M. Dupuy, as was expected, carried his Bill transferring the
right of hearing appeals for revision from the Criminal Division of the Court of Cassation to the full Court. The debate, however, which came off on Friday week, was unex- pectedly dull. Only the Reporter of the Committee and M. Pelletan, a convinced Radical, and M. Millerand, the Socialist, spoke against the Bill, all the great leaders of the Liberals fearing to ascend the tribune. M. Dupuy defended his measure only by the plea of necessity, and as showing his desire to regard the case as strictly one for Judges, but expressed a hope that when the full Court had decided, the " wretched affair " would end, which wretched affairs seldom do. " This country," he said, " is not governed by pessimism and despair, but by optimism and confidence," which is about as true as it is true to say that a man with gout is not governed by gout, but by his doctor and colchicum. The Chamber was listless, being, in fact,' cowed ; and the Bill was passed by 332 votes to 216. It has still to pass the Senate, and some Frenchmen expect that the Senate will throw it out, and the Government with it. We do not. There is nothing to make the Senators more independent of the Government than the Deputies, and they are less independent of the mob.
