FRANCE.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 241, 20 September 1848, Page 3

FRANCE.

Uncertainty still prevailed. Letters received by the Morning Chronicle to the 19th May, announce the probability of great chances ; such, indeed, as the writer predicts is likely to affect the stability of the Executive Government. It was said that M. De Lamartine •was about to resign his seat in the Executive Council, to be succeeded by M. Arinand Marrait, the Mayor of Paris. Very serious riots occurred at Rouen. Three prelates had been returned for the assembly. On the 15th May there were serious disturbances ; and a mob burst into the chamber of the National Assembly, and a fierce row commenced ; the people clamoured for war, and the Assembly, who scarcely knew what they were doing, said that they should consider the subject. The National Guards were said to be conspiring against the Provisional Government. Several riots had taken place, and a fearful state of affairs was the conse■quence. The Debats hai the following article upon the ordinance prescribing: the costume of members of the Convention— a refinement which must have appeared sufficiently ridiculous to our readers. "We hope," gays the Debats— '* That the republic will be organized ; in all cases we are certain that it will be dressed The Provisional Government has published to-day a decree which completely reassures vi in that respect. We are truly lappy to learn that our representatives are to wear a black coat, a pair of black trousers, and a white waistcoat with lappels. We had thought, that as God had created man in His image, the nation would have wished to create its representatives to its own ; and it appeared to us natural to suppose that ib.3 delegates cf the operatives, for instance, would take a sort of pride in appearing at the Chamber in the primitive .-implicity of their toilet We confess even that our apprehension was rather that their costume would have been usurped, for the false operative is now very much in fashion, and his dress is the most sought after. Thank God we shall have a costume, and we shall soon see a licensed tailor of the National Assembly with arraoiial bearings similar to those that existed under tyranny. Alas, we recollect the objections formerly excited by the obligation to appear at Court in a costume or uniform ! Democracy could not find sufficient terms to ridicule that resurrection of gentilhommerie. We, the frightful sycophants of power, were the first to abuse it. We do not know whether we can do so as freely at present. The Court does not like jokes. Nevertheless, we should be very curious to see certain representatives, Father Lacordaire, for instance, with his shaved head and his Dominican crown, substituting for his white robe a black coat, a white waistcoat with lappels, and a tricoloured sash trimmed with gold fringe. What would citizen Marat say, if he were, for his misfortune, restored to life, and saw himself deprived of his immortal cap? Now, Messieurs (we beg pardon, we ought to say citizens), endeavour to be a little serioui. It is not by changing trousers or the names of streets that society is to be reformed. We have something else to do. We are soiry to tell you that the people hare more tact and good sense than you suppose. A proverb says, that from the sublime to the ridiculous there is but one step. We would wish to believe that you had arrived at the sublime, but we would regret to •cc you take the step that comes next. W e , accordingly, cannot conceive why the Provisional G >vernment emplojed one of the last flays of its dictatorship in decreeing the costume of the members of the National Assembly. It appears to us tint the Assembly, which is to decide on the form of government, cou d also decide aloue on the form of the wai tcoats its members should wear. It is possible, however, that that form of waistcoats is a last concession made by the Provi sional Government for the maintenance of good harmony amongst its members. If this be the case, we conceive that such an idea, which appears at first so little serious, should have occupied the Provisional Government in the last moments of its existence, and be one of the codicils of its will. We only demand that it be well understood that the admission of the waistcoats of '93 be not an anticipated acceptation of the constitution of the same period ; that there is no connexion between the two things ; and tl.at the Assembly hai only alienated the liberty of dresiing itselt as it pleased." The Independant de VO'iest has proclaimed the accession of the Duke ot Bordeaux to the throne of France !