The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-22 00:00:00

organization. The journals had become unusually vio-
lent, and had constantly appealed to the worst passions.
Every act, however criminal, had found a panegyrist. It
was the duty of the Government to combat the evil
and protect the Republic. The laws in force were
sufficient. The security in money was a guarantee
of repression ; it must be proportioned to the multi-
plicity of the offences and to the prejudices they are
likely to occasion the Republic and society. That
security bad been reduced since February, 1848, to
24,000 f. for Paris, and to 1,8001. for most of the
departmental journals. The Bill was merely a copy of
the law of the 9th of August, 1848. It,. however,lin-
troduced an innovation, forlit proposed to assimilate
the department of the Rhine to that of the Seine.
It was also important to check the circu-
lation and sale of publications of an obnoxious
nature during the forty-five daye preceding the
elections, but full liberty should be left to the distri-
bution of electoral lists and of the profession of faith
of the different candidates. The Government had
likewise resolved to re-establish a stamp on news-
papers. ,The financial situation, the principle of
equality which required that everybody should con-
tribute to: the burdens of the State, and the necessity
of balancing the public receipts and expenditure, refl.-
iered that measure imperative. The decree of the
4th March, 1848, which suppressed the stamp, had
created un exorbitant privilege in favour of jour-
nalis!s. The Government did not intend to revive
the law of the 14th of December, 1830, which
graduated the tax according to the size of the jour-
nals. The tax was to be the same for all, and Go-
vernment expected to derive from it a revenue of at
least 6,000,000 f.
The Minister then read the two decrees. By the
first the proprietors of all journals and periodical
works are to be held to deposit in the Treasury a
certain sum as a security. That security, for journals
published more than twice a week, in the departments
of the Seine, Seine-et-Oise, Seine-et-Marne and
Rhone, is to amount to 50,000 r. ; if only published
I once a week, to 40,000 f. ; and to 20,000 f. if the pub-
lication takes place at irregular intervals. In the de-
partments, in cities containing upwards of 50,000
souls, the security is fixed at 20,0001., and in less im-
portant towns 12,0001. A month is allowed the pro-
prietors of existing journals to conform to the law.
The second Bill required, that within the fortnight
following the promulgation of the law a fixed stamp
of 4 centimes should be established on all journals
published within the above four departments, and of
two centimes on those appearing everywhere else.
Works discussing political and social questions, of
less than six sheets, are also to be subjected to a
stamp. 'Violations of the law are to be punished
with a:fine of 50 francs, and for every successive offence
of 100 francs. In conclusion, M. Rouher asked that,
considering the gravity of the circumstances, the As-
sembly should declare the discussion urgent.
M. Pascal Duprat combated the urgency. There
were other journals, he said, besides those of the
Opposition which ought to be severely prosecuted.
The latter were stigmatised as barbarians, but they
were found perfectly civilised and friends of order
when they supported the election of M. Louis Bona-
parte on the 10th of December. Why not prosecute
the journals which every day maintained that the
Assembly had a right to revise the constitution, and
told M. Bonaparte that he would die at St. Helena if
he did not take possession of the Tuileries. The Mi-
nisters had been deterred by shame from presenting
those laws, which they had kept concealed several
days in their portfolios. Were the Assembly to grant
urgency, it would be guilty of an act of rancour and
vengeance.
M. Rouher: contended that the question should re-
ceive a speedy solution, and that the Bill must im-
mediately be either adopted or rejected without de-
lay. Too much importance had been assigned to the
election of the capital. Paris did not constitute
the majority of the country, which continued ani-
mated with unchanged sentiments of order. The
Government knew the elements which composed
the majority that had returned the three Socialist
candidates—a majority which would to-morrow, if
successful, divide and wage war against each
other. The presentation of those Bills had been com-
manded by a sentiment of conservation and the main-
tenance of social order. What would be thought of a
majority that arrayed in the same camp the con-
querors and vanquished of June ? The Government
took a higher view of the situation, and beheld, in
that election, a legal and political fact, which it re-
spected; but it was fully convinced that the majority
of the country remained unchanged.
M. Larochejacquelein, who followed, admitted
that the evil was serious, and required a speedy re-
medy; but he thought that the laws should not be
lightly discussed and voted. He, accordingly, op-
posed the urgency.
The question of urgency, however, was put from the
chair, and voted by a considerable majority.
M. Baroche, Minister of the Interior, next rose and
presented a Bill demanding that the law of the 19th
June, 1849, which authorized the suppression of clubs,
should continue in force during another year, and be
applicable to electoral re-unions calculated to compro-
mise public security.
M. Baroche likewise demanded urgency.
M. Cremieux combated the urgency, which was
advocated by M. Baroche in terms that obtained the
enthusiastic approbation of the majority.
M. Bac, who followed, was left speaking.

PARIS BOURSE, MARCH 21.—Latest. Priee's---Five per
Cents. 901. 90e.; Three per Cents. 55f. 903.; Bauk Ac-
tions, 2,2121. 50c.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE. MARCII 21.

Boulogne and Amiens, 6%—Luxembourg, 2—Northern
of France, 12% Rouen and Havre, 9 Tours and
Nantes, 2%.

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 16th inst. have arrived.
The Prince and Princess DE JOINVILLB were ex-
pected to arrive there shortly.
MADRID BOLSA, MARCH 16.—Three per Cents.,
28t, Five per Cents., 12k, both paper. Exchange on
London, 50 25.