Star.
London, England, 1821-12-08 00:00:00

FRENCH PAPERS.

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.
SITTING OP DECEMBERS.
M. (le SERRES, the Keeper of the Seals, mounted
the tribune to make a Royal communication. The
King, said the Minister, has commanded us to offer
you two Projects of Law. The first contains addi-
tional dispositions to the laws for the suppression and
prosecution of offences committed by the Press, or
any other way of publication. When the laws of
the 17th and 26th of May, 1819, were carried, it was
foreseen that experience alone, that touchstone of
laws, would point out of what mialification that sys-
tem was susceptible, which was intended to regulate
a matter so new and delicate. In truth, three years
have scarcely elapsed since their promulgation; but
in the course of that short time, a sufficient number
of judicial and political facts have presented them-
selves, to enable us to appreciate their results, and
the utility of new provisions. These new provisions
will divide them elves, like the laws to which they
relate, into penal enactments, and such as regulate
the mode of prosecution. Before entering upon the
developement of these provisions, the Minister sub-
mitted to the Chamber some general reflections.—
The Charter, he said, in recognizing in Frenchmen
the right of forming their own opinions, announces
the laws destined to repress the-abuse of this liberty.
If it is easy to enumerate, if it is possible to define,
the interests which suffer from these abuses, it is im-
possible to enumerate or define precisely the abuses
themselves. Their forms are as numerous and as
varied as the expression of thought. Such abuses
are felt; they cannot be defined. Now, if it is of the
essence of a good penal law to define exactly the acts
which it criminates, it is evident that in a matter like
the abuses of the Press, which evades all exact defi-
nition, a good jaw is strictly impossible: and this
difficulty, be pi based to remark, is not the difficulty
of the law alone; it is the difficulty of repression. In
this state of embarrassment, no other basis of repres-
sion has been found—no other means of defending
society—than to impose on abuses of publication
denominations extensive enough to embrace alit thus
when the English law declares every libel punishable,
it remains to determine what is and is not a libel—
that is a law still remaining to be made. It has been
Made in the public mind by the jurisprudence of
more than a century, the only means of producing
such a law. Even y Nation which claims the liberty
of the Press will encounter similar difficulties. The
laws which must circumscribe this liberty, imperfect
in their nature, will be more so in proportion that
they are new, and consequently less understood.
The legislator is here constrained to acknowledge the
limits of his power, and that he cannot anticipate the
work of time. Particular circumstances • aggravate
in France these inevitable inconveniences. For thirty
years we have renounced that generality and ancient
simplicity of renal laws which onr neighbours have
preserved. We have sought to define every case with
mathematical rigiutr. The judicial spirit has been
formed with this strictness, and it would be difficult
to bring it back to contrary habit,. Such habits,
however, are those which alone can give reality and
force to a legislation necessarily vague in its object.
These reflections explain in a certain degree the im-
pel fections of the law of 1819 ; they paint out how
far that law can be remedied, mid they shv.v to what
extent we can carry the efficacy of repression. Here
the Minister characterized the law of 1819, as it de-
fined the different kinds of offences, and contended
that it had properly left undefined some abuses, the
repression of which required greater promptitude.—
The Minister then proceeded to discuss the mode of
proceeding against offences of the Press, and stated
the argument in favour of referring them to a Jury.
A Jury was to be admitted in every case that involved
freedom of opinion ; but terms of reproach, or abusive
expressions, he contended, properly belonged to the
Correctional Police. The Keeper of the Seals, after
stating the modifications of the law of 1819, intended
by the present Project, proceeded to the consideration
of the liberty of the Journals. He contended that
the liberty of printing and publishing our opinions
no more implied the right of establishing a Journal,
titan the liberty of speech implied the right of erect-
ing a Tribunal in the public streets; and it was re-
markable that this latter right existed in England
along with the liberty of the Journals. He distin-
guished the Journals from other works published by
the Press, and argued that a more prompt repression
Should be applied to them. The periodical Press, he
said, was eminently democratic; because it ia as emi-
nently calculated to excite the multitude, and to give
it an influence on the affairs of the State. Free Jour-
nals were thus good or bad, according to times and
places; they suited certain Governments and certain
circumstances, but not other Governments and other
circumstances. A great part of the Minister's speech
was an elaborate defence of the provision imposing
restraints on the periodical Press.
The following is a copy of the First Law Project:
Louis, &c.—We have ordered, and do order, that the Law
Project, the tenour of which follows, shall be presented to the
Chamber of Deputies by our Keeper of the Seals, Minister Se-
cretary of State ter the Department of Justice, and by the Sieurs
Baron Cuvier and Jacquinot Pampelune, Councillors of State,
whom we charge with the 'exposition of its grounds, and the
supporting it us the discusaion."
TITLE 1.-01 P REPRESSION.
Art. i. Whoever, by any one of the means pointed out I. Ar-
ticle 1, of the Law of the 17th of May, 1819, shall have out-
raged or turned into derision the Religion of the State, shall be
punished by an imprisonment of from three mouths to five years,
and a fine of from 300 to 6000 francs.
The same penalties shall be pronounced against whoever shall
have outraged or turned into derision any other Religion, the
establishment of which is legally recognized in France.
2. Every attack, by any one of the same means, on the Royal
dignity, the rights or authority of the King, the inviolability of
his person, the order of the soccession to the Throne, the rights
or authority of the Chambers, shall be punished by an impri-
sonment of (runs three months to five years, and a fine of from
SOO to 6000 francs.
3. The attack, by any of these means, of the rights guaran-
teed by Articles G and 9 of the Constitutional Charter, shall be
punished by an imprisonment of from one month to three years,
and a fine of from 100 to 4000 francs.
4. Whoever, by any of the said means, shall have excited to
hatred or contempt of the Government of the King, shall be pu-
nished by an imprisonment of from one month to four years, and
a linc of from 150 to 5000 francs.
5. Defamation or abuse, by any of the said means, directed
against the Courts, Tribunals, Constituted Eodies, Authorities,
or Public Administrations, shall be punished by an imprison-
ment of from fifteen days to two years, and a fine of from 100
to 4000 francs.
6. testa publicly given, in any manner whatever, on account
o! their functions or their quality, either to one or several Mem-
bers of either of the two Chambers, onto a Public Functionary,
Or finally to a Minister of the Religion of the State, or of one of

