minister of the Interior) had a message from the King, who
informed him that an Administration no longer existed.
His opinion was asked, he had but one, and implored his
Majesty to retain his Ministers at least till the convocation of
the Chambers. The King replied, that it was too late, as the re-
signations were signed. He (the Minister of the Interior), not
wishing to explain himself alone, entreated the King to as-
semble his colleagues of the preceding Administration.
They were officially convoked. Their duty was imperative
and irresistible. 'lime principal difficulty having been re-
moved by Marshal Mortices acceptance of office, the pre-
sent Administration had no longer a motive for their refusal.
Application had been made to men of all shades of opposi-
tion, and they refused to form an Administration !—(Here
M. Passy demanded to be heard.) The Minister of the
Interior, in continuation, said that he had not the slightest
intention of commencing an attack in any way on the hon.
deputy (M. Passy). The Minister of the Interior would
repeat, that in 1830 the blindness of the Government had
been deplored by many who dreaded a revolution, a general
war, and the annihilation of industry. If at that epoch it
had been said, a revolution will take place—it will subvert
a throne—and yet for four years not a scaffold will be
erected—for four years afterwards the country will be in
security, and not only in the enjoyment of peace, but sur-
rounded with a girdle of constitutional states, tranquillity
will prevail throughout Europe. The national prosperity of
France will be superior to anything known under the Resto-
ration, after 15 years of peace. Instead of national bank-
ruptcy, the deficit caused by the Restoration will be succes-
sively filled up. Had such language been held, would it have
been credited ? And yet these results were not imaginary ;
they were real, and admitted of incontestible proof. (Here
the Minister entered at length into details in support of his
assertions, referring, amongst other points, to the tran-
quillity by which the elections for the departmental councils
were preceded.) He would ask if a grander spectacle of
liberty could be given than that now afforded ? Ministers
appeared before the Chamber, and what was their language ?
They said " We have been named by the King, but we
need the concurrence of the Chambers—if this concurrence
be frankly and fairly withheld from us, we resign our posts
to others." Ministers had been accused of wishing to de-
stroy piece by piece the elements of Constitutional Go-
vernments—to annihilate the National Guards. One fact
would settle this question. There were in France 3,600,000
National Guards ; of this number 30,000 only had been
disbanded, and of these again 20,000 had been restored !
Ministers had also been charged with wishing to destroy
the institution of the Municipal Councils. There were in
France 38,000 Municipal Councils ;—not more than 40
had been dissolved for political reasons. The Governmeot
of July had been styled cruel—the prisons of France ware
said to be filled with the enemies of that Governm
Was the Chamber desirous of knowing the number of Go-
vernment prisoners? He spoke only of those on whom
sentence had been passed, for the amount of those in etas-
tody on suspicion was uncertain and variable.—(A laug a.)
The number of prisoners sentenced for political offer.ces
was 211, and of these 150 were Choualis, who had
committed execrable crimes on the high-r oads of La
Vendee. Now to speak of the general t iAnatign of