OUR PARIS LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2477, 26 May 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR PARIS LETTER.

['FROM OCR OW.V CORRESPONDENT.]

Like England, France seems to have but one general. The French are now all sixes and sevens since tho dismissal of Boulanger, not from the army, but from active service for a period of three years. By then the battle of Armageddon will be over, and the millennium or the international gathering in the valley of Jehoshaphat, perhaps accomplished facts. Whether for weal or for woe, Boulanger has entered the sphere, not of practical, but of active politics. The General has been taken up by tho advanced republicans as a martyr and an idol. A martyr as typifying the victim of the vengeance of Orleanism; the undying hate of the opportunist republicans; the national sacrifice made to Bismarck, and the enemy of middle class cowardice and vacillation. As an idol, he is adored or favoured, as the incarnation of administrative pluck and progress : tho fearless representative of national honour and patriotism; of public liberties, equal rights and republican reforms.

It would be a mistake to pooh pooh Boulangism, or to accept it as the out-put of a new departure. Tho populace must have its idol of some sort: the country is Bick, taxes are heavy, business stagnant, the Chamber of Deputies unpopular, the winter unnaturally long and vigorous, and the continental outlook dark and uncertain. Boulanger has been resuscitated, and placed on the pedestal, but for how long? The reason alleged for removing Boulanger from his commandcoming to Paris without permission, does not take. That kind of disobedience is almost the rule it seems with big wig generals, and wo know that which in the captain is but a choleric word, is in the soldier flat blasphemy. Coming disguised to Paris in blue goggles like a German professor, with a tow wig and a patriarchal beard, and hobbling on a crutch like a broken down tramp, all that is written off to tho legendary invention of the detectives.

It is one of the cardinal sins of democracy, that when any individual commences to tower above his fellows, lie becomes the common target for shafts of envy, hatred, malice and all uncharitableness. Boulanger had become popular, was likely to become more so, henuo, *' oil: within* head, Buckingham.'' It was that jealousy which killed Gambetta, and gangrened pylones was its physiological expression. Boulnnger, as was Oa.mbet.ta, i.-i neou-ed of aiming at the purple, of playing at. dictatorships. The votes recorded for him at the Nivo by-clectioi:B, have frightened, not so much the country, a.', his rivals. The nation is major and master of its pote : if it polls solid and straight for Boulansrer to bo be emperor, neirus, president, mogul, cama or king, its verdict must bo bowed to. L J ari>iaii-i proverbially take a pleasure t.o tlnvart the government of the time being, but if their sympathy for tho ex-oommander is shared by tho provinces, the question can become serious.

Under tho Reign of Terror, there followed in the wake of the Republican armies, delegates of the Convention, armed with a guillotine, and full powers to place the neck of any suspected general under the knife. Matters are not come to this; Boulanger complains, that for months detectives have followed him like midges. His own valet was in their pay; the general being informed of the terms made to his servant, told him to close with the offer ; the biter was thus bitten. Boulanger also complains his letters and telegrams were tampered with. Perhaps all this was pour cncouragcr les aotrcs.

