New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-11

THE FRENCH CH1NBEES.
The French Senate has rejected the Scruiin
de Liste by vote of lis to ia. The Min
listers took no part in the debate. and alb
stained from voting, bat the Left Centre under
the leadership of two former PrcmicG~, VI.
Wadding.on and NJ Simon, united with the
Right in opposing the bill. OF the nine mem
bors of the Special Committee appointed to
examine the measure only one Wa, in favor of
it, aud the preliminary voting in the bureaus
showed that the proposed dl.fanchi~cmcnt Of
miDoritics was viewed with apprehension.
The final result is thai the general elections in
the autumn will be- held under tAr present
system of district representation.
This deadlock between the Chambers ha- its
personal rs wei as it,, constitutional aspects.
Gambcttas triumph in the battle of the
Scrutin. in the Lower House WIS followed 10y
species Of Republican progress to his native
town Cahor, is the natural centre OF q Con
scryatiyc district. once conspicuous for is 10y
atty to the BouJplr;c- brat the President of
the Deputies was Welcomed with fiery a.lor
and infections enthusiasm. The populacc
throngcd about him; splendid fctc~ were inn
provi~cd mines were spruns i'm place of artil-
lciy great professions escorted him through
the streets; and in pyrotcchnlc display "a
Gallc cock bursting in mid air disclosed the
leaders name in flaming letters athvart the
sky BY series Of brilliant sp'cchr, and a
really great Grafton az tlc un,cilu- OF The
monument erected to the memory of the four
teen hundred Mobiles who icll IN Tie
war with .uny hc carried by storm
the heart. of town,pcoplc and peasant
IL ...tt 4 r.f ..f
Lot. one Of the object, of the >,Iutin dc
Listc was the cXurplticn Of the rc1otiohdr.
factions, and the incidents of this tour demon
stratcd that under GImbrttA's leadership thc
stronghods of tic enemy could bc sucrc---
fully bc,icgod. The President of the Republic
must have Witnessed with di>mly these sue
ccssyc triumpls of hi, Younger rival lie had
Intellectually striNon to PIT the Premier and the
Ministry against GamLctta in thr lower CAau-
her. lie was now forced To make final
stand in the Senate, and 10 appeal for support
To the PIclnicrs whom Gamnctta had dis
placed.
The constitutional aspects of the dradlock
are equally interesting. While the Chuhhct-
have coordinate power, under the cou,i .,IiIon,
the political asccud.ucy of the lower house j.
virtually established. The Ministry which WIS
turned ont of office on the 10Th cf May was
IN accord with the majority of the Deputies.
whereas the Ministry which was ST up in open
disregard of the wishes of that majority WAS
supported by the senate. When the country
decided in favor of thc Dcputic. the Senate
affirmed the constitutional equality of the
Chambers, and the President appointed what
he called Business Cabinet, the Dcpulic, re-
4 o. D IL l.
tee threatened 10 withhold supplies until
Parliamentary Ministry shoud be formed. At
a later period when Clause Seven of the Ldn-
cation act was rejected 10y tie Senate, the viii
of the Deputies was executed in the anti
Jesuit DEGREES. In every instance where there
has been division of opinion between the
Legislative Chambers the a>ccudaucy of the
popular body has been acknowledged in the
end. The unwritteG law has risen above the
Constitution.
Ii may be, however, that the present is a
more favorable Opportunity for asserting the
equality Of the Chambers than has previously
arisen. 1t cannot be- doubted that there j, a
wide division of opinion among tine Republic
can Deputies respecting tie Scrutin de- L,tc,
and that the action of the Senate can be- am
ply justified 10y the narrow majority hich the
bill received on the test vote in the IoWcr
House. The coordinate powers of Ire two
bodies are clearly defined IN the Constitution.
The ordinary legislative functions are shared
10y them with a single reservation financial
measures are brought forward primarily in
the Lower House and the Senate has cx-
elusive privileges which compensate for its
being in minority in National Assembly and
for its subordinate relations to the budget.
1t acts as a court Of impeachment whenever
the President is tried for high treason or any
of his Ministers are accused of high crimes.
and It's acquicsccnce X requisite whenever the
lower Chamber is dissolved before the end of
its official term. Gambctta himself has rccog-
nizcd the necessity Of adherng ngidly to the
fundamental law of the state. In one of his
speeches at Cahors lac asserted that the Re- !
publicans had no right to rccast the Consiiiu-
ton prcma'urdy lie warned the country
that it must wait It'll the established powers |
have accomplished their rcyolution.' The
Senate can point TO thc Scutin dArondissc-
ment as one of these "ostabiishcd powers -
and quote his own words against himself.
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MIXED M4RRLiGES
1t is 10 be hoped that tie supreme Court at |