adopted by 566 votes against only 4. The alteration of what may be called the title of the Bill was in itself justified, as it is undeniably a more correct announcement of the stipulations of the projected measure. However, there are good reasons for believing the Republican anti-proportionalists will, during the discussion of the other clauses of the Bill, seek to obtain other and more important concessions in favour of the majority, and thus "saboter" the reform.
Ever since the promulgation of the Republican constitution of 25th February 1875, the electoral law has been a stumbling-block to the harmonious working of the democratic institutions of France. So early as 1880 the Scrutin d'Arrondissement (voting by small districts) established with the Republic, and by which each Deputy represents nothing more than a small constituency, was found so detrimental to the superior interests of the country that M. Bardoux presented a Bill to the Chamber for the re-establishment of the Scrutin de Liste (voting by departments). At that moment the Chamber was so divided on the question that when, after long delay, the measure came on for discussion in 1881, it required all Gambetta's eloquence to obtain the comparatively small majority of 65 votes in its favour. The victory was not, however, definitive, for the Senate, by 184 votes against 114, refused even to pass to the discussion of the clauses of the Bill. That check created no great astonishment, because M. Barodet had just presented to the Chamber a proposal for the revision of the constitution, with the avowed object of obtaining the suppression of the Upper Assembly. It was, nevertheless, only a temporary check, due to the strained relations existing between the two legislative bodies.
The pernicious effects of the Scrutin d'Arrondissement, which led Deputies to allow local considerations to determine their votes on questions of vital general interest, becoming every day more and more apparent, M. Constans in 1884 re-presented M. Bardoux's proposal for the establishment of the Scrutin de Liste. During the debate in the Chamber the measure was opposed chiefly on account of the dangers attending its application. Many departments of France were far from being republicanised, and it was argued the Imperialists and Monarchists would probably seek to profit by the Scrutin de Liste to make a sort of plebiscite in favour of their respective pretenders. The Bill was, however, adopted in March 1885, with the overwhelming majority of 402 votes against 91. After being modified in some comparatively immaterial details by the Senate, the reform, such as it had been voted by the Upper Assembly, was ratified by the Chamber almost without debate, with the majority of 305 votes against 71, and promulgated as law on 16th June 1885.
Events soon showed the fears to which expression had
