The new moderation of the French Chamber of Deputies should ,
be some consolation to the •Constitutionalists in the Senate for the sacrifices which they have made to bring about practical harmony between the two Chambers. The three measures introduced by the Government to prevent what may be the called legal coups d'etetts, —the State of Siege Bill, which makes it impossible to declare a State of Siege without the immediate assent of both Houses of the Legislature, except in case of foreign war, and then only in the- provinces immediately menaced by the enemy,—the Colportaga Bill, rendering it impossibleto place political restrictions on the cir- culation of Opposition journals,—and the Press Amnesty Bill, which remits the penalties imposed 'during the recent prosecutions, have all now received the assent of both Houses, and the amendments of the Senate have been accepted very quietly by the Chamber of Deputies. Further, one of the amendments of the Senate dn, the Budget proposals for expenditure, has been accepted by the Chamber, which has enabled the Senate to waive its other amend- ments without a sacrifice of dignity. Thus, for the present at least, the two Chambers are working into each other's bands, each conceding something to the dignity and prepossessions of the other. In French political controversy, such a spirit of mutual concession is new, and of great promise. Hitherto French parties have been too logical for compromise, and therefore also too logical for anything but dead-locks. For in these matters, at least, strict logic is the favourite instrument of passion, and mutual concession of sober judgment.
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