the Religions the establishment of which is legally recognized In ,
France, shall be 'punished by an imprisonment of front fifteen
days to two years, and a fine of from 100 to 4000 francs.
The dine offence committed against a Juror on account of his
functloos, or a vritneu on account of his deposition, slue be pu-
nished by an imprisonment of from ten days to one year, and a
line of from SO to 2000 francs.
Insult given to a Minister of the Religion of the State, or of
one of the Religions legally recognized in France, in the elercise
of hia functions, shall be punished by the penalties enacted by
Article Ist of the present law.
If the outrages in the different cases contemplated by the pre-
sent Article have been accompanied by abuse or violence towards
the persons, the culprit shall be punished conformably to Articles
228, 299, 231, 232, and 233, of the Penal Code.
7. Infidelity and bad faith in the accounts which the journals
and periodical writings give of the Sittings of the Chambers, and
the proceedings of Courts and Tribunals, shall be punisher) by
a fine of from 1000 to 6000 francs.
In case of repetition, or where the account given shall be of-
fensive to either of the Chambers, or to one of the Peers or De-
puties, es injurious to the Court, Tribunal, or Magistrate, or to
jurors or witnesses, the editor of the journal shall be farther
condemned to an imprisonment of from one to three years.
In the same cases, the proprietors and editors of the journal,
or periodical writing, which has been condemned, may be pro-
hibited from giving in future any account of legislative or judi-

vial discussions.
s. Shall be punished by imprisonment from fifteen days to two
years, and a fine of from 100 to 400 francs :
1. All seditious cries publicly uttered.
2. The removal or degradation of the public sigma of Royal
Authority, committed in hatred or contempt of that authority.
3. The wearing of external rallying signs, not authorised by
the King, or by police regulations.
4. The exposition in public places or assemblages, the distri-
bution or sale, of any sign or symbol destined to propagate the
spirit of rebellion, or to trouble the public peace.
9. Whoever, by any ose of the means pointed out in Article
Ist of the Law of the 17th of May,lBl9, shall have endeavoured
to trouble the public peace, by exciting the contempt or hatred
of citizens against one or several classes of persons, shall be pa.
nished by the penalties enacted in the preceding Article.
10. Every publication, sale, or offering to sale, exposition, or
distribution, without the previous authority of the Government,
of engraved or lithographed drawings, shall, for that offence
alone, be punished by imprisonment from three days lo six
months, and a fine of from 10 to 500 francs, without prejudice
to the criminal prosecutions to which the subject of the design
may give occasion.
11. Article 10 of the Law of the 9th of June is commorrto
all the provisions of the present title, in so far as they apply to
the Proprietors or Editors of a journal or periodical writing.