The schism now in the Republican party is complete. The Monarchists rub their hands with glee. The Boulangists intend to agitate for a dissolution of the Chamber, a body not at all in the odor of sanctity, in order to take a mass vote or plebiscite on the name of the general, and in tho interim they will put up the general at every by-election, as a protestation against the Government, just as Barodet was run during the reigu of Thiers, and Captain Laborddre during that of MacMahon, as protests against injustice and abuse of power. The adversaries of Boulanger oppose him, because he impersonates militarism—the end all and the be all of present civilisation, and so the sword might blossom into Napoleonisin, and history repeat itself. The first King was a successful soldier ; but Boulanger has no Italian campaigns to embark in an IS Brumaire ; nor the prestige of man onclc to attempt a second of December. In America the more popular the citizen the more certain his chances to occupy the White House. In France the chances are more likely to precipitate him from the Tarpeiati Rock. How manners even, when republican, differ. If no proofs he forthcoming to show that Boulanger is neither a patriot, a republican, nor an honest man, his march to the capital will only have been accelerated by placing him in his present Mahomed coffin position, neither militaire nor civilian ; and vivas for him will be shouted in quarters, and under the noses of persons, where such ought not to occur. The pleasure continues undiminished at the Emperor Frederick holding his own. His life is viewed as a pledge of peace, in the sense of staving off the creneral war. But while Germany has an army of 3,000,000 men, ready at a signal to take to the warpath, her neighbours will remain likewise armed to tho teeth. Russia continues concentrating legions in western Europe, which mean-" business. The French are gratified at the marked attention paid to their special representatives at the Kaiser's funeral. But they not the less think of AlsaceLorraine, and remember that his defunct majesty, when he crumpled up Austria in 1566, did not take any territory, though he contemplated annexing Bohemia. Who knows but that honour may yet be reserved for tho Bohemians. French journalists were particularly struck with the clock work punctuality and perfect carrying out of tho mammoth funeral arrangements ; but they felt the ceremony lacked tho imposing element that tho obsequies of an Emperor ought to beget, while in addition there wero crying instances of tho unartistic taste. The eighteenth of March is a rod-letter day in the Communist's calendar. They commenced the celebration of the anniversary on the ove by suppers and speeches. Next day formal banquets set orations and balls. Joan D'Arc of the Commune, Louise Michel, put in an appearance at a score of the meetings, but declined to either eat or drink—there were-too many poor and needy requiriug bread. She "had walked through tho snow to save the cab fare for the necessitous. In oae of her little speeches she expressed her j«>y that they wciv getting out of oluoa and entering into

that true harmony, the destruction of every form of Government. At some of the reunions there were lotteries, where tho prizes consisted of revolvers and cartridges. Nothing like being prepared for the rainy day. In these anniversary gatherings there was no discordant note branding General Boulanger for his "ambitious intrigues to dominate France." He was described as tho Bousparte without victories. One anarchist held out the hope, that as there were individuals forthcoming to assassinate Bazaine and Louise Michel, so there would bo one, " to let daylight into the General." The latter was guilty of the deed of shooting down the communists, in 1871, another GollifFet in fact. Tho anarchists wanted no Government, well that programme is clear, tbey are friends of every country but their own. Near St Dennis, the anniversary was seized for the inauguration of "The home for worn out workers," This is limited to a shelter for five men and five women, aged 70 ; who are supported out of the local taxes. They are required only to be punctual at their three daily meals, and at the curfew bell signal, apart from these hours the inmates may trot as far as their limbs will allow them, One speaker, M, Clement, observed, these old folks had as good a right to a free asylum, as the late Kaiser to his, he also reminded his young hearers not to believe such " stuff and nonsense, as that God would bless them," if they had a numerous family, on the contrary it would destroy their credit with the grocer and the baker. Malthus for ever.

Dr Laurel is the highest authority in France on diseases of the larynx, he has extracted that organ from several persona. He has been forwarded all the medical notes published respecting the malady of Frederick 111., aud asked his opinion— one more doctor among the crowd of cele brities will not make much matter so long as MaeKenzio does not quit his imperial patient. Dr. Fauvel concludes ; the Emperor suffers neither from throat consumption nor syphilis, but from an attack of cancer connected with tobacco smoking. He suggests, that one of two operations be performed, and without delay : the extraction of tho larnyx; or, making an opening to the latter through the throat, and injecting solutions of arsenic or carbolic acid on the ulcers. More satisfactory is the assertion that his Majesty can live many years. Said tho witty Toinetto of her invalid master Argan : "he walks, sleeps, cats and drinks like everybody else, but that does not prevent his being very sick." May Frederick 111. never be more indisposed than Artran.

