NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MGAMBETTA has sustained a severe defeat. On Thurs-
• day the Bill establishing the &rutin de Liste was brought forward in the Senate, and after only four speeches had been de- livered the cloture was called, and the proposal rejected, on secret ballot, by 148 to 114. The main arguments against it were, that it tended to restore plebiscites, which is true ; and that the country aught to be consulted, which is not quite true, as the country was not consulted before the Constitution was decreed. The French world is now waiting to see what M. Gambetta will do. There is a rumour, not yet confirmed, that he has resigned the Presidency of the Chamber, and that all his friends have quitted the Ministry; and the prevalent opinion is that he will propose to the people the abolition of the Senate, but he is debarred from that course by his speech at Caliors. He is much more likely to issue a hypothetical list of Members for all France, trust to his followers to carry the greater part of that, oven under the scrutin d' arrondissement, and then, as Premier, once more bring in his Bill. In 1882, the Senate will become much more Liberal, and M. Gambetta has never displayed any incapacity to wait. He may, however, declare Life Senatorships incon- sistent with Republican institutions, which they undoubtedly are, and call for a " revision " by joint sitting to amend that.