TITLE 11.--OF PROSECUTION.
14. In the case of offence towards the Chambers, or either of
them, by one of the means pointed out in the Law of the 17th
of May, 1819, the offended Chamber may, on the mere com-
plaint of one of its Members, if it do not prefer to authorize a
prosecution by the ordinary course, order the accused to be
brought to the bar. After he shall have been heard, of duly
summoned, it will condemn him, if there be cause, to the penal.
ties enacted by the laws. The sentence shall be executed on the
order of the President of the Chamber.
13. The Chambers will themselves, conformably to the pre-
ceding Article, apply the provisions of Article sight relative to
the account given by the Journals of their Sittings.
The provisions of the same Article 8, relative to the account
given of the proceedings of the Courts and Tribunals, shall be
directly applied by the Court and Tribunal in which the pro-
ceedings shall have taken place.
14. Shall be prosecuted before the Correctional and Official
Police :
1. Abuse in the cases contemplated by Art. S of the present
law, and by Article 19 of the law of the 19th of May, 1819.
2. The offences provided against by Articles 6,8, and 10, of
the present law.
3. Public instigation to crimes not effected, or to offences by
the sale, distribution, offering to sale, or exposition in public
places or assembiages, of diawings, engravings, paintings, or
emblems.
The other offesces provided against by the present law shall be
tried conformably to Art. 13 of the law of the 26th May, 1819.
(Signed) LOUIS.
Tuileries, Nov. 7. (Countersigned) 11. DE SERIIE.

SECOND . LAW PROJECT.

Louis' &c.—Article. The laws of the 31st of March. 1520,
and '26th of July, 182 t, relative to the publication of the Jour-
nal; and periodical writing:, shall continue'in force until the cad
of the Session 1826. (Signed)
Tuilcrits, November 7. 1.01;IS.
After the Project was regularly entered,
M. DELA LoT, amidst loud cite; of Order," and
constant hue% uptions fr .m the centre (the adherents
of Ministers), argued that a censorship, by stifling
he voice of truth, us ould enable the enemies of the
Deputies to calumnidie them before the nation, a:
they had already before the Throne. Arc public
discussions to be checked, and the Chamber to be
deprived of the right of manifesting its resentment.
and of taking lawful vengeance on its calumniators?
This Tribune is the only place where a free opinion
can be expressed, and the Chamber owes it to itself'
to vindicate its unalterable regal d. its inviolable re-
spect for the best of Kings. The Chamber will not
remain quiet under the horrible calumny which has
endeavoured to burst asunder the bonds of mutual
confidence between the Throne and the Representa-
tives of the People. It throws back this calumny to
its source—those headstrong Ministers who have
dared to pet vert the most innocent language and the
purest intentions, and build upon them the most un-
natural and revolting suppositions. It was thus that
Louis XI. was once prejudiced by evil Counsellors
against the conscientious advice given by the leading
Magistrates of the kingdom ; but that Monarch soon
came to himself, and thanked them for their honest.
sentiments. " Continue (said he) to speak to me the
language of conscience : I recognize you fur good
and faithful subjects, and le assured that I will al-
ways be your good King r and we, also, let us
confide in the superior understanding of the most
enlightened Prince in Europe : let us rely on his
greatness of soul, which will soon break through
the clouds of odious prejudice, and of dark intrigue,
which have been spread before him to our injury.—
What ! can it be for a moment believed that an as-
sembly of enlightened men, of men sincerely devoted
to their King, could have listened with calmness, and
adopted with mature deliberation, an Address which
they thought contained a shocking insult to their So-
vereign? Is it possible that men whose whole lives
have been a sacrifice of devotion and fidelity to their
King, could intend to wound his paternal heart in its
most sensible part? And who are our accusers ?
The public enemies of legitimacy and the Charter—
the declared partisans of arbitrary power, who can-
not endure any majority, any opposition on whatever
side it may exist: men who at other times have dared'
sacrilegiously, in the face of Europe, to accuse the
House of Bourbon of being the sole cause of the
misery of France—( Here hefixed his eyes on the Mi-
nisterial Bench, where sat Messrs. De Serve, Roy, and
Portal).—" And is it on the word of Ministers like
these that any man will condemn, 1 will not say
the flower of France and the models of national ho.,
nour, but even the lowest and meanest of mankind?
No, no : the cruel error cannot long deceive the mind
of a King confident in the love of his people, and who
will find in his own, better than in the interpretation
of any Counsellors, he true meaning of our language.
He will cast back upon his Ministers the malignant
construction which they have put upon our words.—
He well understands the principles of that Reptcsen.

