OUR PARIS LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 4117, 8 May 1876, Page 4

OUR PARIS LETTER.

: t Paris, March 18. The Ministerial programme is remarkable more for what it recognises than for what it promises. But the frank and full recognition of the Repub ican Constitution, and the loyal warmth surrounding the assurance that that Constitution, in point of foundation, yields to none in legitimacy of origin, and that it must not only be respected by its employes, but that attacks against it will be severely repressed, is an immense good. How we are far from the days of the Due de Broglie and M. Buffet! Vet it is only twelve months since the latter, on taking office, invited the reactionists to destroy the Constitution he voted and was elected Minister to defend. How refreshing and forcible are right words ! How the nation enjoys the utterancesfof honesty and truth ! Not a word about the bugbears “ moral order " and “ social peril ujt a bugaboo hypocrisy in the lengthy statement; no dissimulation, equivocation, or double meanings. It is an incalculable blessing for France to have at last an honorable Cabinet to speak thus, although its members be only Republicans of the palest hue. The Bonapartists have been told France has not the slightest intention of giving herself to adventurers, and anti-Republican officials must love the powers that be, or expect summary dismissal. It is now for the legislators to stimulate well-intentioned ministers to goahead, to infuse boldness into their timid characters. The Cabinet works to consolidate the Republic not to overthrow it like those deplorable and doubly-defunct exMinisters, which the turmoil of events pitchforked into power to expose the nakedness of their politics and the dishonesty of their aims—Messrs de Broglie and- Buffet. We are at last in smooth water, and count only upon gentle gales. • The late general election fully proved the repugnance of the nation to mix up politics with religion, and the voters instinctively fell away from those clergymen who descended as gladiators into the electoral arena. The French clergy have not yet experienced ■ the menaces that the general movement of ideas and of peoples elsewhere level against ; their order ; the desire is even to protect them from the hard blows now so freely j given; but, like Molidre’s famous wife, they wish to be beaten. The Bishop of Versailles desires to follow in the footsteps of the expelled Buffet, and the Bishop of Orleans attacks the Italians, The latter formerly feared to offend France ; it is the turn now of France to be afraid to give umbrage to her Latin sister. French Liberals note these facts, to use them later. After cabmen, the c oncierges, or houseporters, are, perhaps, the most detested of all fellow-citizens. Every man’s hand is against them, and in return their’s is against every man. They are the theme of every pen; they are the fly in the pot of ointment ; the shadow falling across the chamber door. When politics and scandals fail to supply topics for conversation, the co cierge is fallen back upon. This is the only “ providential ” atom in his character : he is the God-send after the weather. Ab the stars differ from each other in brightness, so do the concierges in point of repulsion. The best and grandest of the tribe are those attached to the public offices or great public companies. Here the concierge is A 1; he is the veritable gentleman. He has arrived at the shady side of 50, ever wears a velvet skull cap cocked on his ear ; his look is dignified and severe; he is unobjectionable and polite, but his politeness is as cold as the North Pole, and he answers your questions with the brevity and rigidity of a Prussian sentinal; he is also as reserved as a Patrician in his consul chair. His lodge is uxury and comfort itself; he fares sumptuously every day; he has his own cellar of wine, and subscribes to a journal ;• he is from the depths of the people, yet he detests Radicals, and supports whatever Government may be in power ; he has his earnings invested in the city loans, or the Omnibus Company. Ordinarily, he is a retired soldier, enjoying a pension if he has left an arm or a in Italy or the Crimea, The next class of concierge, is the porter of the Upper Ten, he is more obsequious and polished, claims a position after the house steward: he lives fatly, is well lodged, and enjoys his Sunday like a'successful tradesman. The third class is the worst of all, he assumes the place of the pro prietor, and rules the tenants, for in Paris one lives as in a barrack ; he expects to bo paid marned attention; to cross him or threaten to complain of him he will serve you with a notice to quit; he dislikes dogs and children, the one soils his stairs, the other makes too much noise ; the servants must keep the broken bread for his rabbits ; he takes off his cap to the tenants of the first two stories, ..raises it to those of the third, gives a military salute to those of the fourth, and fastens his cap on his head with a slap as if a stiff breeze wore blowing when the r denizen of the fifth story or attic appears. The concierge of the fourth class is a poor devil, who patches rent garments I and looks forward to the day of judgment I for his rewards, I