Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-24
DAILY EVENING STAR,


INTELLIGENCE OF THE FRENCH
W0RKINGNEN. i3fl Gefd-7
Altogether the ouvr1ers-I mean nov
the skilled workmen of France-are dis
tinguished by q certain gentleness O
bearing snd elegance of demeanor: no
perceptible, perhaps, to a stranger, Win
looks for those qualities only when ae
companied by fashionable dress. Non,
of the lower classes of Paris have tha,
brutal habit of insulting foreigners il
the streets on account of any peculiari
ties of dress or appearance, which is SC
common in England. On my return
| from the East, l wore the tarboosh 70,
some time without provoking any re
mark-except from one person, and tha-
person was an Englishman, who had Jus
emerged from Meurice's Hotel. =
The French workmen speak in yer,
good language, and are far better in
formed on history and politics than tn,
ordinary bourgeoise. They read much
and know-not critically, vet in a YER,
solid manner-all about the literature O
their country. But this comparison witt
the lower bourgeoise- is, the shon.
keeping class scarcely suggests the
truth; for they, as rule, read nothing
but single paper, and are perfectly des-
tltute of information. A workman. on
the contrary, Of the better r'sort, has his
mind full of acquired facts. sometimes
oddly arranged, sometimes accompanied
by strange theories; but still, there he
is, man who has studied what he has
been instructed to call 8" the fortunes O,
humanity ty''-that is, the history of France
who is perfectly familiar with the do.
ings of the great Revolution-conyinced
of the sacred right of man to take charge
of his own affairs if he pleases to
give reason for the faith that is in him
and sufficiently enthusiastic to bel ready
at moments notice, to risk his life for
the defence of his ideas. The existence
of such body of men in a country-
though in the proportion of leaven to
dough-is sufficient to account for reyo
luton against all forms of despotism ::
and we may be quite sure that unless the
present Emperor succeeded in totally
destroying it, which is impossible, there
is no chance of a new dynasty being
founded in France.
Their NannerS.-The manners of the
curriers' | have no space to describe. In
some respects they resemble those of the
middle cases to wonderful extent; but
they have many peculiarities. A con-
siderable number are addicted to drink.
ing, not only wine, but spirits, and are,
consequently, disorderly and immoral.
The practice of concubinage is very gen.
eral: but the workmen do not change
about so much as the students-whose
manners they initiate to a certain extent
and almost always marry their mis-
tresses if they have children. An old
carpenter, nearly so years of age, came
to me not long ago and told me he was
going to marry his wife'-that is, the
woman he had been living with for fifty
three years. saw the good old lady a
day or two afterwards, and she seemed
quite proud to be a bride
In various parts of the city, but espe-
cially outside the barriers, are dancing
places and guinguettes, or goguettes, en-
tirely frequented by the working classes.
Here they enjoy themselves in their own
way, often becoming very boisterous.
When they dance, hoWever-at least so
far as l have seen-they do so without
the absurdity or the indecency of sstheir
betters." On the other hand, the songs
they delight in are full of coarse illusions,
which 1t is natural to expect. The lyrics
admired by well educated persons are
equally, perhaps more, immoral; but ar.
rows pierce them that would fall blunted
from the skin of tough oovrier. | should
observe that any one who ventures to Wis
it the common places of resort of the
workmen must arm himself with especial
politeness. He will meet with nobody
who does not expect to be called Mon
sieur or Madame. Don't shove a work
man in the street, or expect him to stand
out of the way, because you are well
dressed. If you do. take the consequence
He is oppressed and annoyed by the Gov
ernment, but is proud for all that. 1t is
we'll to mention that there is no limit to
the price that shopkeeper in France
may charge for a broken window; and
workmen are Often thrown into prison
for sheer accidents, being unable to make
good the damage. The police seem to
take pride in vexing them. At present
no ourrier can come from Lyons to Paris
unless be can show that he has not only
been engaged, but has seven pounds ster-
ling in his possession. A thousand little
circumstances of this kind make this class
exceedingly irritable. They are like
Samson chained in the temple, and We
must not he surprised if they now and
then attempt to shake down the whole
edifce of society.-Paris Under the En-
rire. 80. e-.@.