Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-10
FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT
PARIS. DECEMBER 30. 1851.

PARIS, DECEMBER 20, 1851.
The new dictatorial Government of France has as
yet met with no check and not likely to meet with
any for long time to come. 1t has gained the
support of the army, and relies upon that for the
maintenance, as it did for the establishment of its
domination. As has been anticipated in my last
letters, all men of order of property, of regular
and profitable occupation of any Sort 0rleanists and
Legitmists, are, in the vote of to-day and to-mor
row, all France choosing the part either of alb
stinence or of an affirmative response. They are
very few who will venture, in face of the intimida-
ton of authority and of the terror of the Socialism
which has just raised its frghtful head in many of
the departments, to say to the impudent pro-
position of the triumphant usurper who has just
seized upon France. Bonaparte is strengthening
his position by all possible means. Every new act
of his government shows that his measures are being
taken without the slightest reference to the result of
the vote upon the ptebiscitum proposed by him. He
has not the remotest idea of relaxing bis hold upon
France and Frenchmen. The pretended appeal to
the people has been made merely to give some SEM
blance of popular sanction to his usurpation 1t
ought not to have, and it will not have in the eye
of history, the least moral weight 1t is made under
the pressure of martial law prevailing in thirty three
of the eighty-six departments of France, which in
terdicts all discussion and stiles all expression of
public opinion except through organs known to be
devoted to the usurping power There is not in the
country Republican, Orleanist, Legtimst
journal that dares to indite political article upon
pain of suspension. They are forced to confne
themselves to the mere duty of enregstering from
the pages of the Moniteu the multifarious DEGREES
of the Dictator for rivetng his chains upon France,
and copying from the Bonapartist journals such
news from the departments it pleases the Minis
ter to allow to 90 abroad. No editor would venture
to insert any ti-Miniseral news give publicity
to intelligence to the state of the departments de-
rived from any other source and unfavorable to Go
vernment We do not know, in truth, what is or
has been the real state of the departments 1t has
doubtless been bad, but much exaggerated for plain
Bonapartist ends. Had the Socialist Instruction
attained the gravity and extension attributed to it.
it could not have been so promptly and so easily
depressed by the uncomfortable military forces en-
ployed Without doubt, too, the insurgents have
been made to bear the odium of many enormities
which were not committed by them. Governmental
pressure is applied at every point to ensure favor
able result to the vote of to-day and tomorrow. |
learned last evening in saloon of the Faubourg
st. German, many item of intelligence to which
publicity can only be given here orally and in a
whisper. You see on the back of this bit of paper
printed copy of the affirmative ballot to be cast to
day. These are distributed in immense quantities
in the streets and by the Governmental journals.
received eight OF these tickets enclosed IN my Con-
stitutionnei this morning One of the devices in
vented by Government functonaries to secure for
themselves the majority and the advantages of an
open ticket vote is the following All printers
in France are obliged by law to obtain from
Government patent or license, and to sign their
names to every thing that issues from their
presses. You see this form observed upon the
specimens sent Well printers throughout France
have received orders for large amount of afirma-
tire tickets, for which liberal prices are paid but
the orders arc accompanied with the intimaton that
if they lend their presses to the issuing of negative
tickets their patents will be withdrawn. The result
will be that millions Of voters in France, being
able to read or write will either not vote at all,
will have to vote written ticket This, being at
glance distnguishable from printed one will prove
in effect an open ticket signalling voters to Gov
eminent suspicion and persecution BY this means,
also, ready means is obtained Of recognising the
negative votes which are to be juggled out of the
way upon the counting out. No confidence will be
felt in the verify of the results actually proclaimed
Without doubt this result will be large majority
II will be absolutely necessary to proclaim greater
Bonapartist vote than that of May, lS4S. This
will be done. M. Bonaparte must be made to APP
pear to have become more popular than he was four
years ago. M. de Falloux, Begtimst, an ex-
Minister of Bonaparte, and leading member of the |