The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-20
Visit Of French Politician 20 the President
OF the United States.


| Translated from LIE Steele, of MAJ l01
| Mr.. Ferdinand de Las.eyrie, representative OF
the people, whose name 10 equally popular in Anne
RIGA and in France, has consented to communicate
to US the following remarks, extracted from tn, re-
collections of his voyage to the United States in
which he was made acquainted with all the remarka-
| BILE men OF the Union. We doubt rot that the OPT
mons of Mr. de Lasteyrie, and tho views he has ex
pressed, will be very interesting to our readers
| When arrived in Washington. the first desire
felt was that of paying visit to President Fill
| more, In every country, according to my opinion
there is true interest TO closely when possible
| the chief OF the government. King President
| Sultan or Grand Duke, Emperor, this psrs,nii-
cation OF power SO different in all countries, is a
| little lively recapitulation that this attentive OBJ
| server will always study with profit. In America
1T is true. the chief of the executive power is far
from having-aboye all in the eyes Of his fellow
countrymen-the importance that the constitutions
and the traditional prejudices yet confer upon the
sovertgns OF Europe. But pre- ,isely for that, aud
| because France has given to herself constitution
similar in many points to that Of the United States,
there was something very instructive for to see
with my own eyes the first magistrate Of q free
people.
1t very easy to be presented to the President of
| the United States. had letter Of Introduction,
| given to me by one of his friends in New York. IL
| was more than sufficient. | preferred, however, to
| be introduced to him by our Minister. French
man, and representative of the people, it seemed to
| me proper to present myself under the flag of
France Besides, our Minister in Washington had
acquired so good a position that could but gain by
presentation under his auspices;
| "Nothing is more easy M. de Bots lie Comte,
said to me- when l expressed to him the desire of
| paying visit to the President. " Even to- day
will go with you. Wait for me for two hours at
your hotel will pass there to take you, and we
will 60 together from there to the White House"
My hotel as all hotels in Washington, was stu
ated on Pennsyya avenues wide street, bordered
with trees, and IA mile in length, which terminates
at one end by the magnificent palace of the capitol,
where Congress holds its sessions and at the other
by the Presidential residence and its grounds and
| gardens
In the centre of these grounds is situated the
mansion OF the President, the White House, u
1t Is sometimes called from the bright whiteness
| that the stone preserves in this happy climate
The noble and simple architecture of this palace,
its dimensions the place where it is situated-al in
fine, marvellously answer the purposes for which it
was erected. From the southern side, the sight is
extended upon the infinite and noble shores Of the
Potomac. The entrance on the northern side is
| approached by n semi circular ayerue for
riages, and by beautiful lawn, in the middle Of
which is placed the bronze statue OF Jefferson
justly celebrated work OF our statuist, David Of
Anglers.
There are no sentinels, no guard, no door
keepers The only live thing | encountered before
| reached the ante room, was an old W hste horse
TRANQUILITY pasturing the grass of the lawn 1t was
the horse, / was told, on which General Taylor
mounted ut the battle of Buena Vista.
lfall is as simple as the President Of the United
States, this simplicity is accompanied with great
propriety and dignity. In the first entered,
we found man dressed in black, half servant and
half usher, to whom Nj. Bots lie Compile gave my
card and his in order to if the President could
receive US. minute AFTER the man arrived and i'm
yited us to enter the great saloon. praying to
wait there for few moments.
The delay short enough, was not lost to me.
made the best of it. first in examining the interior
details OF this republican palace, and, above all, in
receiving from the mouth ofmy obgng introducer
information full of interest the statesman
whom was about to see.
As it is known, President Fillmore has reached
the high position, which he occupies to-day, only
by the fact Of the death of his predecessor, the
brave General Taylor. According to the ter Of
the American constitution, in case Of the death OF
the chief Of the executive power ii is the President;
ofthe Senate and Vice President of the Republic,
who is elected by the people, who takes, by
right his place till the expiration of the four years
duration Of his powers Ii not then to direct cleo
ton that Mr. Fillmore owes his present position. IL
isyet Less to the splendor of his origin. Mr. Fill
more is self made man-laborous, Intelligent full
of steadness and uprightness, he has made himself
what he is. Ills father was tailor, but no doubt
n well educated one, for he caused his to have
an excellent education The young Fillmore
very remarked by a lawyer who was frequent
vister at the house of his father. This lawyer Of
fered to take the future President into his office.
The young man accepted this proposal, devoted
himself entirely TO the study OF the law, and wa,
some time after, distinguished among lawyers. In
1853, the state OF New York sent him to Congress,
where he represented il until 1873. At last, the
the circles of elections become larger before him;
he reached, in December, lSi9, the eminent po-
stion Of Vice President Of the Republic, which he
occupied seven months only, when General Taylor
died after a short sickness.
Nj. Bots lie Comte added to this information
SEINE anecdotal Details until we saw the Presi-
dent coming with the most ami able look. Mr.. Fill
more is more than fifty years old. He is man OF
good appearance, whose calm and benevolent
physiognomy Is, at the same time, full of irmness
and dignity lie speaks with reserve, and possesses,
to superior degree, the talent, unfortunately too
rare, of listening to those who speak to him. | was
the first French representative who visited Wash
Dgton during the course of his career. This made
,hc President think that ought, more than another
traveller, be acquainted with the policy of my
try, aud no addressed to various questions, eyi
IDENTIFY dictated by a lively sympathy for the first
friend and ally Of the American people. II is impos.
sble obsye idea Of the interest with which
the other side of the Atlantic follows the deyelope
ment Of new Institutions Seeing France adopt
ing form Of government similar to that Of the
United states, 1t appeared to political men of this
country that q stronger bond would unite both ma
tions. All make declarat ions Of hopes and wishes
for the success of the experiment; bat one thing
disturbs them. IL Is the governmental perSoana OF
our republic Their democratic good sense is az
tonshed to see that We pick up for the construction
Of edihce, the more or less rotten remains VI
| overthiown monarchies. Mr.. Fillmore has, also,
10 doubt this natural astonishmeni but he possess
| ed too much good feeling to express 1t with the
| same freedom as great many OF his fellow couu.
/ uymen and If 1 have been able to guess what he
4 tnouRni lhuN FtcItCls II u bhc WIN
which he asked Of me, several times, II hoped
that the republican government could be established
| firmly and definitely in France
At the moment Of my arrival at Washington, tho
Congress had just terminated Of IT. longest and
most stormy sessions. The rivalry Of the southern
and the Northern States had attained the highest
degree Of intensity. The annexation Of California,
/ in giving in the Senate prcdominance Of two
Voices to the free States, had broken the eiuili-
brum, existing till then between the two classes Of
states; and the interests Of the southern States,
being sacrificed on several points, they were talking
/ 81 secession from the | Mon. For a long time
America bad not crossed such dangerous crisis.
Some grave disorders were, perhaps, likely = fol-
low this agitation when good citizens, among
whom were tho most distinguished members VI
Corgtcss, presented themseye-, aud ~ causing the
| Compromise bill to be adopted, hal the good tOi-
tune to avert, at least for tine the gave danger
which threatened the American Union. The Pre-
sidcrt Of the republic has lot, a. Ia France, the