On this page

• Text (3)

  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.

  • 

    458 THE EEABERy E SATitRDAv ,

  • 

    LETTERS FROM PARIS. [From our own Corres...

  • 

    CONTINENTAL NOTES. The Fflto of tho Dist...

• 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.

    Church Matters, A'J! The Monthly Meeting...

    « It behoves us therefore at once to . take our . stand , on the ground adopted by this Union in December last , and say that , whatever may be the exceUenc ^ es or the dangers of thTmeasure , we do not think that Parliament should deal with it . And we should do our utmost to obtain petitions , signed as extensively as possible , praying for the formation , by means of the existing convocation , of a Church legislature , in whic h bishops , clergy , and laymen may by common accord settle their own affairs , and recommendto Parliament , such changes concerning church property as may be needful . " They add , that " under the present system of State interference , the clergy as a body and by representation , have no voice at all in the management of Church property ; " they " desire to see the internal reform of the Church referred to a synod , and the external defence of the Church left to Parliament . "

    458 The Eeabery E Satitrdav ,

    458 THE EEABERy E SATitRDAv ,

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

    LETTERS FROM PARIS . [ From our own Correspondent . ] Letter XX . Paris , Tuesday Evening , 11 th May , 1852 . The ceremony of the Standards took place yesterday at the Champ de Mars . The Empire , as I had already advised you , was not proclaimed . On the whole , the affair went off coldly , and without enthusiasm People felt there was a threat hovering above each head . The official world looked grave . The

    surrounders of Louis Bonaparte were sad . 1 he ceremony was more like a funeral than the inauguration of a new reigri . Even the soldiers showed no signs of enthusiasm , for , with the exception of the heavy cavalry , the cuirassiers * and carabineers , who cried Vive I'Mnpereur , the infantry and cavalry generally , contented themselves with here and there a Vive Napoleon . As for the people , it was represented by the ten thousand Decembraillards , who took possession of the ground by six o ' clock in the morning , and presented an impenetrable hedge to the crowd . But the Decembraillards were silent .

    The greatest precautions had been taken to ensure the personal safety of the President . The police had , overnight , effected a considerable number of arrests , including'both Germans and English . The latter were seized at a cafe , in the Place de la Bourse , and have not yet been set at liberty . Dr . Recurt , of the Faubourg St . Antoine , who played a conspicuous part in the Revolution of 1848 , but who has h been

    since been living in retirement , as expelled from Paris . A good many inhabitants of the Faubourg St . Antoine , among whom figures my furniture dealer , Launette , were also arrested . It was Launette who commanded the patrol of the National Guard , which on the 23 rd February , ' 1848 , at the time of the massacre on the Boulevard des Capucines , stood the fire of the troops of the line . He was taken away from his home last Friday , and thrown into a dungeon in the prison of Mazas .

    Nothing was omitted to kindle the enthusiasm of the troops . Before the ceremony , each man received an allowance of wine and brandy ; and the theatres were opened free to a considerable number of them . Wholesale promotions have taken place in the army , commencing with nine generals of division , and fifteen generals of brigade . This morning , five-and-twenty columns of the Moniteur are taken up with nominations to the Legion of Honour . Never since the foundation of the order has there been such a shower of

    cross 69 > The ceremony commenced at noon . The clergy reached the ground in grand procession , with " bell , book and candle / ' crucifixes and banner *; singing hymns and psalms on the way . Such a flight had not been 8 een since the days of the Restoration , before the fall of the Jesuits . The procession consisted of more than a thousand priests , without reckoning the choristers , largo and small . It is needless to add thai , this motley of black and white was received with shouts by the soldiery , and with ironical cheers by the crowd . As soon as the Mass commenced , the bands of the several

    regiments , numbering in all about 1200 musicians , executed symphonies and other appropriate music . Hum came the blessing of the standards . The standardbearers surrounding the altar erected in the centre ot the Chump do Mars , whoro the Archbishop of Puris was singing high-muss , camo one by ono to kins ihe patine , a small golden vessel used at tho ituihh . I lie standard * wore then wprinklod with holy wufcor , urnl

    carried by the officers to their respective regiments . Tho troops afterwards defilod before Louis Bonaparte , who waa placed on a platform covered with red volvot und gold fringo , and whereon was written tho flguroB 7 500 000 ( the number of tho voters of tho 20 th of December ) , and tho words Vox populi , Vox Dei . Tho infantry defiled first , and were followed by tho three divisions of cavalry . At three o ' clock all was over , and tho President waa returning to the JUyaee . By command of the Government all tUo public offices wore

    closed / including the Post-office , the Bourse , and the Bank ; the theatres alone were allowed to remain open . The crowd assembled in the Champ de Mars , independent of the population of Paris , waa very great ; there were not less than 200 , 000 to 300 , 000 persons from the neighbouring banlieue . An immense disappointment was the impression of this crowd . To-night the second act of the farce . will come off , but the crowd will be indoors . There will be 17 , 000

    persons at the ball . A sovper mbnstre had been ordered of Chevet for ISiOOO guests ; a supplement of 2000 covers has since been added . On Thursday the 14 th the grand fireworks will take place on the heights of Chaillot . They were to have been fired to-night , had it not been for a trick played by the artillerymen , who are mostly republicans , by whom they were prepared . The entire battery of the 7 th regiment have been thrown into prison for this affair .

