Star.
London, England, 1816-12-25 00:00:00

....-,_

711ENCII PAPERS.

PARIS, DECEMBER LI.
the King heard mass yesterday, in his apartment.
Two regimeits et the Guards are to march imme-
diately to go too garrison—one at Caen and the
other at A 1111.7.11 S.
Twenty-five Deputies have inscribed their names
to speak sgaiiiiit the..Electit n_Project, and fifteen in
favour of it. ,
It is understood thfi the proposition of the Baroo
Ernout the Chamber of Deputies, which is to be
discussed in Secret Committee; relates collie
la Colonies.
The case of M. de Fargues, who was Lately ad-
mitted a Member of the Chamber of Deputies, is
rather a curious one. He was elected before he was
40, but did not present himeelf for achniisigis until he.
was turned that age.
The word in the Charter is admitted, not elected,
which, if not altered may give rise to inconveniences.
The Journ.il des I):3(sts has a hog article, in which
it notices, that in various towns ot France the Ma.
eoeracy are forming Societies, and opening Subscrip-
tions :••• of the Nor. It leptObatell, how.,
ever, one mode gel., •estated to, n.irnely, that ofll
forming Storer if Reserve for ete s ipply of local wants.
This practice, it justly observes, by increasing the
competition among the buyers, only tends to enhance
the price of ohe Commodity.
We learn from Constaetinople, undir date of the
10th November, tl.at M. de Ita;insky, the Russian
Ambassador, has left that capital in a Russian vessel
of 21 guns, and sailed for Leghorn.
Nineteen persons are about to be tried by the As-
size Court, charged with having assOciatto for the
commission of burglaries in Paris.
Yesterday morning, a woman, living in a street be w
-
hind the Temple, in a sudden fit of phrenzy thre
two of her infant children from window on the third
storey, and next threw herself. The children were
taken up dead, but the mother was alives
Mademoiselle GEORGES, the actress, who was fined
8000 francs 'or absence witholit leave, has sent iii her
resignation to the Committee of the " ThOatre
Franeeis:" if accepted, it will not have effect for a
year. She loses also her pension of 1200 francs.
FRENCH LAW OF ELECTIONS.
The following is an analysis of the projet now be-
fore the Chamber of Deputies on this subject :
M. BORDEAUt in the Report made to the Central
Commission, stated, that the principle of a direct con-
tribution of 300 francs to entitle to the right of elec-
tion was the .only compass by which to steer in the
analysis of the different plinsthateltad been proposed,
and that in order to keep the question in view, it was
necessary to confine the discussion to two principal
points—" Shall there he elections by two degrees, or
direct elections by one degree only
The election by two degrees comprehends too:
Electoral Colleges ; the first' for the choice of the
electors, and the second for the nomination of the
deputies.
With respect to die Electoral College, some have
proposed to assemble in the Canton all those who
pay a tax of 3W francs, and from them to choose
the Electors for the
,Department, in number propor-
tioned to the population ; and they contend that these
assemblies, Irons the smelitiess of their numbers,
wnufd be mere exeerlitious in their proceetiingse
But on the other hand, it Might lA. that itursooe
would operate with a degree of activity, in propos.
lion to the narrow limits of its sphere of action
There is also a political objection, that in many Com-
munes, as well as Cantons, the number of persons
that pay 300 francs is so small, that it would be a
matter of ridicule t 3 unite them into one body. Be-
sides, even in Cantons where there are a sufficient
nunibrr of persons that pay 300 francs, Electors of the
Department would be nominated less by the election
of themselves than by the exclusion of others.
In some departments there are not from two to
three hundred persons who pay 3uo francs, and con-
sequently all having a right to elect, the electors
would proceed directly to the nomination of Depu-
ties, while in more populous or more opulent depart-
ments there would be an election ley two degrees. In
many departments the number of those that pay 300
trams would not exceed that of the electors for the
department, generally by more than a half, and in
this case there would be less a principle of election
than of exclusion. The assemblies of the district will
be more liable to influence and intrigue, oa account
of the smallness of their numbers. In short, the
principle of election by two degrees is so encom-
passed with difficulties, that it is necessary to have
recourse to the direct mode, or election, by one degree.,
This mode of election is so simple at the first view,
as to stand in no need of regulation. it consists of
two principles-Ist, That all those who pay 300
francs and are of the age of thirty years, possess the
right of election-2d, 'Diet these electors ate to unite
ot the principal town of Coe department, there to
divide themselves into different sections, in order to
nominate Deputies. Some, however, have appre-
hended that such numbers world assemble as to be
of dangerous consequence, from their having the
are
appearance of a democratic meeting, while other
of opinion that the electors taint the country would
. not come to the College, and thus that the whole in-
fluence would center in the populous cities. All
admit the difficulty of lodging. and maintaining for
many days such a number of electors. But the de-
mocratic appearance aecribed to• this form of elec-
tion, is an objection more specious than solid.—
With respect to all the power centering in the
electors o f pm pulous cities, it proceeds upon a very
doubtful hypothesis, that the country electors would
be negligent of their duty, Thet effect, however,
could never become general, and in some cases the,
preponderance on the part of the citiervould ass!
act of justice. The essential basis of a Represents.
eive Government depends upon the Monet system,
and by the direct election a sort if moral responsi-
bility is formed betwixt the Electors and the Depu-
ties that ensures the goodness qt toe choice; the first
will have more confidence *those tiny elect, and
tne second more authority the exercise of these
functions.
The principle of the. law depends wholly upon that
of the turret contribution of there hundred francs, as
established by the Chance:
The Report concludes dsus : That the Commission
had at hist leaned to the principle of the two degrees
of election,. And had only abandoned it from the con-
eietteli that it was irtecoacileable with the principle

