On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    W'' E A R « to. ¦ ¦ ^^aQ.-.:,..:¦ .,.. -...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Letters From Paris. [From Our Own Corres...

    compliance with ^ ese ^^ ?« 3 rtiir by an alleviatibii of ngo * ous' measures to S ^ the strbng < su * rent of mdigiatiph whibh ; was 32 l at' Ste * ' flr ^ t ^ rostt ^ t ib ^ de « hardened Kto I sullen resistance , especially' arhdng the ^ rural Sibnaiid ^ r ^ sts . ^ the Ce ntral a ^ sota tlierri . ; de , fitments' however ; nunierritis arrests had just been P flfected - and ajottrrtalpublishe ^ atyauclusestated / thaib * fc the very time when : about a hundred' pr isoners were beiiiff set at liberty , afariargernutober were Pn their " aTto the prisons of Avignon and Apt . Many whP had taken flight ; and had ' sought shelter fchd escape in the Alps surrendered themselves , almost from sheer exhaustion . ; The , fbrtre ^ eapn ^^ t ^^ on ^ hers ) Tort Lamalgue at-Tpulcm , and $ he Chateau , d'K , that orient state " prison . Were gorged wi % . Republicans ,

    literally heaped together . pell-mell . Ihe Chateau de Blaye , the pnsohs oFPferpignan , of Nevers , of Bourges , were not large enough -ta contain , these masses of unfortunate men , whoin authority now deigns to call " misguided , " rather than ' criminal . As it is , ^ heir free discharges are only granted on conditions . A promise to abstain wholly frond politics is exacted , as T have already mentioned . Tfy 3 bourgeois

    , . , G iro ' nde , and others , are still ravaged'by arrests ' , ; ' j ^ Marseilles , the fiam 6 ti 3 Jean Rigne , supreme chief of the Society of the Molintain , and organize ' * of the insurrection in the Vary has beeii seized . The 1 new circular of the 3 rd instant / suspending the sitting * of courtsmartial , the trials ( or rather I should say ) the condemnations at Ciameey ; are interrupted ; but net before sentence of death has been passbd on many , anipng others , - MM . Jouaurii ' and Corasse . The' former of these gentlemen has ; written a very striking letter to his , wife , in which jk © begs her to take courage . "It is not youp husband that . you ought to pity , but his ,

    accusers . > ¦"¦ / ; . .-V-. ... ; ¦¦;¦' : > . -. •; - ' ' ¦¦;¦¦¦ : The affair of the confiscation of the Orleans property is entering lipon a new phase . "" Oi } the . 14 th inst . ythe Princes will put , u n for sale ; At the Palace ^ dq , Justice , 1 . The Pavilion du ^ urt emb , urg , . 2 . A ; house . and lands situated at Neuilly , at a declared price of 111 , 000 francs . As these properties are included in the decrees ^ the sale will , doubtless , be farjcn ^ lly ^ opposed by the legal admihistratbrs of the domains / and on this issue the whole suit willpfobablj" be founded ^ It is the old Procureur Dupin that has plotted this wily game . The bare announcement of , the suit has whetted the curiosity of all Paris ' with a lively expectation , of amusement at a conflict of some kind or other ; between

    law and power . In the meantime , copies of an autograph letter from the Due de Nemours and the Prince de Joinville to the testamentary executors of Louis Philippe are passed from hand to hand . The executors are thanked for having done what they deemed their duty after the decrees had appeared . In this letter the two princes protest with extreme energy Against the recitals of the decree , which . are of a nature to disgrace the memory of their father . M . Duj jin ' s letter resigning his post of Procureur of the Gbtirt of Cassation : is ^ circulated privately . As it was forbidden to print this letter , manuscript copies have : been offered for sale at from five to twenty francs a piece ! So that the government gams Ii ' pthin £ . fry" C £ e m ^ it W $ o

