The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-17

and mxnaeTs are 80 unlike those OF Paris as 10
make them the objects of great curiosity. The
children gather about them just g they dc in
Amsrca, around a group Of the red men Of the
forest. 30 much the better for the country
merchants; they sell their wares moro readily.
have seen thom behind their rude counters, the
Pile PioaTdy women with sugar-ioaf cap rising
IN snowy Wilderness almost to the root OF her
booth; the Normandy woman, with beetred
cheeks, has added TO her tall cap couple Of
wings, which float out from the top and seem
ready To bear her into the upper regions; aDme
of the dresses have no waists, others are grit
about just under tho arms. The attire Of the
women ID scarcely more curious than that ofthe
men, All wear heavy wooden shoes and havc
compilations bronzed by long exposure to the
air. The booths of each Of the fairs formed a
village about quarter of mile in length, pro-
vided with theatres, bathrooms and rare shows
of every description. At night, tho scene was
one of great gayety and cheerfuncss Numer-
GUS lamps in front of the booths, thousands OF
visitors. music and dancing, not only In the tents
but in the open air, and every body appearing
to enter into the spirit of the occasion and en-
joying himself without effort, offered a tableau
not to DO seen in its perfection any where but
among this amiable and cheerful people.
On good Friday, the Champs Elysecs presented
a most animated aspect All the fashionable So
cety Of the place appear incarriages or on horse
back, at tho annual festival Of Longchamps.- -
This is celebrated by driving or riding, in ones
best suit, up and down the long avenue. No
one is permitted to change his place in the pro-
cession or retire from it, except at one Of the
ends noticed two splendid equirages in the
| line, both open carriages with four horses, one
owned by wealthy young Turk, with two foot
men and n driver dressed in a blue broad cloth
livery turned up with gold, and drawn by mag
nifcent, coal black horses the other containing
a single lady, two footmen behind, and the horses
governed by two Positions; all the servants
wearing black velvet livery laced with gold
| On the panel Of the second carriage was blazon-
ed the coat of arms of some ducal family. The
ostentation of the Turk and the barbarian mag
nifcence of his equipage seemed to excite no
unfriendy feeling in the crowd; but the lady
was not so fortunate, her mode of getting her
wealth, not authorizing, as it would appear, SO
public display of it.
BUSINESS.
! The Easter HOLIDAYS are chosen by the en-
ployers, in several branches of industry, as the
beginning of the dead season. Thousands Of
workmen are dismissed until the fall trade COM
able to economize on their wages are truly in
pitiabIe condition. The workmen destitute Of
employment are, for the most part, hattcrs,
makers of childrens toys, silver smiths, workers
in gold, fancy articles, cabinet makers and talors
Many of the last class have been called into en-
ployment by the spring demand, but several
thousand still remain with nothing to do.
The wholesale merchants are selling some
thing to the departments, but not so much as
usual They are fearing the worst for the COM
ing year. In several Of the principal manufac-
turing towns, the scarcity of orders from the
United States is predicting great distress. This
is especially the case at Lyons, where nearly all
the manufacturers have been compeIlt d to re-
duce the number of their operatives and permit
a part of their looms to lie idle. The desttu-
ton and misery are SO great in the workmen's
quarters that the government has been obliged
TO come to their aid. In one suburb that of the
Red Cross the council has just voted a sum of
twenty five thousand frances for the relief of
the poor.
Since the revolution, the government has en-
couraged expectation, and has succeeded in CIV
ing great Development to it. Never has the
trade of France been greater with other coun-
tries than in the last two years. 1t is feared
that this has been pushed so far as to glut the
foreign markets, and particularly that Of the
United States. II this be true, it may produce
the most unfortunate effects here. With the
workmen of Lyons, Rouen, Paris and Lille re-
duced to the brink of starvation by the absence
of employment we may be exposed to the re-
petition Of the terrible local insurrecton of
June l84S A single iusurrecton of operatives
would probably produce a reaction which might
place the power in the hands of the royalists
r.. o..1 - .,..l,t
even saddle the French nation with the Duke of
Bordeaux or some other representative of the
ancient royalty.
But it is to be hoped that the present dull
ness in orders from abroad is due, not to gorged
markets, but to the wish of merchants to visit
France and buy for themselves, in the months of
May and June. Many will doubtless prefer this
to buying of importers Whether | am right
or not on this point the French m anufactirers
are looking forward TO the time of the Worlds
Fair, with hope mingled with anxiety.
One cheering sign for the approaching year is
the very promising state ofthe crops They were
never more forward at this season. Such high
expectations are excited that the prices Of grains
are already beginning to fall in the principal
markets.
the revival of trade, plentiful harvest and
peace in Europe, will but allow France TO get
quietly along to MAY, 1852, she will then offer
to the world the sublime spectacle of nine mil
lions of men pronouncing on the national des-
tinics
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS.
Since my letter in January, given you the
census of the different trade associations in
Paris, their number has greatly increased NY
opinion is not based on exact data, which have
been unable to obtain, but on the great increase
of them in my immediate neighborhood With
in three squares of my lodgings, there have been
established, in the last six weeks or two months,
one barber shop, two restaurants, drug store.
hat store, furniture store a coffee house, and
shop for the sale of milk, cream, butter and
cheese. This last is carried on by an associa-
ton of farmers, and seems to be the m ost flour.
shing one in the quarter. A great deal of en-
tbusasm reigns among them, if ! ny Judge
from what have seen of the BARRIERS. Time,
however, will show whether they can hold to-
gether, and whether ultimately they will sue
coed. A few days ago L stepped into a shop
which bore over the door the symbolic triangle,
and at one side Of it, n placard stating that "The