The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-02 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

FRANCE. '

PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.
The Government of France has submitted a
projet for the constitution of a Council of Regency
The Empress is to be Regent, of right ; she failing,
two French Princes, in the order of primogeniture.
The members of the Couticil of Regency will be the
two French Princes in their own right, Cardinal
Morlot, Marshal Pelissier, Count Pers;gity, M.
Fould, and the Presidents of the Senate, the Corps
Legislatif, and the Council of State.
The Times' Paris cos respondent, in a letter dated
yesterday (Monday), 6 p.m., says :
"M. Billault's Penal Bill, which was warmly
discussed on Friday last in the Council of State, is
this day laid on the table of the Legislative Corps.
As I mentioned yesterday, the principal clause, the
one which produced so much uneasiness and even
alarm among the public, is that which gives so
much power to the Government over the liberty
of the subject. That clause provides that any
person accused of making use of words implying
hatred or insult to the Emperor or the Im-
perial family shall be proceeded against in the
Correctional Police Court, and, if convicted,
shall, after having undergone his punishment,
be still liable (as a measure of public security) to
be sent out of the country—in other words, he
shall continue to be for an unlimited period at
the disposal and mercy of the authorities. You are
aware that in the Correctional Police Court there is
no intervention of the jury. This, even in a mild
form, is a considerable innovation. They are not
overt acts only that are now punished, but words.
A similar change in Roman law is noticed by
Tacitus (Annals, Lib. 1, cap. 72), who describes the
old practice with his usu d brevity —"facta argue-
bantur, dicta impute erant"—so different from that
which prevailed at the period to which his annals
refer.
" I have said that the discussion WAS most aid-
mated, and that M. Billault's law mot with the
strongest opposition. If lam informed correctly,
M. Vuitry, President of the Section of Finance in
the Council of State, 'Called upon the Minister to
explain what were the circumstances in which the
"paroles de haine et injurieuse:." of the clause
ehouldjbe uttered in order to justify a prosecution.
The Minister is said to have replied that the words
should be spoken " with a certain publicity." M.
Vuitry thereupon proposed that the word "pub-
liquement" should be inserted in the clause, as it
bears a very liberal interpretation in the language
of the French Penal law. M. Billault declined.
He was reminded that such an omission would leave
a door open 0 informers, and that the personal
liberty of the subject would be constantly exposed
to danger. The Minister resisted any such amend-
ment, on the plea that the " words" should be
proved so that the character of publicity would
necessarily be implied.
M. Boiuvilliers, President of the Section of the
Interior in the Council of State, and who, I believe,
was, in the time of the Restoration, as under the
Government of Louis Philippe, one of the most
eminent members of the Liberal party, and still
preserves the same sentiments in the present func-
tions, displayed on this occasion the spirit of his
younger days, and strongly opposed a law which
seemed to regard France as a hostile country-,
whereas, he said, no Government was ever so
popular, or deserved to be so.
"During the long speech of M. Billault in support
of his obnoxious measure, M. Chaise d'E-.t Ange,
the distingui led advocate, now Procureur-Ge udrai
at the Imperial Court of Paris, and Councillor of
State on extraordinary service, more than once
showed by tlae abruptness of his movements and the
expression of his features his fe -ling with regard to
the law. The President of the Council of S tai e, M.
Baroche, who is said to have done his utuu-at to dis
suede M. Billault from bringing forward tee mea-
sure, remarked the movements of M. Chaix d'Est
Ange, and requestesd him to address the Council,
who were impatient to hear his opinion on a matter
ci such gravity, awl on which no one was more
competent than he was. M. Chaix d'Est Ange oh-
served that, whatever his opinion was on the bill,
he, as a functionary, was bound to follow his official
superiors. M. Baroche persisted, and M. Chaix
d'Est Ange, with the indeptn lence and good sense
which have earned for him so high a position in the
country, observed that he was unable to comprehend
the arsenal of new laws which the Council of State
was called upon to fabricate ; that the Government
had at its disposal' all the arms necessary for com-
bat or defence without forging more ; and that be
feared it was only men wore wanted able to employ
them. This difference of views between the Pro-
cureur-General of the Imperial Court of Paris and
the Minister of the Interior produced a marked
effect on the Council of State ; and though the law
was adopted by ainajority of 4 only, yet M. Citaix
d'Est Auge indicted a blow on it from which it will
not recover In order that you may form an opinion
as to the real value of that majority, I may mention
that four or five Ministers who ate ex officio mem-
bers of the Council of State, and aq. the Secretaries
General of the Ministerial departments, not merely
extraordinary members, were convoked to take
part in the deliberations, and vote. It was pro
genteel to-day to the Legislative Corps. Public
opinion, which has already given to this the name
of Loi des Suspects, will find a support iti the mi-
nute nr-tjet ity which has voted ie ie th , Council of
State. What. the fate of the bill will be in the Legis-
lative Chamber is another question. After the divi-
sion just noticed the project passed in its totality as
a mere form. M. Billault spoke at considerable
length in support of his measure, and appeared to
i demand the vote of the Council 'as one of con•
! fidence in the Government.
