NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Panama Scandal has already killed a Government. On Saturday, M. Loubet defeated a proposal to grant the legal powers of a .1-age d'Instruction to the Committee of Inquiry by a majority of 234 to 218 ; but on Monday he was overthrown. All Paris believes, with or without reason, that Baron Reinach, Secretary to the Panama Company, came by his death, on November 21st, unfairly, and the Marquis de la Ferronaye inquired why investigation had been avoided, and why the papers of the deceased had not been placed under seal. He proposed, as the only way of satisfying opinion, that the body should be exhumed. M. Ricard, Minister of Justice, replied that, as the certificates were regular, exhumation would be illegal, and M. Loubet, in a hot-tempered speech, said he was tired of unfair treatment, and would rather be dismissed. M. Brisson, however, the Chairman of the Committee, and formerly Premier, declared that there were many precedents, and refused to accept the Order of the Day, which was accordingly rejected by 304 to 219. The Chamber then carried an amendment by M. Brisson, insisting on the autopsy by 303 to 3, and the Ministry resigned. The President sent for M. Brisson, who undertook to form a Government—a " Cabinet d'autopsie" M. de Cassagnak calls it—but up to Friday afternoon he had not succeeded, the leading Oppor- tunists shrinking back, apparently from dislike of the Panama Inquiry.
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