, 1876-01-22

one ofM. WALLoN's proposals, that the Presi-
dent of the Republic should in future be
elected by a joint vote OF the Assembly and the
Senate. General DE CIssEY's Ministry had
previously resigned, though they continued
Professionally to hold office the Extreme Left.
through the ~facti0us abStenti0n OF she Legltl-
mists and the calculated support OF the Bona.
partists, carried an amendment for the election
of the Senate by universal suffrage. The
MARSHAL, as might be expected, refused by a
formal Message his assent to the Amendment,
and finally the Senate Bill was lost on a diyi-
sion. The deadlock Of Parties was at last re-
lieyed in consequence of the alarm which had
been caused by the success of lmperialist can
didates at W or three isolated elections. The
majority Of the Assembly consented for once to
unite against a common enemy, and a Ministry
which dates its term of office from the 10th Of
March agreed formally TO recognize the Repub'
lie and to assist the Assembly in framing the
Constitution. NJ. BUFFET, who had lately
been reelected President Of the Assembly by a
large majority, became head of the Cabinet
and Minister of the Interior. NJ. DUFAURE, as
Keeper of the Seals, aud NJ. LEON SAY, as
Minister of Finance, represented the Lett Cen
ire or Moderate Republicans. General DE
ClssEY, who is a soldier rather then a polti-
clan, resumed office as Minister of War. 1t
was remarked with some surprise that the Duo
D'AUDIFFRET-PAsQUIER was excluded from the
new combination. He found some compensa-
ton in succeeding NJ. BUFFET as President OF
the Chamber. The appointment Of the Duo
DECAzBs as Minister Of Foreign Affairs COM
manded general confidence. The Due DE
BRoGLIE had temporarily become unpopular,
and he would have been obnoxious to the Left,
who for the time supported the Ministry. The
unstable coalition which was represented by
fhe new Government had been formally institu-
ted on the 25th of February. On the proposal
of NJ. WALTON, it was resolved that a Senate
of 500 members should be elected by different
methods. Seyenty-fVe Senators were to be
appointed, in the hrst instance by the Assem-
Div, and afterwards by the Senate itself. The
remainder were to be elected by the C0nsells
G6n6raux Of the Departments, with the addl-
ton of certain local representatives OF the
smaller districts. The necessity of universal
suffrage, which LBoRU RoLLIN invented IN
184S, preoluded all discussion on the ~constitu-
ency which was to return the Assembly. a
SINGULAR clause, introduced at the instance Of
the Conservatives, provided that the Con-
s|titution might be revised at certain
intervals. 1t has since been contended
that Royalists may consistently support
a Constitution which implicitly admits the pos
sible restoration of their form of government.
A more reasonable Interpretation would seem
to be that which limits further notifications by
the maintenance OF the essential principles OF
the Constitution itself. The State Constitu.
lions OF the American Union are subject to re-
vision, and some of them are periodically re,
yjsed but the continuance of the Republican
system is removed from the discretion of Legis'
lature and people. A change in the organic
nature of government ought to be recognised
As a revolution. The only remaining question
was whether the elections should be made By
Departments or by ACCOMPLISHMENTS. NJ. GAM
BETA and the entire Democratic Party natu
rally supported the system of Departmental
election, or Scrutss de Liste, which compelS
the voter to accept a list of candidates which
has been prepared by the managers of his Par
ty. All the Conservative sections unanimously
preferred the Scrutin d. ACCOMPLISHMENT which
renders possible a personal choice, and which
fayours the claims of local eminence and pOpu
larity. When the Assembly met after the Re
cess. late in the Autumn, the Government
which still commanded a majority, succeeded
in carving the iScratin d'Arrondissement
Members of the Chamber are to retain thei
seats for four years f; the Members of the Sen
ate, after some preliminary arrangements, TO
nine years. The Assembly at last voluntaril!
placed a limit on it's own tenure Of power b!
enaeting that the new Legislature shall NEE
on the 18th of March, 1876.
Though the Assembly, which first met a
Bordeaux in the disastrous commencement o
1871. has been guilty of many errors. it vii