bear. The Duke de Richelieu's Cabinet, by
the fifth article of the bill, imposed on itself, in addition, the
prospective charge of an indefinite number of political prosecutions,
which might rise up in an indefinite time; and no one could possibly
foresee in what part of the kingdom, or under what circumstances. The
evil of this short-sightedness continued, with repeated instances
rapidly succeeding each other, for more than two years. It was the
prolonged application of this article which destroyed the value and
almost the credit of the amnesty, and compromised the royal Government
in that reaction of 1815 which has left such lamentable reminiscences.

A member of the right-hand party, who was soon destined to become its
leader, and who until then had taken no share in the debate,
M. de Villele, alone foresaw the danger of the fifth article, and
hesitated not to oppose it. "This article," said he, "seems to me too
vague and expansive; exceptions to amnesty, after such a rebellion as
that which has taken place in our country, deliver over inevitably to
the rigour of the laws all the excepted individuals. Now rigorous
justice demands that, in such cases, none should be excepted but the
most guilty and the most dangerous. Having no pledge or certain proof
that the individuals attainted by the fifth article have deserved this
express exception, I vote that the article be struck out." Unfortunately
for the Government, this vote of the leader of the opposition passed
without effect.

Independently of the question itself, this discussion produced an
important result: it settled the division of the Chamber into two great
parties, the right-hand side and the centre; the one the opponent, and
the other the ally of the Cabinet. The differences of opinion which
manifested themselves on this occasion were too keen, and were
maintained on both sides with too much animosity, not to become the
basis of a permanent classification. The right-hand party persisted in
requiring several categories of exceptions to the amnesty, confiscations
under the name of indemnity for injuries done to the State, and the
banishment of the regicides who had been implicated during the Hundred
Days. The centre, and the Cabinet in union, firmly resisted these
propositions. M. Royer-Collard and M. de Serre, amongst others,
exhibited in the course of this debate as much political intelligence
as moral rectitude and impassioned eloquence. "It is not always th