Parties in France remain in statu quo. The Chamber of
Peers has, of course, adopted an address in the English fashion—a mere echo of the King's speech ; and the Deputies' address has not yet come from the hands of the Committee appointed to prepare it. M. ETIENNE is employed as the penman ; and the general expecta- tion is, that, in mild language it will intimate to Louis PHILIPPE the determination of the majority of the Chamber not to permit him to " govern " as well as "reign." Whether an address containing matter so disagreeable to the King will be adopted by the Chamber, is not quite certain. It is said that unusual exertions are made to gain a majority for the Chliteau. Members from the provinces are waylaid and taken to the King, who scruples not to use promises or threats to overawe the different persons with whom he has to deal. Count Mod: also is more than usually alert and vigorous. His re- ply, in the Chamber of Peers, to an attack from the Duke DE Bito- GLIE on the abandonment of Ancona, is described as remarkably effective. ODILLON BAREOT, who was present, said it was the best Parliamentary speech he had ever heard. ' But the Parisians have for a week past found " metal more at- tractive" than pure politics. The trial of the Massager des Chant- bras, for libelling GISQUET, formerly Prefect of Police, has elicited strange disclosures. The end is not yet ; but the journal's charge of immorality and peculation has been fully made out, and GISQUET stands before the public in the character of a guilty defendant. By his own confession, it appears that he paid his mistress in shares of contracts for establishing omnibus lines in Paris. lie was a most shameless jobber in his official capacity, and his private iinmorali- ties were systematic and disgusting. Though the details of the evidence are not interesting—being for the most part mere repeti- tions of transactions in ominbus contracts—the general effect is striking as an exposure of the venality of public men in France ; and it is said that Louis PHILIPPE now regrets that he did not in- terfere for Girsourr's protection. But that person having, not long since, divulged some state secrets in order to ingratiate himself with the Liberal electors of the St. Denis quarter, received special intimation from the King, that in no future difficulty should he ever have assistance from the Court : and in this instance Louis has kept his word.
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