The North-Carolina standard., 1849-01-24
GLIMPSE AT THE FRENcH.cu,,,1

GLIMPSE AT THE FRENCH@CHAND,
PARIs, November 3O ,o't%
= = The attack npon Cavaignac was loS4S. l.S4S.
M: st. Hilaire. Long queues were in waitiUc on
before the doors were open. No blouses ,vs nOOA
seen in these queues, but instead, diplomaiee %
tionaries, and eminent civilians, and weIiS. lOAe
ladies. hundred francs and more had been 'ss
In ten minutes after the doors were Omen
seat was full. ''eg
In the box of the President of the Asseup.
the right of the Tribune, sat the aged Madamonch
vaignac, the mother of the accused General 80 OS
ing, with nervous interest, every movement i %
discussion; beside her sat the blooming MaSt%
Marrsst, the lady ef; the sPresidentof the Asse%e
The pretty easy-looking Madame Thiers was ~
present, sobered by the scene into air of hosS S
full eaTnesiness. The great tragedian, Rachel Y%,
also found her way to the Assembly to witness vS
might grow into tragedy, and regarded with wat
floor. F'"%
The Ambassadors box was crowded. Fla,
ladies and interesting faces appeared in every sd
slble quarter of the galleries. Even the little Jo
opening into the tibHdes were thrown open. tSs'
those In the corridors might catch somewhat oe a
voices coming up from below.S
In his usual corner, In black dress-coat .lo,,
Duttoned, and with toilet trife more elahor.to AZ
usual, was CaVaignac, the accused Chief of the b"
Next to him was the lean long, sallow. lazoa.O "O
looking Bastlde, the Minister of Foreign Aas~
Further down, in dress studiouslv simp1e %0A anS ~
studledly neat, leaning thoughtfully on bnoe Sos
was the mild, mercif1l, half Enolisb-looI;nr' nv ~
Marie, the Minister of Justice ~'
Then came Recurt, and Ducoux. and the ,in
plump, sPruce-looking -Lamoriciere, the Minister
Next, was the orator Hilaire, and the lopp.bai,
methodisfic CARRIER Pages. Succeeding them " wSr
Lamartine and Arago. WI"
Behind them, upon the upper benches were h
MountaIn-gTIm, scowling, and earnest Amonr
them you could easily detect the large, round OqS
!ace 0! hedru Koin, IN the heat of the debate, lean
Ing with his chin upon his hands, or raising hishe5
fer hearty shake of approval, as St HiIaire nona
his attack, with some sudden vehemence FO
There was Consideraut, thoughtful and earno..
with ms lips tight closed under his long moustacbs
forever at his pen and notes-writing and dream
Ing OF Fourier. There was the thin. lone. mild. va
sinister face of the Able Lammenais strono in r1J
out lrresolute OF PurPose-now here, and now tben
Ian lncongruons heap of impiety and devotioNN
humanity and craft-love and bitterness.
There was the spectacled, German, sour face of fl,
strange Property-leVeler Prudhon-now strokinchS
chin in reverie, and now joining discordant chons
OF the Mountain. There was the let-black sbininn.
faced representative of Guadaloupe, IN crisp nous
taehe-all innocent of his color, and earnest in at
ton as any.
: Over opposite, was to be seen the little, rOuDd
keen face of Thiers, half hid in spectacles some
aines turned eagerly to the, tribune, and sometimes
turned with chuckle smrk, to meet the serious
calm. stern look of Odllon Barrott. Far back yon
catch sight of the poetic head of Victor HUGO who
sits, bending forward, with his finger to his temple
listening. as if he were hearing the recitation of
drama.
And so it was drama, most of all when it grew
dark, and the lights blazed, and voices had become
hot and husky with passion, and listening had grown
into unbroken habit so that the stiffness was opDs
sve, and the slightest word came to your ear even
the whispers of the tall hussiers, as they raised
themselves on tiptoe, and reached out both hands,
and beckened downwards to those who were standing
on the upper benches.
And you could hear every thump of Cavaignac's
fist upon the tribune-and could hear even an old
gentleman at the far end of the gallery give an ap.
proving tap with the end of his foEe6nger upon the
lid of his silver snuff-box, and utter a WHISPERED
"a Ires-6ien Sc tres-bieD!''
And, at the end, at midnight after the House had
listened to the passionate invectVes of GARNER Pa
yes, and the startling Recommendations of Eedru ROlh
ind had heard second and third time the accused
General (stif under the eye of his anxious and aged
nother) kindling in reply, lo there approaches the
Tibune, in the midst of the murmurs that have sue.
,eeded debate, old man with heavy features and
n brown wig, stepping feebly, the patriarch of the
assembly, Dupont de fEnre, and moves the renewal
# the old vote ofgratitude to Cavaignac.
And the vote passes by fifteen to one; and the pal.
cries in iutter; and the whole House astir and
oor; and the lights go out So falls the curtain Of
he drama.
If Cavaignac did not sleep souHdly on such vote
With such mover of the vote, then surely his own
conscience is his worst enemy.
And if his mothers old eyes did not run over with
glad content then / am no heart-reader.
Cor. " 7. Courier f. Enquirer.