PARIS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1290, 5 April 1872, Page 2

PARIS.

fIEOM OTJJ3 OWN OOEBESPONDENT.I January 27, 1872. To bay is the anniversary of the capitulation of Pans. The journals appear in mourning; places of business are generally closed; the churches have been well-attended, and Notre Dame celebrated a memorial service, the A rob bishop officiating. It is certainly a sad moment—the terrible past returns with all its horrors. The Greeks had also their anniversaries of national mournings when the statues were deprived of their ornaments and veiled in black, business was suspended, and citizens remained within doors. On the 26th January, 1871, the firing ceased from all the forts at midnight—the silence was the signal that the resistance of Paris was at an end—the psychological moment had arrived—the twenty weeks of imprisonment had terminated. Paris had 10.-t but hei honor; Since the battle of Champigny, it was clear that a sortie would be hopeless. Buzenval was but the occasion for brave men to. uselessly die, leaving models of heroism for future generations. The 18th- March ought lo be a sadder anniversary ; it would be more appropriate, as reminding France that she is still torn by internal dissensions.

The impetuous resignation of M. Thiers laid bare the distracted condition.: of the country. Only one man,, old and headstrong, stands between the nation and the unknown—the only security in Bismarck's eyes for thxee milliards of francs. Even in M. Thiers confidence has been shaken. .For forty years liehas been the advocate of parliamentary government, both in and out of office, and the moment the Assembly, : backed by the nation, decides his. peculiar plan for raising the revenue—a resort to protection would be the ruin of the countiy—he spitefully retires, after promising to continue in office while the Chamber existed—after reiterating that he would bow to the definite wishes of the representatives No one claimed that he should be infallible or omnipotent, but all insisted that he should remain inviolable and irresponsible, placing his ministers to bear the shocks of passion in the Assembly. His failing is caeoethes loquendi. He prefers to join in the fight rather than direct it from his cabinet. To impose his will on 750 deputies would be a worse autocracy than that practised by the Grand Monarch or Napoleon 111. France has drifted into free trade, and it is to be hoped she will abide by it. It is only by the freest commerce with foreign nations that she can find the money to repair her disasters, as well as become great, It is not to M. Thiers, then, but to the moderation of the Assembly, that France owes her deliverance from being at this moment, not in full revolution, but in the most sanguinary of civil wars. The deputies patriotically swallowed the leek, by begging M. Thiers to continue in office. The most difficult of problems now remains to be solved—co provide for the President's succession. The provisional state of things is at once bad and good. The nation is nearly equally divided into two parties —monarchists and republicans— but their differences are not so wide as the divergences between the factions composing these parties. No flag is power ful enough to rule, no party ready to govern-—the occasion was tested a week ago. Coniiicting counsels reign in every camp. But a Vice-President of the Republic has become a necessitv ; this M. Thiers opposes. Like the Turk, he will bear no brother near his throne. The Legitimists and Orleanists are again preparing to "fuse;" the Oomte de Paris, advised by his uncle, the Due de Nemours, is not averse to paying homage, as Dauphin, to his cousin, Comte de Chambord- Henry Vl. who is waiting, as he has been since 40 years, for France to invite him. Every day it is becoming clearer that the Due d'Aumale is speculating for himself. The republicans have only M. M. Grevy and Gambetta—the former hesitates, and the latter is exploded, France, while repelling protection, is unanimous that all her commercial treaties be revised. She hesitates to denounce that with England, uncertain as to, what amelioration she might gain, —T-a. week only is left her to decide^

In tlie meantime ingenuity is* well nigh exhausted to find the resources of taxation. An income tax would ease the situation, but the people believe it to be inquisitorial—than whom no people on earjh have so long submitted to the Government Paul Prys. The navigation laws are likely to be changed, but in a protectionist sen-e. The question does not come so home to the inhabitants as free trade, but a tax on thecarriage of foreign produce wiJL soon tell on the price of the products themselves. Since the recent disagreement with M. Thiers the Assembly is. more givem to work, and this will only increase in; proportion as the President abstains from mixing in the debates, and leaves, the advocacy or defence of his views to« the responsible ministers. The Chamber is becoming clement also; it has rejected a motion to confiscate- the property of his, ex-Majesty. Napoleonhas, none in France of any importance;, although the nation three times voted him. the throne for ever, he* like Louis invested his savings in foreign stocks against the possible rainy day. The member (Naquet)£ who* brought, forward the motion in question had but few supporters, and. was honorary; head of the Commune's* medical staff. He was easily reminded that people who* live in glass houses should not throw stones. At Bordeaux the Assembly indignantly voted the downfall of hi 3 ex-Majesty, but leaves histoiy the task: to punish him and his culpable* ministers,, who conducted, poor France to her rukij by "cracking'up "the nation-to a? war, based on falsified despatches. It. is among the most singular-signs of the times.to encounter on the Boulevards, the leading chiefs of Imperialism and' the platonic leaders of the Commune;., with all the indications of tranquility and probity. They no longer speak in under tones;. they have their their organization* and audacity. Itouher himself, once an irreproachable re. publican, like Ollivier, will likely be* returned to the Assembly, for Corsica,, having failed to obtain a seat elsewhere.. February, last he was well nigh lynched at Boulogne—to day he is.as.happy as any flaneur in the capital, and talks of the- "poor exile" at Chiselhurst without a blush. Bazaine- is also-at home* in Paris : a few months ago France feared she had not enough, of. petroleum, to burn " the traitor." The big Hies escape, the small, ones.are caught. There were Communists prisoners on the Ist of Jnne;, of this numbei, up ro-the present time 19,000 have been liberated,,about 4',000' have been tried, 11,000 are .-till on the hulks, and one-half of this number will likely be set free after a preliminary investigation. It may be concluded that all will be disposed of by the time-, the parliamentary committee makes its; report on the project for a conditional amnesty. The authorities have neveu changed their belief that Felix. Pyat, is among the 11,000; he has ever been an artful dodger in escaping after seeing his emeutes well commenced. The trial of the assassins for the murder of the Archbishop and the hostages at Roquette prison has not been as complete as was expected. Only one of the twenty-three prisoners was condemned to death, and the Court is considered to have been rather lenient for a few others. The prosecution was damaged by its failure to identify Pigere, who escaped by the skin of his teeth. It was only when the Court was about retiring to find its verdict, that " a voice from the tombs," a dying insurgent named Sicard, showed Pigere was mistaken for himself. The released insurgents generally pitch their- ten's in Paris, some become wild again,, and, of late> mysterious Orsini bombs are picked up « all alive " in places where men and -r-asin the Square Montholen—-chil-dren of the rich " most do, congregate-" The Communists make no secret- of the accounts they have to settle with thewealthy citizens. This is one of the reasons why the Assembly declines to. sit under a'fig tree in Paris ; it will not, return. One-half of the deputies,, however, permanently reside in tie city. [TO BE CONCLUDED TO-MORIiOW.]