NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Republic was legally established in France on February 25th, when a Bill defining the President's functions was finally passed by 436 to 262, a majority of 174 in a House of 698 Members,— that is, nearly as many as can possibly be collected. The Assembly 'has now, therefore, passed the Bill organising the Senate and the Bill defining the President's powers, and France is legally a Republic, governed by a President with all the powers exercised by that officer in the United States, but unrestricted by the joint power of the Senate over patronage ; by a Senate of 225 Members elected by double election and 75 life Members nominated by this Assembly ; and by a Chamber of Deputies, comprising 750 Members, elected by universal suffrage and the serail,' de lisle,— that is, by all electors in a department voting for all its repre- aentatives. This legal Constitution does not, however, come into force until the Senate has been elected, and as a dis- aolution is to follow within one month of such election, there may be some delay. The President, however, wants his Senate, as he has no veto himself ; his new Ministry, with M. Buffet at its head, is said to be ready ; and the Dissolution cannot Ice long postponed. The President declares he will be as Con- zervative as ever, but the Republic is established.
