PARIS.

Southland Times, Issue 1178, 8 December 1869, Page 2

PARIS.

(fbomour own cobbespondent.) October 9, 1869. The storm signals are flying, and it is quite on the cards the present month may witness the country in the throes of a Kevolution, or tied down by another Coup d'Etat. Since the general elections in May last, political matters have been at sixes and sevens. The Second Empire did not believe that nearly four millions of votes condemned the personal, the repressive features of its policy, and the i reactionary party has used this verdict i with a vengeance, while the moderates desire to patriotically direct it for the j national weal. Then came the Micawber system of administration — a trusting that " something would turn up " — but there was a lamentable want of prevision, aad the blind doctrine of chance proved very naturally a failure — when charged home the government was found unprepared, not only in measures, but in men. In June the Corps Legislatif was convoked, purely to ratify the' results of the elections, but was very coolly prorogued in the course of a fortnight; when the contested seats were down on the paper, and the opposition Tanged to give battle on the official candidates. All this was to make way for the discussion of the Re-. form Bill in the Senate— a Bill that has much that is excellent, combined with not a little that is narrow and unpractical. It was naturally thought that after the Senate had concluded its labors, the Corps Legislatif would be summoned to finish the verification of its members to complete its adjourned work. But the Chambers will not meet till the 29fch November. Public opinion views the postponement in a sulky mood — it feels its sovereignty has been slighted. By the Constitution, the Emperor is bound to call the Legislature together within six months from its dissolution or prorogation, and as the former took place on the 25th May, the ' writ becomes returnable' on the 26th of this month — not regarding the inconsistent few days session which closed on the 12th July. A M. Keratry. who, as a cavalry officer, did the State some service in Mexico, sees in the non-con-vocation of the Deputies for the 26th inst., a violation of an article of that Constitution framed by the Emperor himself, and iutends to convoke himself by attending at the Parliament House, and if the sentry refuses him admission, to " move an adjournment of the seance, and in another place proclaim the Constitutional wrong. The Irreconcilables are backing him up, and are prepared to march through Coventry. It is suggested to hold an "indignation meeting" at the Bastille, which can only mean calling the citizens to arms. The Constitutional purists or casuits, proposed a solemn march through the streets — ostensibly to provoke a collision — and as they are determined men, yearning for street battles, there are here the elements of revolution on one hand, and a Coup d'Etat to quell it on the other. In any case the issue must be fatal to liberty in France. The government is held to be wrong for not summoning the Chamber of Deputies earlier — it could afford to so far bow to universal suffrage as to humour its whim, and even flatter its calculation of a date. The Irreconcilables are blamed for resorting to a conflict to decide an act of the Ministry, when the members of ii can now be tried for their errors. It is preceding the trial by the execution. It is not the parliamentary system that France so loudly demanded, and in part received, and which her people will only know how to use when they resemble tha Saxon race, and the Gallic Latins will arrive at this excellence with the Greek Kalends. There is a great deal of irritation abroad ; there is not a particle of confidence, and since the Emperor's illness, the fears for the future have settled into a chronic alarm. People do not calculate on his life ; it is with them rather a thing of hope than a certainty that he will have a length of days. The discussions raised about the succession have shown a good many black points. There is an evident disinclination to have the Empress Regent, and the decision not to convoke the Chambers till November, in accordance with a promise exacted by her from the Emperor, does not, to say the least, and that little is mentioned with regret, redound to her sagacity. In fact, the future is a sealed book, the instability of the French character allows not the building of any hypothesis as to its movements. Nevertheless, the Empire liberalised, the Napoleon dynasty reigning, but not governing, would not be unsuitable to the French if they could only be constant to anything. Very few reforms are wanting to make the country second to none in practical freedom. The press never was so free — never spoke more boldly. At all times its besetting sin was indulgence in personalities — in envy, hatred, malice, and >11 uncharitableness. Twice a day the Emperor is abused with a luxury, that President Grant must feel ) the attentions of his opponents meignificant in comparison. But then, the Emperor has, writing against him, the men who have smarted at Cayenne for resisting the Coup D'Etat, or had to eat

