The French Senate has passed a Bill enabling the Magis-
trates to punish printed insults to officers of State by summary sentences, as insults to individuals are already punished. The Bill was strongly defended in the Chamber by the Minister of Justice, M. Faillieres ; but the Reactionaries of all parties joined the Radicals to defeat it, and it was thrown out by 347 to 189. The necessity for such a Bill has arisen from the refusal of juries to convict when the object of a libel was a public man ; but the remedy goes a little too far. Magistrates in France always protect the party in power, and might use their authority to stifle charges of corruption which it is necessary to investigate. The remedy wanted for the abuse of freedom in such a country is trial before a tribunal of trustworthy Judges, not before an individual Magistrate who has promotion to earn.
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