, 1875-02-20

Cne Leu tenure Amendment supported
yesterday by NJ, Laboulaye. The Left
then demanded an immediate Vote to be
given from the Tribune, thinking they
could command a majority, and they re-
fused to vote by the ballot-box, which ad-
mits of proxies; but the Right succeeded
in adj ourning the Vote til to-day It
must also be remembered, for the better
comprehension of what occurred to-day,
that NJ. Louis Blanc, in his own name and
in that Of NM. Quinnet, Peyrat, Nader,
De Montjau, Ordinaire, and Marsan, de-
clared that they would vote against the
Amendment, because they considered the
nomination of q President fatal to the
principle of the Republic. 1t was under
these circumstances that the sitting open
ed. Since yesterday violent efforts had
been made on both sides to strengthen
themselves. A Deputy of the Right, NJ.
de Kerjagu, a cripple, confined to his bed
during the last two years, was carried into
the Assembly, and had to be waited on by
one of the Secretaries. The Vote in the
Tribune began at haif-past 2 o'clock.
Deputies succeeded each other as they
CHANGED to be near to the Tribune, while
the probable result of the Vote was dis
cussed with much animation in the Hobbies.
1t was asserted that the LabouIaye Motion
would be rejected only by five or six votes
and attempts were made to make NJ. Louis
Blanc alter his mind. He was naturally
expected, after the declaration which he
made yesterday, to vote against the La
boulaye Proposition. The Importance
of the struggle about to be decided became
painfully evident. If these six Deputies
could be brought to alter their minds there
would be a difference of - votes iTfavour
of the implied Proclamation of the Repub-
lie. The first attempt made by the Left
proved so far successful that the irrecon-
clIabIe Deputies promised to abstain but
abstention was not enough for the Lett,
and renewed entreaties were made for q
favourable Vote. All at once there was
a marked movement in the ranks of the
Left,-Something like a shout. NJ. Peyrat,
one of the six, had assembled the Tribune,
and was voting in favour of the PROPOSE
ton. The others followed and initiated
him Three rounds Of applause from the
Left hailed this accession, NJ. Lepere threw
himself into NJ. Peyrat's arms. It was be-
lieved on the Left that the Republic was
voted, The Right betrayed a little con-
sternation. These cries Of triumph depres-
sed if, and it began to lose faith in its ma
jority. The people in the galleries watch
ed with curiosity the scene going on in
the hall. On every hand it was asked
whether the Labtulaye Proposition had
been carried. 1t was reported a few mo-
ments before that there would only be a
majority of s against it. Six votes having
changed sides, this made a majority of
four in it's favour, but-happiIy for the
Right, u%nhappily for the Left-the Divi-
sion was what had been foreseen yester-
day. The number of voters was only 694 ;
tor the Proposition there were 335 votes,
against it 359-a majority of "a against it.
But for the unexpected turning round of
the irreconcilable Deputies the majority
would have been SO.
The Laboulaye Proposition, it will be
seen, had not many more partisans than
the Casimir Perier project, which was re-
jected by 40 votes | confess | should
have thought it would have had fewer, for
it did not mention the revision of the Con-
stitution, as the Casimir Perier scheme
did. From this point the Chamber enter
ed into %niceties of procedure, which l am
forced to explain because it affects the
form of Government which is ia nrevail