The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-09

ground il me suburb of Brussels called I1elles.
They are To consist
1. or large building destined to the use of
unmarried workmen, and containing their private
rooms, dining-hall a school-room, dwelling
for the teacher, library, and conyeniencies OF
every kind. It is to be heated by common fur
mace.
g A second building, containing rooms for the
manufacture Of lye, wash-rooms drying-rooms,
and baths.
g. Four houses fitted up as stores.
4 Forty-two houses with yards and gardens,
some two and the rest one story high
The I've, wash, drying, and bathrooms are to
be omen to all the tenants. Every family is to
occupy at least two rooms The greatest precau-
tons are to be taken to prevent the admission of
any one of doubtful morality. The rent is not to
exceed twenty francs a month for the two-storied
houses or twelve for the one.
The plan of this establishment seems far bet
ter than that of the one at Paris, in which the
apartments are to be separated from each other
only by wide galleries, giving too many opportu-
mites for gossiping at the doors by the female
portion of the occupants, and too many facilities
10 DESIGNING men for upobserved meetings with
Young persons of the other sex. IL Is question
able, however, whether the system would be
worse than the one now in use, which places the
female servants in little chambers under the roof
and far away from the notice OF the fam
lily Most of the occupants of the building will
be surrounded by relatives and subject to the con-
troll of the hundred eyes Of the neighbors-a
control not to be despsed where the eyes belong
to women not dumb.
On the 18th, the Assembly passed law to
protect the laboring population from the avarice
of landlords, who, for strihing rent permit whole
families to lodge in places destructive of health
and life. The law provides that, on complaint
the municipal council of any commune may ap-
point committee to inspect the dwelling houses
and apartments occupied by the poor. If the
committee should judge it necessary or expedi-
ent, it is authorized to order the proprietor TO
make the proper repairs and improvements, and
il he should refuse or neglect, to have them made
at his expense.
A second law and excellent In its details, was
passed on the same day, for the prevention Of the
explosion of steam machine boilers The number
of explosions has been very small in France, but
the Legislature wishes by u strict inspection, to
prevent them altogether
The activity of the writers on both sides in
politics, and the consequent fecundity of the
press, are astonishing. Each party wishes to
insinuate its philosophy and views into every
branch of human knowledge We have reading
books for children in which the author or pub
Usher gravely assures the public there is not the
slightest faint of Socialism Arthmetics are
recommended as particularly rich ST SUING and
problems bearing ON associations, and therefore
practical, and suited TO the wants of the age.
That unfortunate damse History, is battered
into every possible shape. One publishes So
cialist history of the first revolution and the
conservative party answers it. This last lies be-
fore me. The tide is, History OF the Causes of the
French Reuolmia, by M. Gravier de Cassagnac."
The author undertakes to prove, by his man
ner of stating the facts, the strange proposition
that the philosophers and democrats of the last
century had nothing to do with the causes of the
Revolution, and did not hasten it by their wri-
tings but that the martyr-KiDg, Louis XVI, in
his zeal to establish liberal institutions for his
country, calculated too confidently on the good
sense of the people. The Revolution went be-
yond his wishes The Constituent Assembly is
put entirely out Of the question, as not having
contributed to found the liberal institutions which
now exist in France As no one has ever had the
hardihood to sustain sucha proposition, the author
has taken high rank among the conservatives.
La Recue des Dear Mondes which utters too many
paradoxes of its own not to find brother in M.
Cassagnac, says the work is recommended by the
importance of its subject its literary value, and
the political principles of the authorp All the
royal and princely characters are painted rose
COLOR and the men of 1872 are roundly rated for
having dared to find fault with the Kings intro
ducng foreign and hostile armies into France.
Another work in high favor with the Moderates,
and praised by the same Revue as every piquant
and Instructive is entitled Considerations sur la
Democratieo The author is of q noble house, and
was a deputy under the last reign His name is
de Sainte Aulairc. The object Of his work is to
show that the democratic form OF government has
been used up and worn out, it having been the
favoTte form in the middle ages, and that it would be
an anachronismr-a step backwards-to return to
it. Democracy Is regime" cries La Revue
(which was tried long ago. the experiment is
not to be made-it has been made. We know not
only by the history of our sad times, but by the
history of the middle ages, what are the conse-
quences Of ultra-democracyn
The great party Of order is certainly in des-
perate condition, if it must content itself with
such literary slight-ofhand feats as those of MN.
Cassagnac and de Sante Auaire.
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
LIE Constitutional published Sunday an article
quite republican in all its tendencies, but on
Tuesday it tacks completely round and spreads
all canvass for the Empire. Nothing less will
satisfy it than the humiliation of the Constitu-
ton, and the entire subordination of the Legisla-
tive to the Executive power. Speaking Of the
present state of things, and the position of the
majority it says: We are playing then, COM
edy in France; everybody sees the cords Of the
scenes and the paint of the actors That comedy
is evidently coming to a close, for, for some time
past, the soothsayers who play it have not been
obi f0 lob in each othpr's facpe without laugh
ing"
This isin long article, most of which Is devoted
to attacking the Assembly and praising the Pres
ident.
liz Napoleon contains a column and quarter
of abuse of the Constitution, and declares that
unfortunately the Constitution Of ls4S, if we
compare it with all those which preceded it there
were twenty-one except that of '93-strikes us
ut once by its notable inferiorty.
Who can believe in the long existence of that
new Constitution ~
LIE Monteur du Sor, paper supposed to be I'M
der the immediate personal influence Of the Pres.
ident 10 no less explicit The word Of command
has been given to harass the Assembly without
ceasing and to keep the personal interests OF the
President always before the public.
In Reuue des denr Moades is in the front ranks
of the partsans of M. Bonaparte. IL says Of the
Assembly The languor of its labors, the ad-
tournaments Of laws prefaced by voting their ur-
gency, the paralysis with which it is menaced by
its dissensions do not show that it is prepared to
take a vigorous initiative. 1t is capable of re-
ceiving an impulsion, and this can best be given
by the Executive powerD
The reader should not forget, In this oonnec-
ton, the remarkable speech of the President,
Sunday before last, in favor of erecting strong
Government 1t is evident that the design OF
Louis Bonaparte is to pave the way for some at
tempt against the Constitution, 80 as to perpetu-
ate his own power The real danger Of France
lies in this guilty and morbid ambition, and the
corruption Of the higher magistracy and political
men, which gives him accomplices.