The Committee of Thirty have nearly finished their discussion of
the French electoral law, and have introduced an amendment which, if it is carried, will be fatal to the prestige of all future Assemblies, by directly expelling all intellectual and most poli- tical eminencies. They propose that no deputy shall be elected for any department except the one in which he was born or is domiciled,—exactly the American law, which has made the ablest men avoid seats in the House of Representatives._ It binds the highest statesmen to conciliate their own depart- ments at any cost, or terminate their careers at each election, and disables any man, popular with the country, but unpopular in his neighbourhood, from standing at all. It gives to local jealousies all the force of national feelings, and often com- pels electors to choose a fool because he is a neighbour, in preference to a statesman born just over the border. The professed object of the proviso is that the candidate may be known by his electors, but its real one is to prevent stupid land- lords from being opposed in their own districts by more popular or abler men. Fortunately France will not consent to be governed by brainless local magnates, and the only effect of the new law, even if passed, will be to make the Assembly a little less respected than it is.
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