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Channel Islands of Kobespierre's sans culottes, when the 

 very name of a Frenchman was obnoxious. 



We find here textually reproduced in Mr. Faucher's 

 book a lively debate which took place on the 16th 

 of February, 1893, in the Legislative Chamber of the 

 " Etats de Jersey, " presided over by " E. C. Mallet 

 de Carteret, Lieut. Bailli." It originated from a discus- 

 sion of the provisions of a bill introduced to remove 

 doubts as to the right of the members to address the 

 Assembly in English, inasmuch as a very considerable 

 portion of the islanders, using English daily, and in 

 many cases exclusively, had declared that it is per- 

 missible for any member of the " Etats " to address 

 the House in English. 



Some of the arguments urged by the Legislative 

 wisdom of Jersey, in solemn conclave assembled, were 

 of a rather singular nature, and the debate itself not 

 very decorous, although several judges and high officials 

 were present. A learned member, Judge Falle, speaking 

 from an experience of thirty years, and whilst recog- 

 nizing the advantage of duality of language, avers that 

 the Legislature has several times declared that the 

 members had not the right to use English in debate, 

 and closes by proposing a resolution to the effect that 

 the " Etats, " whilst they are proud of the protection 

 accorded to the island by Her Majesty Queen Victoria 

 and her predecessors during so many centuries, and 

 desire to reiterate their unalterable loyalty to the 

 throne, feel that this sentiment is not impaired by the 

 thought that they consider the idiom bequeathed to 

 them by their forefathers too precious a legacy to allow 

 it to be superseded or set aside, and " that only in 

 the event of Jersey having to choose between giving 

 up the French language or the protection of England 

 would they consent to accept the first alternative." 



Judge Falle's amendment was carried on & division 

 of 26 against 13. 



