PARIS.

Southland Times, Issue 1668, 26 November 1872, Page 3

PARIS.

(feom oub own coebespondeht.) September 18. The only crumb of consolation the inspired journals give to account for the deficit of nearly 90 millions of francs in the revenue for the first six months of the present year is, that an inquiry will be instituted to discover the civil servants 1 who confided the secret to a newspaper — that the fiscal policy of M. Thiers was producing its natural results. As a good many Bonapartists are in the public service, it is concluded they are the culpables, meriting to beat once cashiered, and their places filled by pure republicans. Apart from such a reform, the vulgar reality remains, that the alleged deficit exists, and semi-oflicial journals have to swallow the disagreeable fact after stoutly denying it. Now if we are to have a republic it must eschew all fear of facing the truth. Except by freedom of commerce and a temporary income tax, France eannofc make the two ends of her budget meet ; the rich do not pay their fair share of direct taxation ; when they do, relief can be given to the earners of modest salaries. In any case, the people have not yet experienced the full pressure of the war- tax; when they do, M. Tbiers will be sorely tried. The sympathy in favor of the Bepublie continues to increase, and will, so long as it upholds order and enforces impartially respect for the laws. It is on its trial. Its progress can be best measured by glancing at its opponents. The friends of the Comte de Ohamborcl — who, when Gambetta was dethroned, commanded the situation, but had not the pluck to occupy it — desire to recover what they loat, and simply demand that M. Thiers retire pending tbe forthcoming general) k election. The Orleanists have fallen into '

the sere and yellow leaf. The Bonapartists are not thriving, because the nation persists in remaining steady ; one of their journals has died from neglect, and their crack organ announces dissolution for the end of the month. Having the name for their form of government, the republicans mean to have the thing if-self ; success attracts success, and whilst. M. Thiera secures the support of republican?, by opposing nearly all their doctrine?, he thus wins over the bourgeois to the idea of his republic, and neutralizes the monarchists by appointing them to high office3. Gambetta is setting out on a " dining tour" in the south ; will | celebrate the anniversary of the annexation'of Savoy, &c, to France — an event that mijrht be better left in the shade. Louis i Blanc will neither dine not speechify, he will lecture. That complete letter- writer— M. SaintHilaire — private secretary and bosomfriend of M. Thiers, haa favored the universe with two more communications. Unhappily, he does not believe the time arrived for clemency for the Communists, but considers the National Assembly should be occupied with its approaching 1 <3issal ufcioa. The writer's ideas are accepted pure and simple as those of M. Thiers, hence their importance. The newspapers here continue to be disappointed in finding neither sentiment nor tragedy in the settlement of the Alabama question ; it is all a matter of pounds, ; shillings, and pence, like a breach of promise case. The sole relish French writers appear to find in the whole affair is, that the principles ruled by the Court of Arbitration apply only to the States and England — are not international law However, the marked respect paid by the English and American war-ships to Bf. Thiers on the occasion of his recent visit to Havre, has created much satisfaction, and is accepted as the retort courteous to the Jaire imperial meeting at Berlin. One illusion the French ought to part with at all costs— that in believing Russia is their friend, and that the Czar loves M. Thiers more than his Uncle William. Fifty-one years ago, the Oonstitutionnel newspaper, according to documents now published, agreed to pay " young Thiers" fifty francs for each contribution. He is now the King-President of France, and will arrive in the course of a few days to occupy the Elyaee, where he will keep open house, testify thus his love for the Parisians, and snub those Monarchal deputies who decline to legislate in the capital. Quite an improvement has taken place in the conduct of the press respecting him ; he is not subjected to have his every action and word telegraphed to the world, if he has a good appetite, and wears a brown frock coat. This puerile curiosity is on the wane ; it is felt that M. Thiers is mortal. It is said that the French are never happier than wheu hearing of matters about vvhich they have the least interest to know. If Edmond About were now at large, he would tell us that the most important event succeeding the reunion of the Emperors at Berlin, was his arrest. It has been so sudden, so unexpected. Who would have thought the conquerors would have dared in time of peace to arrest the first of French writers — the chief editor of one of the principal Paris journals ? It tvas formerly the belief that nothing was sacred with a sapeur ; the Prussian is doing his best to monopolise this character. As the telegraph and ambassadors are working over-time, first to learn the cause of About's arrfest, and secondly to effect his liberation from prison in Strasbourg, the true history of the matter will SOOn be known. As an Alsatian, M. About had only till the end of the present month to decide whether he would remain French or become Prussian. By his wife he owned a small property near Saverne, which he inhabited as a country residence, and in its quiet retreat wrote many of his famous books. Since a fortnight he has been at his country seat endeavoring to dispose of it, and packing up his household gods, like so many of his fellowAlsatians, to make a pilgrimage into France, after bidding his native land a long good night. It is reported he expressed himself in anything but terms of admiration at the conduct of the conquerors, in abusing their victory, and compelling happy homes to be thus broken up ; further, his writings hare been very caustic, and no doubt pierced the thick skin of the invader. Beyond his quick marching off to prison, and his sentence to a short term of imprisonment — to be commuted of course by the Emperor — no further injury will be done to him, and his wife and family need not — eep and tear their hair as if he were going to be shot like a franc tireur* Bu* the moral of the incident will remain. When the Athenians burned Sardis, Darius charged one of his attendants to remind him thrice every day at dinner, "Sire, remember the Athenians." The Germans may rest assured they are remembered at every moment by the French. About 1 s newspaper ia now meeting with an enormous Bale, and his shrewd publisher informs us how small is the price for the complete edition of the prisoner's works. It is Cardinal Antonelli that will shed no tears over About's misfortune. Paris is now suffering from a plague of small brown ants ; they are not " ephemeral" like the Prussian fliea that visited us during the spring; they are resolute, and the last idea they appear to have is that of going away. Some say they are a sign of good luck — perhaps Germany is going to return a few of the milliards j or of wealth and prosperity — they have heard of the success of the loan. Were i they to take themselves off they would confer a great boon. Like sorrows, they come not singly but in battalions, under, as well as over doors and chimneys, above all, in the crust of the bread, as their head-quarters are the bakers' shops. Wherever there is a press with food, there they are making themselves at home; they smell a dinner like a poor relation. Honey and jam are said to kill them off, 'tis true, but all the drowsy syrups of the world will not prevent others from trooping to the same

