There has been a crisis at Versailles. M. Thiers, after
address- ing the Chamber seventeen distinct times in favour of a tax on raw materials, at last declared on Friday week that the debate must end. The Chamber was in wild excitement, the majority and the Left both hooting at M. Thiers, when M. Feray proposed that a Commission of Inquiry should be appointed to hunt for an alternative tax. He demanded priority for his motion, which of course involved the defeat of the Government, and priority was granted by 377 votes to 329. M. Thiers left the Assembly threaten-
ing loudly to resign, and on the following day carried his intention into effect. The Assembly, greatly alarmed, sent a deputation, headed by M. Benoist d'Azy, to beg him to relent, and M. Thiers, after a long interview, at last consented. He was, however, querulous and out of temper, insisted that he had a right to his convictions, and stated that he should quarrel even more obsti- nately with the Assembly about military reorganization. How- ever, he withdrew his resignation, and the incident ended, leaving an impression that the Assembly is so weak, and M. Thiers so self-opinionated, that a final quarrel will not be long delayed.
