M. Thiess appears to have had a sharp difference with
the Permanent Commission of the Assembly. He appeared before them last week to inform them that he had expelled Prince Napoleon, and was met by a storm of interpellations. Why had he not punished the Republicans who interfered with the Legitimist pilgrimages to Lourdes ? Why had he prevented the banquet in Dauphiny ? Why did he not disavow M. Gambetta more explicitly Why, as the Duke de Bissaccia asked, were all his speeches against the Republic and all his actions in its favour ? Of course in his reply M. Thiers told the Commission that Catholicism was the religion of France and the Republic its form of government, and censured Gambetta, and so on ; but he was at last compelled to tell the Committee that he was there "not to consult the members, but to make communica- tions to them." It appears that the members are coming up from the provinces convinced that their constituents are Republican, and determined to support M. Thiess against all his opponents. The Centre and Left Centre will, it is believed, shortly agree to support him by an unanimous and, what is more important, a steady vote.
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