A DRUNKEN MINISTER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1081, 29 July 1871, Page 3

A DRUNKEN MINISTER.

What may happen where drunken Ministers are tolerated in shown by the following sketch from the Pall Mall Gazette of March 28:—There was a tremendous hubbub in the Rue de Jerusalem yesterday evening, .which arose, as I learned on inquiry, from the fact of the Prefect of Police being in a state of inebriety, or rather, rabid intoxication. Some of the National Guards n ( j u ty declared that his Excellency /sic) was indulging in freaks which called for immediate interference; for the fellow's liquor had gone against the grain, and he was issuing orders for ihe arrest of his friends, and among them certain members of the Central Committee, and the Civic Guard was seriously alarmed for the safety of the Government. The prefect is a man of great physical force, having been en a&w.d l'fi£>re his elevation to his present dignity in carrying bars of iron at a foundry, a calling which gave him more strength of muscle than brain A long consultation having been held, a few intrepid warriors ascended the stairs of the prefecture, and after a horrible overture of violent oaths .and broken furniture, the monster was secured and dragged by f he heels from his sanctum. Being a man of colossal size, it took half-a dozen National Guards to remove him, and his struggles on the stairs were exceedingly creditable to his early training. Be flung his long red hair about like a mane, and his large blue eyes rolled furiously. While a cab was being sought for the accommodation of this jovial functionary he was confined in a room on ihe ground floor, and, horrible to relate, when a fiacre was captured it was found that his Excellency had improved the shining hour to undress himself. Needless would it be to relate the time that was wasted and the struggle ■which ensued while the prefect, was being forced into his clothes and finally bellowing like a mad bull, bundled inio a cab in attendance. The National Ouards on duty endeavored to present arms, but their state was only a fev shades less deplorable than that of the gentleman who was being carted home to Mont rouge roaring like a wild beast. As the fiacre was driving off, the prefect forced his head out of the window and shouted lustily for his insignia of office, and was somewhat appeased on getting his portfolio, scarf of office, and a swallow-tailed coat. The vehicle, as it disappeared in the distance, swayed fiom side to side, probably with fresh efforts made by his Excellency to escape.