The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-17
Our foreign Correspondence.
[FRoM our PARIS CORRESPONDENT
PANS, August 80, ls49


You could not have given me orders to com
mence correspondence for your paper at more
unfavorable season of the year, for this time Paris
is very much like your city during the months Of
August and September of the second and third
years of presidential term; for by that time the
mighty throng of solicitors for office is generally
extinguished, and the President or majority of the
cabinet-al of your fellow citizens-leaye the city
and the dust of Pennsylvania avenue 10 editors and
Government clerks. There is no one now in Paris
no, not even representant du peipts; and, conse-
quently, there is no news. All the qnidnuncs have
separated. have the Palais- Royal and the gar
dens of the Tuileries all TO myself have positive
y few materials for letter, unless play weather
chronicle 10 you and take the barometer and Their
mometer as my stock in trade, The President has
gone to Saint Cloud, and the statesmen have scat
tered themselves from Dieppe les eatr DIES Puren-
nees; so there is politics 10 be talked Of The
Baron de Roth-child has gone to Honbotrg and
consequently the Bo,rse has no change. Sky,
shops, streets-al dull There are no shows
scandal, sentiment; the country engrosses ALL and
Paris is truly but one vast Pennsylvania avenue
The Parisans were astonished last week You
should have seen them roll their eyes twirl their
mustaches, and laugh contentedlv 10 see an inva-
sion OF Quaker dresses pretty Quakeress faces, and
English hurrahs and hears. Even Paris, with all
its memory of sights seen-they are legion-never
remembered to have seen the like. All Frenchmen
who were in town FASTENED to the Chdssfe Il Arfin
to see the novel show: every window from the ree-
dechdussee to the mansnrd, was filed with the GU
rious, armed with jiimeHes Of, am afraid to say,
what power, that they might see the Qlachve TO
advantage. Such taste in dress had never suggest
"a. Ia II. l.
and you know they have conceived the foie- gras.
So, for four days, the greatest distraction in all
Paris to go TO the Chnussee d Antin TO see the
Quachs, and hear the English hip hip hip hurrah
The members of the Peace Convention must long
remember French hospitality: for, with an atten-
ton rarely displayed by governments, their bag
gage was passed through the custom house and oc-
troll without any examination; the palaces and pub
lie buildings were thrown open TO them-even the
most private apartments-upon the presentation of
their card of membership; and the great water
works of Versailles and ST. Cloud were displayed
last Monday for their especial accommodation.
This was an extraordinary mark of favor; for the
water-works play some six times only during the
year, and only on Sundays. Each display of these
fountains costs not less than thousand dollars;
and an extraordinary exhibition of them is an
honor heretofore only accorded 10 crowned heads.
NJ de Tocqueville, the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
gave the Congress grand reception the hotel of
Foreign Affairs the night Of the adjournment of
the meeting, and dispensed so far with the usual
Official etiquette as TO receive them in their every
day dress. doubt if the salons of that hotel
ever witnessed so singular a reception before.
Quakers divines, reformers agitators under hang
ings-the famihars of Talleyrand, Polignac Pozzo
d Borgo, and Gui5ot,
While approve highly Of the objects the friends
Of ne Peace Congress propose 10 themselves, the
node they propose TO attain their object is simply
rl1'ruious from its impracticabilty. Resolutions
cannot change human nature; and, until human
nature Is changed il is vain to endeavor to change
that mode of settling international disputes which
has obtained for the last four hundred wears Men
change-human nature is modified; but like the
changes which every day pass before our eyes in
the physical world, they are slow and gradual
requires many settings and risin of the SUM- great
vicissitudes of temperature-rainss SHOWS clouds
storms-before the fields yield the result Of our care
But that which is produced by these natural causes
sound, healthy, permanent; while the forced hot
house produce, tastelezs aud delicate. resembles
n Ia nothing bot outward appearances SO il is in
the moral world Conventions may be framed, the
DEGREES of arbitrators may be recorded; treaties
from this time, henceforth, forevermore, perpet-
ual peace friendship and alliance shall subsis be-
tween our respective nations''-may be negotiated,
ratified, and exchanged; yet, after all these high
sounding forms, have but to turn TO any page OF
the history Of any nation their inutlity, un-
less supported by public opinion public opinion
not of the forced growth Of ante-chambers and
courts, buta sturdy, healthy public opinion, rooted
he of Il 10 hat we
must look for general peace, and not to common
disarmaments, general destruction Of all martial
weapons, and the degradation Of the profession Of
arms 10 the level Of the common hangman Thus
the Peace Congress do harm; they overshoot the
mark they exaggerate the evils Of an army; they
affect too great fear at the sight Of cannon and
they finish, as the foolish hind, with 90 discrcdit-
ing themselves and their cause, they find no one
who will credit even the truth. The convention
met in the sale Sainte CeeiHt in the de Ia
Chaiissss d'Anfin, hall long celebrated the best
concert-room Of this capital The room IL hand
somely decorated, and conveniently arranged with
galleries. lObbies, and various entrances The Con-
gress has added to the decorations Of the with
clusters Of entwined flags Of all nations; among the
most conspicuous the flag Of the United States,
the United Kingdom, France and Belgium. The
celebrated author Of Notre Dame he Paris, Mr. Vie-
Tor Hugo was elected President Of the Congress,
with the Abbe DugusyTy, the Cur Of the Madelaine,
and celebrated for his eloquence and his courageous
attention 10 the wounded during the days Of June,
(for which be- received the decoration Of the legion
Of honor from General Caraigndc;) the eloquent
Rev. Mr.. Abhanase COqlerei, member Of the late
constituante and the present legislative national
sembly, one of the committee which reported the
present French constitution, and the pastor Of the
Protestant church Of POratoire; the Hon. Richard
Golden, VI. p, Mr. Pyfssoher Hon MIR Ewart, NJ
p, Hon. Mr.. Walker, Of Massachusetts,, and
several others les known % fame, were the vice
presidents; Mr.. Ehhu Burnt the learned black.
smith, Richard, and others, secretaries The saii'
SGinb CeeiHs il capable Of accommodating nearly
two thousand persons. and during the second sn'
third days Of the session Of the congress every incl
was occupied by members and visitors. The MON
bers were nine tenths Of them English and Amer
can the other tenth being Belgians and French
men The president would put the question 10 tn
meeting, and the secretaries would interpret ther
into English for the benefit Of the English auditor
Il was so with some Of the speeches; the audienc
-.