The French Senate has not rejected the Proscription Bill, but
has accepted a substitute making it a Bill for the regular trial of Pretenders. The Judges on Friday week declared that there was no legal case against Prince Napoleon, and ordered his release; and on Saturday, therefore, M. Deves eagerly urged the Bill, on the ground that without it the Government was "disarmed." He was, however, willing to accept a scheme proposed by M. Barbey, under which the Government could expel any Prince who, as Pretender, performed any act hostile to the Republic. The Moderates, however, led by MM. Waddington and Leon Say, proposed that such a Pretender should be made liable to banishment, after a trial before the Senate or before a Court of Assize. This proposal, which, of coarse, is perfectly regular, and only makes the Princes liable to banishment for treason, was carried, by 172 votes to 89, and the Bill was sent back to the Chamber. There M. Jolibois, Bonapartist, proposed "the previous question," that is, rejected the idea of even considering the Senate's proposal ; but this, which would have been an open declaration of war, was rejected, by 402 to 97. A variety of compromises were then suggested, but M. Barbey's Bill was at last accepted, by 326 to 188. It is believed that the Bill, which must now go back to the Senate, will at last emerge as a Bill permitting expulsion when a Prince has done any act which can be interpreted as posing as a Pre- tender, and when the decree has been accepted by both Chambers.
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