Paris has been greatly excited over a charge of corruption
brought against M. Pelletan, now Minister of Marine, by the Humbert family. It amounts substantially to this, that M. Parayre, secretary to the Humberts, paid him 30,000 francs to make a speech in December, 1889, on behalf of Frederic Humbert, who at that time was un- suspected. Such a speech was really made ; but M. Pelletan on Thursday week indignantly denied the accusation of corruption, pointing to his well-known lack of means as proof that it is false. The only evidence as yet produced against him is a recent letter in which M. Parayre alluded to the payment, to which the Minister sent no reply. M. Pelletan denies that he ever received this letter, and when shown that it was delivered at the Ministry of Marine, suggested that the registered envelope never had any letter in it. The Chamber believed him, and by an immense majority, which included many of the Opposition, condemned the " cam- paign of calumny" carried on against the Government. The Humberts, it will be recollected, threatened when first arrested to expose persons in high position, and they have, it is believed, attacked M. Pelletan first because he is exceedingly unpopular.
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