The French Government has evidently taken a reactionary turn. Not
content with advocating a Recess to November 4, and announcing through M. Dufaure that the Government holds itself absolutely free with respect to the Dissolution, AI. Buffet has imposed stringent conditions on the right of candidates for the Senate to address the delegates who elect them ; has qualified all officials, except Prefects and Sous-Prefects, for the Senate ; and has refused point-blank to abolish the state of siege, on the ground that it enables him to manage the journalists. He has also informed M. Christophle, for the moment representative of the Left Centre, that he was not his ally when he (M. Chris- tophle) was in office, and is not his ally now that he is out of it. So remarkable is the change in the official tone, that suggestions have been made, which we discuss elsewhere, of German influence, and great irritation is manifest through the country. It is probable that Deputies will learn in the Recess that they must not support this new course, but meanwhile time is being lost, and the Assembly may be coerced into passing some Conservative Electozal Law.
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