NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE orators in the French Chamber of Deputies have been exer- cising their sweet voices, during the past week, with extraordinary vigour. The general debate on the address in reply to the King's speech occupied four days ; and was only brought to a close on Monday last. Each separate clause must also undergo discussion; for our neighbours debate every sentence, as if the address wero a bill in Committee. They were engaged in this work when the last accounts were despatched from Paris. It is evident from the tone of the speeches delivered, although no vote has yet been taken, that the Government is strong in the Chambers, whatever may be the state of public opinion out of doors. The Opposition is divided and perplexed,—agreeing only in one point, that of dislike of the present Ministry. Two leaders of the party, ODILLON BARROT and MAUGUIA, have had a des._ tided difference—not amounting to an actual quarrel, but suffi- cient to prevent any thing like a cordial acting together. Old LAFAYETTE and GARNIER PAGES declared their known predilec- tion for a Republic; and BERRYER, the clever but solitary repre- sentative of Carlism in the Chambers, raised his voice in favour of the dethroned dynasty. The " third party," of which DUPIN was the leader, has disappeared; and that powerful orator, but flighty statesman, is said to be painfully aware of his altered position. This might have been anticipated. DUPIN, lately at the head of a formidable phalanx, sufficient to turn the balance for or against the Ministry, refused to do either; and his followers, seeing that under his guidance there was little hope of profit or popu larity, have therefore deserted him. A neutral party, placed in such a position, never remains neutral long.
ROYER D'ARGENSON and PUYRAVEAU, the two deputies who have signalized themselves by the profession of violent Repub- lican, nay even of B.obespierrian prinoiples, were stung into a defence of their conduct, and made a miserable attempt to reconcile their oath of fealty to Louis PHILIP'S dynasty with their avowed efforts to overturn it, not because of the peculiar misconduct of the King, but because they deem Monarchy itself to be pernicious. In the present temper of the Chambers, their speeches were as ill-received as Louis PHILIP himself could desire.
TRIERS distinguished himself in reply to ODILLON BARROT; and GU1ZOT, the Minister of Public Instruction, supposed to be the man of the most arbitrary notions in the Cabinet, administered a severe reproof to the fierce Advocate-General, PERSIL; who defended his persecutions of the press with his usual ardour.
In the course of the discussion on Tuesday, Baron BIGNON, in the of name the Commission for drawing up the address, and with their unanimous approbation, delivered a very remarkable speech on the subject of foreign affairs. He dwelt at great length upon the treat- ment of Poland by Russia, and denounced the conduct of the latter power as directly subversive of the solemn treaties to which she was pledged. He alluded to Mr. CUTLAR FERGUSSON'S motion in the British Parliament on this subject, and quoted Lord PALMERSTON'S energetic speech against Russian injustice delivered on that occasion : he could have wished that some equally strong expression had been made by the French Government. In very eloquent language, he then alluded, as if prophetically, to the future triumph of the Poles over their barbarian oppressors. From Poland to Turkey, M. BIGNON said, the transition was not too rapid. The dangers of Turkey were consequent upon the ruin of Poland. There were recollections and facts in history, some of them not yet revealed, which rendered it impossible to rely on the disinterestedness of Russia. He then informed his hearers of the fact, that in 1808, the Emperor ALEXANDER had proposed to give up Spain, Portugal, and Italy, to France, to- gether with Bosnia, Albania, the Morea, and the Islands, provided NAPOLEON would permit him to seize Constantinople and the Dardanelles • Constantinople, he said, would be merely a country- town to him, and the. Dardanelles the key to his house. This pro- ject, however, NAPOLEON never would consent to.
The designs of Austria on Italy, and of Prussia on the German States, were then referred to; and M. BIGNON said that the Con- gress now assembling at Vienna would add new links to the chain of their policy. But if their designs succeeded, there would be treachery against France. It could not be the desire of France that the treaties of 1815 should be observed, notwithstandins, her love of peace, to preserve which site had submitted to such hu- miliation. M. BIGNON continued- " The least we can do, is to require from the Powers that are enriched by stripping us, that they remain within the extensive -ts they have allotted to themselves ; it is the least we can do to oppose them in increasing those limits ; and the least we can do is to protest against new invasions.
" Well, Gentlemen, as the three principal countries of Europe are threatened with invasion—as Turkey is incontrovertibly in danger—as danger impends over Italy and Germany—would it not be the height of imprudence to close our eyes in order nut to see the storm until the moment it is ready to burst upon us ? It is fitting, it is right, that the Government should be beforehand acquainted with the opinions of the Chamber. . . . Before we come to a readjustment of the European territory, such as perhaps the Ministry anticipates there might be put into operation a series of gradual usurpations, which are the more dan- gerous, as, by being tolerated at first, they have a tendency to acquire by fact and by time a sort of legitimacy. It is, therefore, against these we must fortify our- selves. We must commence by not recognizing them—by affixing our censure to them from their very origin declaring their nullity.
As soon as M. BIGNON concluded, the Due DE BROGLIE rase and said, that he thanked the orator for his speech, and the Coin- mission for their address, " every paragraph and principle of which the Ministers adopted.- He should wait till the debate was further advanced, and reserve what he had to say for his reply. It remains to be seen whether these declarations are uttered' in sincerity—whether they will be .followed up by deeds of vigour, or explained away in a courteous note to Pozzo DI BORGO. On New-year's (lay, Pozzo delivered an address to the King, iu the name of the diplomatic body of Paris. It was (of course) pacific and complimentary ; and Louis PHILIP replied in the same tone. M. DUPIN, in the name of the Chamber of Deputies, told the King that France desired " peace as far as it was possis ble, but such a peace only as was honourable and worthy of the nation." The Chamber of Peers and the Councils of State and Cassation also addressed his Majesty through their organs; but there is nothing worthy of especial notice in what they said, or in LOUIS PHILIP'S replies.
