NEWS OF THE WEEK.
GAMBETTA has issued, in the form of a letter to the 111.• Liberals at Lyons, a most important manifesto. He do- 'dares that the Constitution, though received by all France with relief, is as yet "only a law waiting to be put in execution." The elections are necessary to elicit finally the opinion of France, and be has no fear of the result, especially if the elections are taken by the scrutin de liste. Under that system, the struggle becomes one between opinions, and not between persons ; and it is, moreover, necessary in order to allow the election of all shades of Moderates. He is convinced, from the minute information before him, that under the scrutin d'arrondissement the Republicans "de Raison" would be superseded by men of more violent opinions. This argu- anent for the scrutin de liste as a method of representing minorities is new and very remarkable. M. Gambetta proceeds to say that the new Assembly must abolish exceptional laws, release the Tress—though repressing attacks on the Republic and on universal suffrage—concede the right of public meeting, restore municipal liberty, impose an income-tax, make military service universal, compulsory, and personal, and remodel education .according to modern ideas. He believes that if these things are .accomplished the Republic will stand, and the nation will be split into two parties,—those who desire progress, and those who resist it, "the Whigs and Tories" of France. The letter is universally pronounced moderate, and intended to weld the Left Centre and the Left into one strong party, whose power will be manifested in the coming electoral struggle.
