REVISED DRAUGHT OF THE NEW FRENCH CONSTITUTION.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 360, 13 January 1849, Page 4

REVISED DRAUGHT OF THE NEW FRENCH CONSTITUTION.

On Tuesday, at the sitting of the National Assembly, M. Woirhaye, ascended the tribune and read, in the absence of M. Marrast, the revised project of constitution. The preamble had been completely changad. France, by adopting the Republican foim of government, was declared to have assumed, in the face of the world, the initiative of progress and civilization. The right to labour was suppressed, and replaced by an article providing that the state should procure labour to unemployed workmen, within the limits of its resources. The constitution had undergone a similar metamorphosis. Capital punishments are abolished for political offences. Slavery cannot exist in any part of the French dominions. The right of association and meeting is guaranteed. Tbe censorship of the press cannot be re-established. The number of representatives is fixed at 750, including those of Algeria and the colonies, and at 900 when the constitution is to be revised. The election of representatives is to have for its basis the population. Universal suffrage and secret ballot are maintained. The representatives are always re-eligi-ble. The President must be a French citizen, thirty years of age, and roust not have lost, on any occasion, his quality of French citizen. He is to be elected for four years, by universal and direct suffrage, and by the absolute majority of the voters. The ballots are to be immediately forwarded to the National Assembly, which decides on the validity of the election and proclaims the President. Should none of the candidates have obtained the absolute majority, the Assembly chooses the President among the five candidates highest on the list, The President is re-eligible after an interval of four years. He is to reside at the seat of the National Assembly, and to receive a salary of 600,000f. per annum. The Vice-President is appointed for four years by the National Assembly, on the presentation of the President during the month that follows his electiou. In the absence of President, he is to replace him and exercise his functions ; but in case of his decease or resignation, a new President must be elected within a month. The chapters relative to the Ministerial department, the Council of State, the internal administration, the judiciary power, had undergone no material alteration. Justice is to be rendered gratuitously, in the name of the French people, and all political offences are to be tried by the jury, who, in future, will fix the amount of the fine or damages incurred by tbe offender. The judges of the Court of Cassation, appointed by the National Assembly, of the Supreme Tribunal of Administration, and of the Court of Accounts, are to fill their functions for life. Justices of the peace who, in the first project, \<ere to be elected by the citizens, in their respective districts, are to be appointed by the President. Military substitutes are prohibited. The public force being essentially obedient, it is declared that no armed corps can deliberate. The territory of Algeria and the colonies is declared a French territory, and is to be ruled by special laws. The Legion of Honour is maintained, but its statutes shall be revised and placed in harmony with the democratic and republican principle. The present National Assembly is to frame the organic laws, and the President of the Republic is to be elected immediately after the adoption of tbe Constitution.

The Price o* Blood in Paris.— iff Droit, speaking of the frequent assassination of garde 3 mobiles in open day-light, says, that for some days past papers have been posted in the ateliers, offering rewards of 50 francs to whomsoever should kill a garde mobile, 40 francs for killing a soldier, 30 for a national guard, aud 20 for a gardien de Paris. The Constitutionnel, after quoting the above, adds, that in the Faubourg Poissonniere a placard has been posted, offering 20 francs for the head of a garde mobile, and 10 for -that of a national gutrd. ■-

Parisian Gaiianting* — On Wednesday morning, says the Constitutionncl, two young gardes mobile and a garde marine stood before the gates of the Palais National relating to a few people who had stopped as they pasted by some episodes of the frightful war of which they had been the heroes. When they bad finished everybody shook hands with them as they parted, and one of the women present added, •' I regret I am not a pretty girl like Madame," pointing to an elegant dressed lady who happened to be passing by at the moment, "or I would kiss you all." The lady blushed amazingly ; but with the greatest possible grace, she embraced the little garde marine who stood near her, and then both of the actors of this charming scene hastened off in different directions, one as much confused as the other.

Cost of Contemporary Copyrights. — The late Mr. Tegg gave the following list of remunerative payments to distinguished authors in his time ; and be is believed to have taken considerable pains to verify the items : — ' Fragments of History, 1 by Charles Fox, sold by Lord Holland for 5,000 guineas. 'Fragments of History,' by Sir James Mackintosh, £500. * Lingard's History of England,' Sir Walter Scott's ' Buonaparte' was sold, with thb printed books, for £18,000 ; the net receipts of copyright on the first two editions only must have been £10,000. ' Life of Wilberforce,' by his sons, 4,000 guineas. ' Life of Byron,' by Moore, £4,000. * Life of Sheridan,' by Moore, £2,000. * Life of Hannah More,' £2,000. * Life of Cowper,' by Southey, £1,000. ' Life and Times of George IV., 1 by Lady C. Bury, *gl,ooo. ' Byron's Works,' £20,000. ' Lord of the Isles,' half share, £1,500. ' Lalla Rookh,' by Moore, £3,000. ' Rejected Addresses,' by Smith, £1,000. ' Crabbe's Works,' republication of, by Mr. Murray, £3,000. « Wordsworth's Works,' republication of, by Mr. Moxon, £1,050. Bulwer's 'Rienzi,'£ 1,600. 'Marryat's Novels,' £500 to £1 ,500 each. Trollope's ' Factory Boy,' £1,800. Hannah More derived £3,000 per annum for her copyrights, during the latter years of her life. Rundell's ' Domestic Cookery,' £2,000. 1 Nicholas Nickleby,' £3,000. Eustace's ■ Classical Tour,' £2,100. Sir Robert Inglis obtained for the beautiful and interesting widow of Bishop Heber, by the sale of his Journal, £5,000. — Observer.

Death of a Notorious Character. — Last week, at John- street Institution, Tottenham Court-road, died Physical Force Chartism. The deceased has been in a very bad way some time ; and by his uproarious conduct gave very great uneasiness to many who otherwise were his well-wishers. The deceased has not been opened, which we regret ; therefore there are many conflicting opinions as to the cause of his death. Some attribute it to a softness of brain, some to diseased lungs, some (the more amiable interpreters) to the misfortunes of several intimate friends, now undoing oakum in the House of Correction. We believe the desertion of Mr. Cuffey had a very serious effect upon the spirits of the deceased. It was thought, at least, that Mr. Cuffey would have laid him out. We regret to state that it has* been otherwise. The deceased died almost wholly neglected. It is still declared by some that he caught his death on the 10th of April, when, against the advice of his best friends, he would go to Kennington Common, where, it is thought, an alarm of the scarlet fever, latent in the neighbourhood, gave such a shock to his system, that he sickened from that hour. Nevertheless, he made frequent attempts to rally, and it is thought, that had his friends supplied him with funds, he might have lingered on for some time. For want of a shell, his remains were consigned to an empty money box, with a bad shilling nailed upon the lid, as a significant coffin-plate. — Punch.