The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-03
socialism and RED Republiean,sm i'm France.

Socialism and Red Repubiieanism I'm France.
The two following extracts from London papers
are worth notice. With respect to the second, in
which the extraordinary success Of Les Conspiya
tours is mentioned II Is but fair to remark that the
Courier des Efats Uns, In Its honest able, and con-
sstent repubicanism, protests forcbly against the
evidence of such n wretch as Chenu, It's author,
being admitted as worth any credence whatever.
But kings evidence, five may use the expression,
despcable il is, has often been the means OF con-
victing malefactors; and nothing doubling that in
a large measure M. Chenu's disclosures are reliable,
believe their publication will have good effect.
M. Gailardet states that 100000 copies have been
sold in Paris
EUGENE SuE.--M. Eugene Sue, whose latter
works have acquired an unhappy celebrity, has
addressed letter 10 the Socialists OF the depart.
ment OF the Saone-et Loire declining the honor OF
representing them in the Legislative Assembly, his
literary labors demanding, he adds, his exclusive
attention. II is not said that any formal applica
ton had been made 10 him by the electors, but
that he had been given TO understand that II was
intended to propose him candidate ltwould
also appear that he had given similar refusal
when Informed that his name was suggested i'll the
Socialist committees OF Paris. The work that M
Eugene Sue is now engaged on is entitled Les nys-
teres du Pepie-a sort Of sequel to the Mysferss de
Paris This work, it is stated, no publisher would
put his name To. II is of a kind that no bookseller
will exhibit il in his windows, nor any proprietor
of reading room allow il TO remain on his table.
II is privately printed, and the numbers that have
already appeared distributed by commits roya-
getTs in private houses.
II would be superiiuous To say word on either OF
the two works-the Mysteres de Paris and the Juv
Erant-by which this apostle OF socialism isbest
known. Whatever literary merits they possess
have long been discussed and decided on. Given
to the world in the form of the Fe,uuston which
quires that each succeeding sketch should be more
exciting, more melodramatic than the preceding
one, they at first read with avidity. When
published in collected form, after having gone
the round of the daily press the bad taste unnatu
raj situation, improbable and shocking incident.
and affected sentiment which mark every page Of
the work, and which were unnoticed in the hurry
of daily perusal, were obvious to all who pre-
tended TO any taste. Their temporary success was
the best proof of the condition to which French
literature had fallen. But they are now nearly
forgotten as every thing OF the kind which shocks
taste and decency will be.
But if all accounts be true, the Mysteries du Peupe,
which now occupy the attention Of this new Social
ist in his opulent retirement on the banks OF the
Loire, far outstrip their predecessors. The Mys
teres de Paris and the Juf Erant are, it is stated,
lessons of high morality in comparison with them.
Those who have read the numbers of the new
epitome of all the falsehoods, the calumnies,
the biasphemies, which have in turn assailed
ligion, the principles of authority, and of re-
spect to law and order The few chapters that
have yet appeared show the immense labor the
writer must have taken to collect the most mon
strous incidents that have ever occurred or can be
conceived by diseased imagination. One Of these
is the account of young lady buried alive by three
red monks another, the history of cardinal, who,
on the very day the revolution Of February broke
out, is represented discussing with his nephew,
colonelof dragons, the best means of reyving the
droit de seigneur. While holding up to public exc
Grafton the ministers and the ceremonies of Chris
tianity, the hero of the talethe model of all So
ciast virtues, and an actor in every insurrecton-
dwells on the sublime beauty Of the Druidica wor
ship! And this wealthy owner of palace, fur
nished with all that minister to sensual gratif
cation, diates the superiority of the rolstaire TO
every other class Of society.