    have stimulated public curiosity . The sensation created in the provinces , and especially in the large towns , by these decrees , is as strong as ever . The impression has been equally lively and profound ; but b y no class more acutely felt- than by the functionaries of the iast dynasty who still compose the chief strength of the administration . Evpn the clergy have protested . Two cardinals are mentioned as having refused the functions of senator , and six bishops have written to protest against the decrees . ' The Bishop t ? f Rennes was the first to set the example . To make the wbrkingolasaoa and the priests accomplices in his violation of the rights of property , L . Bonaparte had declared by the last olause of the deqree that the product of the Bales would be devoted to charitable institutions and

    piou s foundations . The Bishop of Rennes , in the name of the clergy of Jftis diocese , was the first to renounce his sharo of the proffered bribe . lie was soon followed by the Archbishop of Reims , the Bishpps of Luedn and Quimpor in a simil ar protest arid rejection . The niost contra dictory reports are flyjng about respecting these unfortunate decrees . WilJL th , ey be pxeouted or not ? Ono minister is roported ip have avowed tha , t ] had l > e anticipated the difficulties and the olainours that would ons ue ^ they would never have beon published . Another minister , on the other hand , to have declared that thoy will be executed to the strictest letter , and that if , as is threatened , there be no bidders , the state will advance to duly authorized persons the sums re * qun-od for the purchase . I rather incline to bolievo in the lattor roport . Indeed , I have b ' eeA assured that the government has dispatched orders to toko instant

    pos session of all the dbjriains , without , however , as y ^ t nxing the timo of sale . This first step towards carrying « io decrees into , exeoution , h « w revived the reports Wlftt tn « President intenda to reimburse " tho state "

    the indemnity of the g ^^ 3 /^ nd : revise the Feucheres suit , with a view to cancel the will of the Prince de GHnhc ^ and ; so W seiise t ^ e ' imnteri ^ property of his ifeirs . These rumours are strerigth'ened ; py * n facit of 'Ctiaihtilly ^; ! som 6 time ithe ^ esidenoe'of Qfiieen Horterise , beinginclpJed ^ iri their pbsse ^ siohs . Let nie say a ' word on the present state bf public feelnkg ; The Legitimists' are coldly hostAle ;; and : are ? supported by the priests , as abpdy , to such & degree ; that L . Bona parte begins to despair of reconciling them . The Orleanists are profoupdly ,. bitterly jiostile , and almost onenlv consnire . The Republican party is beginning to

    reform its scatter , ed , m ? mbers . . The Parisian bourgeoisie is by no ineans . cpiatenfxed . No fStet , no public receptipns ; is the order of the day , both of the noblesse of the' Royal S ' aubpurg and of the pourgeoipie . , A great many hotels are closed as" if it were the depth of the dead ^ strinmer sea ^ bri : Thfe tradesmen are beginning to suffer ^ Vety' -severely from this organized dearth of gaiety ^—to suffer , an < J to repent ! Paris is become a comparative desert ? ' No moref life , no more animation , np mpre movement in ple asure , or in business . Kverybbdy regrets the past , distrusts the present , and fears tfee future . The tew satims that still persist in remainiiig open are ^^ under the rigorPUs surveillance' of the police . : " ¦ ¦ •' : l ' ¦ " ¦ " ' " : ' " . ¦ " : " '"'' ' ; " ¦ ¦ ' ' '' ' . ' : -A gentleman recently presented himself at the house of the wife of a , n ex-representative , who still receives her friends ; with a request to be admitted to her

    soirees . "In what ; character do : you present yourself , sir , " said the lady , ; " In the character : l ( df an agent d & police ; ma 4 am , " replied the gentleman , banding her , with an easy and graceful assurance , his official card . "I have another request to make , madam : it is to be kind enough to let me look over your list of invitations . '' When the lady had complied with this summons , her visitor returned the list : with many excuses : "I have to beg your pardpn , madam ,

    for giyiqg yo ? u-the . trouble : it was quite unnecessary ; there are ^ wr of my colleagues On your list , of inyitatipBS . It would be superfluous in me . to add to the number . ' From this anecdote , which you , may rely ^ ppn , you may fornran idpa of the dullness and desertion of the" salons at the present moment . * They are mute as the Press—mute as the National Tribune ! Thisfprped silence is of all other inflictions the most odiously repughant to the fjench character . It may ha ; veWee lasted ^ -fiJtir ^ een yeaft Uridef the Empire ; but thei ther ^ wa ^ a genuine cbmperisation : the whole

