The Sun.
London, England, 1832-12-04 00:00:00

FRENr II PAPERS.

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES -...NITTING or Nov. 30.
The Chamber proceeded to the discussion of the para-
graphs of the address.
The first and second were adopted without observit,on.
In the third paragraph ,I. Bantle proposed to substi-
tut. the word " doctrines" for that of " recollections 01
the restoration."
The President of the Council expressed the assent of
Government to the ameniment, which was according!)
adopted, as was the paragraph so amended.
The fourth and fifth paragraphs were adopted without
observation.

On the sixth paragraph, relative to the attempts of tin
fallen dynasty to excite civil war in the west, kiting read.
M. de Sivry remarked that the partisans of the exiled
family were fewer than was supposed, that the evils corn
p 1 sin d of principally arose from the want of work and
con-equi nt distress of the population, added to the enor-
mous taxation by which they were oppressed, and that
tranquillity would soon be restored if Government would
put an end to this state of things, revise and amend the
appointments of the public functionaries in those districts.
and prod din a general amnesty, after a decision hail been
come. to on the fate of the illustrious prisoner.--(This ex-
pression excited loud and universal murmurs, in the midst
of which the orator left the tribune.) The par iv aph was
then adopted, as were also the 7th and Sch. On the 9th,
rt4ative to the measures taken to suppress the rebellion n
June, M. Mcrilhou proposed an amendment declarative of
the illegality of placing Paris in a state of siege.
Tho President of the Council lead in a low tone of
voice a long written discourse. Affer a few preliminary
observations he said, that as Minister of War it was right
for him to take the earliest opportunity of giving the
Chamber every information on the military operations in
progress. The true object of the measures adapted by
France and England was the consolidation of peace by in-
suring the execution of the treaties ; the mission of the
French army was, he said, to insure the territorial hide-
penitence of Belgium ; the siege of the citadel of Antwerp
was about to be pressed with vigour ; and he doubted not
that in a very short time, the object of the expedition be-
ing obtained, the army would return bringing back new
pledges of peace, and loaded with the gratitude of the al-
lies of France, and the esteem of other nations, witnesses
of irs moderation as well as of its courage. He then (after
congratulating the country on the satisfactory state of the
army sod National Guards) proceeded to give, as Presi-
dent of the Council, some explanations on the course pur-
sued by Government with regard to the internal dissen-
sicns which had existed in the country. Ile explained
that for a loug period the Government had hoped to put
an end to the disturbances in the west of France by keep.
ing strictly within the limits of ordinary proceedings, and
adopting a system of moderation rather than of severity,
and under that feeling resisted all the applications made,
even in the bosom of the Chamber itself, to adopt excep-
tional measures ; but when actual rt hellion bad broken
out, and it was ascertained, on satisfactory evidence, that
the Duchess of Berry was actually in the country, it was
then found expedient to put four departments under martial
law. The Hon. Minister then entered on the question of
the events of June, which lie said were of an importance
and nature to place the Government in the situation in-
dicated by a leading orator of the opposition (M. Mau-
guin), who said in a speech made by him on the 9th of
March, 1831, that " when serious danger menaced the
country, the Minister, in order to save the laws, might
for a moment place himself above them." Government,
however, did not place itself above the laws, but had
only recourse to the existing laws, the recent
application of which to the departments of the west bad
given rise to no objections.- Stress had been laid on the
period of taking the step in question. The riots com-
menced on the sth of June, at 5 o'clock, but it was not
until late iu the night, and on the morning of the 6th,
that they assumed the character of a positive insurrection.
Oa the tith the rebels were openly in arms, barricades
were erected, communications were interrupted, and the
necessity of the measure was recognised by the National
Guards and the great mass of the citizens 3 the ordinance,
which vras only the declaration of a fact accomplished
(for the anarchy which existed had itself put Paris in a
state of siege), was determined on and announced on the
afternoon of the 6th ; its official promulgation could not
take place until the 7th ; and although in fact the rebel-
lion hsd been then suppressed, there could be no doubt
that the knowledge of that step having been taken, con-
tributed materially to the defeat and depression of the
insurgents.
M. De Tracy denied that the Opposition sanctioned the
declaration of martial law iu the western departments;
