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    JAS. 31, 1852.] $^3U«Jr«IV 95

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    A meeting of "associated workmen" took p...

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    Letters From Paris. [Filoai Oull Own Coi...

    the Government continues its persecutions of the Fraternal Associations , and even of Mutual Assistance Societies . The prefectbf the Allier has just duwblVed 22 SSie latter at Moulines . General Gerawdta , in iZ ? G < £ ? hZt dtesolved WFratern ^^^ tfciatipM ^ f the SSto , of the cabinet-maker * , and ofthe ^^ P ^ c ^ of ^ Haute Vienne has dissolved four Mutual Assistance Societies at Limoges . All the foreign refugees have received orders to nuit France with the least possible delay . A great number of those who have been constantly harassed hv the police since the pretended French-German conspiracy * are now compelled to leave this unhappy country * " ¦ ' ¦ ¦ / j i

    _ _ .:. __ . . » . ... __ ^ . j , _ -. » _ -.. All the Working Men's Associations are definitively condemned . The associations of cooks and of limonadiers are ordered to liquidate their affairs without delav . regardless of the capital invested by a few privatelndividuals in their enterprises . The famous Cafe de la Republique , Kuede Breda , is thus in process of lkiSdrtion ; The Cafe de la Liberte is selling its furniture by auction . The Cafe" du Peuple , in the Faubourg St . Antoine , with its spacious rooms , and its ten billiard tables , has been sold to a brewery . The oth « r-- Wbr & ing . ABSOmaiioii

    ioiners , the cabinet-makers , the chair and sofa makers , the file cutters , the piano manufacturers , are equally under orders to wind top their affairs . It would take top much time and space to give you an account of all the cafes and cabarets closed this week in various localities . The terror , of the Government is such that it is at a loss to invent new objects of suspicion . There is a decree prohibiting the use of firearms , even for sporting purposes , lest they be used for resistance . . The number of setgents deville , already so considerable , is to be further increased ; and ; the Municipal Guard , already double what it . was in the days of Louis Philippe , is to be reinforced . .. ¦ ' .. : ^ The parody of the Empire is kept up bravely I The

    nephew copies the uncle with scrupulous exactness . Not only tn « Ministers are rejcpnatitutedj , 'tfsjlhave described , but the servant * of the high fiiActibnaries of state wear imperial liveries ; for buttons / eagles surmounted % ith ; tta imperial crown ,,-. Thft Intendant des Menus Plaisir 8 of his Imperial and Royal Majesty is about to be reestablished ; M . d'O— , the son of the former inteijdant , is" selected for the office . A magnificent civil list ia / id ^ telfced of . The courtiers are busy touting for thei / Pr | i » ce . ; they boastof his liberalities ; they speak of -innumerable appeals to his charity sinde the" -2 nd of I ) ecember to which he has been obliged $ listen , and * 'of . the necessity of giving him the means to be generous . No other language was used , no better reasons were urged in 1831 , when a civil list for Louis Philippe was in

    discussion . A word on the actual position of Bonaparte . The latest decrees have settled his reputation with all classes . The old Conservative party , however , is the most incensed . They maintain a sullen opposition to the Government . The generals and superior officers are betrayed into a certain asperity of language , which is matter for reflection . Louis Bonaparte feels himself in more complete isolation than ever ; hence this affectation of a desire to be the man of the peasantry . His conduct towards the Legitimists , the advances he sedulously makes to them , betray his secret anxieties . You have doubtless

    remarked his official order for observing the anniversary of the death of Louis XVI . as a day of mourning . The official journals had not columns enough on that day to celebrate worthily the memory of the martyr King . One of the secret reasons for this wretched farce is the claim on which the Emperor Napoleon always insisted , to be called the nephew of Louis XVI ., having married Maria Louisa , the niece of Marie Antoinette . Hence Louis Bonaparte , as the heir of Napoleon , considers . himself heir to the title of " Nephew of Louis XVI ! " One of these fine days he will declare Henry V . a bastard , and

    the Bonapartists sole legitimate heirs of the Bourbon dynasty . Notwithstanding all this ostentation of official mourning , the Legitimists have now openly broken with Louis Bonaparte . Severe orders have been received from Frohadorf . The few who had rallied to the Dictator are formally censured by the Count de Chambord , to whose cpmmands the whole party bend . The Faubourg St . Germain has decided on extending the mourning for the Duchess of Angoulfeme from three to six months—a pretext for receiving no company , for spending no money , and / or punishing the shopkeepers enthusiasm of the 20 th of December .