" I have just heard that the word " publique-
ment" refused to be introduced in the clause of the
Bill on the " paroles de haine" uttered ageinst the
Emperor, will nevertheless be inserted at the ex-
press desire of his Majesty, and indeed tLat
through the same intervention some of the worst
features of M. Billault's project will be otherwise
modified. This is what every one expected.
'• The proposition from the Senatus-Consultum
on the regulation and completion of the Regency is
before the Senate. The Regency will be as exten-
sive as is consistent with the exteting institutions
of the Empire.
" I understand that the papers discovered by
the English police at Pierri's house iu Birming.
ham are now in the hands of the authorities,
in Paris. Lord Clarendon has eiven every facility,
in the affair. He offered to the French Govern-
ment to send the papers hit her by a person of con-
fidence, or, if they preferred, to send to London
their own agents to examine them. I presume
this latter step is .the one that has been f lowed,
as the papers are now in Penis. I cannot yet say
whether they have led to any further disclosures
touching accomplices. It is certain that the
prisoners confess all that is imputed to them
—at least, Orsini and Pierri—but whether they
implicate others I caanot say. Their murderous
designs were, it appears, not confined to the
Emperor of the French ; other Sovereigns were to
be included in the assassination, and especially the
Pope, the King of Naples, and the King of Sardinia.
" The following address from the English resi-
dents at Cones was presented to-day by Lord
Brougham to Emperor of the French, through
the Duke of Bassano : •
" 4 We, the Engbsh resid, nts in the district of
Cannes, respectfully present to your Majesty and
the Empress oer hesrty congratulations on your
providen'ial preservation from the execrable
assassins who had laid a plan of wholesale murder
in order to obtain the chance of subverting the
Government and plunging the country into a civil
war.
" ' It adds greatly to our satisfaction that your
Majesty, with equal justice and wisdom, leaves the
trial of the offenders and the punishment of theii
offence to the ordinary course of the existing laws
which have been so scandalously broken.'
"Permission has been refused to the evening
journal La Presse to be sold in the streets. It is
thought that the tame prohibition will be extended
to the other evening papers, though they are the
papers of the Government.
" Prince Ottajano, Envoy Extraordinary from
the King of Naples, arrived in Paris this morning,
with an address of congratulation to the Emperor
of the French on his late escape from assassination.
"A letter from Toulon, dated y ester day, informs
us that the screw transport Saone is ready for sea,
and that to-morrow she is to receive the troops for
China. She is to sail for Can.oo on Frid,y next.
"It it reported that Aali Pasha, who lies alr ,ads
manifested his intention of resigning the functions
of Grand V zier, is to be appoint: d And atsador to
the Court of France. and that Mehamed IDjemil
Bey will be appointed to another site anon.
" I am informed that tl a physicians of M. de
Rayneval, having declared he canno', with safety
to his life, support a northern climate, will not
proceed as ambassador to St. Petersburg.
"The plan presented to the Council of State for
creating a reserved list for the Commisrary-Gone-
rats and Inspectors-General of Marine, has b_ee
favourably received, and an Imperial decree will
shortly appear on the subject.
" The Empe. or granted a private audience this
morning to A'lmirel La Reps° Chard' ay, who has
lately arrived in France from Rio Jaueiro, on
board the Poursuivaute. The Ada iral commanded
the naval station of La Plata.
"M. Gautier, Senator us' Deputy-Governor of