AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 196, 25 January 1875, Page 3

AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.

(From a correspondent of the Press.) Paris, November 28. “ Contagious blastments are most imminent,” for every project intended to frame a constitution by the existing Assembly. Death pays all debts, but even the Assembly cannot entertain the question of its decease till January next, being the expiration of the six months after the date of its last official colloquy on that subject. However, rules and regulations never have barred the Chamber to do as it likes. A vote can unmake them, as a vote has made. Tfie collected Sovereigns can make ducks and drakes of everything, save Marshal MacMahou’s office, which has just entered on its sixth year of Septennatism. Even the spirits, which according to Milton, can assume either sex or both, may be defied to predict what the deputies may do; they decline to go ahead, they cannot go back, and to maintain the statu quo is impossible. Events have converted the nation to Republicanism beyond yea or nay, so it is useless speculating on the chances of the three Pretenders, all with a panacea in their baggage. The Septennate cannot live much longer in the air; France has laughed that solution out of countenance, and care must be taken that the world does not take up the laugh. Besides, the Septennate is only now a Sexannate; and till 1880, it will pass through a diminishing scale of notation till the “ Annate ” be achieved, and Zero and darkness set in. The institution has not been inaptly compared, in point of shrivelling up, to Balzac’s famous Peau do Chagrin. Equally humorous is the plan to Jhave a Long Parliament, with ministers equally as permanent. It would be simpler to have a Dictatorship at once, but even Dictators like Statesmen are not forthcoming. The “Woolwich Infant,” asNapoleon IV. is irreverently called here, has not the stuff in him to govern a people that sees in a potentate nothing more than a man and a brother, and Prince Napoleon alleges bis cousin the Prince Imperial is a ninny. They say best men are moulded out of faults, but the French believe in no such reform if applied to the Bonapartists; the idea is said to have partizans outside France, in this case it will not affect the elections. Nearly half a million of common councilmen have been recently elected throughout France, and the overwhelming majority of these are Republicans. The Monarchial press ever employs the word Radicals for all who are not of their way of thinking. However, a rose by any other name will smell as sweet. In these municipal elections, the Mayors and their assessors that a special law empowered to be removed, simply because they were not Royalists but excellent patriots and men of business all the same, have been placed at the head of nearly all the polls. “Nothing is here for tears, nothing to wail;" it is a verdict of “ served right.” How long therefore will the Royalist coalition continue to oppose an appeal to the country, by refusing to organise what the people want, a Republic profoundly Conservative ? Inquire of a Sphinx or a somnambulist. The Monarchists are split up in thirteen—a fatal number—of factions, and have grown fiercer by despair. In the half-million town councillors jast elected, those of Paris have yet to come off, not a single allusion was ever made to local affairs; ihe profession of faith was this —to finish immediately with the undefined position of the country, by definitely proclaiming the Republic; to decree a free, obligatory, and lay system of education, and to abolish plurality of public offices. These carried, “ Jack shall pipe and Gill shall dance. ’ The Government is alleged to be a mystery, and hesitates to take a decided stand for or against public opinion, to say yes or no. It forgets that “syllables govern the world.” Its activity cannot be denied in severities aga ; nst the press, and it seems to out-herod Herod in dealing with the organs of Republicanism. Thiers ruled twenty-two months, and issued forty-seven decrees against disagreeable journals ; his successors, though only seventeen months in office, have issued 210—more than the Second Empire during its eighteen years' duration. How use doth breed a habit in a man. M. Chauffard, a young man aged twenty-four, has nearly brought about a Cabinet crisis. Ha was nominated Chief Under-Secretary of the Minister of Public Instruction, and this young scion of the Barnacle family effected such wonders in the course of “fourmouths” as to be considered worthy of the order of the Legion of Honor, while eminent professors of forty years’ standing were pushed aside. The services performed by this admirable Crichton must remain unknown to history. The partiality was too strong for many stomachs; the celebrated chemist Chevreul, over eighty years of age, but of active habits still, has thrown up his appointments, disgusted at the way the official world wagged. Young Chauffard has had to resign his secretaryship iu obedience to public indignation—he has collapsed into a sinecure. So wise, so young, they say, do ne’er live long.” His father is the unpopular professor, lately appointed by the same minister, that the medical students have hissed, and which has led to the closing of their school till the 2nd December; the hisses will be more fierce it is rumored on the re-opening, on the anniversary of the coop d’etat into the bargain. Wonder if the Bonapartists, such strict accountants as they profess to be of their heads, will command » memoiial mass for that day. General Fleury, who is rising into influence in the direction of the Second Empire party, with the view of succeeding M. Rouher, and bringing back Prince Napoleon and other lost sheep to the fold, ought to celebrate that day, as he vu a most active secondary agent in the adventure. A leading journal broaches the idea, that in case of a collision between the Assembly ar:d the Government, the former could bring matters to a dead stop by not voting the Budget, and hence no collection of taxes would be possible. The French are not made for a Hampden resistance; they will defend a right—aye. or a wrong—behind a barricade, but to legally fight out an illegality is not in their nature. During the Second Empire, a few months before it sank, ona Gambon took it into his head not to pay his taxes, alleging that the Empire did not represent him; the authorities seized his cow and himself, and impounded both. A political subscription paid off the debt, and the cow arrived in Paris and was paraded like a Bceuf gras. The promenade was a kind of Alorituri te salutant, as the siege setting in, the patriotic animal shared the fate of nearly all four-footed fat or lean kine then in the capital. Surprise is expressed at the delay on the part of the Government in solving the delicate dispute which has divided the Reformed Church of France into two hostile camps—

