The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-05
SPIRIT OF TEE PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Lending Journals
Upon Current TOplcs-COmpiled Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph
NAPOLEON AND HIS PARLIAMENT.

NAPOLEON AND HIS PARLIAMENT
From the NJ Y. Times
The telegraph brings us a summary OF the
concessions which the Emperor of France
proposes to make to his Parliament on his
approaching foto day, the 10th OF August.
ANY attempt to appreciate the import OF these
concessions, before we have the official text,
would be premature, but we may reasonably
assume that the Legislature of France is
benceforth to take more prominent part in
the conduct of the imperial government than
n has done heretofore under the Napoleonic
dynasty. The right to initiate measures,
which of course involves right to
discnss them. confers a leverage upon
public opinion of the greatest inn
portance. Hitherto it has been I'M
possible to get any question before the
Charaber without the PERMISSION OF the MIL
listers and as a natural consequence, at the
moment when the Deputies were most
anxious to discuss the policy of the admins
fration. and when in their opinion great re-
suits might have attended a discussion, the
subject would be withheld or withdrawn.
This species of legerdemain has been fire.
ouently resorted to in times of difficulty, and
we can only account for the Emperors re-
linouishing so important check upon the
Legislative Body upon the suppoSltlon that
he feels himself strong enough now to
defy the utmost abuse oi the privilege III
question.
The publicity of the Senatorial sittings is
of less consequence than its appears. Though
containing many very able and eloquent men,
il is in no sense either a representative or a
deliberative assembly. 1t is popularly termed
LH0pit0L deS IHU0EdeS, so frequantly have
its doors opened to receive crippled and
manned politicians, who, for one reason or
another, it was desirable to place in digniied
hot thair 1aliharotinng oro
to be conducted in the presence of the nation,
it is to be presumed, however, that they will
acquire some additional importance.
But the most significant of all the Imperial
concession is thus stated by the telegram
ENo amendment to a law is to be adopted unless
1t has been previously referred to committee,
charged with the duty of examining the project and
of communicating 1t to the Government. If the
latter does not accept it, the Council of State will
advise the Corps which VIII then pronounce dell
nitey on the subject"
This. if stated correctly. which we doubt.
gives the Corps Legislatif larger powers of
legislation than are possessed by our Con-
gress. That body requires a two-thirds vote
to pass a law which has been vetoed by the
Executive. majority of the French Legis-
lature, it would seem from this report, will
be competent to enact a law, in defiance of
the Emperor, under its new Constitution.
The provision is regard to the treaty
it does not than for what it does concede.
Qualifications of the tariff and postal ser
vice by international treaties are to be made
obligatory only by laws enacted for that pur-
pose"
The power of treating for war and peace,
of negotiating for territory and of forming
political alliances, offensive and defensive, is
left unimpaired, though of late years the
exercise of none of the Emperors preroga-
tives has been more bitterly denounced than
this.
We do not feel much confidence in the ac-
curacy of the analysis of the senatus con-
sultum which reached us on Tuesday, the very
phraseology of which is of its essence, but if
it is reported with substantial correctness, ii
is certain that the Emperors concessions are
not illusory, however far they may come short
of satisfying the opposition, whose hostility
began with the empire, and with the empire
only will be likely to end.