    Although Bonaparte is not Emperor , he does not the less reign absolutely . He possesses all the attributes of royalty , and enjoys its privileges . His effigy is on all the gold and silver coin , and a recent law of the legislative body enjoins it to appear on the copper coinage . It already figures in all the official stamps ; it is to be put on the facade of the Pantheon . Orders have already been given for the removal of David's fine fronton , representing France , aided by Glory , receiving her great men , to be replaced by another group , in which will figure the bastard of Admiral Verhuel . In the middle of the new fronton will appear

    the figure of Christ , supported on the right by Faith , Hope , and Charity , who will offer him St . Genevieve , the patroness of Paris ; on the left , Religion will be receiving from the hands of the Prince President ( official style ) the keys of the Pantheon , restored to public worship . M . Bonaparte is not a mere monarchical effigy , lie acts as if he were a sovereign in reality . Following the example of Henry III ., who provided dowries for the marriage of his favourites , Louis Bonaparte is marrying Persighy to the granddaughter of M . Lafitte and the Marshal Ney , and gives her a dowry of five hundred thousand francs . It is not said where the funds of the dowry are to be

    taken from ! It appears also that Louis Bonaparte is not unmindful of bis own little affairs . Before the 2 nd of December he was crippled with debts ; Rothschild and Fould held more than three millions worth of dishonoured bills , with which they laid down the law in their own fashion . The purveyors to the Elysee had not been paid for three years ; and many a time had the butcher and the baker to be changed owing to their refusal to give credit . Bonaparte , in fact , was so short of money , that a horsedealer refused to sell him a horse , excepting on the understanding that if it were

    not paid for at the end of two months it should be returned to the seller , —and two months afterwards it was actually taken back by the dealer on that account . But all these things are very much altered now-a-days . Louis Bonaparte has plenty of money ; General Magnan , whose debts amounted to 500 , 000 franca , has paid all ; St . Arnaud , who was overwhelmed with protested bills , does not owe a penny ; Louis Bonaparte , who had been compelled to part with all his horses , has just replenished his stud at Cremieux ' s , the great horsedealer in the Champa Elysees , by purchasing sixty horses at an average price of 6000 francs each . But tins is not all . With a prophetic eye on tho future , M . Bonaparte is investing money in foreign

    securities and land . The other day he paid 1 , 600 , 000 f . for an estate and chateau in Poland , formerly belonging to the family of Beauharnais . Neither does he overlook his pleasures , for he has taken possession of all tho royal hunting grounds , and is preparing a sporting establishment on a footing of incredible magnificence . A falconry is being established at Rambouillet ; there had not beon such a thing in Franco for two hundred years . Wo aro going back to the Middle Agos , as you see . Ono of these fine days wo shall be having a passage of wins—a tournament—like that of Lord Eglinton . We shall see Louis Bonaparte playing the character of a preux chevalier , —a farco like all tho rest , where ho appears , but is not .

    While M . Bonaparte ia purchusing ostatcs , those of tho family of Orleans are boing sold . Within tho last tow days the domain of Rainoy , near Bondy , has been soizod . This woelc , Randon , in Auvorgno , will bo taken ; and tho Chateau d'Eu , in Normandy , whoro Louis Philippe entertained tho Queen of England , will bo brought to tho hammer . Did I say wo wore returning to tho middle agea ? it is but too true . Tho monks aro coming back . Tho friars have loft their friaries to begin thoir crusade . This year they will recommence thoir preaching in the churches of Paris . Wo already had tho Jesuits nnd Dominicans , now wo have come down to tho friars . Decidedly wo are a nation falling to decay .

