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Leader (1850-1860), 21st April 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 368, Untitled Article

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      on the north side for members of the corps diplomatique . On either side of the Hall there are seven clustered columns , and on the apex of each of these columns the national flags of England , France , and Turkey-were tastefully grouped , surmounting medallion portraits of Queen Victoria and the Emperor Napoleon III ., which were displayed on alternate pillars / Devices , bearing the words , " Alma , " " Balaklava , " " Inkermann , " supported by wreaths encircling

      the British lion and the French eagle , were arranged beneath the windows between each column . The seats and the floor of the Hall were covered with a light chocolate-coloured cloth , which formed an agreeable contrast to the predominant tricolours in the upper part of the building . The boudoir prepared for the Empress was furnished in a very tasteful and elegant manner . One of its principal ornaments was a magnificent mirror , in a carved gold frame , draperied with rich lace festooned hangings over white satin . Guildhall

      Among the- great persons present at the were the chief members of the Government , many of the Ambassadors , and several of the nobility . At a quarter past two o ' clock , the Imperial visitors entered the hall , and proceeded towards the chairs of state , the Empress conversing for some moments with the Lady Mayoress . The Emperor , who appeared somewhat fatigued , remained standing . The spectators cheered loudly , and the Lord Mayor , aldermen , &c , approached the Emperor and Empress . The Recorder then read the Address ( which did not differ in spirit from the others ) , and presented a copy to the Emperor , who then read the following reply : —

      " My Lord Mayor , —After the cordial reception I have experienced from the Queen , nothing could affect me more deeply than the sentiments towards the Empress and myself to which you , my Lord Mayor , have given expression on the part of the City of London ; for the City of London represents the available resources which a world-wide commerce affords both for civilisation and for war . Flattering as are your praises , I accept them , because they are addressed much more to France than to myself ; they are addressed to a nation whose interests are to-day everywhere identical with your own ( loud applattse ) ; they are addressed to an army and navy united to yours by an heroic companionship in danger and in glory ( renewed

      applause ); they are addressed to the policy _ of the tsvo Governments , which is based on truth , on moderation , and on justice . For myself , I have Retained on the throne the same sentiments of sympathy and esteem for the English people that I professed as an exile ( loud and prolonged cheering ) , while I enjoyed here the hospitality of your Queen ; and and if I have acted in accordance with my convictions , it is that the interest of the nation which has chosen me , no less than that of universal civilisation , has made it a duty . Indeed , England and France are naturally united on all the great questions of politics and of human progress that agitate the world . From the shores of the Atlantic to those of the Mediterranean—from the Baltic to

      the BlackSea—from- the . desire to . abolish .. slavery to our hopes for the amelioration of all the countries of Europe—I see in the moral as in the political world for our two nations but one course and one end . ( Applause . ) It is , then , only by unworthy considerations and pitiful rivalries that our union could be dissevered . If we follow the dictates . of common sense alone we shall be suro of the future . ( Loud applause . ) You are right in interpreting my presence among you as a fresh and convincing proof of my energetic co-operation in the prosecution of the war , if we fail in obtaining an honourable peace , (/ Ipplause . ) Should wo bo fail , although our difficulties may be great , we may surely count on a successful result ; for not only are our soldiers and sailors of tried valour—not only do our two countries possess within themselves unrivalled resources — but abovo all ( and here He 3 their superiority ) it is because and enlihtened

      they are in the van of all generous g ideas . The eyes of all who suffer instinctively turn to the West . Thus our two nations are oven more powerful from the opinions they represent than by the armies and fleets they have at their command . ( Great applause . ' ) I am deeply grateful to your Queen for affording me this solemn opportunity of expressing to you my own sentiments and those of France , of which I am the interpreter . I thank you in my own name and in that of the Empress for the frank nnd hearty cordiality with which you have received us . ( Applause . ) Wo shall take back with us to Franco tho lasting impression , made on minds thoroughly able to appreciate it , of tho imposing spectacle which England presents , whore virtue on the throno directs tho destinies of a country under tho empire of a liborty without danger to its grandeur . "

