Surript auh Culnuid.

FitANCE.—In the Assembly on Wednesday, towards the end of the sit- ting, the President announced that he had received a proposition of an unconstitutional nature, and he was unwilling on his own responsibility to make it public. The Minister of Public Instruction suggested, that as the proposition. seemed of a nature to disturb the public tranquillity, no notice whatever should be taken. of it. M. Creeneux headed the Left in a strong opposition to this course ; andthe Assembly decided in his favour, that the proposition should be read. The President then read the follow- ing " expose des motifs," with the foundation of a bill offered by M. de Larechejaequelin- " Considering that, in every nation, the feeling of the legitimacy of its political institutions, and the confidence in their strength and durability, are the fundamental conditions of the security, grandeur, and prosperity of the country ; considering that this feeling does not exist at the present day in France,. and that, in consequence of that situation, the future is everywhere full of meortitade and peril; considering that the Government must find in its origin the moral power which assures respect for the principle of authority at home and the just influence of France abroad— "Art- I. The nation must be consulted on the form of government which is to be definitively established. To this end, on the first day in the month of June, the ge- neral votes for the election of the President are to-take place in the form prescribed, conformably to the new dispositions on the electoral limits.

"Art. 2. Each elector is to present a bulletin,. on which shall be written one of the two words, •Monarchy' or Republic.' " Art. 3. Should the majority be in favour of a republic, the result is to be pro- claimed from the tribune of the Legislative Assembly by the President of the Re- public.

" Art. 4. If the majority is in favour of a monarchy, the result is to be proclaimed by the President of the Legislative Assembly. In which case only, on the first Sunday in July 1850, the nomination shall take place, by universal suffrage, of a Constituent Assembly invested with the full powers of the nation. " Art 5. The President of the Republic shall maintain the executive power until the Constituent Assembly be definitively constituted."

The previous question was immediately called for, and adopted unani- mously ; the members of the Mountain receiving the announcement of the result with the cry of "Viva la Republique !" The Assembly then rose. The two Government bills against the Press and the Clubs were dis- cussed m the bureaux of the Assembly on Saturday.

M. Earache, the new Minister of the Interior,.justified the measures by the examples of the Provisional Government, the Government of Ge- neral Cavaignac, and the succeeding Government; and by the present more serious nature of the danger.

The licence of the press is now beyond all bounds. Universal suffrage has been falsified, and been _menaced by the bad portion of the press; which dictates its will to the masses of the people like an autocrat. Society cannot save itself, and must be aided. Confidence and conciliation have been tried, and have failed ; the evil must be attacked boldly and by all the means per- mitted by the Constitution. M. Mole said, that the press might be regarded as a lucrative commerce and as an immense political power : in the first sense, it should contribute its proportion to the charges imposed on every other species of industry, in the other be subjected to the same Government surveillance with every other political power. The tribune of the National Assembly itself is gua- ranteed from excesses by repressive measures contained in its own rules. A courageous and moderate press has arisen in the provinces since the journals have been freed from all charges ; and this presshas rendered, and continues

to render, great services to the cause of order and society. ft would partly be injured by the sacrifices demanded of it ;. but the application of the prin- ciple of augmenting the purchase-money might in its case be moderate.

M. Mere supported both laws as political laws ; and as one among several remedies, for no physician is satisfied with one remedy. They would render more difficult the circulation of bad publications, of detestable productions against society,—as, for instance, those that proclaimed that the Great Book of the State should be burnt, and the Bank pillaged. It is absurd to say that the laws of September did not save the Monarchy of July.. The laws of Sep- tember produced a good effect against the Republican party.; they reduced it to impotence. It was at a much later period, and owing to other faults and causes, not now the moment to indicate, that the Monarchy of July fell. General Cavaiguac opposed the laws. Conscientiously believing that so- ciety when menaced has right to defend itself, lie had conceded to the Go-

vernment larger powers than he himself took when in power ; but he saw is the present state of things no necessity for aggravating a repressive legislation. He would consent to a suppression of the Clubs for as long a period as is nee cessary ; but demanded a due respect to the right of electoral meetings.