and asserted that be and his friends were the enemies of
exceptional measures and legal fictions of every kind. The
seetalations of a state of siege referred only to fortified
towns, and ought not to be otherwise applied. He then
referred to the report that preceded the ordinance re-
voking the state of siege, arid defended the Polytechnic
School and the artillery of the National Guard from the
accusations which, he contended, were most unjustly and
unwisely heaped upon them in that report. He concluded
by cordially supporting the amendment.
M. Madier s'e Montjau defended the declaration of
martial law, and expressed his firm conviction that M.
Casimir Perier would not have hesitated an instant to
employ a similar measure under similar circumstances. I
" He would not have remained silent," said he, " if some of
us, gentlemen, bad not presented ourselves before him
until after the combat. And on this subject I beg leave
to state solemnly a fact which will aid us in forming a
right judgment of each other. On the evening of the
sth of June, at the commencement of the revolt, several of
the deputies hastened to the King of the Tuileries. We
did not find there any member of the Opposition."--
(Tremendous murmurs from the extremities.)
A Deputy (on the right)—l was there the first.
A Deputy (on the left)—Do not reply, it is useless.
M. de Grammont—There was nothing to fear.
Bernard—You are making a denunciation.
Lffitte—We were in the midst of the danger, not
of Court favours.—(Murmurs from the centres.)
Several voices—Go on, go on.
The President—Let the orator speak, gentlemen ; you
tell him to go on, and interrupt him every moment.
. M. Madier de Montjau—l will willingly substitute the
following words for those which have so shocked you—
" we were grieved to find very few members of the Op-
position there."
M. (Hiroo Barrot said that the Government ought
never to quit the path of legality, but if, in the absence of
the Chambers, imperious necessity compelled it to do so,
it should take the earliest opportunity of explaining to the
representatives of the country the nature of that necessity,
and throwing itself on their mercy ; in that case, a bill of
indemnity might be granted. When General Jackson
once found himself compelled, in order to save a town
intrusted to him, to place the inhabitants under martial
law, he felt the illegality of the act, and as soon as the
danger was past, surrendered himself a prisoner, was tried
and condemned, although he had saved the town; the citi-
zens of the United States admitted the justice of the sen-
tence, but at the same time appreciated his motives, and
opened a subscription to pay his fine. That General
Jackson is now President of the United States. By
acting thus statesmen secure not only the indulgence, but the
esteem, of their fellow-citizens; but what (continued the i
lion. Deputy) can be said of an Administration which I
puts four departments and the capital of the kingdom
without the pale of the law, with no better excuse for its
extra-legal conduct than syllogisms and legislative doubts,
wholly inadequate to balance the injury it inflicts upon the
fundamental compact? The Honourable Deputy denied
that he tar his friends had ever asked for any exceptionable
measures for La Vendee, except indeed exceptions
in its favour. He had asked to have education
diffused in those districts, that the inhabitants might
be enlightened to their own interests.—(Murmurs from the
centres.) In Paris the Ministry had not even the excuse
of the existence of civil war.---(Violent interruption.) It
had been amply proved that the rebellion was at an end
before the step was taken. The embarrassment of the
Government, threatened by factions, is alleged as au ex-
cuse for declaring maitial law. But the true, the only
force of the Governtnent lies in its religious retire ct for
the Constitution. If it should be attempted to excuse
the violation of the law on the ground of necessity, I will
ask when was it that this allegation was not brought for-
ward as an excuse for most violent and iniquitous mea-
sures ? It was not wanting at the formation of the revo-
lutionary tribunals; then it was urged as necessary
to repress conspiracy
and save the State. These
motives are to be found in the report of Danton. These
are his words These measures cannot affect good
citizens. To throw reproach upon a measure so energetic
is to destroy the republic by indulgence. I quote this
merely to prove to you that excuses were never wanting
for the most violent measures. When the possessors of
power have departed from the Constitution, when they
have created commissions, the illegality of these measures
falls upon the beads of those who resort to them ; and
when they are compelled terender an account to the
people, and are obliged to justify their conduct, then they
sink under the weight of the accusations against them.
We should have thought the Ministers, profiting by the
lessons given them by the past, would have kept within
the strict line of legality. However, we are deceived,
but still nothing is lost; let us endeavour to arrest the