NEWS OF THE WEEK
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SINCE our last issue, the Duclerc Ministry has fallen. On Saturday, the 27th ult., the Committee of the Chamber for the examination of M. Floquet's Expulsion Bill, at the request of the Ministry, accepted a Bill drawn up by M. Fabre. The Ministry, through the Minister of the Interior, M. Fallieres, .adopted this measure as a compromise, and resolved to de- fend it. It consists of three clauses, by the first of which, " The members of families which have reigned in France can fulfil no electoral function, and no civil or military employment. Voting-papers bearing the names of the above persons will not be counted." Under the second clause, the President of the Republic in Council may decree that any such person " whose presence compromises the safety of the State" trust quit French territory ; and under the third, any such banished person may, if he returns, be sentenced by a correctional tribunal—that is, without a jury—to five years' imprison- ment. It will be observed that Clause II. exonerates the Government from giving any reasons, as only they can decide whether the safety of the State is compromised or not ; and that if the Chamber votes expulsion, the Ministry .must obey, or resign. As we understand the Bill, the Princes keep their commissions, but can perform no functions ; but the War Ministry, as represented in debate, apparently consider that the commissions are gone too, General Thibaudin specifically promising that if resistance arose among officers on that ground, ,he would put it down.
