M. Rivet on Saturday introduced into the French Assembly a
motion of great importance. He proposes to extend M. Thiors' powers for three years, to call him " President of the Republic," and to enable him to appoint and remove the Council of Ministers. Nevertheless, " All acts of the Executive Power must be counter- signed by the Ministers to whose Departments they may respec- tively appertain, and the Ministers will be responsible to the National Assembly." We have commented on this preposterous Constitution, which is neither Royal, nor Republican, nor Par- liamentary, elsewhere ; but may state here that it is disliked by the Right because it legalizes the " Republic," and by the Left because it gives this Assembly so much power, but is approved by both Right and Left Centres,—say 400 votes. Unless Gambetta exerts himself to defeat it, it will probably be carried, but there is rumour of a compromise which will make M. Thiers Pre- sident—a title he coveti—without any further change in the ad interim system.
