The Express. — 1851-11-17 (London, England)

FRANCE.  SATVEDAT EVENING. To-day. M. Vitet read, at the close of the Assembly's sitting his report on the Questors' Bill. The committee had adopted unanimously the proposition in the shape which I have already sent. But they altered their resolution as to appending the minutes of the ministerial contradictions. On the motion, however, of M. Jolt', the Assembly decided that these minutes should be also printed and distributed with the report.  The committee of internal administration has this morning discussed the modifications to be introduced into the chapter on the electoral law to be detached from the municipal bill fur separate debate on Monday, according to M. Vatimesnil's motion, which was yesterday carried. The committee has maintained the principle of a three years' domicile, but has admitted several changes in the secondary provisions of the law of May. It has decided in particular that the notoriety affirmed by a commission will suffice for the domicile of origin, so that all citizens who have never quitted their place of birth will be electors de jure. The committee of initiative has referred the motions relative to the electoral law which have been laid before it to the committee on the municipal bill. M. Laurent (de l'Archiche) has presented a counter proposition to that of the minister of the interior respecting the state of siege in the Ardechc. He proposes on the ground of the perfect tranquillity existing in that de, artment, that the Assembly shall put an end to the state of siege there. The debate of Thursday exhibited in a striking point of view the impracticability of naturalising in France the American system of clerk-ministries. Not the reddest jacobin of the mountain was ever baited with the same relentless persecution which assailed the former Advocate-General of Paris, and the  ex-procureur.general of Rouen. No member of the Assemble would have experienced from his colleagues treatment so crushing and cruel. On the other hand, no minister with the least experience of parlia. mentary warfare, or with the least consciousness of the duties of his position, could have been guilty of the blunders of M. David. The new minister of justice not only offende I all parties by turns, but inflicted the most suicidal wounds upon the government. Every one knows with what scrupulous pains that summary is prepared at the end of the President's message, which reflects his personal policy—how every word is weighed in the nicest balance— every phrase filed with deliberate caution. To charge a rude provincial lawyer, liko M. David, with the task of interpreting such a document, is like committing the costliest viands to the coarsest cook. What in the message was left purposely vague, the Minister of Justice defined with the harshest decision ; what was distinct, he blurred and distorted. Thus, M. David had the hardihood to assert that, if the Assembly maintained the law of May 31, the President would enforce its execution; while, on the other hand, he denied that the same law was a violation of the principle of universal self age. So disgusted were the Elyseans with this gross misrepresentation of the Pre, Mimes sataning, that Lucien Murat called to the wiedster regtatedly to tell him that his assertions ware la direct contradiction with the message, and wad* Ida have forced him away from the tribune. The Left, hart by his ill-timed affronts, joined in the jeers of their adversaries against the floundering speaker, who to a natural defect in utterance added the strangest perversion of his part, and marred the policy of the President, while he declared himself ready to die in defence of his prerogative. Such an !agate display of unenlightened real drew from the whole house the most outrageous manifestations of ridicule and contempt; and the disgraced tribune became a pillory, from which the keeper of the, seals arse pelted and hooted like a dog. Or of the most notable features of the day is the asamion of Odilon Barret to the league of Mole, Imre, and Thiers. This is the more remarkable, es week of M. Barrot's intimate friends and former sallsegers, as De Tocqueville, Dufanre, Passy, De Tracy, Gustave de Beaumont, Laajuinais, and generally the Hera-parti, voted for the second reading of the Electoral Bill. M. Odilon Barret, in his speech yesterday in favour of Vatimesnil's motion, represented the vote of Thursday as a necessary vindication of parliamentary independence, and resistance to a systematic aggression on the Assembly. The four leading anti-Bonapartist organs, Union, Ordre, Assendkkge, and Opinion PuMique, all combine in lauding this speech as the true explanation of the pure and simple rejection of the Electoral Bill, and the best commentary on the attitude of the old majority. The earlier part of the Assembly's sitting was taken up with the interpellatioos of M. Charles Lagrange on the interruptions of electoral meetings by the police. He complained that the presence of the police at such meetings was illegal. M. Lagrange then proceeded to read articles from several papers, which he was astounded to see Ist pees by the authorities without prosecution, arbor republican journals were accused ef conspiring wee the flimsiest pretences. The government MOW an entente, but would not be graded le this respect. M. de Heeckeren accepted this atataisent as a confession that the speaker was privy to seditious machinations. M. Lagrange said, in continuation, that the peole woulvmt till 1832, and then they would perform the duty prescribed to them in the constitution They would vote, not with the message, but with the constitution in their hands. M. de Thorigny, minister of the interior, 

Article type: NotIncident