Tho theatro has brought out a comic opera in four acts, and nine scenes, Le It asm : the music is by M. Charles Grisart. The plot is taken from Paul Ferval's most popular romance, the Basm, which has already been converted into a drama. Now the opera is nothing more than the drama, recast, and thirty morcertiix of music intervaled. It is a tragedy set to ear-catching airs. Tim plot has the reputation of being 1 founded on fact, which is not exact, the time, about 1720. Theßassuor hunchback is Chevalier rlo Lo-ranere : during a battle he has rolled into tho moat: there he perceives (Sonzagne, the villian of the picee traitorously killing his comrade Nevers, in order to marry his widow. The Chevalier arrives in time to receive the dying injunctions of Nevers; the latter confides his infant daughter, Aurora, to the knight's care. In duo time Gouz nine weds the widow, and obtain from gipsies, a female child to roplaeo the disappeared Aurora. Tho plot is now as old as the hills; the substitution of a child for the rightful heiress ; the protection of tho latter and the evidences of her identity, and tho murder of her father, against plots and intrigues, till the moment comes for unmasking Gmzagne before the Spanish king. Of course Aurora gives her hand to her saviour and protector, tho Chevalier. Tho music remains between operetta and comic opera. The duets are extremely attractive, some with harp accompaniments; the solos are of tho kind that Sheridan lays down will grind ; the barrrol organists will soon popularize them. The ballet is extremely brilliant, only the personages re-call too much the contrasts that marked Pharoah's fat and lean kine. The scenery is sumptuous and as historically and as artistically accurate, as any Sardou could desire. The execution leaves nothing to desire. Vauthier filled the role of the Bus.in, which was in the drama the monoply of Melinguo, and that his rich and powerful voice admirably interpreted.

Tho Nouvoau Cirque possesses an arena which overlies a reservoir of water; the arena can be slid aside. Thus any circus spectacle which includes sotne " ducking scone "is certain to draw. The " Marriage of Chocolate " is the wedding of a clown ; the liridal party decide to dejeuner on a Robinson Crusoe island, and there enjoy themselves. On the mainland is a fair, where a Normandy peasant and his wife bring two pigs to sail. Darby and Joan have, a warm dispute ; the pigs escape, and tho owners run to catch them ; but the pigs take to the water aud swim for the island, followed by the two peasants. The approach of such unexpected guests, swimming for their lives, startles the bridal party, who are at table, arranged oil the upper branches of a tree. Down come tho guests as the hogs come nearer ; it is whispered this is a visitation for gotting married oil a Friday ; down comes also plates and spoons and leather bottles and wooden legs of mut.tou, roast, fowls in cardboard, and dishes of gutta percha vegetables. Help is demanded from the shore, but in vain; the guests take to swimming ; the bridegroom seizes tho bride by her flowing locks, which she leaves between his hands, and that ought to be returned next day to their owner— the hair-dresser ; stupified over that fragment of his spouse, Chocolate, after a nod of the head, decides that tho water is too cold to its'; life even to save a wife.

The Court marli il constituted to try General Boulanger, and decide upon his exclusion from the army, as was the case with General Conferel, sits with closed doors. It is not nec.ess-.ivy for the accused to b? present. The five officer* have only to decide oil the documentary evidence submitted to them by the. Minister of War—whether intercepted telegrams, letters, or the reports of detectives, and then vote secretly, if B deserves to be cashiered. There is no appeal from their finding'. It is a dangerous thin<r in Prance for generals to aim at becoming the head of the State ; it was fortunate for Generals Washington, Jackson, and Graut that their countrymen were not Republicans of tho French type. Yet Hochc and M irceau could not be objected to for supreme honours in their own country. General Cavaigtiae suppressed the Communists in May IS 18, and was. made at once President of tho Council. Tho December following, the nation voted Louis Napoleon president, and tho latter iu December, 1S">1, thrust Civaignac and Thiers into (be prison of Vincsnnes. In 1873, Mareehal McMahon b.-cune Presi dent,; then Gr6vy the "model," who ended as wo all know. Iu this dilomm > of ineligible*, no wonder Mademoiselle Aoclerc, the chieft.ainnoss of woman's rights, proposes a lady ought to rule France.