The Cassagnac scene in the Chamber of Deputies last week
was followed by a still more violent Cassagnac scene last Monday. It was deliberately provoked by M. de Cassagnac, who began a speech in relation to M. Jules Ferry, by saying, " In the spiteful and violent speech pronounced by the Minister of Public Instruction at Epinal." When called to order, the orator withdrew the word "spiteful," but went on to say that it was a speech in which the Minister bad " let loose calumny, misrepresented intentions, and falsified texts." Again called to order, again he professed submission, but said that a Govern- ment which included M. Tirard (the Minister of Commerce) had no right to bring charges of falsification of texts. Here- upon the President proposed to the Chamber a censure, with temporary expulsion. The Left applauded vehemently ; the Bonapartists, in a fury, flew down to the front of the tribune, and began shaking their fists at the Ministers ; the Republicans rushed to meet them, and some actual assaults were committed. M. Gambetta rang his bell in vain. His hat was not at hand, so he borrowed one from an usher, and put it on, —and being too large, it nearly extinguished his head, as well as dissolved the sitting. Some force had to be used to separate infuriated Deputies before the House was cleared. After an interval, the sitting was resumed. M. Paul de Cassagnac was censured, and excluded for three days from the Chamber, whereupon he declared the Government " in- famous." M. Gambetta replied hastily that having ceased to be a Deputy,—which was a mistake,—he might be dealt with by a criminal prosecutor, and the sitting closed.
