Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-06-19
FRENCH AFFAIRS.

FRENCH AFFAIRS.
Extract of letter from an American gentle
man in Paris, to his friend in Baltimore das
ted March 18th.
Several important transactions which
have lately taken place in the internal
politics of France are very interesting,
from the decisive influence they will
probably have on the future destiny of
the country, and even of Europe.-The
most decisive of these, is the trial OF
strength which occurred about two weeks
ago between the two great parties, the
Ultras and the Liberals, relating to the
law of elections, and which resulted in
the entire discontinue Of the Ultras
In three months the Liberals have gain
ed several advantages: their first great
triumph was the change of ministry
which took place in the beginning of
January. The cabinet had been, since
the last return of the Bourbons, under
the guidance of the duke of Richeleu, an
emigre, and an Ultra in his opinions, and
to whom, In great measure, the death
of Ney is attributed by his partizans.-
He appeared by his conduct to be COM
pletely directed by the leading strings of
the allied sovereigns; towards the end
of the last year he experienced consider
able annoyance from the opposition of
the minister of police Zone ofthe cabinet)
count Descazes, Liberal, who dared
more from being personally favorite of
4ha PichnIia,, %. -,.aI to %
rid OF this inconvenient assistant, and of
fered his resignation to the king, in the
alternative Of his not being permitted to
form ministry to his own mind; all his
colleagues now refused to serve unless
the cabinet was of their own party, in
stead OF MKT one as before. The king
remained undecided and vacillating for
more than week, during which time
the t. -iillerles was constant scene Of
intrigue and confusion, and the whole
city in ferment. The ferment was so
considerable, and the cause of the Ii
berals, SO generally the cause of the
country, that it overcame-and the duke,
who had confided in his own strength,
was entirely defeated, and was left out
of the new ministry, which was formed
with Descazes at its head, and under his
direction. The satisfaction of the coun-
try generally, and the disappointment
and anger of the smaller party, were
very strong and warmly expressed.
This defeat drove the Ultras to think
of other man9uvres: they and the roy
alists, who generally side with them,
when joined, have the ma ority in the
house of delegates, and they had the
complete mastery of the house Of peers.
The present law of election for dele
gates, makes the qualification for voter
his paying 500 francs, taxes, or contri-
buttons directes. Under it, many men
of staunch republican or constitutional
principles, have been elected, notwith-
standing all the efforts the government
made to prevent 1.-THE most conspi-
cuous of them is La Fayettc: the next
election promised to add very consider
ably to their number. The hopes of the
UItras were then turned to the possibiii-
ty of altering the law, so as to put the
election in their own power by making
the qualifications much more consider
able. Such an alteration was violently
opposed throughout the whole country,
and | have little hesitation in saying,
would, if effected, have rendered open
war not only probable, but almost Ger
tain. In consequence of their violent
wishes, about two weeks ago, the mar
quis de Barthelemy, to effect their pur-
poses, proposed in the house of peers, a
motion to revise the law of elections,
motion whose object seemed to show
that the marquis bad thrown off and for
gotten the able and the author O, Ana
charsis-such change do times make
in men. After several days of hubbub
and alarm, during which, the motion
was under discussion, the minority, de-
termined on firm opposition to them,
resolved on bold step, and by the crca-
ton of batch of between 80 and 40