      Tho Emporor and Empress then dcaoondod from tho laia , and remained some moments in conversation with ; ho Lord Mayor and tho Lady Mayoress . A splendid Mje&ner followed ; and shortly before four o ' clock tho [ mporial visitors departed . In tho corridor , botwoon tho Hall and the Counuiljhamber , a number of valuable portraits of tho Napoleon ' amlly , lent for tho occasion by Ilorr Wetter , were arranged . In passing through this chamber , theso family ikoaesses naturally uttracted the notico of tho Emporor ,

      who paused before the portrait of his mother , and , directing the attention of the Empress to it , with much feeling exclaimed , « This is kind , indeed ! In the evening the Lord Mayor gave a banquet to the general company . .. The Emperor and Empress afterwards visited the Opera in company with her Majesty and Prmce Albert A royal box , in the centre of the house , had , since the last performance on Tuesday night , been constructed , and very gorgeously adorned . " The hanging of white calico , with broad satm edges and gold ornaments , gave a light and airy appearance to the boxesadorned moreover , with festoons of flowers

      , , from top to bottom ; and here was as much propriety a 3 elegance in the banners that separated one box from another , with the initials 'V . ' 'N . ' ' E . ' ' A . ' variously distributed in the midst of circular wreaths—one initial on each banner . The retiring rooms of the State box , which comprised the saloon at the grand entry and a portion of the lobby on the grand tier , were arranged with consummate taste and prodigal magnificence . Vast mirrors multiplied the effects of the statuary , parterres of flowers , richly adorned furniture , and endless lustres , which almost realised the ideal of one of the palaces of the Arabian Nigkts . "

      A new stanza , bearing on the occasion , was added to the National Anthem ; and of course " Partant pour la Syrie" was played and sung , before and after the performance . On the last occasion , the bands of the Guards joined the full orchestra , producing a very grand effect . The town was illuminated at night . VISIT TO THE CRYSTAL PALACE . The Emperor and Empress , accompanied by the Queen and Prince Albert , visited the Crystal Palace yesterday , arriving about half-past twelve . The at tendance on the part of the public was very greatj and the road ( for the party did not proceed by rail ) was thronged .

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      HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE . ( From The Leader , October 28 , 1854 . ) When the French Emperor was expected to pay a visit to England last year , the Leader wrote as follows : — " There is nothing-, _ as _ Mrs . Malaprop obseryed , like the friendship ^ which begins with a little aversion ; and we do not in the least suspect the heartiness of the present affection between the two Courts , and between Louis Napoleon and-the enlightened English public , merely because some few months ago it was taken for granted by the said enlightened public that Louis Napoleon contemplated a visit without waiting for an invitation . A great commercial nation , which is very busy about money , and

      leaves the work of thinking to its leading journals , can only judge of the moment by the appearances of the moment ; and the explanation of the present popularity on this side of the Channel of the hero of the coup d ' etat of December , 1851 , is not at all disgraceful to the English people .-For neither in 1852 nor in 1854 is Louis Napoleon regarded by us from the French point of view , but strictly and exclusively from the English point of view . If we did , now or formerly , consider him as a French politician , he remaining the same man—a despot then and a despot now—why , of course , the laugh at us as an inconsistent people would be thoroughly justified . But , in fact , the English nation notdid not

      did not care whether he was a despot or — even think him wrong in assassinating the French Republic—and are- utterly insensible now to his crimes in maintaining Cayenne , in crushing the press , in annihilating literature , in refusing representation , and , afcKome , in robbing a people of freedom , in order that a ( locally ) abhorred Church may prolong a putrid existence . With all these things the nonintervening English nation has nothing to do ; ami , in truth , does not form opinions about them . The Louis Napoleon , who was denounced in 1852-3 by our leading journals , like tho Times , and by our parrot statesman , like Sir James Graham , was the man who , suspected of a monomania about Waterloo , was suspqeted , in consequence , of a sinister intention Louis who is

      to invnde England . The Napoleon , now far more popular in England than in Franco , is tho powerful monarch whose interest , it is calculated , it is to cultivate tho English alliance , and whose alliance—which our Queen , head of tho monarchical society of Europe , is wisely endeavouring to guarantee by extending those courtesies so precious to parvenus —is of vitul consequence to England , in , a period when England , having assailed ltussia , may have opposed to her two-thirds of Europe . Thus , there is no inconsistency whatever in our national conduct ; we may have been right about tho invasion ; wo may bo right about the alliance ; at any rato wo do tho best for ourselves under tho circumstances , nnd if there bo any slmmo in tho reconciliation , it should not bo on our , side . ? ' But" tho maxim of treating your friend as though lie would one duy bo your enemy , however unjust and unwiso in individual concerns , is very applicable

