The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-02

| G nterrnG, TOT some time past, WIN ihtehi'
gent workmen, on the subject OF the organlzs-
ion Of labor. His avowed object has been 10
prepare himself at all points for the discussion
shortly to take place, on the question. Ills
| first step WAS to obtain the names Of the fore
men of a large number of ass Citations, and ad-
dress each OF them an invitation to call on him.
He was not little surprized to find every one
of them punctual ut the rendezvous, ready ~
give him information aud atle to meet him in
argument M. Theirs asked permission, which
was granted, to be present al the business
meetings Of several of the principal associations.
| The testimony of NJ. Theirs will not be re-
quired by any who will read the debate on die
7rh and 9th inst. in the national assembly.
Nearly all the speakers were hardfisted work
men. Four Of them, Messrs Nadaud, Chauf-
for, Michat, Bontel and Gillon, were mentioned
in my last letter. They acquitted themselves
well, notwithstanding their inexperience at the
tribune nj. Nadaud, in sustaining his amend
ment to an existing law, spoke of the law as
I" immoral" and was very properly stopped by
president (generaD Bedeau, who informed him
that sit was permitted to move the repeal of q
law but not to call it immoral" Nadaud how
ever submitted gracefully to this just exercise
of salutary authority. but before closing he
quoted from speeches made in the ancient
|
same law was designated, not only as immoral
but by much harslled appellations
As the subject Of this discussion is esteemed
important by the laboring classes OF France, |
will touch it briefly. by the existing legisla-
ton, every person who gains his livelihood by
any manual employment il required to take, ut
the police office, small book Called here
livreD in which the police nscribe his name,
| birth place, parents, occupation and legal resi-
dence -This book must be deposited with the
employer, who puts down in it the amount OF
wages, the sums paid on wages, and the sums
advanced. The workman, journeyman, or do
nestle is not entitled to leave, nor any other
master to employ him, until after paying up all
advances and obtaining an express congo in his
books and the redelivery of the book itself.
At every change Of masters, he must have his
book vised at the police Office. The same for
mality is required before he Gun leave the de-
partment.
| NJ Nadaud, and those who think with him,
seek the repeal of the law, because it vests an
undue power in the hands of the employer
Parliamentary inquiries have discovered fright
| full abuses of this power. They profess to think
that the law is degrading to the working classes.
because both men and women are kept under
the surveillance of the police, as if they were
liberated convcts or other dangerous persons
They object to the law further, because it pro-
vides that when other evidence is wanting the
word of the master shall be taken as proof OF
the payment of all sums due for wages, and his
entry on "the book" as proof of moneys ad.
vanced. For these advances, real or pretended,
| he has the legal right to stop portion OF the
| wages of the workmen, should he or she get
employment elsewhere.
| The debate ended in the assembly's voting the
right of the workman to quit the employer, be-
| fore reimhursing advances made; and the limi
tation to 30 francs of the employers lien fii-
ture wages, for such advances. As to the rest,
it has been left as it was. will add that the
good sense of the public has mrde the law al
most dead letter, employers not demanding,
md the workmen not offering the huret
A few days ago attended the ffty-eighth
anniversary Of the Athenee des Arts, one of the
numerous societies of Paris which seek to en-
courage talent and taste in industrial pursuits as
well as in the sciences, the fine arts and bellies
lettres. 1t was founded in 1892, and is thor
oughly democratic in its organization. Men OF
literary taste meet there with mathematcians
workmen, farmers, and musicians. Superiority
in any branch is the only qualification for adms
sion. The anniversary exercises brought out
some one connected with each of these classes
except the mathematicians. First came the an.
nual report, dry as such documents usually are;
next poets or poetasters, who rected several
odes, anecdotes, and short poems.
After the poets, came the workmen. A silver
medal was conferred on Madame Badin for
some improvents i'll the manufacture of fine
basket-work; and a similar testimonial was
awarded to NJ Desplanques, for an invention
facilitating lhe washing and cleaning Of wool.
Last of all came musical concert, in which
many of the members Of the Aihenee appear,
Among them, noticed NJ Fleury, a gentleman
who gave concerts Of vocal music, some tim,
ago, at New Orleans Leon Regnier, viclnsi
Of some twenty years old Mademoisee Vidal
young pianist, who took not long since, the
first prize at the Conservative md NJ. Chan
desaignes, singer who sent us away in good
humor
POLITICAL MATTERS.
General Changarnier is said to have gone over
to the fusion, that is, to Rave become legtimist
This may be doubted, for the General like his
three colleagues, Bedeau, Cavaignac and Lam
oriciere, who have also won their epaulettes ir
Africa, is a close politicinn.-One who knows
him well said of him: "If he thought his car
knew what be thinks, he would burn it."
The recent allegations Of La Presse in regard
to General Changarnier's conduct in l84S have
been the subject of conversation for the last ter
days. Although no full denial has been made
Of the principal facts, they should not NECESSARY
" to be taken as proved, since if every promi-
nept Frenchman were TO attempt to deny every
false statement of the Paris press, he might wei
abandon all other employment Besides have
already said be is shire Nd and close. La Presse
alleges, that rs soon as the General heard of the
February Revolution, his political principles
underwent a change: from being warm Or
leanist, he became at once an enthusiastic Re-
publican that in March, l848. he was at Paris,
proposing to the provisory government to make
An armed descent on the coast of England, for
the purpose Of republicanizing that country
that Ledru Roin, to whom the proposition was
made, obtained Of the General written memo
randum Of bis plan Of attack; and that paper
still exists and precludes all denial on his part
The whole story is doubted.
General Changornier's career, in the last three
years, may be summed up in few words; re-
| ,l,~f h. f,v