    The budget of 1853 has been submitted to the legislativebody . The expenditure reaches 1 , 486 , 955 348 francs ( 59 , 478 , 2157 . ); the receipts , 1 , 436 ' 863 468 francs . The deficit is therefore 50 millions ( two ' millions sterling ) . In this budget the salaries of the President , the senators , and the expenses of the legislative body , represent 15 millions . The maintenance of the national palaces is put down at more than four millionsj in fact , Bonaparte ' s civil list amounts to 20 millions . The deputies are alarmed at ; this-enormous expenditure , particularly at ^ the large salaries of grandfunctionaries , while they , the deputies , get nothing . It is saidthat they are disposed to . pare down the items of the budget ; and are coming to an understandingwith the ruinority , on this subject , in the council of state .

    These poor deputies do all they , can to form an opposition . They have played Louis Bonaparte another trick ; they have rejected one of the articles in the bill for the rehabilitation of convicted persons ; and , as you are aware , by the forms o , f the . constitution , thi 8 article must again be brought before the council of state before it can be submitted afresh to the legislative body , from which considerable delay will occur . The deputies , it is reported , are resolved to multiply-these delays , with a view to expose all the absurdities of the constitution of Louis Bonaparte .

    Serious thoughts are being entertained by the govermnent to bring in a bill , for the expulsion from Paris , of all workmen out of employment , and persons haying no recognised means of subsistence . This projected law cannot fail to excite the indignation of the ouvriers . The severities against the press continue . The Prefects appear to rival each other in giving notices . The Pay * and the Fublic have each been served with one . The grounds of these proceedings are the most absurd . The Prefects arrogate to themselves the right to judge of the intentions of writers , and proceed , without further ceremony or trial , to inflict upon them the penalties of the law . This is justice expeditiously administered in the Turkish fashion , with a vengeance .

    The protests against Louis Bonaparte's government still continue to increase , but are not now confined to individual members of general councils .- Entire mnmcipal bodies refuse to take the oath to Bonaparte , prescribed by the constitution . Thus the municipal council of Evreux has resigned in a body . In the department of the Meurthe , the Loire inferieure , the Pas de Calais , the Bouches du Rhone , the Gard , the Charente , and the Cher , a great number of members of the general councils , ( somewhat resembling the grand juries of counties in England ) have refused to take the oath .

    Among them we notice Messrs , de Broglie , Beugnot , Cosimir Perier , Joseph Perier , General Count Segur , Odilon Barrot , Dufaure , Havin , Victor Lofranc , Marie , and Barthelemy . Tho refusal of so many persons of consideration , who have for the last twenty years been constantly looked upon by the departments as the political leaders of the country , has produced an extraordinary sensation in the provinces . The most ignorant of the peasantry ask why these men refuse to take the oath . There is never so small a village to which the influence of these resignations does not reach . A political reaction will inevitably follow . S .

    Continental Notes. The Fflto Of Tho Dist...

    CONTINENTAL NOTES . The Fflto of tho Distribution of the Eagles absorbs all the interest of French newB this week . Our amazing daily journals have exhausted their productive energies in their forty column power " Special C orrespondents , w & o must have had a superhuman job of it . Tho impression of " an immense disappointment , " which our own correspondence records , pierces through tho more highly-colourca and glowing descriptions of the English sight-soora . 1 U 0 accounts of tho numbor of troops actually on the Wa ™ * differ materially , as do indeod , 'all tho other foots oi mp celebration . Blighty thousand is perhaps tho correct ostimato . independent of what wo may call tho municipal

    troops . Even tho colour of tho President s norao » variously given : in ono account it was a dark Day , i « another a black . ( Test ainfti que a'Jorit Vhiatoire ' Tho whole scono , assisted by fine weather , was doubuoas striking and magnificent as a mere military spootaoio . Horo is a' bit' about tho Princo from that pliant chromcioi , Galiqmni i—Tho Princo was drossod in tho unitorm oi a general officer , with dooakins and largo military boots , and woro tho grand cordon of tho Logion of Honour . &¦ rodo in front of his brilliant cortege , on a dark-bay <>»»? ££ which ho managed with great skill . This boautitulan iwj vvl . inT , in Tflnniinli hiwi . W 1 M hnUftkt bV tho PrOSldont 10 V 08

    800 guineas , and is considered by competent j" ^ choap at that price . Tho saddle-cloth of tho fn " ^ ono mass of gold cmbroidoryi and woll befitted tho noDiu animal which boro it . and fho occasion . Iho * " » " * occasionally took off his plumed hat as ho . P ^ JVrJ difforontrogimontfl , and after coming up at tho ngjtf ^» § the front o ? tho infantry , he whoeiod round and paw » down tho field boforo tho lino of cavalry . . JJJJg returning onco more to the Ecolo Mihtairo ,, ho ™ f ™ with allliis Buito , and took his place » tho tribune px " pared for him . „ ' _ ., . a . Vo-Immediately after tho wxmd of the Pwwdpnt , tfto t «

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 15, 1852, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15051852/page/6/