    force Of public feeling and of national spirit was absorbed in " glory , '' and " glory" replaced liberty . In our da y > nothing of the kind . Therefore is it felt more widely and forcibly than ever that Buonaparte is a lost man , unless he fian create a diversion in ' the public mind by WAR . This is the -universal conviction . It is positively stated that a decree , annexing ' Belgium to Fraaice , has already been on the point of appearing in the Moniteur , and that it is still kept ready for publication . A treaty with Austria for the disposal of Italy is also spoken of . The Pope is to be deprived of his

    temporal power , but to retain an exalted position , and to be confirmed in absolute spiritual authority . Rumours of war are rife ; and it is even said that an important personage declined his nomination to the Senate , from refusal to sanction a forthcoming Senatus-Oonsultum , which is to declare united to France the entire " departments" of Belgium , Savoy , and Piedmont . Another incentive to war is the necessity of finding some aliment fpr the army . The army are discontented ; ashamed' of the jiart they have been made to play . They must be aotive abroad , or troublesome made to

    at home . Threp attempts have been assassinate L . Buonaparte : all three from the army . The first is said to have been by a sergeant : the second , by a private : the third , by an officer . The culprits were seized , and shot then and there . Even the generals are displeased , r-t-Qenerftl St . Arnaud , Minister of War , not excepted . He permits himself to be betrayed into lampooning " his Prince . " Here is a speo ^ men " of his quality , " ' ? Nothing is easier under the present happy regime than to replace the Republican device , Liberty , Egality , fraternity ; we have only to write on the walls , Infantry , Cavalry , Artillery , on se passera du gSnie . jmotive for the discontent of the generals

    A new ih t he blause of the JUeotoral Law which forbids to them , as to all other public functionaries , adniission to the Legislative body . Many of them were sure of itheir election . MM . Lebreton , OhasseloupLaubat , and several others , do not even disguise their indignation . Another cause of the army ' s dissatisfaction is , that tlieyvare , in fact , deprived of their right of voting . Officers arid soldiers , unattached , may vote in their own communes , but not those who are in aotual servjeo . The army disppver , tboh > ite , that on the 4 th pecernber , they were , in fact , extinguishing , not merely the lives of their fellow-pitiisens , but the \ r own rights and liberties . ? This anccdoto ( or a similar ono ) has appeared in the correspondence of a morning journal . Reappearing in this shape , from another and quife independent source , it ficquireo a double confirmation , — $ « . t The play upon the word g 6 n , i « (" genius / aaa owo "onrnweow n evftyowN w » «> y » ttpwj > tc 4 famUwn intoJEnglieh . —ED .

    The other citizerisfwill at least enjbj their universal suffrage ¦ '; the-soldiers are exeommunicate . ' ' : People begirt to talk bf the elections which are fixed for the 29 th inst . The object 1 of the Ministerial anxieties is the confection of a list of-candidates ; as to which nothing is settledas yet . The courtyards of the Ministerial hotels are crowded with carriages , and their ^ nte ^ jhambers paved with , semi-official ambitione . The preparatorylists concocted jointly by the Ministers 3 , hd the Prefers will be submitted to the President for selection . K has been decided thajb the Government list shall not be published in the Moniteur . This

    decision is attr ibuted tb the apprehension of partial defeats , which / if nbt certain , are Certainly probable . The 'Government iWso apprehensive of this trial , that at this moment' its 1 absorbing pursuit is how to make the ballot urns produce none but Ministerial candidates . Many and diverse are the schemes of the Coterie of the Elysee . Some of the court lacqueys propose , that the vote shall be given by " Yeas" " Noes" on the list presented by Government . For my own part , ( between you and me , and the Elysee ) , I have a far simpler plan to propose . Let the voting be by black arid white balL *—only white balls to be admitted into the : urn . This would ensure a

    favourable result . A few Legitimists have presented themselves with a request to Government to support them but Government , how deeply distrusting that party , reply that not only no support will be given , but immediate expulsion from France will be their reward for coming forward . as candidates . I really don't see , then , why L . Buonaparte , should be anxious about the election . He has only tp whisk away any disagreeable candidate , and hei presto / the votes are unanimousin favour of M . L . Bonaparte .

