, 1876-01-22

result Of an intention to do any unlawful sct,-
killing or otherwise,-is guilty of murder, and
aSsuredly that is a much more sensible view
of the case than that Of the German law, as
represented, at least, by the Berlin COrrespon-
dent. All the conditions of murder, both as a
moral offence and as a danger to society, are
completely fulfilled where you have, first, the
intent to kill |unlawfully, and secondly, the
carrying-out of that intent. even though
another victim be substituted for the one
aimed at, In the eye of the law, nothing
ought to be more irrelevant than the fact that
the murderer happened to make a bIunder.
SO long as the intent was deadly and
the result Of that intent was deadly also.
The French Assembly draws near its end.
On Thursday (30!h Deo) it decided that the
elected Senators should be chosen on January
80, md the new Deputies on February 90,
the new Assembly Of two Houses meeting on
Mnrcl s. The day Of its own dissolution is
not yet decrecd, as members havo agreed TO werk
off some arrears of business, but the final hour
cauuot be protracted many days. The Assem-
hlr viii probably in obedience to the law Of
it, history, do something unexpectedly good
before Il dies, but the programme is that it
should RETRO OVer-worked to bed, and die
there. History will probably Judge it moro
lenicntly han journalists have done. This
Assembly has produced no ruler, no orator,
and 10 united party capable Of controlling the
country. But it has made a peace which has
lasted, it has upheld the credit Of the State
under MORMON difficulties, il has enabled the
Executive to maintain public security in spite
of a civil war, and it has established a Conser-
vativo Republic. Those are great achievements,
and # some sf them were performed unwilling
w Ito Aoco,,ll~ 81 .,t;tlaI - tLo oraA.t IS ale
denial.
Al. Buffet evidently thinks the time come
TO make his Government a Government of
combat 4" indeed. On Christmas Eve he
inside a speech in the Assembly, calling on all
Conservative to rally to the MarshaI's side,
end saying that Marshal MacAtahon would
never serve the Radicals, or become the agent
Of " subyersiye passions Apparently few
passions are SO subyersive, at least of the
present Constitution, as the passions of the
Legidnjs.s; but if the T}mes' correspondent
in Paris caa be trusted, NJ. Buffet Is not at all
afraid Of passions subyersive of tue present
Constitution, bus only of passions subversiya
OF some ideal Constitution which does not
exist, and probably will never exist. However,
the Marshal agrees With NJ. Bullets deh0i-
ton Of Conservatism, and has complimented
BIN on his speech, and 50 indirectly ratified
the pledge that he will never serve the Radi-
Gals. According to the Times, NJ. Buffet has
told his p%refects to supper: true Conservatives,
OF whatever party that, in the south, true
Conservatives are often Legitimists, sad il The
west Moderate MouArchists, but that he can
hardly believe in the true Conservatism Of any
Left-Centre man Or " Liberal" however
much he may profess Conservatism. In one
word, the Government will help all who wish
to found a throne on the ruins Of tho Oonsti-
tuition of February, bat not any who wish to
establish, strengthen, and develop it.
A Press law of very stringent character
has been passed by large majorities, the worst
feature Of which is that it takes away the jury,
which was the only restriction on oppressive
convictions, and puts the power of convictiug