The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-18

STATE op AFFAIRS IN FRANcE-SpAsMs OF rHg
SocIA1Isrs.-The agitation and efiervescence natu-
rally resulting from the conflict of opinion amongst
opposing factions, in the political and philoso-
phical arenas Of the French republic, APP
pear to puzzle some of our wise journalists in these
attitudes In these collisions of adverse sects and
PARTIES, certain philosophers, among whom the
great mileage refomer is prominent, affect to dis
Germ only the omens of coming disaster. They do
not seem to understand that this excitement is ma
tural and healthy; that by and by, the extreme
violence Of opinion will subslde, and a system of
peace and order be educed from the chaos I'm
doubtedly, the administration of Lsuis Napoleon
are surrounded by difficulties of considerable mag
nitude. They came into power at period when
the aspect of affairs very formidable and
threatening. They haze, however, thus far sus-
tanned themselves with creditable degree of
ability and wisdom.
A great deal of the clamor which has been raised
against the new administration in France has pro-
coded fromthe socialists. The leaders and organs
of this sect would have believe that they constl-
ute most influential portion of the French peo-
ple. If we were to believe the Tribune, socialism
is now on the high road to supreme dominion in
France new correspondent of that journal,
of the triumphant progress of his sect--states
that the army is becoming socialist, ~
and throws on, sundry oracular hints about
some great revolution that is at hand, which
will overturn the existing order of things,
and establish the principles of socialism for ever,
making France a perfect garden of Eden, into
which no insinuating serpent will be permitted to
ntrude Now, all this is gross exaggeration. The
i
both in point of numbers and influence. They con-
sst of few thousands of the lowest class of ope-
ratives in Paris and some of the other large cities,
numbering altogether, perhaps, four hundred thou
sand out of the eight millions Of voters in France.
They about important in that republic as
the Mormons, OF other small sects, who cherish
all sorts of vaganes and absurdities are in the
United States. The great mass Of the voters of
France are agricultursts, entirely opposed to the
tenets Of the socialists.
The system of socialism, as preached and taught
by Fourier, CADET, Greeley, Lechevaier and
others, is combination of atheism and false phi
losophy. 1t presents certain features attractive
enough TO illiterate and coarse minds but it is so
full of absurdity, folly, and impiety that it only
excites the adherence and pity of those who re-
verence religion, and really desire the welfare of
their fellow men. The only plan tor reform society is
to reform the individuals of whomt is composed by
subjecting each to that salutary process of self
culture and discipline which Christ and his apos-
ties inculcated. But the plain, simple, unassum-
ing system of Christianity, to which we owe every
thing that estmable in our civilization, laws
and social arrangements s not the thing for your
cunning fellows, who affect all sorts of eccentri-
cities in order TO catch the vulgar and impose upon
uneducated minds These chaps always have
some grand scheme on hand by which everybody
is to be made rich and comfortable, and the world
converted into paradise. But neither here nor in
France can they ever amount to more than a
small and harmless sect of knaves and silly
dreamers.