    Meanwhile electoral circulars are rigidly forbidden ( simply by refusing to authorize printers to print them ) : ct fortiori , electoral meetings . Now , if L . Bonaparte is talcing such elaborate measures of precaution , the fact is , it is a question of life and death to him . The elections must be Bonapartist . At any price , and atall risks , the jnajority of 7 , 500 , 000 must be got up again . It will be got up , then . Notwithstanding ; Legitimists and' Orieanists , -ire everywhere candidates , the Republicans stand aloof . My previsions about Jer 6 me Buonaparte are fulfilled . The Nephe ^ r was ' afraid of the Uncle : he was afraid the Uncle might reveal the fact that the Nephew was no nephew at all ! Old Jer & me will have more than 200 , 000 francs , ( 8000 / . ) as President of the Senate : he

    will have , in fact , 450 , 000 francs ( 6000 Z . ) salary , and 80 , 000 francs ( 3200 Z . ) for frais de representation : ( a conveniently expanirive officialism , signifying the expenses of a proper establishment and entertainments suitable : kitchen , stable , and table expenses—the salary being , in fact , " pocket-money . " ) Total , 230 , 000 francs . He keeps , besides , his place of Governor of the Invalides , and his salary as marshal , making a grand total of salaries of 330 , 000 francs ( 13 , 200 ^ . ) I had always suspected this old sinner Jerfime , who ran away en braveat the commencement of the Russian campaign , of being a capital hand at making up a little purse of his own . His skilful behaviour in keeping all his salaries together , confirms my opinion . The rumours which were so current last week about the

    financial projects of L . Bonaparte , acquired such a consistency , that the Government felt bound to give them an official contradiction : —1 , by a note in the Cpnstituttonnel ; 2 , by a note in the Moniteur ; 3 , by a heavy article ( from the Long Tom ) in the Constitutionnel again . The secret of these denials is as follows : —Their financial measures are really decided on , but they will not see the light till after the elections . Up to that tinieexiBtinginterests mustbe coaxed . Don'tbolievehim for a moment when he says that he has renounced these projects , or that he never entertained them ; or both . last letter

    I discussed some of these measures in my . The Income-Tax is to be the leading measure . Comprising , as it would do , government stocks and shares in public companies , it would reach a considerable numner of persons . According to the general financial statement on the 1 st January , 1851 , the consolidated debt thbn represented ( in a capital sum ) 5 , 345 , 687 , 360 francs , and was in the hands of 828 , 790 persons . Among the underhand measures now in contemplation we must reckon' tho Monopoly of Assurances by the State . AH immovable properties would be insured by the State , by means of an augmentation in the quota of the Land Tax . This is the celebrated project of

    M . Emilo de Girardin . The man is driven into exile , and his measures are stolen without acknowledgment . * A duty on notarios , attorneys , and bailiffs' licences and certificates is also proposed . Finally , these last few days I have heard of a project' which would onablp Bonaparte to . discount the taxation . This project would consiat in iesuing what you would call Exchequer Bills , by small instalments , bearing interest , and to a total amount equal to tho year ' a revenue . This combination would not only servo to discount the product of the taxes , hut it would also be an infallible means of coining cash in eventualities which w 0 » U foresee . ? A very usual nainiatoriol proceeding in , England .

    W'' E A R « To. ¦ ¦ ^^Aq.-.:,..:¦ .,.. -...

    W'' E A R « to . ¦ ¦ ^^ aQ .-.:,..: ¦ .,.. - .. / ;; . / ytfi : f ! ta . .. . . - . ;; .. , :: - ,. ; . >**

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 14, 1852, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14021852/page/5/