    All adhoBion . 8 given hitherto have been withdrawn . In a word , it is a declaration of war . Louis Bonaparte has well understood it in this sense : he has , thrown out a bait to the party by the reostablishment of titles of nobility . This decree was laughed to ¦ corn , by the true noblesse . On the evening of its publication in the noble Faubourg , the question was passod from one to another , *• Do you feel yourself jnore of a marquis , or more of a count , or more of a baron than yesterday ? " a disdainful laugh invanobly following the question . In despair of his position , Louis Bonaparte is

    planning a new campaignv His object is to win over the peasants , the army , arid the priests . " Through the priests , " he is reported to have said , " we shall have the Legitimists , who now affect to be refractpry . ' ¦ • The war of the Salons against Louis Bonaparte- is organized on a formidable scale . The Government cannot conceal its irritation—excessive irritation . How can it resist an army ^ of sharpshooters , every shaft of whose ridicule is mortal , and whose arrows no measure , no decree , escapes ? At first

    it was content to strike at men : now even women are marked for vengeance . A dozen or so of ladies of distinction are mentioned , who have received orders from the police to retire to their country estates . One was politely asked , to which of her chateaux she would prefer to retire t This was the formula of the Emperor . Many have been warned , in terms of menace , to be circumspect . But all these rigorous measuresjpnly exacerbate and intensify the irritation : they drive the disease in , without curing it . In this respect the Government may be said to be reduced to desperation . ,

    On Saturday was the first grand bail at the Tuileries . The high society insulted poor Louis Napoleon by returning his cards of invitation . The Jbourgepisie ' were in the first instance ambitious of admission ; but the decrees of confiscation disgusted them , so that Louis Bonaparte was obliged to content himself With his own lackeys , officers , and functionaries—a goodly company in number ! Immense preparations had been made for this fete , which we are to consider the preface of a seiies of similar entertainments . It was to dazzle the

    refractory by its magnificence—to reconcile them with the powers that be— 'and , above all . to convince them of the necessity of a liberal civil list , to make provision for these splendours , and to represent Prance with dignity . There were abqgt £ 500 invitations sent out . At the last moment it was feared that the decrees of the 23 rd instant might diminish the number * ; and , under this impression only certain- saloons were thrown open . HerfaeTftie crowd was so dense and so compact , that towards eleven o ' clock the circulation became very difficult . ¦ .-. The _ President 'was in the

    uniform of a lieutenant-general . All the ambassadors of foreigni , ipv 6 r | i gns attended . Even Mr . Rives , the . Envoy ; of ^ the ITnited States , who was absent from tn $ jfi £ Bi ^ eceptiori after the coup d ' etat , was there . The 3 ' * li ^ ce of tlie Ministers of Spain , of Naples , < b £$$ Jg * ui ^; j ; df Saxpnjr * of Wurtemberg , of Bra » l---aH powerful allies of thehouse of Orleans — -waS remarked . Early in the evening the President received the Diplomatic Corps in private audience . He did not dance ,. \ The ball was opened by the Ma / chioness of Douglas and Prince Poniatowski . Among the absent were MM , de Morny , Rouher , de Montalembert , and Boutay de ' la Meurthe . On the

    other hand , the presence of M . Fould , notwithstanding his resignation , created a suspicion that his resignation might be only a feint , as in last October . The presence of M . Drouin de L'Huys was also commented upon , as he had refused a portfolio as lately , as the 22 nd , and was reported to be opposed to the confiscations . Of the Bonaparte family there were present , Louia Lucien , the President ' s cousin ( said to be named his successor by the secret article of the Constitution ) , the Prince de Cariino , and the ex-King Jerome . I need not say that neither of Jerome's sons was present . The Princess Mathilde , aUradiant with diamonds , appeared to be still suffering from her recent earnest

    supplications on behalf of the house of Orleans . Among the ' beauties , " the most admired were MM . Rogier , Kalerdji , Gallitzen , Silveyra , of the diplomatic corps ; Madame Lehon , who was ever the ornament of M . de Morny ' s fStes , Tyas absent . The Scottish costume of the Marquis of J > ouglas , and the uniforms of many Russian , Polish , aid English officers , attracted great attention . A colonel of the Emperor of Russia ' s Mounted and Nbbld Body Guard , was remarked for his jack boots ; the Court dress at St . Petersburg is certainly "la culotfe . " . A sprinkling of . Oriental costumes , among tthers a Persian Prince , more resplendent with diamonds and precious stones than even the Princes 4 f Nepaul , flashed through the throng . A few of the ladies were observed to incline to a revival of the Imperial fashions , if shorter petticoati and higher waists may be deemed indications of

    tendencies prepense ; * Not a little laughter was excited at this apparition of a mode which nfakea a woman with her waist up under her arms look ; like an umbrella half sheathed . At midnight , the Pmident took the arm of Madame Lucien Murat , and proceeded to the long gallery , where the supper w » served . To resume , it was impossible to conceal , i ven on the countenances of the intimates of M . Louh Bonaparte , a shade of dejection , a kind of painful sense of the isolation into which the last decreii had thrown him , even with the

    moderate party . ' .. . Yesterday ( Monday ) , the list of the Council of State was published , Without the list of the Senate which was to have accompanied it . It is composed of MM . Baroche ( Vic i-President ) , Maillard , Rouper , Delangle , Parrieu , Me jno , Admiral Leblano ( President of Seotions ) , Genera Allard , Barbaroux , Ferdinand

    Barrot , Quentin Bauchart * Bpinvilliers , Boudet , Bonjean , Boulitignier , Boulay , Carlier , Charlemagne , Michel Chevalier , Conti , Cornudet , Cuvier , Dariste , Denjoy , Flandin , Fremy , Ch . Giraud , Godelle , Hermann , Janvier , Lacaze , , •>; . Lefevre , Leroy , Marchand , Stourm , Suin , Thorigny , Villemain ( intendant militaire ) , Vuillefroid , Vuitry , Waiss , The list was considered rather weak . It has , in , fact , been modified since the 23 rd . MM . Paravey and Chasseloup-Laubat are spoken of among those who declined nomination . Some oi the best names of the old Council of State are excluded , such as MM . Vivien , Rivet , Dunoyer , Horace Say , De Renneville . St . Aignan , Bethmont , Tarle , Gauthier de Rumilly , Hely d'Orsol , & c .