tative Government which he has given us : he well
knows that our reproaches against his administration
are aimed only at the depositaries of his power, while
the Royal Majesty, sacred and inviolable, still and
ever remains the first, the dearest object of our homage.
What is the language which these malignant Ministers
have held to the Sovereign? They tell him, that
those who oppose his good Ministers are violent and
selfish men, who have no other object in view than to
turn out the present occupants of power, and to have
all their own way. That the Opposition, forsooth, is
not only factious, but consists of Ultra-Liberals; nay,l
what is still more•terrible, of Ultra-Royalists! Ultra-1
Royalists! At this name, Gentlemen, my heart swells
with indignation, because Lknow that every man who
invents or employs injurious designations to class par-
ticular parties, is a miiister of discord, is a man who
ranges and marks out victims for proscription.—
Ultra-Royalists ! Gentlemen, when Bonaparte go-
verned this empire, celebrated men of every kind
served him with zeal, with courage, with devotion.
Would any of his Ministers, would any agent of
Police, any dabbler in intrigue, have dared to tarnish
before him the zeal of his servants, by calling them
Ultra- Bonapartists? And is it under the reign of
Louis XVIII. that an agent of the Imperial Police,
a public detractor of the Bourbons, dares, in the
Council of the King, to stigmatize, as exaggerated,
the zeal and devotion which we bear to his cause ?
( Loud and continued applause I.—But the calum-
nies, and the plots of the Ministers are rendered null.
Their attempts to procure majorities have failed ; and
so will their present attempt to sow the seeds of hatred
between the King and his faithful Deputies. All their
attempts to, stifle the truth will fail ; the King and
the nation will soon understand their disgraceful
manceuvres ; and justice will yet overtake them.
M. de Sean, denied that the Ministers had any
intentions so odious as were imputed to them by the
last speaker. He denied that they entertained any
hatred against the Royalists ; and exclaimed, " If
this feeling is attributed to the Ministers individually,
every one of them can answer triumphantly with me,
that if loyalty is to be measured by devotion, by sa-
crifices--" (Here long bursts of laughter from the
' right and left side of the Chamber interrupted the
speaker, and a voice called out distinctly, " Yes, your
majoral of 400.000 francs is one of your sacrifices:"
and another voice exclaimed, " There are no sacri-
fices in your case except those which the State has
made for your benefit!")—After a considerable pause
M. de Serre concluded by saying, that as the last
speaker had produced no proofs of his allegations, he
(M. de Serre) had nothing further to say—(Repeated
bursts of laughter).
M. DONNADIRO then made several ineffectual at-
tempts to speak ; and, after some angry altercation
between. the Chamber and the President, who was
accused of partiality by M. de la Boordonnaye, an
adjournment took place till Thursday.

THE EVENIA6 STAR.

LONDON

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1821.
THE FUNDS.

STOCK EXCHANGE, ONE O'CLOCK.

