On Aug. 12 the members of the left centre introduced into the assembly a bill prolonging the presidency of Thiers for three years, conferring upon him the official title of president of the French republic," and providing for the appointment by him of a ministry responsible, like himself, to the assembly. The bill also secured to the assembly the constituent power, thus enabling it to undertake subsequently the discussions of plans for the permanent constitution of France. After a violent debate, this proposition passed on the 31st. On Oct. 12 a supplementary treaty with Germany was signed at Berlin, providing for some details, and making some few changes in regard to the ceded territory. At the beginning of 1872 the discussions as to a permanent form of government were renewed. Supplementary elections held on Jan. 7 resulted in the choice of four radicals, nine moderate republicans, and four conservatives. The conservatives now held the ascendancy in the assembly, and the advocates of a monarchical government for a time seemed likely to develop sufficient strength to carry through their plans. Toward the end of January the count de Chambord published another manifesto, in which he again asserted his right to the throne.

But neither party was strong enough to insist upon any decided measures; and the only really effective legislative action was that referring to the material affairs of France. In January a tariff bill was submitted to the assembly by Pouyer-Quertier, imposing many new duties and taxes on raw materials, which provoked great opposition both throughout the country and in the legislature. President Thiers vigorously supported the bill; and when, on Jan. 19, the assembly rejected it, he sent in his resignation (Jan. 20). This the assembly almost unanimously begged him to retract; and he finally consented to continue in office, as did also the ministers, who had resigned with him. On Feb. 2 the assembly passed a bill authorizing the government to inform England and Belgium of the termination of the commercial treaties existing with those nations. On March 7 the payment of two milliards of the war indemnity was formally completed at Strasburg; and, in accordance with the terms of the treaty, the German troops at once evacuated a large portion of the occupied territory.

After a long debate, the army bill proposed by the government, providing for the enforcement of compulsory service, fixing the term of service at five years, and making other provisions, was adopted on June 22. On Aug. 20 the sessions of the general councils of the French departments began; and their proceedings, though of course principally devoted to the discussion of departmental affairs, gave incidentally additional evidences of the strength of republican sentiment and the improbability of success for the monarchists. This evidence was strongly confirmed by the results of the supplementary elections held on Oct. 21. The assembly nevertheless, on reconvening after a recess from Aug. 4 to Nov. 11, showed a strongly conservative tendency, and monarchical projects again became conspicuous in political discussions, but without result. A fusion of the right and right centre added to the conservative strength. On Nov. 18 an exciting debate took place as to whether the government had sufficiently endeavored to suppress the radical movements in the provinces, especially the demonstrations excited by Gambetta. Thiers defended his action and demanded a vote of confidence; but the unsatisfactory manner in which this was carried gave rise to a new disagreement between the president and assembly.

This was greatly increased by the report (Nov. 20) of a committee appointed to draft an address in reply to the president's message, in which that document was sharply criticised. Thiers again threatened resignation, but the matter was compromised by the adoption (Nov. 29) of a proposition for the appointment of a committee of 30, who. should prepare a bill strictly defining the relations of the executive and the legislature to one another, and otherwise regulating the responsibility of different branches of the government. This committee was chosen on Dec. 5. On the 10th a manifesto was published by members of the left (including Gambetta, Cremieux, and other leaders), demanding the dissolution of the national assembly, as the means of diverting the evils threatened by the conflicts of party in the existing body, and the election of a new legislature. Petitions to the same effect, received from the departments, were rejected by the assembly on the 14th. On the 19th the assembly rejected a motion for the abolition of duties on raw material.

The beginning of 1873 put an end to many of the plans of the Bonapartist party, which had been the weakest of the contending factions in the assembly and the country; for on Jan. 9 the ex-emperor Napoleon died at Chiselhurst, England. Immediately after, there began at Versailles the prolonged discussion and negotiation excited by the report of the committee of 30 on the president's powers and the powers of the assembly. Beginning with the proposition to permit the president only to address the assembly on certain specified occasions, and otherwise restricting his privileges, the constitutional project of the committee was several times modified on account of Thiers's disagreement with it. During the long debates concerning it Thiers several times made threats of tendering his resignation. On March 13 the committee's report was finally adopted by the assembly in a modified form. On the loth a new agreement with the Germans regarding the remainder of the indemnity was signed, providing for the payment of the whole during the year 1873, and the withdrawal of the German troops during the same period. A bill for the exile of the Bonaparte family was passed March 29. On April 27 supplementary elections were again held, resulting in the choice of several prominent radicals.