sxaI tl,oNo nx,Ixy
excellent in proportion to the swollen and
healthy intestines of the bird from which they are
| torn An imagination, preternaturally diseased,
could only produce the Myteres du Peuple But it
may be asked-is NJ Eugene Sue the sincere coad-
Jutor OF the Socialist teachers II is suspected that
his Socialism is assumed, merely with the object Of
preserving his wealth from the grippe Of the heroes
whose virtues he celebrates should the day of gene
raj spoliation Ii is not difficult to foresee
that If such be his views, he will be mistaken. NJ
Sue has only lately become Socialist, and no wri
ter has bad less cause to complain Of society than
he has. His earlier romances replete with af
fectation of high brceding-a vulgar imitation Of
the tone of high life, and dandyism a Ia Byron,
their great characteristic. These defects were
deemed by certain skill in putting together dra-
matte incidents, and in the delineation Of extrava-
giant character. The author of the SaIamandre,
| the Vigie de Roatrsn and Mathilde, not then
SO overwhelmed with sympathy for the suffer
ings of the poor, nor occupied with the prob
lens" OF labor and Of misery. People only
talked of his fstidious tastes his lately acquired
opulcnce, and, above all, his eagerness TO OBJ
| tain admission into the society of the prjvi-
| legged and the wealthy, of the same classes whom
/ he now holds up to execration. BY way of
strengthening his claim 10 enjoy such advantages,
whenever he INDUCED vein Of sarcasm his wit
was directed against the pretensions of the bo,u-
geoisie, whom he was fond Of contrasting with the
| elegance of manners he supposed could only be
| found in the saloons of the aristocracy. He
then exaggerated. be is now in the compliments
addressed 10 society of which he did his utmost to
be regarded as a member. Alarmed at the outcry
raised by good taste against the indecency of his
descriptions in the Mysterss de Paris and the Jtff
EtTant, he tried TO soften down his recital by d.
gressions on humanity and Socialism. Failing in
his ambition to be considered leader distn-
guished member Of the fashionable world, he
plagiarized at the same time st. Vincent dc Paul
and Fourier; and finding himself successful in his
new part, he has descended step by step TO the
Mysteres du Peiipe.
YoUSG FRANcE.-Chenu's work, Les Conspira-
teius, has produced more sensation in Paris, and
will through all France, than any work which has
appeared since the revolution of 1890 Il is auto
biography; but the author not only avows his own
misdeeds, his conspiracies, and his plotings, but
those of all the soi. disdnf martyrs and heroes who
have figured in dungeons in the of the streets,
and the scaold, since 1882. IL is the confession
OF a man who ayows his own sins, the only atone
ment lac can make for his crimes against society,
and who paints his companions in the most natural
but the most disgusting colors. So much has pub
lie curiosity been excited by this general comics
sion" Of man who began his trade Of conspirator
ana lnsurgent AT the early age oil nftfen, That the
printers find il difficult 10 supply the demand.
Amongst people Of the unhappy calling in which
Chenu passed the best years Of his life, there may
have been a few-a very few-deuded men who
were dupes OF their own Imagination; but the
great majority Of the chiefs, Of the men who
proclaim themselves the martyrs Of liberty,
we find depicted in this book-and many of
the incidents have the impress Of truth--as be-
ing influenced by the meanest ambition de-
graded by the lowest vices Describing the
events that took place after the nomination Of
Caussidere 10 the prefecture Of police, he states
that the project had Of his lieutenants
a man named Pornin-ctizen Pornin-who at once
installed himself in his antechamber, or rather in
vast waiting room Immediately opposite the cabi-
net OF the project. Pornin made up his bed in that
vast room, and placed two scntnels at his door
and there he, his daughter, and his son-in law,
slept. Pornn had a wooden leg, and, on the
strength Of this vegetable limb, demanded from
his chief the command of the fortress Of Vinccnnes
Caussdiere only named him Governor Of the Pre-
lecture being unwilling, no doubt, 70 part with
his mutiiated vzier. To the governorship Of the
prefecture he added that of commander chief Of
the Montagnards, the body guard Of the new Sui