308 



FRANCE. 



point with M. Bardouy. M. Perras's amendment, 

 which passed, took the Assembly unawares; and I 

 had an appointment with the committee on Friday 

 morning to try and make it reverse its decision be- 

 fore entering on the debate in the Chamber. All 

 this is known to everybody. As to the bill on the 

 press, M. le Marshal, you will be good enough to 

 remember that my objections related solely to the 

 case of foreign sovereigns. I had always explained 

 mvself in this sense, as you yourself must remem- 

 be'r at yesterday morning's council. I repeated my 

 reservations before the Chamber. I abstained from 

 elaborating them for reasons which everybody knew 

 and approved. As to the rest of the bill, I was in 

 agreement with the committee. You will under- 

 stand, M. le President, the motive which leads me 

 to enter into these details. I have to define my 

 position in a distinct manner at the moment of my 

 quitting the council. I scarcely venture to add 

 though as a citizen, and no longer as a minister 

 that I earnestly desire to be succeeded by a man 

 belonging, like myself, to the Conservative Repub- 

 lican party. For five months it has been my func- 

 tion to give my advice ; and the last time I have the 

 honor of writing to you I allow myself to express a 

 wish which is solely inspired by my patriotism. 

 Pray accept, M. le Marechal, the homage of my 

 respect. 



The excitement produced by this correspond- 

 ence throughout France, and even abroad, 

 was so intense, that the Havas Agency pub- 

 lished, by order, the following : 



The President of the Republic received various 

 political personages this morning, and expressed to 

 every one his firm desire to maintain the policy of 

 peace with all the Powers ; and to repress, with the 

 greatest firmness, the Ultramontane demonstrations 

 which might be made. 



In the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, 

 on May 17th, which did not begin until three 

 in the afternoon, no member of the cabinet, 

 except M. Christophle, took his place on the 

 ministerial bench. A Deputy asked leave to 

 interpellate the out-going cabinet on the crisis, 

 observing that the situation was a strange one. 

 M. Christophle remarked that he was alone, 

 and requested a postponement till the follow- 

 ing day, adding that some of the late ministers 

 were in the gallery allotted to the Senators, 

 and, not forming part of the Chamber, had 

 ceased to present themselves in it. M. Gam- 



VTBW OF THE SEVEN BRIDGES, PAEIS. 



betta objected to delay, observing that there 

 was no interregnum, and therefore the cabinet 

 still existed and could answer. The Chamber 

 decided that the interpellation should be made 

 at once. M. Gam betta then ascended the 

 tribune amid profound silence, and made a 

 speech said to excel any of his former produc- 

 tions. He concluded by moving an order, de- 

 claring 



That the confidence of the majority can only be 

 accorded to a cabinet free in its action and resolved 

 to govern according to RepuTHIcaifprinciples, which 

 alone can guarantee order and property at home and 

 peace abroad. 



This was adopted, by a vote of 355 to 154, 



the entire Left voting for it. The new cab- 

 inet was published in the Journal Officiel, on 

 May 18th. The list was as follows: Justice, 

 "Worship, and Prime Minister, Due de Broglie ; 

 Foreign, Due Decazes ; Home, De Fourtou ; 

 War, Berthaut ; Navy, Gicquel de Touches ; 

 Education, Brunet; Finances, Caillanx; Pub- 

 lic Works, Paris ; Commerce, De Meaux. 



On May 18th, the following message from 

 the President was read in both Chambers ; in 

 the Senate by the Due de Broglie, and in the 

 Chamber of Deputies by M. de Fourtou : 



MM. LES SENATEUBS : I have had to part with tht 

 ministry presided over by M. Jules Simon, and to 

 form new one. I must give you a sincere explana- 



