New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-08
FRANCE.

rur FRENCH CHAMBERs-BIIIS ON THE PRESS AND
ON THE RIGHT OF MEETNG-THE ROYAL Wis
IToRs-RUssIAN FAIsEHooDs ON BERZowsKI.
Prom Our Special Correspondent
PARIS June 81, 1867.
The chief reason given in the famous Imperial
Letter of 10th January for withdrawing from the
Legislative Body the right of presenting an address
in answer to the speech from the throne was the
Oreat amount of time wasted in its discussion. That
same letter of the 10th January promised in general
but positive terms two large reforms. Inc Chanl-
bers have been in session now more than Tour
months, and session of the preceding SIX years
In which so much time was wasted IN sterile de-
bates on the address" has been idle and barren IL
is only within these last ten days that the Commit
tees have reported the bills on the Press ana the
Right of Meeting. Never did molehill labors blng
forth two more ridiculous muses. than these TWO
tangled restricted, hampered, untulhllments OF the
Imperial promises of six months ago. Those lew
persons who would base their opinions OF the
Imperial regime on something deeper thah
the agreeable gayeties of Paris, would do
well to read and peTpend these bills With such puT
pose in view such particular reader will ind these
prOsy documents deeply interesting. Each bill be-
gins finely with laying down freedom in principle
and goes on to lay atop OF the principle restriction on
restriction, straight walsc0at on straight walstcoat
reducing the working application of the principle TO
little than insane, frultless struggle. Thus,
article first of the Press law runs as follows: Any
FrenchmaR mot FrenchwoDaan) having attained his
legal majority and enjoying his civil and political
rights may, without previous AUTHORIZATION, publish
90 Won Ut tarpiter atrum
Desinat in piscem muller fOrmOsd supelnej
articles most ancient and devil-fsh like, smelling OF
the last century tpiter scaly More than half OF them
are penal and referring TO penalties IN other eXlStmg
laws. The generously human heading of the bill on
the Right of Meeting has appended to it a similar
variety of foul night-brd's feathers and limbs OF
tardigrade mOnsters-fragments OF fossil laws that
date from before the deluge Of 1889 Some OF It's more
striking features can best be presented by hypo-
theucal case.
ing off twenty days from now We electors IN the
town of AbbOttvllle want 10 meet together and talk
over the political questions of the day and the can
didates IN nomination. Seven OF us local residents
must sign written request notice, and send II TO
the Project OF SubPrefect of our Department If he
lives a days journey distant, mich the worse Tor
Three fuU days q. e., one days journey not
countedD after his receipt of notice. and unless he
makes objection, we can hold our meeting in a COW
cred. walledn building that has doors to IT.. The
day of meeting must not be later than the sixth day
preceding the day of election. No one but inhab-
itants of the town of Abbottville can attend 1t.
policeman or other subordinate agent OF Govern,
ment shall be present whOcan close its proceedings at
any moment when, In his Judgment they become, or
threaten to become improper In any case the meeting
must to end at the hour fixed for the closin2
of drinking'shops in the department IN which we
live. This hour is, IN the provinces generally 10 of
the clock p: m The cOllocation Of cabdrets lgrog-
ehOps and dry meetngsO of the sovereign people, un-
der the law of Universal Suffrage is complimentary.
The penalties for violation the part of the denOc
raey OF the numerous restrictive provisions OF the
ment for six days TO fine of 10000 francs and I'M
prsonment for a year; besides which the offender,
- the special gravity of winch is estimated by
the tribunal. that is, by the magistrate who tries
him, may be deprived of his right Of franchise for
period OF not less than one nor more than five
years.
But is rather out of season to dwell now on these
balls FOR fumOrs that have been floating up and
down Tor months past of prOrOgation adjournment
dissolution even, OF the Legislature, thicken and
BOdfy as II were IN these last few DAYS so that now
ID is currently accepted as nearly certain that so
the budget Is voted, (say By the list dav of
July,) The session will be adjourned till next An
tumn; that the hardly than mock fuliilment of
Eapoleon's voluntarily given promises of last Janu-
airy will not come into discussion in that body for
months yet to come. The Great Exhibition and its
Acconpanyngr0yal and industrial festivities distract
the attention of the mass of high and low vulgar
for the moment. But men Of the graver Sort less
taken up with gaping than thinking think very
gTaYely this backsliding from liberal grace It
is hardly conceivable. in rational way explicable
that, at the time Napoleon pl0fu PrOpro issued his
liberal manifesto last January, he not seriously
r:eaDng 10 institute without great delay consider
able measures Of reform That very presently he
was persuaded by ROuher and Others that lie was
going too fast aud far, evident That even the
scant inch Of progress these were more or less will
hngly ready to accept has been resisted like
80 81 By the retrogades pure and simple is