26 JUNE 1852, Page 8

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PRANCE.—The decision in the Contentious Section of the Council of State on the conflict raised about the competency of the Tribunal of the Seine to determine upon the validity of the confiscation decrees against the Orleans family, was given only by the casting-vote of the chairman. The Morning Chronicle has very clearly put the facts-

" The section of the French Council of State which is regularly consti- tuted for the trial of such litigated controversies as fall within its juris- diction, consists of six permanent Councillors, who have all undergone a pro- fessional training in legal science. Whenever cognizance is taken of ques- tions in which the interests of the Government are involved, to these six regular Councillors there are joined ten others, not necessarily lawyers, who are selected by the Executive from the remaining sections of the Council. Eight Councillors voted against the competence of the Civil Tribunal to en- tertain the appeal of the Princes, but an equal number affirmed it. In order to obtain the judgment desired by the Government, it was necessary to have recourse to the casting-vote of M. Baroche, the deputy and representative of the President himself."

The result of the decision is, not that the legality of the decrees has been confirmed, even by such a tribunal, but that the Tribunal of the Seine is declared incompetent to consider the question of that legality ; and that, so far as that court is concerned, it must rest satisfied with the intimation of M. Berger, Prefect of the Seine, that the decree is valid, and that it has the effects which he as the organ of the Government has assigned to it. Another brief display of independence in the Legislative Corps, soon repressed by a direct mandate from the Ministry, has been one of the in- teresting topics of the Paris correspondence. The interest is confined to readers on this side of the Channel; for not a word about it has appeared in the Paris journals. The discussion on the budget commenced on Tues- day, and proceeded under the inspecting eye of the Usurper himself; who came early, and took a seat in the corner of one of the reserved tribunes, in such a position as to be somewhat concealed from observa- tion. The first speech was by M. Kerclrel; who professed warm devo- tion to the Government, but dissected the budget with keen objections. M. Montalembert followed, with undisguised hostility to the whole scheme, and the whole manner in which it had been put before the ses- sion : he made " one of those elegant and fluent but at the same time ironical and bitter speeches in which he peculiarly excels. His conclu- sion was nothing more nor less than an advice to the Assembly to reject the budget, or, as it was understood by the Opposition, to refuse the taxes." It is said that Louis Napoleon came forward to the front of his tri- bune when M. Montalembert rose, and listened attentively to him. The reporter of the Morning Chronicle says—

"He affected to laugh and to be greatly amused during the philippics of M. de Montalembert. M. de Montalembert's speech was a telling one ; and if it required anything to make it perfect, that was provided by a speech

made by a maladroit friend of the President. M. Stourm, the Councillor of State, was this dangerous friend. In advising the Assembly to be moderate,.

M. Stourm innocently allowed the unfortunate expression to escape him of 'You should be prudent—take care what you do.' At this threat the agita- tion was enormous. M. Stourm was assailed with exclamations from all

sides. Alluding to his office of Councillor of State, a deputy cried out, 'You are paid 25,000 francs for being prudent ; but it is not long since your pru- dence and wisdom went the length of advocating the droit au travail..

Were you prudent when you opposed Louis Philippe's Government ? ' M. Stourm, overwhelmed by this volley of insults and exclamations, lost his presence of mind, and sat down in confusion. The President, I am inform- ed by a person who was present, still affected to laugh at the scene, but his laugh was forced and sardonic."

While the excitement was at this height, M. Billault was seen to re- ceive a written despatch. He announced its nature. It was a letter from M. Casablanca, Minister of State, informing him that the conduct of the Legislative Body in persisting in the discussion of amendments to the budget, which amendments had been once dismissed by the Council of State, and so had become null and void, was a contravention of the con- stitution. This communication instantly raised the excitement caused by the Stourm incident to the highest pitch : the whole body was "in agi- tation" ; and presently it adjourned "in the greatest confusion." Next day, Wednesday, the members had become docile. M. Genii; the reporter of the Committee on the Budget, gravely stated, that he- thought the Government would find it to their interest to give considera tion to the independence of the Legislative Body ; but, rather than be re- proached as a perturbator, he would give up altogether the expression of his opinions. Some amicable progress was then made in passing the various chapters.

The main characteristics of the budget are, that it admits a deficit of more than 1,600,0001. for the present year, but asserts a surplus for the

year 1853. The Committee of the Legislative Body, on the contrary,

declared that instead of a surplus next year there would be a further de- ficit; they estimated the deficit of this year at nearly 5,000,0001. ; and

they recommended economies, by the reduction of the army from 400,000, men to 292,000, and in other modes, to the amount of about 1,000,0001. sterling. All the important recommendations of economy were dismissed by the Council of State. The Monitcur announces, that from the 1st of July next its price will be reduced from 112 to 40 francs per annum.

The President has decreed the dissolution of the Municipal Council of the city of Toulouse.

1Jicrnin STATES.—The decisive political manoeuvres in anticipation of the Presidential election have entered their last stage. The Democratic

Convention at Baltimore has held its sitting, and nominated the Demo- cratic candidates ; and the choice made is such a one that the Whig party already trembles with apprehension of defeat. Yet the name of the new candidate is an unknown one in England ; for again, as in the case of Mr. Polk, a "dark" candidate, put forth at the last moment by the State of Virginia, which has supplied half the candidates of the Republic from

Washington downwards, was successful above all the leading men whose names have been pitted against each other for nearly a year past. The new man is General Frank Pierce ; fifty-four years of age; a Member of the Senate since 1837, and for some years its President. He is thus described by the correspondent of the Times- " He is a man of thorough academic education, great political experience, unblemished private character, and unwavering firmness and decision. He

is, and always has been, eminently a national man never having been con-

nected with any of the 'factions or cliques of his ;arty or of the times ; and although he had not achieved so brilliant a reputation, nor made so muck noise, nor had caused, or even allowed, his name to be brought forward on

many occasions, still the admirable modesty of his character his great pri- vate worth and public integrity, had won for him the confidence and respect of all who knew him. He has from the beginning been devotedly attached. to the principles of free trade ; and in this respect, probably, he is one of our most enlightened statesmen."

The same writer adds—

"At first the nomination of General Pierce took the whole country by sur- prise ; but before twenty-four hours had passed it seemed to give universal satisfaction to the Democratic party ; and you will perceive from the tone of the Whig papers that they regard Mr. Pierce as the most formidable antago- nist they could possibly have had to encounter. I believe there is not an in- stance in our history in which the Democrats have lost an election where they were perfectly united. General Pierce seems to have harmonized them completely ; being an extreme Northern man, brought forward by the South,

and receiving, as he did, the undivided support of the entire Convention. The telegraph has brought us back the adhesion for him of every State in the Union except California."

Mr. William Rufus King, who was Ambassador to Paris from 1844 to 1847—" a man of great dignity of character, integrity, and learning, and a moderate in all things "—is named by the Democrats for Vice-President.