8 APRIL 1893, Page 1

The address of the new French Government is colourless to

ineptitude. M. Dupuy declares that the Panama scandals prove " that ease and fortune are acquired only by industry, and are preserved only by propriety of morals and dignity of life,"—a kind of platitude unusual in a French speech. He adds that France may regard the future of the Republic with confi- dence, "if the Administration governs with correctness, con- sideration, and equity for the common welfare of all citizens," —which is like saying that if men will obey the Command- ments, there will be no need of Criminal Courts. The Chamber will, of course, attend to " those economic and social measures which affect the most manifest interests of the democracy," but immediately its business is the Budget of 1893, " which can only he passed by an agreement of the two Houses." The .Chamber agreed heartily, and immediately rejected the re- maining Senatorial amendments, thus rendering agreement more hopeless than ever. All is well, however, till April 25th, up to which date the Assembly takes a holiday.