24 NOVEMBER 1877, Page 1

The French tribunals have not been quite unaffected by the

result of the elections. The Correctional Tribunal of Dole has, for example, dismissed a charge of insulting the Marshal brought against the Avenir du Jura. The Tribunal held that the Marshal was not even attacked, much less insulted, and

that the strong language used against the official candidates was excused, if not justified, by the strong language in which the official candidates had characterised the Republicans. That is common- sense and common justice at last. If the Tribunals could but be got to take a neutral attitude towards all the violent political parties of France, instead of siding with the party in power, a great step would be gained towards reducing the specific heat of French political passion.