The Market is very heavy this morning, little or
no business doing. The information received this
morning has had the tendency of depressing the
Market.—Current prices:
$ per Cent. Reduced 761/2 5/8 14
3 per Cent. Cons. shitt-4 per Cent. 961/8
5 per Ct. Navy Anns. shut—lndia Bonds 655. pr.
Exchequer Bills £lOOO, par, Is. pr. Is. dis.
Ditto (Small) par, 2s. pre.
Consols for Acct. 7714 Yip

Four days' French Papers, up to Thursday last,
have been received in the course of last night and
this morning. Some interesting extracts, from those
of the three first days, will be found in another part
of our Journal. The Chamber of Deputies did not
meet until Monday, when there was a very animated
discussion. The question before the Chamber was
a proposal, by the Ministers, of a new law on the
Press, including the establishment of a Censorship for
five years: but the debate turned principally upon the
KINU'S Answer to the Chamber; which was strongly
condemned, by both the Ultras and the Liberals, who,
on this occasion, as in voting the Address, coalesced.
The principal speaker who attacked the Ministers
was M. DELA LOT, an Ultra. His speech will be read
with peculiar interest. He unmasked the desperate
schemes .of Ministers, and defied them to carry them
into execution ; he charged them with a design, since
they had log their influence in the Chamber, of wish-
ing to set aside the laws by a Royal Proclamation—to

annihilate the Charter, and act on the principles of
pure despotism.
The KEEPER of the SEALS, who made rather a
pitiable figure on the occasion, talked of his loyalty
and his sacrifices, as the Brno did in his Address, of
his exile and persecutions. He complained of the
melancholy duty which devolved on him of answer-
ing the Members of the Chamber amidst the insults
and menaces of such a tumultuous assembly.
A number of voices exclaimed—" Ah I then you
are convinced of that now; it is time." And M.
BENJAMIN CONSTANT told M. DE BERRI/ that the
Chamber had been insulted by himself
General DOXADIZU, and several other Members,
attempted to speak, but were interrupted by the Paz-
SIDENT, who was accused of partiality. The Cham-
ber was quite tumultuous; and the Mirfisters failing
to carry their measure, the Chamber postponed its
future meeting until Thursday.
It is scarcely possible to conceive that the French
Ministers can persevere in attempting to carry on the
business of the State, when they have so decidedly
lost the confidence of all parties in the Chamber of
Deputies.

The Moniteur aud the Journal des Danes are a.

issue on the subjcct of the late Address to the Kik
Theilfonlieur,with more metaphysical pretension duo
success, tries to shew that the majority waq, in effect,
no majority, because the component parts of it were
so utterly incongruous, and their principles on mcs:
questions so opposed ; while the Journal der Des
is content with repeating, that it %vas a good ani
efficient majority—road the subject matter on ithi
it actually voted.
PARIS, DECEMBER 4.
At one o'clock his Majesty received the corps
Diplomatique, who were annOunced with the ac.
customed ceremonies.

During the morning the King was occopied ilex
in his cabinet, and in the afternoon his Majesty on,
acted business with the President of the Council
Ministers.

It is reported that Captain Delamotte, who nye
evidence on the trial of Maziatr, and who exam
when they were conducting hint back to prison, was
arrested at Lille on the 30th of November.
It is said that Russia persists in demanding tv
guarantees against the excesses of the Turks; t,t,
military occupation of Wallachia and Nloldayi, I„
a corps of Russian and Austrian troops; and that cf.
the Morea, by another corps of English and Au.ttixiti,
Several divisions of the Russian Army have re.
ceived new great coats, a circumstance which gives
rise to a report of a winter campaign.
Yesterday an extraordinary Courier arrived s,
Paris, bringing Madrid Journals to the C7th Nove:,
bee. There was great fermentation in that City s
he left: it was caused by a Message add•essed hyti
King to the Cortes, in which his Majesty enen..i,„ll
that the people of Cadiz would not receive Ger2i
Baron Andilla, whom he had sent, in quality ()lc*
vernor, to that City, nor the Political Chief, Esca,
lately appointed to succeed Don Manuel Jautegr.
In his Message the King demanded estraor,:ixer,
measures from the Cortes to make his authority z. 4
the acts of the Government b:.• respected. The Calk
in the Sitting of the 2Gth, nominated a Commissab
report on the Message of his Maje:ty, with thelex
delay possible.—Gozette de Fraltee.
The Spanish Government chews great firmness;
and as the great body of the inhabitants of Cadiz do
not accord with the threats of a small numot of r&
volutionists, wilco have caused all the distil-tea led
which that City has been afflicted, it is lila eat
strong measures will be adopted to restore order.—/k
FRENCH FUNDS, DEc.4..—Five per Cents.BSf.7oe,
GERMANY.
FRANKFORT, NOVEMBER 29.
EXTRACT OF A PRIVATE LETTER.
a The Greek Government, lately estah!ishol at
Suli, has published a Proclamation to the Epirotes,
which is signed by the Prince Mavrocordato, Prsii-
dent.—The old Ali Paella is still in his citadel of
Joanina. We are assured that he is di:ati,fied ski
the measures taken in respect to the Government nt
Suli.—A corps of 8000 of the Asiatic troopsluve
arrived in Epirus to reinforce the Ottoohul Amyl
that Province."