laid down in the 40tb Elia* theSbarter. 11'0
impracticable is 4t
of execution. The Courant.
sion had thee revete
artedd the advanta to the direct
and happy ef-
ode of slessian,
And justly a i
fects arisingPirroet: it. •
VIENN:MDECEMBIRA.
Several rich individuals Some yea, ago established
Thereceived
addition of some very costly machines from England.
In the night of the 4th instant, owing to die impru-
dence of one of the workmen, the edifice took fire,
and the wind being violent, made such progress, that,
in spite of the proximity of water, and the greatest
promptitude of exertion, all the,upper storey, as we
de-
ll
46 all the machinery which it contained, were
stroyed. Great exertions were made to save the
ground storey, which was full of inflammable sub-
stances, and, fortunately, they were successful. The
fire, however, extended to the great establishment used
for boring of cannon, and which was only separated
from this building by a rivulet ; and this snpeih
establishment fell also a prey to the flames. It is yet
unknown what the extent of the damage may be, but
it is supposed to amount to not less than two or three
millions.
CONSI'ANTINOPLE, NOVEMBER to.
The plague still continues its ravages in ills capi-
tal and its nrighhourhood. At Thessalonica, it has
diminished considerably.

TRIES FE, NOVEMI3ER 3n.
A polacca from Smyrna has carried the plague to
Tripoli.

CARTA, DECEMBER 7.
We have had most estraordinary weather here for
some time. On the same day we have had the op-
pressive heat of summer; a storm, accompanied with
lightning, thunder, and hail ; and in the evening, a
sharp cold, with flakes of snow, just as if it were the
month of January in Siberia. We have had some
shocks of an earthquake in the direction of the North.
Orders have been given for public prayers in all the
churches ; the host has been raised : the relics of Si.
Budget• have been carded in procession ; and the
Ecclesiaseics have recommended a strict observance
of fast ,during the Advent.

_ .
MONTAUBAN, DECEMBER IL
For some days past the markets of ram department
have experienced no alteration. Corn is brought
hither, and is no longer demanded with that anxiety,',
which caused an advanced price in the midst of abort-,
dan,e. Tie hectolitre is now at 31 francs, and it'
will soon WI, in consequence of the arrivals which are
taking place in the Jiffereot ports of LanguedOc.
The cloth manufacturers have agreed to purchase a
stock of corn for the use of their workmen, by which
means they will prevent any rise horn taking place
in the price of bread.

THE EVENING sTAR.

LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1816.
CamsTata, VA T.--Holklay at all the Public 01Ices.

If we may credit reports that are circulated with
considerable confidence, the plan to be first resorted
to, on the Meeting of Parliament, for getting over
tiie difficulties of our financial situation, is to raise a
Loan of Fifteen Millions, and charge the Interest on
the Sinking Fund. If this be true, it may free Mini-
sters from a little embarrassment for the next year,
by enabling them to meet the expenses of the Public
Service, and the demands of Sinecurists, without Car-
rying the system of Retrenchment to an extent which
would require the instant abolition of, any of the
'Faxes : but if it be true, the distress of the Country
will be greatly agg avatel by the =assn. which
wii.l only tend to perpetuate a to id which ought. by
every means, to be lessened. If the produce of the
Sinking Fund, which should be applied to the reduc-
tion of some of those Taxes which press most heavily
upon Agriculture, Manufactures, and•domestic cora-
tort—if. we say, the produce ot this Fund, which
ought, in sound policy, to be so applied, is to be
thus mortgaged for the Interest of New Loans, the
effect will be the same as if New Taxes were laid on
to the same amount ; for every measure which per-
petuates the payment of any Tax that might be dis-
' pensed with, is just the same in its operation as one
which compels the levy of a new Impost.
Such a project can only originate in a belief that,
'as some have asserted, the distress in which we are
at present involved is only of a temporary nature. In
one sense it may be termed temporary, but not, we
tear, in the sense in which these people use that term ;
it is temporary because it will pass away whenever
the load which causes it shall be sufficiently lightened.
but in no other sense, Out burthens are in fact our
distress. These are convertible terms—they mean
L the same thing—and he is * fool who can believe, or
attempt to persuade others, that while the load re-
mains undiminished, the weight will cease to press
upon those who bear it.
To talk of the distress being only temporary is
precisely the same as to say, thrit it exists only in
imagination and has no reality. Are the taxes only
•
imaginary ? Is our great national expenditure only
ideal ? When these absurdities can be proved, then
it may be abewn that mere palliatives will meet the
nature of our present exigencies.—Why will people
continue thus to deceive themselves ? No remedy
that goes not to the root of the evil. will or can pro-
duce a radical cure of the malady which palsies our
Agriculture, daily sinks our commercial capital,
throws our artisans and labourers out of employment,
and is turning the balance of trade against us with
all the world.—The bulk of 'mankind are generally
silting to defer swallowing the physician's preirciip:
dos till s.-morrow, but delnys are dangettiiiis' where
the health of the patient is concerned. 'Ai milady