The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-08-18
thursday July IA, 1854.
France

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project Of Louis Napoleon for prolonging his
Presidential term by, a violation of the Con-
stitution, has been defeated in, the French
Assembly, after one Of, the most powerful
and exciting debates that ever occurred in
any country. The speeches inthe French
Assembly are patterns after which those Of
our own legislators might be modelled. They
are generally brief and TO the point--not a
word 70 Btmcombe.. The debate lasted one
week aud. was opened by DE, Falloux, the
leader of the revision or monarchicat party,
and Gen. Cavaignac, the leader of the Repub-
lican party. De Falloux was cool, adroit,
etatisties snd appagsntlY sincere. Heurged
Thai France, since she had rushed into
the revolutionary agi.ations of 1889, had
falltn behind the great monarchical coun-
tries Of Europe, in all that relates to
physical wealth and moral grandeur, and
that the only cure for her ills was radical
revision of the constitution, which should
bring back the great principles of stability
AMI order. His speech was able, but it was
admitted not equal to the reputation he ac-
quhed as Minister of Public instruction.
Cavaignac, was earnest, sedate and intense,
AMI with an eye probably to the Presidency
ard the extreme Left, took the high ground
th,t monarchy was, in its very essence, a
negation of the national sovereignty, and
that the republican is the only form of gov
erIment atall consistent with the political
existence Of the people. The two principles
colld not consequently be discussed side by
si@--the one was falsehood, the other a
ditine truth. He was opposed to the revis-
ion, therefore, mot thai. the Constitution was
perfect, but because the object Of those who
assail it, was to aim death-blow at the
Republic. The constitution was the first
rough draft of the republican idea, and as
srchi was hated by the enemies Of freedom.
The next speaker, Coqueril, attempted to
reply to the stern old General, but soon in
yolyed himself in difficulties. He favored
the Republic because it was scriptural, but
he was also in favor Of re-electing Napoleon
betause-he was popular with the peasants.
Michel de Bourges, or the sold Man Of the
Mountain" a strong, burly, heavy-browed,
uncompromising Red Republican, who from
the earnestness with which he asserts his
convictions calls forth frequent Interruptions
from the right, and cannot often be heard
spoke next. At first he was moderate, but
as he got warm in the work, he poured out
andoverwhelming torrent of argument, sarA
'casm, defiance and patriotic appeal. When
he turned, at times, his black fiery eyes to-
wards the legitimist benches, and threatened
the vengeance Of the people on the heads Of
those who would betray their supremacy, the
faces of his edversaries would turn pale
with suppressed excitement and rage, and
whenhe proclaimed the Republic Of Februa-
ry-the republic Of popular acclamation-of
sincere conviction, mighty and imperisha-
ble,--the mountain would heave like Etna
in convulsions, and break forth into frantic
and laundering cheers.
Michel was followed by the best orator of
the legitimist party, M. Berger, who at
tempted to answer the old man, but the con-
test, a correspondent says reminded him of
Scott's description Of the encounter between
the 1.-the and supple Saladin, with his sword
and scimeter, and the heavy Richard Occur
de Lion, with his ponderous battle-axe.
Victor Hugo, the great dramatist and poet,
was the next great speaker. His shortepi-
grammatic sentences felfupon the audience
like successive discharges of musketry-first
the vivid flash of fancy, then the sharp re-
port Of logic. which drove the ball home
somewhere. Hugo in his pointed style pro-
ceeded until he had lashed the assembly into
a perfect uproar. He was interrupted at ev-
cry turn, and the bolts he shot into the Le-
gitimist Government were powerful enough
to kill it outright.
The vote stood for revision 446; against
278. As two third majority is required,
however, to alter or amend the constitution
the proposition waslost, and France is still
d Republic.