SPAIN.
MADRID, NOVEMBER 27.
311 AN EXTRAORDINARY CONVEYANCE.

The Journals contain new Addresses againtat
Ministry. That of the City of Valencia is veryn•
markable. The Political Chief of Cadiz, in orders
calm the inhabitants of that City, has made host,
by a Proclamation of the 15th November, thattlir
representation to-the King remained still witke
an answer.

Malaga, Xeres, and Corogna, have made ap
entations, and joined the Confederation of Cab.

A conspiracy has been discovered at Malip
Governor put himself at the head of a detachnsa
surprise the conspirators in a house nut of the a!
They refused to open the door, and fired MO
the windows. The horse of the Governors'
wounded as well as some of the soldiers. Ilea
spirators then made a sortie ; four of them fell
instant, pierced with wounds ; six others, of via
two were wounded, were made prisoners; but
Chief, an ex-military Officer, seized the GoversaS
his arms, and would have suffocated him in their*
if he had not been relieved by prompt assistance.
The Officer was spared by order of the Gow
and conducted to prison.

Madrid Journals to the 23d ult. have arrived,
following are extracts :

_
MADRID, NOVEMBER 21.
Our Papers contain, at great length, the dooms"
received from Vera Cruz, respecting the state of*
Spain, and the Convention concluded by God
O'Donoju with Iturbide.
The principal discussion in the Cortes has balk
military division of the Spanish territory into t 1
districts.

BARCELONA, NOVEMBER IS. .
The fever is now at length sensibly diminiiigg
violence, and there is every reason to hope dot/
will soon be completely subdued. The new cogs°
far less numerous, and the deaths but few.

CADIZ, NOVEMBER 15.
Yellow Fever.—Port St. Mary, Nov. 4, Sr sPl6`..
New cases, 76 ; cured, 51 ; died, 31; retasl,lo
Xeres.—New cases, 24 ; cured, 21; died, 17; le

main, 63.
The Journal called Redactor-General, publislo°
two Supplements, news from South America's
the treaty between O'Donoju and Iturbide, oo
.
basis of the independence of the Mexican Emile'
the bead el which Fel-dim/id yll. is to be FUCA"'

;11 case of his refusal, the next member of his family
in odes of succession.

A flu, ±n; Mail has rought us Brussels Papal
last, from which we make the fol-
to Wednesday
imeing extracts:
BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 5.
Accounts f om St. Petersburgh, of the 10th of No-
tether, say, that four Professors in the University
alba City, Messrs. Arseniew, Nalitch, Ilerrmann,
and ganpach, have been suspended from their Tune.
inns, for having, during their lectures, developed
opinions which have appeared dangerous. An in-
on, is instituted into the affair.
Acouats from the frontiers of Turkey announce,
ilia the Persian army, commanded by the Prince of
pia, continues its victorious march, and that it has
'• entered the celebrated city of Bagdad.
WARSAW, NOVEMBER 6.
The reports which had been spread respecting the
:i itessian troops " going into cantonments are wholly
unfounded. These troops are on the war establish-
ment, provided with everything necessary fora cam-
paign, and ready to march at the first notice.
IVe learn from the interior of Russia, that corps of
reserve are forming, to keep the army up to its pro-
per complement, in case war should break out.

German Papers to the 27th nit. reached us this
toning. The principal article of interest which they
contain is a leiter addressed by his MAJESTY to the
Duke of CAMBRIDGE, on the subject of his late visit
to Hanover. The following are extracts:

HANOVER, NOVEMBER 21.

Os Royal Highness the GOVERNOR GENERAL set
O'Ji :I.T day before yesterday for Gotha, and Count
11.:;:ut:Nseico the Minister of State, is gone to Vienna.
The Ministry has published the following most gra-
cious letter fioni his MAJESTY to his Royal Highness
tie Duke of CAMBRIDGE, and to the Cabinet Ministers: