Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-08-25
FRENCH LAW OF ELECTIONS.

SIR: The article from the London Morning
Post, which YOU have republi.hed from a New
York Journal. is In no manner TO be depended
OF. IL processes TO give statement OF the
grounds on which the present c contest in France,
about the law of elections, has been carried
OH with so much acrimony. But, it is evidently
an en- parfe statement and the London Morn
ing Post Is, besides, more loose, and less TO be
depended on, than any of the Lopdon journals.
have amused nyself with looking over a
file OF Paris newspapers to the Sd of June aud
tbe results, as respect the true grounds of this
celebrated election law, ate at Sour service
IL NJ TO be remarked, however, that the exposi.
ton OF principles in the Debates OF the Cham
h"r OF Deputies, appears to be attended TO
much less than personal elimination, aud
striking comments OH the actions of parties
opposed. There is, too, good deal of school.
10Y rhetoric, which arises, perhaps, from the
custom OF writing out their speeches aud read
ing them from pulpit or tribune, " hich each
'senber is Obliged to ascend before he can ad.
dress the house.
We all know that Louis 18th, when he first
entered France in 1911, and assembled the
| throne left vacant by the abdcation aud ban.
| ishment to Elba OF the Emperor Napoleon, is,
| s"ed hts famous Charter, guaf anteeing nun,e-
| rous rights and privileges 10 the people and
| converting NE government into ii limited mo-
| nafchy III which the people were Represented
| by Chamber Of Deputies or House of Cons
| mons. Among other things, this Charter rto.
vided that the qualification TO entitie person
| TO vote tor Deputies should be the payment of
~.
| he 30 years of age" The persons thus entitled
| to vote were found TO amount 10 betw en- so 900
and 100 600 in all France aud these persons
| assembling ~ the capital town of each depart
ment, tot other place appointed by the kiurl
under "A PreSidsut aud Judges of ele c,iou an
pointed also By the king. formed what was
called the Electoral College, and voted di,ect-
Ior Tue nnmher OF Deputies to which their
department was entitled.
This is the system which was established Ia,
/ me law OF elections of February, 1917 ard
| "hich IL is now proposed to change. should
perhaps, mention, that To be eligible 10 the
! Chamber OF Deputies, the candidate must he
w years OF age, and pay at least 1000 francs
| Is ZO0) direct taAes.
There was, IL is trne, another law which was
passed on the 18th July. 1915, not four weeks
| alter the battle of Waterloo when the Enrhsh
| army was eucamped in he Champs Eiysees and
| nattery OF Prus-iau artillery was posted with
hghted matches AT the POnt Royai What the
provisions of this law were, cannot learn =
nu. u is probable that i, was highly aristo-
| cfatlc IN lis features, and threw the elections
INTO the hands of the king and his Minister'S
| IL lasted but short time, and gave place 10
ina, OF February, 1917, above mentioned
| Inc following il the change propospd by the
! Kings ministers, and which, has excited 80 great
| termenf. venture to say that no American,
| VIII hesitate 10 pronounce it a subtle coniri-
| vance which renders the provision of the CHAR.
' yer mere farce; and III fact gives the power
OF eiecting the Chamber of Deputies entirely
INTO The hands OF from IL QUO 10 20 900 of thu,
most wealthy people in France, ont of A uonn.
iaiion OF 5000 900. Ii is as follows:
| Ihe list OF all th- qualified voters in the de-
par,ment being taken, the one fifth in humble,
oi 'hat INST, are selected who paw the highest
| 'aXes-beginning with him who paws most. and
! so gong down until the one fifth Of the whole
H Ua OF voters IN The department are taken.
these persons so selected are 10 form The a.
.ecfordt College Of The Department: The remain
| ine nainber of voters are to he divided INFO as
ia ,one&es IS there are orrondissementS in
me Department, each reimbursement ha wing its
! 'o"se o. 0FFohdisSement; each OF these COiLeges
81 reimbursement is TO nominate as MANY per-
sons as the department has a right TO send de-
| pntles TO the Chamber.
lhe liSf of all the persons nominated by the
! aLTohd'SSemeRtS is then presented 10 the C0Neye
| ~ apartment cmposed as above stated and
irom that iist tie College OF dfynrfu,nt selects
! tue number of Deputies, which the DEPART
| Deputies. VI
I But IT there should not he a sufficient uum-
| Der OF cdndi|a'es returned by The CoUeres nj
Wrondisssmfh, as having an absolute r,Gj0r;Iy
| ~ .ne r"teS' we Cotffge o. Department can COM
pete the lIsi by taking the names OF anvpe
SONS voted tor, no matter how few votes ihpy
| may have had-so that a person who has III
ieast number of votes may he reinrned as a
| deputy 10 the Chamber. For examine Tho
| department L'disne is composed of FIVE n,yon-
easements, aud sends (0ur Deputies 10 the
ChMnser. The Colleges Of arrondisseusut viii,
nave In present, therefore, t1ceRfy candidates
10 the college Of Department. But. suppose
mat two or three persons, most dsiinpuished
III the department, should he voted for i'm sew
erai oil the arrondissemenis--the Coilepe of
| O'P"tment may make up the list of f,ceufy
,loh 'ne othefs voted tor III the arroDdisse-
meuts and then as il NAV choose anyon tho
ISL, 1, may actually return 10 The Chamber If
! Deputies person who has received onty one
vote In preference 10 him who has received
! thousand
| Some other propositions were made in Tho
| progress OF the discussion One was tha, lilo
| high fared, or filth Of The voters shouIJ voio
t"ice-once in the College of nrrondissey,enf
ana ana, again in the College of department. Ano'
liner. that the Colleges NJ dIy'nadjSyr1eut sbnutJ
choose one half, and that of department shonId
choose tile other half OF the Deputies. In Tho
sitting OF the 10Th May, NJ. Camille Jontdan
proposed substitute, that each department
should be divided iutO a, MANY arr9u,i;ySep,s,ts
as there were Deputies TO he chosen. and that
each reimbursement should then elect y Den
MY TO the Chamber. Ii was this a,nendnent
which gave Use to the scene of N. Chauyelip
which amused all Paris for several dave
While the ballets we're taking this DENNY
VINO was yery III, entered the Hall suDp'rted
| byhve or six friends, aud his cote dsciJiu,
The qnsStionat that time in favor of the amend.
| mcni, Nj. Chamvelin was exiOllsd tn the 81 Ice
| Tor his zeal by the one party and sent In evo
| Grafton by the other.
lbe Ministry support this proposed altpra-
ion, principally by the argument of Decessit,,.
| aHeging that IL IS Impossible for the present
government TO go on without chanpe in tb,
t,ecInn law. They assert that The provision
OF The charter is not violated, and defend This
position by forced grammatical inIernreta
lou OF me verb " concouriT." The charter SAYS.
that those Who pay 800 francs direct tax. and
are 30 years old, shall vote for drpnties-
coHconrcEt a IN nomination de3 DepHins"
Under NE proposed system they say that ali
such VII still have right 4 assist (coneonrirl
IN the nomination of Deputies.
cannot bul think The creation OF such an
ariSioc'acy as is proposed. at best but douGt
mi experiment.. France has y .OJD.0OO of in
habiianis; under the present charter. il il
found That not more than eighty or ain hun