for many years the bitter bread of exile. Their politics has no forgiveness, their hate no mercy. If one is to judge by the veritable stampede of Spaniards into Paris — with and without baggage — a sauve gui pent must have set in in the peninsula. Prim 13 said to be experiencing some grave fears that he will not be able to cope with the counter-revolution, and as for Serrano, be leaves the arrangement of the difficulty with the Marshal. Things have come to this pass by the Eegency not playing bold with the King question. They assured the nation they had the right candidate, and guarded the secret like freemasons. But there was no Richmond forthcoming, and Spanish pride having been insulted by the Hou.se of Braganza ignominiously refusing the Crown of Leon and Castille, saw the same symbol trained through all the courts of Europp, only to be declined, with thanks. The Keg-eney ought to have declared the nation a Tfepublic, what de facto it is, and has been, and " People the First" might have proved a better monarch than intended G-enoa the First, or Montpensier the Second. The "Republicans have taken to arms, and the Carlists, as a matter of course, march in the confusion. It is a pity the Cortes was not allowed to decide the matter constitutionally — wbich is now left to the fortune of war. Prussia and Austria are inclined to bury the hatchet, and the former, by the Prince Royal's visit to Vienna, cries " let us be friends." However, Bismark does not the less keep his eyes on the flesh pot 3 of Southern Germany. "" France does not object to Baden, &c, going over to the Northern Confederation, hut the people must pronounce on their own disposal. France will not allow Prussia to confederate any more after the high Eoman fashion — as was the case with Hanover, Frankfort, &c, where the citizens were incorporated, as Paddy would say, without as much as "by your lave." Denmark has been reminding us that Prussia has not yet honored her Schleswig draft. As for hiß Holiness, he is. like other sinners, in a very " tight place" for money, and Peter's Pence is not proving by any means the bird with the golden egg. His warriors do not feel inclined to wear out their lives mounting guard, and are withdrawing in rather large numbers ; even the attraction of the (Ecumenical Council will not restrain them. The Free Thinkers have organized their plans for holding their (Ecumenical Council simultaneously with that in "another place." But they intend to solve the Roman question by putting the screw on the French Liberals — by getting up petitions to the Deputies to formally move the recall of the braves — and show the Emperor public opinion desires him to revoke his jamais on this point, as he has done on so many others. Well, this would be something like business. The fact is, we are fatigued of late with Congresses, Leagues — national and international — of poets who announce tmiveraol peace in tragic discourses, nnd take the air of Macbeth to invoke fraternity and charity — of prophets of evil, of their groans and jeremiads. The proceedings of the Empress do not excite much attention. The fact is well known ; her's is anythiug but a voi/ag c d'agreement, and were it not that the public wished her to keep faith with the Sultan, who have much sympathy for his position, it would not have come off at all. Jt will take a great many gondola excursions, and illuminations a giovno to work up her enthusiasm. Her heart and mind are very properly with her husband's health and thickening troubles. It is pleasure under difficulties certainly. Le pere Hyacinlhe has even sank down to a secondary interest, but from day to day he may be expected to recover. The ten days allowed him for reflection, to report himself at his Carmelite cell, have expired, and the eloquent monk has shown the Vatican he belongs to the stiff-necked generation. He has not the slightest intention to consider his ways, so that excommunication will at once follow. The bell, book, and candle-light are ready ; and the world will be called Xtpon to withhold bread, salt, fire, and water from the heretic. He may be sure the Troii Freres will serve him with a beef steak of consolation, andDuval with bouillon. The Pope's thunderbolts fall harmless in Paris, though it be the Chassepots which enable the Vicar of Christ to show his anger. There was a time, in the middle ages, when a Papal anathema was something more than Bound and fury, when an excommunicated German Emperor was left to die in the streets of one of his own towns — no want would be relieved — he was avoided as a ] e per — an unclean thing. But reason and right have so far triumphed in these latter days that the old militant church machinery is as useless and as ridiculous as such things could be. His future occupation is uncertain ; he has declined the offer of an editorship on his own terms, and feels inclined to edit his sermons. Some say he will bring out a volume on the vexed points that agitate the liberal Catholic party. The Government offices here—the war department particularly — have adopted the fashionable plan of duelling to settle , their differences. There have been two such meetings within tho last week, resulting from a discussion of the merits J of some of the ornamental bees that the new Minister believes will be more at home in private life. The National Guard is not very well disposed to obey an unpopular officer. A company has declined to follow the leadership of their Captain to relieve guard, but left that functionary to march alone to the barracks, preceded only by the inevitable drummers. There is every prospect that the organisation of this Guard will be at once overhauled; it is a thorn in the side of the Government, and indeed its great utility is very questionable. If the Sunday movement progresses as it ia doing, Scotland had better look to her laurels. Not only has the shopclosing movement proved a success, but the printers are likely to go in for a day

of rest. It will be the actors next. Some newspaper proprietors, to avoid such a calamity, propose to associate the printers in a dividend of the profits, on condition of bringing out the Sunday sheet— for such has a great sale. The same ruse was adopted" by many of the dry goods shops, and hence" the explanation of several of them still keeping open, and boasting m flaming advertisements that they do so._

The ex-queen of Spain is no more in the odor of sanctity among the Imperial family of the Tuilleries. Isabella has had the effrontery to take back her favorite Marfori. But she has made restitution for the act, as she has bought a little property in France for the tiisiev Patrocinio and her lady-nuns. The owner of this property is" a retired rag-mer-chant.

Having lived in a fever of excitement for nearly a fortnight, it ■would be too mufh to demand that a second edition could be worked up in honor of the blazing shipping at Bordeaux — or the oonfl.-.gration of the Hippodrome. The tragedy at Pantin has fed the cravings of the morbid appetite of Paris for a long time. Not a novel will have a chauce of being patronized, no matter how criminally it may be spiced. Not a play can exceed the spectacle of a mother murdered and interred with her five assassinated children — the sixth being buried a little farther off. The romance of the crime cannot be exceeded even by the imagination. The murderer, Tropmann, in inveighling his victims, if he was alone, has effected almost an impossibility. In a few hours he finished with his hecatomb, and covered their bodies m the labored fidd. The police have not been able to discover any accomplice, no more than the to be feared death of the father of the Kinck family. The chapter of accidents led to Tropmann's arrest at Havre — chance rescued him from drowning—hazard laid bare the crime, and the motive .consequently — the .possession, of some shares, and a few thousands of franca. Nothing can induce the criminal to confess. He will likely outrage society till the guillotine satisfies the justice of man. Paris has now time to reflect on the scandal which all classes perpetrated in rushing to the theatre of crime to see an empty grave, a search for the eight victims, to follow the dogs as they scented for the body, or to wait the arrival of jackals from the Zoological gardens to exhaust the search. The meanest and greatest met by thousands in that Aceldama, bought the photographs of the victims, or "begged a hair of them for memory." Wow, when the papers have ceased to issue " stop press " editions, and give the minutiae of details, they take to philosophizing, and accuse the authors of the Newgate Calendar literature as.inciters to Pantin crimes. After the spectacle of the multitude on the scene of the tragedy, the levity, indifference, and inhumanity displayed by all ranks and conditions of men, women, and children, it is too evident that human nature is ever the same, and that the fraudulent bankrupt, the bubble speculator, and unfaithful banker, are Tropmanns with narrower ambitions, and less decision of character.