FOREIGN NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 63, 20 March 1852, Page 2

FOREIGN NEWS.

France.—The period for which the National Assembly was prorogued expired on 'Jguesdaw At half-past two in the afternoon of that day/* M. Dnpin, the President of the Assembly, took j the chair, in presence of a large number of ► Representatives, and opened the business of the session of 1851-2. All the leaders of parties and most of the prominent Representatives were present. The Ministers entered the hall, and were conducted to their seats, very shortly after the sitting1 commenced. After the usual opening* business of form, M. Thorigny, Minister of the Interior, ascended the tribune, and read the message of President of the Republic ; a document which reports the state of national affaiiis*" under nine headings, of " Interior," " Finanog^ "War," &c, and concludes with a " Resist^'' containing the President's gaeat specific for the future.

The Spectator of the Bth of Novembe~rsays ; " The President's message to the Assembly, regard being had merely to its style and contents, is well enough. But through all the fine words in which it was expressed peeps out a purely selfish and personal aim. The sole aim of Louis Napoleon is to insure his own continuance in office ; and to attain this end, he endeavours to persuade all parties that he is exactly the man for them, To the Democrats he promises the restoration of universal sufferage ; while moderate politicians and all shades of monarchists are allured by promises that this universal suffrage shall be so " purified" as to be rendered innocuous, or they are terrified by stories about European conspiracies of Red Republicans. The conception is more ingenious than the execution is skilful. The President allows his own insincerity too appear to distinctly. He takes credit to himself for having always intended to defeat the enactment of May 31st; thus necessarily suggesting the question, is he one whit more in earnest now with the proposal for its repeal ? Indeed, he in a manner hints to the Assembly, that if they restore universal suffrage in the Precedental election, they may keep their own on the narrowed basis. They can scarcely fail to pereive, that by thus naal&sg the President the popular and the Assembly the oligarchical authority, they would strengthen him against themselves. '-if- " The majority of the Assembly have shown no inclination to make terms with the President. They have unceremoniously postponed the consideration of his repeal the law of May ; and have, in the first instance, made a dexterous of Parliamentary forms to retain the power of letting it fall through unnoticed and undiscussed. Out of doors the collective journalists of Paris have, wite the exception of Girardin and Veron, bitterly assailed the message. Louis Napoleon appears to have taken nothing by this last move—that is a trifle; but France is in danger of being once more thrown back into anarchy."

The President's measure for the adoption of Universal Suffrage had been defeated, one division giving a majority of only 7 against the Government. This was considered as decisive against the present law. On the other hand, a proposal for arming the executive officers of the "Assembly with a large military force was defeated by the Government by a majority of 100. The general opinion seemed to be, that matters were approaching a crisis, and that order would not long be maintained.

The King of Hanover died at Hanover on the 18th November.