The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-17
F0RElGN CORRESPONDENCE,

IN I ~ IN U n n ~ u Z ~ v z .
PARIS, June &c, 1856.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
1t may not be amiss in me to vary from my
usual date sufficiently to give you my impress
sions during very brief visit in Paris. Since
l was here before, Tin 1887 great changes
have taken place in the appearance of parts of
Paris, and political changes have occurred of a
greater Importance. However, to the stranger,
Paris is today pleasanter city, in which to
reside, than it was under Louis Napoleon the
President. Then there was no more real lib
erty, and there was the dread of change of the
coup Petdt, which everybody predicted; and
| there was actually closer surveillance of the
people than now; for, after certain fashion,
the present Government is established. The
people have given up all ideas of revolution, for
the present, and quietly await the events of
Providence. The people of Paris are prudent
for once in their lives. Said an excellent man
to me, 1t is best not to speak, now, but we know
Louis Napoleon to be very selfsh-as selfish as
ne is capable. We bear the yoke, for we must. :"
l alluded to the arrangements which the Empe-
! ror has recently made for the succession. NY
friend shrugged his shoulders, ughed contempt
uously, and said: "The young Prince will new
er rule France, and nobody in Paris thinks
| So" Paris is full of soldiers. This is the rea-
son why the people are so very still; they dare
not speak. 1t would not do justice to the EN-
peror, if L did not admit that the capability to
govern which he has shown has satisfied many
with his position, and made it more endurable
| to all than was at first anticipated.
Paris, as city, has prospered under the reign
of Louis Napoleon, in certain departments of
labor and art. For instance, in her public build
| ings and architecture she has made marked
| progress, and her shopkeepers and mechanics
| have been busy. The Republic is or should be
prudent and economical, while an Empire ex-
lists in France only through show, great expend-
itures, and an army. The French are very
| fond of external magnifcence; and the recent
baptism of the Prince hit their tastes exactly.
| Notre Dame has been visited by thousands, at
a franc head, to look at its baptismal deco
rations and the common people gathered in
the streets to the grand professions, the bril-
liant illuminations, to eat the good things which
were precipitated from the three hundred bal
comics, and enjoy the crowd of people.
| But if Paris has prospered in some things,
she has also refrigerated in others. 1t cannot be
denied, that in the arts and sciences and litera.
ture she has stood still. The despotism which
reigns has stifed them for the present. Louis
Napoleon in vain endeavors to gather about
him brilliant men in the arts and in literature.
He has banished some of the best men of France,
and the remaining ones regard him with secret
| hate or dislike. The most brilliant writer's and
orators of France are in exile, and Of those who
| stay, scarcely know of one who is political
| friend of the Emperor. Lamartine it is well
known, clings to the idea of Republic; Arago
did the same; while Sue, Sand, Dumas, and
| host of others, who are the popular writers
Of Paris and France, are not friendly to the
| Napoleon dynasty.
With such state of things, how is it posi-
| BILE that Louis Napoleon can, by any method,
perpetuate the reign of his family after his own
| death2
| He has made his arrangements as follows ::
| The Prince is to be minor till he is eighteen
| years of age. IF he comes to the throne with
out his father having disposed of the Regency
of the Empire, the Empress Eugenis is to be
Regent. The Empress is not to be allowed to
marry again. AS soon as the Regent is nomi-
| mated, the State affairs are to be governed by
the Ministers in office. 1t is possible that Louis
! Napoleon is simple enough to think that such
| an arrangement as this will insure the throne
| to his child and heir, but can hardly believe
| it. find that almost all who were witnesses
| of the baptismal rejoicing, simply enjoyed the
day as a grand holyday, and had no idea that it
was an act which added one particle to the
| probabilities of the succession. Parisians who
are not Republican have assured me that they
had no expectations that the Prince would ever
rule France, and that it is rare thing to find a
man who has. By everybody the present Gov
eminent Ia looked upon asa temporary one.
| The Republican waits for it to pssj away, that
a new Republic may be established though
believe, of all classes, the Republicans here
are the most downcast and despairing. They
| have faint hopes of establishing a stable Re-
public in France for years to come. The friends
| of the Count de Chambord imagine that an
overturn in political matters might give their
hero an opportunity, while, suppose, the Or
leans family are in the same rredicament. My
opinion is, that the present Government will
last as long as Louis Napoleon does, even if he
should live forty years longer. The reason
why, ia, that no other party is strong enough to
rule the country. The Republicans are too
weak and dispirited, and the same criticism will
apply to every other party in France. And so
long as this is the case, all or majority are
| ready 70 unite and guaranty Napoleon's throne,
rather than see anarchy and the scenes of blood
which would very likely occur we're the present
Government to be suddenly overturned by tie
people.
That Louis Napoleon has considerablestrength
in the provinces, 40 one csn deny. His name
is tower of strength in the rural districts, and
of late his conduct towards the people of the
inundated districts has gained for him their love
sna admiration. 1t is not natural to scrutinize
the motives OF one Who succors us in time of
distress. The main strength OF the Emperor
in all parts of the Empire is the brute force
under his command, the army. No man can
deny this fact, and it speaks volumes against
the popularity of the Emperor with the people.
He has certainly for aauy years had the hearts,
or at least minds, of the army. My opinion of
the French army is not an exalted one, how
eyer. In military tactics and bravery it is I'M
surpassed but il has no heart, patriotism, or
honesty. 1t can be easily bribed, as it was
years ago by Louis Napoleon, and it can never
be relied upon by anybody but an Emperor
| who has money at his command. No one be-
heyes that the present Emperor has ever been
| regarded with great enthusiasm by the army.
He has done nothing to call forth taeig enthusi-
asm or admiration, in a military point of view,
| cause he aattered than and bribed them that
| they came to his support, and because he was
| the only power which, at the time, held out any
| offer to them. / am sick of the constant pro-
| cessions of soldiery through the city. The
| stranger cannot step into street without meet
ing them, and in all public places they congre-
| gate.
The Emperor and Empress gre stopping at
present at St. Cloud, but scarcely day passes
without our seeing the former in the city. He
usually rides every afternoon about four or five
O'Clock in the Champs Elysees. The people do
not seem to regard him with any enthusiasm
that is, none of the genuine sort. Of course, a
man in his position, and of his capabilities,
viii create 8 sensation wherever he goes in