The week has been remarkable for a rapid fall in
the French Fkinds. To show clearly the amount of the fall, we shall give the highest and lowest prices from Saturday to Wednesday inclusive. They are as follows—
FIVE PER CENTS.
highest. Lowest.
PUREE PER CENTS.
Highest. Lowest.
Saturday 95,95 95,50 66,60 ... 65,60 Monday 94,25 . 92,40 65,10 ... 62,00 Tuesday 94,40 93,90 64,30 ... 63,50 Wednesday... 94,50 ... 93,10 64,35 ... 62,83
From this table it will be seen, that the heaviest fall took place on Monday, when Three per Cents. were "done," to use the Ex- change phrase, at 4 3-5ths per cent. lower than Saturday's highest prices; that there was a rally on Tuesday; and on Wednesday a second decline, though not quite so great as the first. The causes assigned for these fluctuations are various. The Tory party in England and in France, who are ever prognosticating evil, at- tribute them to an approaching general war. Russia will not, forsooth, acknowledge Belgium, and has persuaded Austria to adopt a similar resolution. The King of Holland will not accept the treaty of the twenty-four articles; and any attempt to force it upon him will lead to an immediate collision between France and those who protect him in his obstinacy. There is another, and an equally intelligible theory,—namely, that the state of the French finances is such as to render necessary a considerable loan; that the ROTHSCHILDS, the jobbers, et id genus omne, are aware of the necessities of the Minister, and are endeavouring, by forcing down the funds, to get better terms from him. There is a third theory, of a more general character,—which does not seek for causes either in foreign power or home weakness, but attributes the fall solely to the lies and inventions of the Exchange, coun- tenanced as they are by the recent disturbances, by the small plot- ting in Paris, and by the delay in the settlement of the Belgic question. This theory, it may be seen, comprehends in some measure the other two,—with this difference, that they are put forth as resting on the reality, while it has for its foundation no more than the assumption of danger without and within. As, in the descent of a heavy body, the smallest additional impulse is of importance, so the failure of a Government officer, which has in reality been caused by the decline, has not a little contributed to confirm it. The person alluded to is a M. KESNER, a gentleman of the highest respectability, and a dabbler in the Funds ; he held a situation in the Chamber of Accounts. A few days ago, it was dis- covered that there was a deficit in his department of 138,000 francs; this led to an investigation, and the investigation to the elopement of M. lasivan. The unfortunate speculator, it appears, retired to his country-house, where he attempted to commit sui- cide by means of charcoal fumes. On Tuesday morning he was found senseless; but recovered on being bled, and was, when re- covered, reconducted to Paris. The defalcations of M. ICEspriut amount, the Messager des Chambres says, to not more than two (say four?) millionr of francs; and that journal takes great credit le the admirable system of accounts, by which the defalcation Was so speedily found out. We have seen that the defalcation pointed out by the system was not above one fifteenth part of the reality; the subsequent examination discovered the remainder. A direct examination will generally ferret out the truth even under the least efficient system. The various Government employes, it is said, as soon as M. lastirs's faux pas and flight were known, hurried to the Exchange, and calculating on the effect of the two when published, sold to all that would buy, and in this way pro- duced a much greater decline than M. KESNER'S case would, by ikelf, have occasioned.
We mentioned, in the Postscript of our last Number, that a plot had been discovered in the belfry of Notre Dame. The plot- ters were determined to be observed as widely as possible, for they meant to light a beacon on the turrets of the cathedral, and to toll the great bell. They were eight in number; seven of them were caught after a painful search, but the eighth escaped. So the beacon may blaze and the bell toll yet, notwithstanding the prema- ture explosion of the plot.
A strange scene occurred in the Chamber of Deputies last week. M. MONTALI VET having in his speech happened to stumble on the word " sujets," the whole of the Opposition rose as one man, to demand the retractation of the term. The clamorous dispute that ensued was only terminated, first by the suspension, and then by the adjournment of the sittings. An address to the public on this most insignificant affair, was signed by no fewer than 133 Deputies; LAFTrrE and LAFAYETTE were parties to this very irregular document, which has been dignified with the name of a "protest." The day after the discussion, the Minister contrived to raise a fair laugh against M. MAUGUIN and several others of the Opposition, by producing a paper addressed to the King, in which they style themselves Louis PHILIP'S "faithful subjects;" and the laugh was confirmed by MA.UGUIN, on Monday, employ- ing the still more unpopular phrase of "King of France." These altercations are abundantly foolish on both sides.
The French Civil List has been discussed; and, with some slight amendments, it will soon be enacted. Rambouillet was taken out of the catalogue of mansions to be vested in the Crown, by a small majority against Ministers-165 to 157. A motion was made to except Compiegne also, but it was lost by 214 to 156.
The Ministers, in adverting to the gross sum set apart for the Civil List, noticed a charge on it of no small weight—the repair of the numerous houses set apart for the King. The repairs on the Louvre alone will this year cost fifty millions of francs; and it is proper to remark, that the French palaces are kept up for the public, not for the monarch. This item forms a serious deduction from the 500,000/. a year set apart for the King's maintenance.
The law of the Peerage has been formally promulgated, and thirteen Peers have in consequence sent in their resignation. The Dukes DE FITZJAMES and LA ROCHEFOUCAULT are among the number.
The people of Lyons have received permission to raise two millions of francs, by way of loan, with which to repair the damages done to the town.
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