There was a remarkable debate in the French Chamber on
Priday week. The motley crowd of Frenchmen, Spaniards, %a Italians who make up the Christian population of Algeria bare been imitating towards the Jews the conduct of Irish Zttionalists towards the Loyalists. They have been assaulting them, threatening them, boycotting them, and refusing to Zive verdicts in their favour. The Anti-Semite leader, one liax Regis, was even elected Mayor of Algiers ; but this was
much for the central Government, and he was suspended
.a,
by order from Paris. M. Drumont demanded to know why this order bad been issued, and made a speech against the Jews, which, however, met with little acceptance ex- cept from the Right. M. Rouanet, a Socialist leader, in a most able speech denounced Anti-Semitism as "a return to barbarism" ; and finally M. Dopuy in a moderate and sensible speech maintained that the Jewish ten- dency to usury must be restrained, and men of that nationality in Algeria—they were there before the conquest —must, like the Spanish and Italian immigrants, be brought more thoroughly into the French system, but that Anti- Semitism was "a mockery of civilisation and humanity." He concluded by an eloquent appeal to the electors of Algeria to promote the sentiments of justice, humanity, and liberty, which would draw them closer together. The Chamber sup ported him by a vote of 400 to 10, and ordered his speech ti be placarded. We fear the Deputies, under the influence of eloquence, are rather in advance of their countrymen.
