The Combes Ministry has sustained a somewhat serious shock in
the partial success of an assault in the Chamber upon the conduct of General Andre, the Republican Minister of War. The Government, which believes that the Clerical party has far too much influence in the Army, is exceedingly anxious to fill important commands with soldiers devoted to the Republic. There has, therefore, been much inquiry into the political sentiments of officers likely to be promoted, and in some instances this has taken a form indistinguishable from espionage. Members of the Staff, in particular, have addressed questions to the Masonic lodges, which in France are assumed to be all Anti-Clerical. A number of these letters were read out in the Chamber on Friday week, and General Andre was roundly charged with " delation," a word taken from Tacitus. General Andre made rather a poor defence, throwing the Maine on subordinates, and hinting that many of the letters to the lodges might have been written to be used in this debate; but the French hate espionage except in criminal cases, and the Chamber, after unanimously censuring " delation," voted confidence in the Minister of War only by 278 votes to 274. It is said that the attack was directed against General Andre personally, and not against the Ministry ; but the whole Cabinet suffers when a Minister is so nearly condemned for ungentlemanly conduct. Republicans, however, admit that a "purging" of the Army had become indispensable.
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