      to the intercourse of peoples , and should carefully be borne in mind in such a case as this , . where the alliance is less clearly between the English people and the French people than between the English people and the French monarch . For though it is our , and our Court's , business to assume , that where we find a Government it is a Government representative of the national will , yet , as amatter of fact , there are grave doubts whether France and Louis Napoleon are precisely the same thing ; doubts arising from the circumstance , that notwithstanding the recent permanent-looking prestige of the Emperor , none th e statesmen , and not even one of the soldiers , of the old regime , have availed themselves of the

      opportunity , to the latter so facile and so tempting , to take service under the new man . And , even if Louis Napoleon manifestly were-France , our rejoicing s should be guarded " —our reception a courtesy—a politic courtesy—and nothing more . Incarnate Russia , the Czar Nicholas , underwent feting , and Garter investiture , here , some years ago ; and the Court and the nation , in their thoughtles s generosity , endured and proffered compliments , the souvenirs of which are now somewhat ludicrous , if not somewhat degrading . Our Queen , a pure

      young English matron , suffered the caressing compliments and tender flatteries of the despot ; and our aristocracy , mindful of possible civilities at the Winter Palace , accepted , if it did not solicit , an Ascot cup ; our mob gazing and cheering the while , and our press adulating him who , really as impotent a 3 his august brother of China , seemed the arbiter of the world , and was the tyrant of Poland , and the poisoner of the ' sick man . ' Let our mistakes , in that matter , warn us against making too much of the conveniences of the present alliance , or the suecess of its mav be merely temporary Emperor .

      " That our Queen is doing her official duty in introducing the . Empress Eugenie into that effective solidarity , the solidarity of dynasties , and that Prince Albert is indicating wise forethought in seeking to establish a good understanding between himself and the singular and romantic personage whose genius for fatality has procured him so great a station , is obvious . That the nation will not be behind the Court in the required politeness , we do not doubt ; for our two governing classes , our aristocracy of place- and our aristocracy of money , suffer from a strong inclination , scarcely checked by the constitutional traditions of their own country , to worship

      that colossal materialisjn , hideous and unmtellectual , but magnificently " practical , " which has been established in France , and of which the name of Napoleon is the disastrous symbol . For our own part we cannot sympathise with those liberals who see in the courtesy of the Court a treason to humanity : our Court is not Quixotic : and it it were sentimental , our country would correct it . With regard to the present of the Garter , we do not share in tho sensitiveness which shrinks from the defilement of that chivalric institution . Louis Napoleon has been an English Special ; why not a Knight of the Garter ? Has the one thing more meaning than tlie other ?"

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      THE PARIS EXHIBITION . The time is now close at hand at which the Palais de I'lndustric will be thrown open to the public ; but , as in the case of our own Exhibition , the preparations are in a very backward state . The day appointed for tho inauguration is May 1 st—a day rendered classical for such a purpose by the traditions of tho Hyde Park building . It is doubted , however , by many whether it will bo possible to keep

      faith with the public ; and May 21 st is talked of . But the Monijeur states positively that the first is the day ; while a third party reconcile the two opinions by surmising that the building will bo formally opened by the Emperor on the appointed day , " and that it will then bo closed until the 21 st . However this may bo , it does not seem possible that everything can be finished before June . At the present time , a v ast number of the goods remain unpacked ; and the avenues and galleries are in a state of chaos .

      Tho special correspondent of the Daily News says : — " Tho authorities of tho Gobelins have barricaded tho north-east corner of tho Palace , where they arc doubtless preparing a surprise for the 1 st of next month . In contract with tho wondrous tapestries of this national establishment will figure English paper-hangings " 1 pointed glass . Lot us hope that wo may bo able to stand tins contiguity with better advantage than our neighbours expect for uh . Tho English committee appear determined

      to do their best to present the -Knglwu contributions » n tho universal competition as gracefully and efleetiyeiy as possible . With this view , Mr . Cole has invited Air . Digby . Wyatt to Paris . This gentleman is now occupied arranging tho splendid Indian collection that is to occupy tho south-eastern corner of tho galleries . I notieo , also , that tho English proprietors of stalls have largely IIVIUIL themselves of stamped leather decorations , wnic » > nxc in designs upon tho wood-work , and painted ova , give tho effect of carving . Tho Glasgow and Duiiterm-

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      368 THE XEADEB . [ Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1855, page 368, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2087/page/8/