NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Air BOURGEOIS has been defeated. On Tuesday the l• Senate, by a majority of nearly two to one, refused to vote the supplies required for the garrison of Madagascar until they were asked for by a Ministry in whom the Senators had confidence. M. Bourgeois, pressed by forces which we have described elsewhere, thereupon declined to continue the contest, but summoned the Chamber, which was in Recess, to hear his explanation of his course. This explanation, made on Thursday, was, in brief, that it would be unpatriotic not to resign, though the Premier felt that the Deputies, elected as they were by direct suffrage, ought to be supreme. The Deputies thought so too, and passed a vote affirm- ing the "preponderance" of the Chamber by amazing majorities, which, however, were swelled by the practice of handing in voting-papers for absent Deputies. On an appel nominal being called for, it appeared that M. Bourgeois' supporters could not produce the half of those present plus one necessary to constitute a quorum, as the majority re- fused to vote, and the quorum was only obtained by counting as present all those who had signed the paper demanding the appel nominal,—an unusual though not un- precedented proceeding. This, of course, took much of the effect out of the previous votes; but still in theory, and according to constitutional practice, the two co-ordinate Houses are in direct antagonism.
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