The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-21 00:00:00

ELECTIONS 1N PARIS.

A Deputy to the Legisfative Body is about to
be elected in the Department of the Gard, a va-
cancy having occurred by the promotion of the late
member, M. Fabre, to a high post as Judge. Three
candidates present themselves. The first is M.
Dumas, not the author of " Monte Christo," nor
his son of the Dame aux Camelias, as was some-
what spitefully said at first, but the son of the cele-
brated chemist who was Minister of Agriculture
and Commerce for two months and nine days-31st
of October, 1850, to the Ist of January, 1851—and
who after the Coup d' Etat was made Senator.
The second is the Baron de Larcy, Deputy under
the Orleans Government, where he sat and voted
on the extreme Right, with Berryer as his
leader, and was one of the five Deputies who, in
1843, paid the famous visit to Beigrave-square. He
was also representative of the people in the two As-
semblies, Conztitutional and Legislative. He con-
stantly voted with the majority ; and though he
supported the motion for the revision of the Con-
stitution of 1848, he refused to adopt what was then
called the policy of the Elysee—that is, of the Pre-
sident Louis Napoleon. On the 11 of December,
1851, he joined his colleagues at the famous meeting
in the 10th arrondissement, to protest with them
against the Coup d'Etat. In 1852 he retired into
private life till the general election five years ago,
when he came forward as a candidate of the Oppo-
sition, and was defeated, in the same district of the
department of the Gard from which NI. Fabre, the
newly-made Judge, now retires. M. de Larcy is by
all, accounts an able and honest politician. The
Presse says :

" lie recommends himself to the suffrages of the
electors and to the sympathies:of all impartial men
by the purity of his long political career, his noble-
ness of character, his extensive acquirements, and
his brilliant talents."

The third candidate is M. Teulon, who was also
a Deputy in the time of the Orleans Government
and voted with the extreme Left. lie was named
one of the Judges of the Court of Appeal of Li-
moges. At the Revolution of February he was
appointed by the Provisional Government Commis-
sioner for the Department of the Gard, of which be
is a native ; and was elected represmtative to the
Constituent Assembly. After the election of Prince
Louis Bonaparte as President of the Republic, M.
Teulon took his place among the adversaries of the
Napoleonic policy. Defeated in the election for the
Legislative Assembly, he resumed his functions as
First President of the Cour d'Appel of Nimes, and
retired from the Bench in 1863.

Of these three candidates the official one is, of
course, the son of a Senator. He is absolutely un-
known ; he may have excellent gifts and merits,
but they have as yet to be displayed; but his great
recommendation is derived from the scientific and
political services of his father, which have been
handsomely acknowledged by promotion to the
Senate and divers public functions. If successful
through the influence of his patrons, he will become
another unit added to the compact band of Depu-
ties who vote silently and unanimously for all Go-
vernment measures. M. de Larcy in the Chamber
would speak eloquently, as he has before done,
against centralization, against lavish expenditure
on public works, in favour of the extension of mu-
nicipal franchises, and for• the liberty of the press.
The prefects have a sad time of it whenever new
deputies have to be returned, for the defeat of an
official candidate is a mark set down against them.
M. Henri Itochfort, in the present number of the
Lanterne, gives a humorous and not very exagge-
rated account of what is done on occasions like the
present :

"It is at this solemn moment that those luckless
functionaries, whose embroidered coats are for so
many the object of ambition and of envy, really
earn their pay and allowances. I fancy lam pre-
sent at a conference between the candidate and the
prefect. _ _

" Monsieur le Candidate,—Ba pleased to give
me a few hints for the circulars which I have to ad-
dress to my dear subordinates, to whom I am going
to recommend you. Let me see—have you got any
pictures at home ?'

" Yes, three ; one of them an engraving of
Mazeppa. I have also an engraving of Ivanhoe,
but it has been transferred to the housemaid's bed-
room.'

" ' Capital ! I shall then say that the fine arts
and artists have always found in you an enlightened
protector. Are you a graduate of the University ?'
" ' No ; but in 1833 I had some intention of pre-
senting myself for admission to the Polytechnic
School.'

" ' That's something. I shall write that your
special studies in the exact sciences give the cer-
tainty that not one farthing of money will be spent
in France without being strictly controlled by you.
Between ourselves—do you give much to the poor?'
" One day I sent 25 francs to a tamer of wild
beasts who had his arm mangled by his panther.'
" I shall put down—compassionate and generous
—no misfortune has ever found him
_indifferent.
His purse and his heart are alike open. The indi-
gent know it well, and when they sec him pass cry
out "Ihere goes our father.'
" Such are pretty nearly the mysteries which the
Government bides from us with such jealous care.
What particularly astonishes me in its conduct is
that while so rigorously respecting the secret of the
elections, it has such little respect fur the secrecy
of lettere,"