M. de Lamartine opposed the laws on the press, not as laws of vengeance, for he thought their authors had no such intention, but as " sumptuary laws," which would be ruinous and unjust by creating pecuniary privileges, and yet be inefficient for attaining their end. The evil alleged is after all a sort of dream, a nightmare a momentary madness, very hmited in extent, which professes to effect with a few words the work of ages. The source of that Radical Socialism in a certain portion of the population—a portion less numerous than was supposed—is ignorance; and the remedy is enlighten-

ment, discussion, reasoning, through the channel of the press. With re- spect to Clubs, he was ever, and is now, opposed to their permanent eidste ence, as incompatible with every form of government, except in revoluticine ary periods. No people, and least of all the French, could support such an, institution without being every three months exposed to be excited to sed- don, and constantly, convulsed. A choice must be made between the Repub- lic and the Clubs : his choice was in favour of a Republic of order.

The Chairmen appointed by the Bureaux are for the greater part favour- able to the measures.

The Committee on the Budget have made their report. Forty millions of francs have been saved on the ordinary expenses, and forty-four mil- lions on extraordinaries and no further retrenchment couldbe safely made.

Notwithstanding these reductions, the Committee frankly admits, that " the budget of 1850, examined in a normal point of view, is not balanced."

The permanent resources must be increased ; and the present labours must be regarded by the Government as only the first step towards a better state of things, which it will be the duty of the Government to render real in 1851, by an "appeal to the taxpayers" and "a recourse to the articles of general consumption."

ITALY.—A letter from Rome, of the 20th instant, in the Jotemat des

bats, states that the Pope is to leave Portici for Rome between the 3d and 10thof April, and to take the Terracina road. The King of Naples is to accompany his Holiness to. Velletrioir perhaps to Rome.

The Costituzionale of Florence states, that a correspondence between Lord Palmerston and the Tuscan Ministry, on the claims made by British subjects to be indemnified for losses suffered during the revolutionary proceedings at Leghorn, has been brought to an amicable issue—

The Tuscan Minister " proposed to submit the difference to the arbitration or mediation of any power Lord Palmerston might be pleased to select, and he left a blank for his Lordship to fill up. Lord Palmerston accepted the offer, and agreed to leave the solution of the controverted question to the Sardinian Government. The matter thus rests."

GEILVANY.—The Erfurt Parliament proceeds in its self-organization. Anerswald has been elected President of the Staatenhaus, and Simeon. President of the Volkshaus. The former chamber has resolved unani- mously to vote for adopting the constitution of the 26th May as it stands for the present; reserving its revision for a future day. It adjourned on the 23d, until after Easter.

A communication from the Verwaltungsrath (Administrative Council) was excted by the Volkshaus on the 26th instant.

The King of Wurtemberg's speech from the throne, on the 15th in- stant, has produced an angry rupture with Prussia. Baron Hugel, the Wurtemberg Ambassador at Berlin, received a Prussian note on the 22d, expressing " astonishment " and the "profoundest indignation" at the King of Wurtemberg's language to his States ; declaring that Prussia " does not think it compatible with its dignity to continue its diplomatic relations with a Government which has not scrupled to place itself in such a position " - and informing Baron Hugel, that the Prussian Ambassador at the Wurtemberg Court "has consequently, by the express order of his Majesty the King, been instructed to leave Stuttgart], with all the mem- ber; of his embassy." Baron Hugel immediately asked for his own pass, ports.

Was Ienents.—The West Indian mail arrived at Southampton on Wednesday. The only news of political interest is from British Guiana, whence papers to the 18th February have been received. At a special meeting of the Combined Court, on the 7th February, it was resolved to apply for the 250;0001. loan which the Mother-country is ready to ad- vance ; and to pledge the colonial duties on wine and spirits for its re- payment of interest at 4 per cent and a sinking-fund of 23 per cent. An advance of 50,0001. to the Railway Company at 6 per cent interest was determined on.