Orthodox and Liberal, by which the latter would stand excommunicated bell, book, and candlelight fashion. The Deputies belonging to Liberal Protestantism intend bringing the matter before the Assembly, of which they form some of its ablest members. In case the recognises both Churches as equally orthodox, the point still rests unsolved, how will the local church buildings be owned, where congregations are divided ? Persecution is out of the question. If the State would decide to view the Liberal Protestants as on a par with Mormons, Old Catholics, Faint-Simonians, &c, one-balf, if not more, of the non-subscribing Protestants could not meet for public worship, except as governed by the restrictive law of public meetings—next to prohibitive. The matter is thus very grave. The political press still keeps aloof from the quarrel. The anniversary of St Cecilia was, according to custSm, only honored by the churches. This is scant treatment for the patroness of music. Not an “ ode” was dedicated, though jubilees and centenaries are common events for composers. It was also the anniversary of Mongolfier, and still worse, not a balloon went up in honor of the great aeronaut. It is enough to make one despair of posterity. The church of St Eustache is preferred on account of its perfect acoustic properties for the celebration of St Cecilia’s mass, which is executed by all the first vocal and instrumental artistes in Paris. Some to church repair, Not for the doctrine, but the music there, so the execution of mureeaux from Mozart, Cherubini, Adam, Beethoven, &c, is certain to draw, if not worshippers, at least the dilettanti. The proceeds of the engaged chairs, and the collection go to the fund for distressed musicians, a society which has 6000 annual subscribprs. Not a profane concert took place, Frascati is too much occupied with the Aztees to give a special programme for its beer, coffee, smoking supporters, and the other concert rooms ;depend on prodigies and demi-mondians, and not their music for public patronage. The new National Opera House will certainly be 1 inaugurated on the first of January, wind and weather permitting, as a terrible storm is rising against the opening opera selected, “ Hamlet,” which is not considered an adequate representation of the French school, nor is its author, Ambroise Thomas, of the same renown as Halevy and Auber. Nothing but rows everywhere ; Oh Hamlet, Hamlet! thou hast cleft the hearts of Parisians in twain, as thou didst thy mother’s. The area of the stage of the new opera is about a quarter of an acre if not more, and the height of the building 205 feet. Were it not for the death of the rhinoceros, which afflicts the rising generation of citizens, Paris wonld be very gay ; the children refuse to be comforted till Pericles 11. arrives; In the meantime, every haste is being m de to stuff Pericles 1., and place him on the “grand stand” in the Museum of Natural History ; he died of an indigestion, and his stomach resembled an old curiosity shop. This grief dot s not extend to the Champs Elysdes, which is apparently too narrow to accommodate the cosmopolitan elegance and gaiety of this city. Three rows of carriages ascending this broad avenue, and three descending it at the same time; judge then how our Prado is filled, while pedestrians seek verge and room enough in the side alleys, unter den linden. The racing season is not yet over, but for thousands the spectacle of the “ return ” is the most attractiv ■ part of excitement. Btrange, French ladies prefer the flat to the steeplechase, as is evidenced by their presence and absence respectively. Perhaps the majority of the fair sex in any case look to the drive home as the real sensation—to see and

