The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-22
Our French Correspondence.

The State Irials-Ihe War in Haiy-Passion
Week-Ihe Opera-Ihe Marseiiaise Hymn
-Anecdote of Rachael-1he assembly, &C., &C., &c
The public mind, since the date of my last has
been more excited here by foreign than by domes-
tic events although, in other times the latter class
would have had sufficient importance to have been
regarded with profound interest. You will recol-
lect that, on the appeal of the government to the
Assembly against the system of clubs, in the face
of which regularly constituted government
could maintain healthy and vigorous action,
committee of the Assembly reported unfavoraby
to the government, and maintained that the
tinuance of the clubs was harmless, if not useful ;
and at all events, that it was right which free
people must and ought to enjoy.
Matters lay suspended, after this report, for
time; but the Minister of the Interior, at length
finding II impractlcable to secure the maintenance
OF order IN this great capital subject to the immune
rable clubs and secret societies which swarm in
all It's ACCOMPLISHMENTS, and each of which is the
focus OF constant insurrectionary fever, applied to
the Assembly once more, and demanded vote, de-
carng, in categorical and unqualified terms, that
the clubs were forbidden. He succeeded in OBJ
tanning this vote by majority of 49, in full house.
This majority was small, it is true, but, consider
ministry, it was regarded as decisive and at all
events, it pledged the Assembly to the suppression
of the clubs, at least as they now exist.
The Assembly, however, soon appeared, more or
less, TO reco from the act of energy into which it
was thus suddenly betrayed. The committee on
the clubs, which had reported against their sup
pression requested permission to sit again, and de-
hberate upon the new position which the question
assumed, after this unexpected decision of the As
sembly. A schlsm ensued in the committee, the
majority of which entertained opinions adverse to
the decision of the Assembly.
A subsequent debate in the Assembly, on the sub
Ject, exhibited a corresponding schlsm there ; but
the majority lay in the other way. The majority of
the committee agreed with the minority of the AS,
sembly. A measure of an alarming character, and
almost mcnaclng new revolution, now took place
My last despatch had not sailed from Bologne before
this occurred On decision of the Assembly on this
momentous subject, giving considerable majority
to the ministry, and against the principle of the
clubs, the ministry, consisting of between 200 and
300 members, walked out of the house and retired
into the Chamber which was formerly used as the
Chamber of Deputies under the monarchy. Here
they opened, as 1t were, second and independent
Assembly, and commenced a debate the ques-
ton on which the National Assembly had just de-
cided. A portion of them, however, became alarm
ed at this attitude, and spoke in tone of remon-
STRANGE. Others vehemently pronounced in favor
OF withdrawing altogether from the Assembly.
Some of the leading members of the former ad-
mnistratlons under Gen Cavalgnac, and previous
ly, openly declared that nothing left but to abb
stain from voting in the Assembly, or to shoulder
their muskets and descend into the streets-in
other words, to make another revolution After
some violent harrangues, however, they more mode
rate portion OF the meeting prevailed and the broke
up, each resolving to follow his own decision A
portion of them returned to the Assembly, and
voted; another portion abstained-in fine, the de-
cision against the clubs Prevailed but it was agreed
that the committee should still proceed, and send up
to the Assembly an amended report. The majority
of the committee which had declared against the
vote of the Assembly, refused to sit, and the mno-
This report adopted project Of law, the first article
of which declared that the clubs were forbidden;
but it was followed by series of other articles, in
which political meetings. public and private, were
supplied ample means for ,clubbists still to exist
under changed names In Short it evaded the law
as 0'Conne used to do in the Catholic association,
during. the agitation which ended in Catholic
form, though declared insufficient by the 60
vernment, was reluctantly accepted and read
twice. The third reading has not yet taken
day last, moved that it, should be put on the
order of the day on Monday. The motion was re-
jected by small majority, and go the matter now
stands. It's probable, however, that the third
reading will be taken towards the end of this week,
but not in time for any report of it to be sent by
this despatch. 1t is certain, meanwhile, that the
law, such it is, will pass, and we shall founder
on until the dissolution OF the present Assembly,
and the convocation of the regular Legislative As
semby, under the terms OF the constitution, which
will take place at the end of May.
While these things were In progress IN Paris,
the High Court of Justice has been sitting at
Bourges, trying the prisoners of Vncennes, and
bly, on the 18th May. This trial has lost much of
It's interest, owing to the publicity of all the mpor
tan details previously Little or nothing has come
out in evidence which was not before known The
only eventworth mentioning occurred within the last
few days, when Hubert, the individual who proposed
the dissolution OF the Assembly from the tribune
on the 18th May, surrendered himself. This sur
render apparently was the consequence of disclo-
sure made by person named Mounier in which
Hubert was charged with being police spy under
the government of Louis Philippe. However it be,
Ig mo- "a prG andy WI he tried ho-
ther the present trial will be protracted for this pur
pose, or another ordered, is uncertain at the time
write. 1t is probable, however, that before close
this despatch may be able to report the Judgment
OF the court the prisoners now In charge OF the
Jury.
Another event of the last fortnight has been the
conviction of the celebrated Proudhon, the apostle
of socialism, for libel against the republic This
notorious individual in his capacity of editor of the
Journal c Pcultc, has been sentenced TO three
years Imprisonment and fine of 5000 francs, his
associate editor being Condemned to one year OF
lmprls onment and fine of 600 francs. Proudhon
has appealed from this decree to the Court of Cas-
sation but there is not the least possible chance
of the success of this proceeding indeed, 1t is said
his motive is to enable him to escape, his intention
being TO go to London.
You will have learned by the journals the de-
tails of the catastrophe which has taken place IN
Piedmont. This remarkable and brief drama may
map, that the river Tcino, fed by innumerable
streams descending from the ACTIVITY of the Alps,
flows from north TO SOUTH through the great plain
Of Lonlbardy, from the Lago Maggiore to Pava,
where il falls into the Pc. 1t separates Lonbardy
and Piedmont. When the termination of the
almistice was declared by Charles Albert, his
army was formed in line along the right, on Pied
montesc bank of this river. The extreme left lay
between the town of Novara and the south ex
Ireniiy Of the Lago Maggore Its centre was in
advance of the town Of Mortara, and its right
turned at angle near Pavia, and followed the
NIGHT hank of the Po TO the positions of the Duchy
Will ha hat nIg Inn w IA ey
tfeniely extended, embracing the entire length of
me lIecDcntese territory, from the A lips to Pa
cenh II was, OF course, proportionatey weak at
every POINT: The plan intended, was to enter Lom-
wing at Pihc. nza, by the centre al Pavia and Vi
gevano and ny The left al BuiIalora Radetzky
meanwhile, instead Of scattering, concentrated his
iolces, Ieavng the greater part OF Lombardy almost
he PicdmonieSe centre. between Pavia and Vige-
,cno, and were tciced across the river by a yi9o-