FRENCH POLITICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 695, 15 August 1870, Page 2

FRENCH POLITICS.

The formal declaration of the late plebiscite was made the occasion of a grand ceremonial in Paris. The Emperor Napoleon received ~< the annonncement in the Salle des Etats of the LouTre, in the presence, of the Imperial family, the Corps Diplomatique, and all the great dignitaries of the empire. M. Schneider, the President of the Corps Legislatif, made a speech in which he briefly , reviewed the history of the last 18 yean, and interpreted* the vote as expressing the desire of France to advance "in the path of practicable progress," under the protection of the Imperial dynasty. The Emperor replied at some length. The plebiscite, he said, which had been designed to confirm a liberal reform, had been raised into a question between the Empire and the Revolution, which had been solved "in favour of the system which guarantees order and liberty." " The Empire," he continued, " will show its force by its moderation. My Government will cause the law to be executed without partiality and also without weakness. . . . Freed from the constitutional questions which divide the best minds, we must have but one object in view — to rally round the constitution, which has just been sanctioned by the country, the honest men of all parties, to insure public security, to calm party passions,- to preserve the social interests from the contagion of false doctrines, to seek by the aid of the highest intellects the means of increasing the greatness and prosperity of France, to diffuse education ; to simplify the administrative machinery ; to carry activity from the centre, where it superabbunds, to the extremities, where it is wanting ; to introduce into our codes' of laws, which are monuments; the improvements justified by experience ; to multiply the general agencies of production and riches ; to promote agriculture and the development of public works ; and, finally,' to find the best distribution of the burdenß which press upon the taxpayers. Such is our programme." - For a time personal Government seems again in the ascendant. The Emperor has gained, but M. Ollivier has lost; In one instance the Prime Minister haa sustained an ignominious defeat. „ A Bill was under dis- ; cussion for reforming the Councils-general, or departmental Parliaments, when M. Clement Duvernois proposed that the proceedings of councillors- should be reported, like those of the Legislative Chamber. M. Ollivier opposed, and on a division was beaten by 197 against 18 votes. M. Duvernois then moved that the names of speakers should be reported with their speeches, and although the Left Centre responded to M. OlliTier*a call, he was again left with a minority of 83 to 117. Much chagrined, he took an early opportunity of explaining his position, threatened resignation, and virtually demanded a vote of confidence. He obtained his majority, but his position in the Chamber' is greatly altered. Out of doorß, the conduct of the Government is jealously and notwithstanding some manifest advances

of the last year, the Constitutionalia'to are discouraged. / - Paris is quiet. There is less political agitation . than for some time past, though fresh arrests have been made of persons charged with conspiring against the Emperor. The alarming prevalence of small pox may have helped to draw off attention from public affairs. The most novel sensation of the month, indeed, has been caused by a hoax of the Figaro, which, professing to have "changed hands" and become a Republican organ, published a series of articles by the leaders of the Revolution, from Rocheforfc to Victor Hugo, «o admirably imitated that they were mistaken for genuine. A paragraph, in small type, told the history of the joke, but was not detected, and 150,000 copies were sold to the astonished multitude. : / :