    The absence of Legitimists is also to be observed . I have heard that the Portfolio of Finance was offered to M . Audiffret , a celebrated economist , and one of the cleverest men of the Legitimist party . It is said that he was remolded from his own house to the EJysee by a sort of amicable lettre de cachet , but that he firmly resisted all the cajoleries of the President . A letter of M . Dupin to the President is much talked about . I have the text before me . The first nqyt "f this ' letter attaftkftJtyith ^^ t fr ^ ftfwrf ^ PttCTm ^ VK *^ 4 ^ ¦ ^^ ¦ ¦ ¦— ^ - * — - - ~ r - - < ^^ J — — — - ^ " . - ^ ^— ^» ^ V W ^ mr ^ - *^ m ^

    *_^ ing the decree of the 23 rd as an " attack on property . " M . Dupin concludes by protesting that he is confirmed in his resolution ( to resign" his post of Procureur-General of the Court of Cassation ) * ' by every Christian notion of what is just and of what is unjust . " The Mqntteur contains a note that the Government ** renounce , henceforth , exceptional measures . " This is a concession to public opinion . It is the consequence of a conversation which the President had with one of his most devoted friends ; M . Viellard , who acquainted him . with the alarming reports in circulation since the decrees of confiscation .

    These decrees , however , are nearly forgotten in the announcement of others far more serious and far more important , which have created a deep impression on Exchange , and caused a fall in the funds . I speak of three decrees ; one to impose a progressive income-tax ; another a tax on the rente , a third suppressing the wine duties . Grave news from . Algeria . The Kabyles are again in . insurrection . M . de St . Arnaudi is to take the field against them , leaving to General Hautpoul the'Ministry of War . The list of

    senators appears at last in the Moniteur this morning ( Tuesday ) . The list contains really none but the nobles of the Empire" ;¦ the high names of the true old noblesse of France are not to be found . The names of MM ; de Beauveau , d'Audiffret , de Caumont , arid de la Force , are included . It is a shameful falsification . These gentlemen had anticipated their appointment by declining to be named ; their names were maintained in spite of all protests . Once more , the tactics of the Empire ! S .

    Jas. 31, 1852.] $^3u«Jr«Iv 95

    JAS . 31 , 1852 . ] $ ^ 3 U « Jr « IV 95

    A Meeting Of "Associated Workmen" Took P...

    A meeting of " associated workmen" took place in a certain quarter of Paris on Monday night . Thirtyfive men representing the different operative associations , whose productions often , deserve to be ranked amongst works of art , held a conference to discuss the propriety of emigrating to the United States of America . The first and principal speaker was an operative cabinetmaker , whose productions attracted , it is said , much attention at the late London Exhibition . He spoke in substance to this effect : — 11 The events which have recently taken place in France have changed the conditions of existence of the fraternal associations , which were founded immediately after the great revolution of February . What

    is wanting to the new institutions we adopted in good faith , and realized with , success , is liberty . The principle of association is the enfranchisement of labour . Our success has shown us that we were right in adopting that principle . But at this moment one vital element fails us . I do not now allude to political liberty ; the question that interests us is top grave to be lost si ^ ht of in the excitement of useless digression . Nevertheless , it is impossible for me , when laying before you our situation , as my associates have charged me to do , to avoid pointing out to you the danger that menaces us under the pretext of these political reasons on which I prefer being silent . You are aware that , in a great number of places , such as Lyons ,

    Limoges , and Lille , the operative associations of every corps have been suddenly dissolved by the authorities . You know it has been said that these associations were merely secret societies in disguise . You arc also aware that the Prefecture of Police has ordered the erasure of the word ' Association ' written on the walls of Paris na indicating the , site of our ateliers and our shops . Those acts arc full of meaning ; they show that the Government , deceived with rcBpebt to ue , and badly informed ns to tho object of our statutes , looks upon us us dangerous . ' It believes our agglomeration pernicious to order * and to

    public security , and it Wishes to break it up . Yes , it is my firm conviction that what has been done at Lille , at Lyons , and Limoges , against our brethren of the operative associations , will be done in . Paris against us . We shall be compelled to quit our workshops , and to reuuinc our former condition of mere mercenaries— -working for wages as we woro before . Remember , my friends , what the Archbishop of Paris said to ub some months ago : — ' You have done a beautiful and holy act—you have made youruelvos free . In other operative establishments I find a master and

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 31, 1852, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31011852/page/3/