November 5.
No more striking proof of the influence already acquired in the few weeks of its existence by the National Assembly could be given than the Edict which we publish of " parliament. The Assembly to-day announcing the early grant
was opened on October 3. From the first sitting the deliberations, practically without exception, have been characterized by matured dignity and a calm assumption of The members have been ith a sense of their lity, and the only criticism that the Government has been able to bring against them is that they have displayed a somewhat relentless persistency in seeking to impress the came sense of ponsibility upon the member of the Ministries who had to deal with them. It is not contended that the debates have revealed any remarkable talents of debate or statesmanship among the representatives of the people. The outstanding feature has been the dispatch with which the business of the day has been disposed of, and in this respect the absence of any desire to indulge in long-winded oratory has been of considerable assistance to the Assembly. As far as the public reports have enlightened us, there has been hardly any departure from the staid de-carum that would befit a court of law, until the passage of the memorable resolution calling upon the Throne to make an early grant to the nation of a parliament. On that occasion the Vice-President's intention to submit the motion to a vote of the House was overruled by a number of members who rose and pointed out that there could be no need for a di motion was clearly unopposed. They gained their point; slowly the whole House, first the elected representatives and then the nominated portion, stood in their places and the memorial to the Throne was carried by acclamation.
Thus within three weeks of the opening of the National Assembly the demand for an earlier grant of Parliament than had been contemplated in the original scheme of constitutional development was preferred to the Throne and an Edict conforming with its wishes appears afew days after the formal memorial has been presented. If we may judge the whole document by the summary that reaches us, it would seem as if some of the businesslike dispatch of the National Assembly
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.