to be well seen. The season of dinner parties is in full swing, and increase as the political big wigs return to town. M, Thiers has at last arrived from Nice, where be had been ailing ; if any man ought to be spared to see eighty years of age—our first period of of youthfulness according to Flourens, who maintained that we ought, like some oriental kings, to live for ever—it should be the exPresident, thanks to the unparalled care of bis daughter-wife. His acts and gestures are as much studied as if he were still at the head of affairs. Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell. He undoubtedly wields great influence at the present moment, does not at all consider bis warfare o’er, nor his rewards of glory exhausted. This is best seen in the unmeasured terms in which the opposition journals attack him. They rail on him, but evidently fear him, and the Orleanists would like to make a bonne louche of him, “ Satan : so call him now ; his former name, Is heard no more in heaven.”

The new season’s toys are already ananounced, and two deserve a passing notice before they make, like the tricolor, the tour of the world. IGirofle-Girofla, after the comic opera, is a doll dressed in rose; in the twinkling of an eye the toilette can be

changed, and she appears “ a tall girl dressed in blue.” There is no political allusion here; men may be condemned for taming their coats, but it has never yet been declared treason for a lady to change her japons. Besides, public men are all tarred with the same brush ; weathercock ism is as common as gout and rheumatism, so that “ when change itself can give no more ’tie easy to be true.” The second toy represents the new opera, and has a musical box inside, which plays the overture of “ William Tell.” The new bonbons, in which children of a larger growth take an interest, are only announced when exhibited for sale, to avoid piracy. Giraudin is said will patronise something Chinese, and his rival, Bossier, hints about good times to be expected from the North Pole.

Discussion is taking place as to the duty of the clergymen during the shifting scenes

of politics. It would be well were they to follow the old canon, “ when in doubt ab-

stain.” The church of France is undoubtedly undergoing an “evolution,” it no longer builds on Henri V., and is about passing its influence

not to Orleanism or the Republic, but to the Imperialists. The Republicans are sorry, and not sorry at this, and recall the good old days of 1848, when the priests were the first to bless the planting of trees of Liberty, but which did not prevent them, a few years

later, from chanting a Te Leum for the Second Empire, established as we all know. Mirabeau has at last received bis statue,

which has been placed in the Palace of Jus tice at Aix. The Great Tribune is thus re

▼enged. Enshrined in the Pantheon, then torn from thence by a mob, infuriated at the discovery of bis “ Grand treason,” he was

thrown into the Potter’s Field at Clamart, till Proudhon re-established his memory, by proving that ?while Mirabeau had relations with Louis XVI and bis Court, he was but m a lawyer with a retained fee, not as a man finally sold,

The late explosion of a chemical factory at St Denis, caused many eccentric accidents, among which producing deafness was not uncommon. A young woman, to be married the day the explosion occurred, has been rendered as deaf as a post, and 1 er intended husband has broken off the match. The proprietor of the factory contemplates en dowing the young woman with a little fortune, and marrying her to one of his own workmen.

Alphonse Karr again recommends bis old proposition, that to improve the French drama, nothing is required but to hang ten actors yearly. In an humble theatre in the suburbs, tableaux are enacted. The murder of Abel is a favorite su'ject, with the Avenging Angel punning Cain. When the curtain falls, the angel pursues the audience for some sous—the sole recompense she receives.