The question of Electoral Reform has caused divisions in the
ranks of the Liberal Opposition in France. At first there was a seeming agreement. All were for " Reform ; " but when details were considered, and specific changes were to be fixed upon, dis- union appeared. We take from the Morning Chronicle an account of the project which °DILLON BARROT and the Moderate Liberals support— It first of all recommends the admission to the electoral franchise of that large class of persons called in France /es capacites, whose fortune is not pro- portioned to their education, and whose right to vote rests on the possession Of the latter. In forming the Jury-law, it was not thought objectionable to ad- mit professional men to the onerous duty of the jury-box. M. Barrot's Com-
mittee proposes to admit all persons on the jury-list to be electors. '
" The jury-list comprises first, all electors paying 200 francs ; all public functionaries exercising their office gratuitously ; all retired officers of the Army and Navy ; doctors of law, science, letters, medicine ; members- of the Institute and other learned. bodies ; and notaries after three years practice. Such are the capacites of the jury-law. With these are to be ad- mitted, by the proposed reform, all officers of the National Guard, Magistrates. Juges de Paix, Municipal Councillors, and those who have passed the Poly. technic School.
" The next recommendation is, that the minimum of voters for an electoral college shall be 600. As the present law stands, when a district does not con- tain 150 electors, paying 200 francs annually, that number shall be completed out of those paying most taxes.
" Another recommendation is, that no electoral district shall have more than one place of voting. Thus, when an electoral district returns four Depu.. ties, all must be chosen in the chief town by the votes of all, instead. Of each petty town electing its own Notable. This is to counteract the spirit of locality, which has returned so many notaries and Mayors of villages to the Chamber.
" Every elector to be eligible. No Prefect, Receiver-General, Procureur- General, or employe of the civil list, to be Deputy.
"Each Deputy to receive twenty francs for every day that he is present ia the Chamber.
"These are the leading recommendations of M. Barrot's party, although the discussion has not yet fully taken place, nor a decision been made. They calculate that such a reform would increase the number of electors inscribed from 200,000, as at present calculated, to 400,000."
As soon as this plan was published, another Committee of Re- form was appointed, under the auspices of LAPFITTE, ARAGO, Da- PONT de l'Eure, and Maims. The Committee took a short time to concoct their programme- " Every National Guardia an elector ;
" Every elector is eligible."
This the Moderate party denounce as nothing less than universal suffrage ; and so the combination is broken up, and the pr electoral system safe for some time to conic.
Statements have appeared in the French newspapers a a change in Louis PHILIPPE'S policy on the Eastern Although not official, general credence is given to these and the Paris and London journalists assume that Government has sent M. PONTOIS to Constantinople wi tions to support MEnsairr ALL'S claim to the independent sove- reignty of Egypt, Syria, and Candia. France, it will be remem- bered, was a party to the note which assured the Sultan of the re- solution of the Five Great Powers to maintain the integrity of the Turkish empire : the countenance now given to ManEairr ALL is, therefore, in direct contravention of a previous pledge. It is said that the King has yieldea in this matter to the almost universal desire of the French people. What effect will be produced on the negotiations at Constantinople—whether the other four Powers will adhere to their original determination—how far France is disposed to aid the Pacha of Egypt—arc points on which information is yet to be acquired. Meanwhile, the subject is fruitful in speculation. A hurried visit paid by Mr. WAGRORN to Constantinople has been noticed. He saw Lord Poxsoxisr and CHOSREW Pacha, and then returned to Alexandria. It is supposed that he was an emissary of MEHEMET ALL The French blockading fleet off Buenos Ayres is to be rein- forced, and vigorous measures taken to compel the submission of President Ifosas. The Journal des Mats rails vehemently at the obstinacy of Rosas; complains of the support he receives from Mr..MANDEVA.LE, the British Envoy ; and hints that Mr. MANnE- anua; is not justified by Lord PALMERSTON'S instructions in the course be has pursued. The article in the Debats' like many others in the Paris newspapers, is written in a spirit of hostility to this country.
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