New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-06
THE FRENCH SFNATE.

The action of the Senate on the compromise
hill relating to the Pre- endors VIII be awaited
with intense interest in France NJ. F.oquetF
nropo.al was TO deprive all members Of former
dypasties of civil and military rank and politi-
cal rights. and to cxpel them Immediately from
France and Algeria. The Government meas
ure favored by Nj. Duclerc authorized tho ex-
mission of any member of the families that
had reigned, il grave facts should Indicate
that he was endangering publ" security" and
tins expulsion was Ia carry with 1t an Imme-
date deprivation of political rights, WIN
menace of imprisonment If hc SHOULD re-
turn. NJ Fares bill, whrh was adopted
by the Ministry and pissed by the Deput %,
contains three clanse' The first prohibits tie
Princes from filling any civil, military or
naval post; the second empowers the PreS.
dent 10 decree expulsion at his di ,cie ION ; and
the third enacts n penalty OF imprisonment
from one TO five years for violations OF the
law The first claus, which Ii directed prin-
cipally AGAINST tho three sons OF Louis
Philippe, the Duke dAumale the Duke de
Memoirs and the Prince do Joinyille, is tho
one on which mOdCT tie and advanced Rcpub-
Lcans in the Senate will test Their strength.
The reiec ion of either the first clause OF OF
the whole bill will be an event of grave i'm
portance. 1t will not only increase mOmenta-
rily the senseless furry caused by Prince
Napoleon's manifesto, but it will array one
Legislative chamber against the other on what
NAV I've termed dynastic question.
The expedIency OF having two legislative
Chambers of coordinate powers has been for
a hundred years a question on which public
opjnon in France has been divided. When the
first constitution was debated, in 1871, Ameri-
can precedenls we're closely followed, and the
advice of Mr. Jefferson, who was then In
Paris. was eagerly sought; ut on this question
of having one or two Chambers Rousseau was
accented as guide. Tho second Chamber
was dispensed with, and the King, armed
only With the suspcnsive veto, weapon
which no was not expected TO use,
WAS left mt the mercy of the Deputies year
aftrrward. when. the KING in his turn had been
dispensed with, all precedents, American
ana English, were cast aside, and ROusseau's
ideal republic was embodied ia kobespierro's
constitution, by which all the functions of
State were exercised by single Chamber
elected annually by universal suffrage. AlthOu n
the mower of this Chamber was absolute.
administration was impracticabe until the OK
ecutIye functions of an nnwieldy cOncourse of
debaters were usurped by IA committee of
safety; vet the Rousseau theory OF an omn D.
oient Legislature has been retained 10 this
day by IL large body of French Republicans.
The Deputies OF the Extreme Lett arc
anxious TO abolish the Senate and the
Presidency, and TO empower q single
Chamber to govern the country through Its
select committees. This is the Extremist pro-
gramme; aud the man body of the Deputies
are almost as greedy in respect to political
ascendancy. They are willing TO have q
President if he will contriyo to efiace him
self 80 far as possible from the adminlstra-
ton AMI they will toll rate the Sena.c, pro-
vided that body will content itself with
registering their decisions "COnstitui0nally,"
the Deputies will say, d" the Chambers have
coordinate powers. but the germina ing idea
"Of the French system il the OmnpOtence OF the
legislature. and omnipotence imp les unity /;
"helce prac ically, the Chamber of Deputies
"must remain the centre OF actual pOwer.n
This is virtually tho Rousseau cOnccp ion OF
gov rnment.
Whatever may be the claims OF tho Deputies
the fact remains thar, under tho Conssi-
tuition, the Chambers are on terms of
equality 30 far as legislation is concerned.
If the Senate persists ia rejecting the first ar
ticle OF the bill aimed against the Pretenders.
| the Deputies cannot restore it and make it tho