fate ; the cry is still they come. Strange " autumn manoeuvres," where the greater the number of enemies slain, the greater become the reinforcements. Any day may bo witnessed at the Boia de B "»ulogne, Birnam wood coming to Dunsinane; take a chair near the "lake district"" and look down the grand alley ; there are to be seen advancing, ten, fifty one hundred trees, whose tops keep nodding like the plumes of a warrior's helmet ; each tree is drawn by several horses on a peculiarly constructed screwtruck, which lifts the tree, roots and all, and enables it to be transplanted. The " city park" is thus now being re planted, after all the gratuitous injury inflicted by Troehu's strategy, which calculated the besiegers would bring the muzzles of their long; range artillery up to the counter-scarp of the fortification. The coal famine is not so much, feared in Paris — as wood and charcoal are generally burned — as a diminution in the supply of meat ; those who rarely eat meat do not complain, and those who do, are not to be pitied, as they refuse to touch, either American pork, because it is salted, or Australian meat, because it is unfashionable. The prospectus of a company is issued for importing turtle from South America. Every restaurant in Paris displays in its window, along with gigantic fruits and vegetables, a few Lilliputian turtle, crawling, like snails, I over salad leaves. These univalves are never used ; they are hired out, like the prize fruits. Since the season for game has opened, fche Central Market is well supplied; there, may be daily encountered, foxes, badgers, pole-cats, weazels, magpies, crows, gulls, thrushes, and robin redbreasts. No wonder a " rural" a few days ago in a restaurant made the sign of the cross before commencing to eat, which led the proprietor to protest, as conveying distrust of his cuisine. la reference to the discussion going on, to open gambling establishments in France — at the time when other countries are suppressing them — -it is authoritatively asserted that, in the 75 clubs, 1400 hotels, and 600 lodging-houses, as well as in the cafes, wine shops, and at the tables-d'hdte in Paris, " plav" is a permanent amusement. The " Exchange" is not included in this number, but it is a monateT gambling establishment, where states, companies, and individuals put down stakes. M. Thiers will never consent to stimulate corruption. The co-operative society movement has never extended in France, so it is nofc surprising to witness that an association has been founded to explain and propagate the true principles of co-operation, banishing from the outset all questions of politics and religioa ; the latter generally does not imply an examination of creeds, but the wish to profess no religion at all The " G-rand Orient" of France is at the present time nearly torn assunder on the proposition to found a Lodge, specially consisting of Alsatians and Lorrains who have been patriotic enough to remain French, the better to keep alive their desire to be revenged. The appointment of Q-enerals Ohanzy and Ducrot to divisional commands is well received, the first particularly. The National Assembly was not their place. It is to be hoped Faidherbe will not be overlooked ; in his late work he has committed some errors, bufc as his former antagonist, General Von Gdeben, is publishing a history of the Prussian campaign in the north of France, their exposure from such a quarter will be in itself a punishment. Bazaine's position is about such as it was when he surrendered himself prisoner, with the addition of gravely impaired health, and an indictment becoming daily more overwhelming. The army has at last a serious, soldierly look ; the men are sober and obedient, and the days of lax discipline are over. In and around the capital the soldiers are anything but popular, and are constantly subjected to insults and vituperation. All this will not aid in raising the state of siege under which we unconsciously live, "nof promote" compassionate feelings for the Communists. The National Printing-office is now selling off what remains of the old " copy" supplied by the Communist authorities — the originals of the famous proclamations, orders of the day, fraternal addresses, &c. — all for a few franca ; the used-up property is going for nothing. M. Loyson's name is now never heard ; the French say when a man marries, he retires from the world, and his wife enters it. Under the First Revolution, some priests rushed into matrimony ; j such was the case of Jean Bernerd, vicar i of St. Margaret's church, who, accompanied by hia bride, made a gpeech before the Convention on the right and duty of the clergy to marry ; after the wedding ceremony, he introduced his son to be baptized — giving him for name, " William Tell." This did not prevent the unfortunate man from being guillotined in due course.