New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-26
FRANCE.
From Our Own Correspondent.

The Twesliy fourth of November may ne re- |
!arded in q sort, as new political birthday for |
France. II il remarkable 10 observe TIE symp- |
oms II q new political life revealed, since that
date. As theme of talk and Of thought Tho
fanCss decree has tskce the place with the Pub-
lie ef its late fsyoCfSe topics. Freedmen show
themselves ready, ard earnest IN their readiness,
to attend to their O~n ratsor than to foreign a.
fairs. The French question takes precedence OF
che Italian question. There ls calculated
gaeueness in the phraseology Of the decree, ad-
hitting If various Interpretation. Nearly all the
organs of public opinion in France have found or
forced an Interpretation in the most liberal sense
To cOniectural interpretation the journals have
added the expression of hopes and wishes, with
respectful but spirited frmness and earnestness
of tone which Of late years they have rarely
ventured to indulge in. Some of the so-cal'ed
semi-ofiicial journals have been an exception to
the general rule. They have tired to diminish
and restrict the possible hberality of the
Emperor's purposes With the sei-degraded
sloysh shirt proper TO them, they pretended that
there was TO be only trihing changes, nothing that
deserved the name of reforms AS, three weeks ago,
the poor creatures, thinking 10 suit their masters
they were were already perfection which none but
factious members of the "Od parties could desire
to have changed in any respect When the decree
came they had 10 swallow of course, large part OF
their dirty words That they should as far as pos
sble resist swallowing ali the dstasteiul stuff was
natural. That they were not at all III the secret OF
the Emperor's purposes, grew more and more eVi-
dent They themselves began to suspect that they
were OVERRIDING their part Like dogs Ono comparison
is too low for these men) that thinking they know
the direction their master is about TO take, make
false start then return 10 his feet with dropping
tails low wagging and look inQuirngy into hs face
and wag aud iawn, and half start again, and finally
stand doubtful, still wagglng low, and watching the
Imperial face and perhaps half starting again In
an opposite direction the writing pointers OF the
Constitutional and Pays ateTy began TO vary then
interpretations Of the decree and 10 partly adm!
that may be there might, perhaps, something come
of IT, if his Majesty chose
The seini-oficial press could not sink below the
depth has permanently occupied for the last nine
wears: but il has succeeded, within the past three
weeks, in attaining a profounder reach of ridicule
than ever before. 1t will be hard, even for CORE
spGdens and editors OF foreign Journals, to preserve
their mreGsOned respect for the articles of the
Constitutional and Pays. People here, of the think
ine sort, have for some time already been quite
aware of their little value. Hence, we were
whiting with anxious interest for the first circulars
VI
one of the few confidential advisers of Nap0leOn0ne
OF his few original honest devoted and yet able par
tizaEs. Pcrsigny was as thorough aud convinced
Napoleonist before Louis Phillippe's Chamber OF
Peers sitting at the Luxembourg as high Court, TO
thy him and hs Prince for the stupid attempt al
Bouogne in 1910, as he is to-day. He has shown
his ability maniioldy i'll the course of hls long resi-
dence in London az NapoeOn's Minister near the
Court of ST. James. His position statesman and
politician may be briefly defined thus: Before all
things NapUleOnlst next, truly pathetic French
man: then a sincere liberal; then, strongly, per
sistentIy and without 0rriere penS{e friend and ad
yccate OF the English alliance: finally and cOmpre
hensiyely all his views and positions being subor
dinated to his ruling Napoleanism.
Within the week, VI. de Persigny has issued TO
the world in the shape of circulars TO the depart
mental projects who hold directly from the Minister
Of the Interior, two manestOs which are extremely
important, considering his relations toward them
and toward the Emperor, ar Complementary CLOSES
on the decree OF Nov. "a. The gst of the first one
published last Thursday is this: Napoleon, by his
wisdom, tmmess, and courage IN the exercise OF the
full powers conferred upon him by the people, has
raised France To her due high place among the Eu
rOpean nations, arbiter and pacicatOr; and sub
DUNG anarchy at home, has let and encouraged the
forces of France to deyelOpe themselves in co5r-
dnated harmony which has raised her to hitherto
uneXampled stage OF prosperity; and now, per-
suaded that his true mission is not merely TO place
his name high on the roll of historic fame as that
of the glorious Chief OF his race, but to assure tie
deShieS Of has country he would prepare it for the
noble and peaceful practice of the liberties whose
development is to be protected by the popular throne
of the NapOleOns! Now, then, the work Of repres-
sion of faction being mainly completed, new era
of development of liberty opens; to help forward |
this development let all Frenchmcn be called in |
aid LEI the men OF eminent talent, who have hith. |
ertO stood silently aside because the actual regime
seemed hostile 10 them, be treated with the utmost
courtesy; let them be encouraged to Law aside their
party pTejudces and take part patriotic French
men in the new national action; strive, by your con-
duct toward Them to leave open and make broader |
the way of reconciliation between their dignity and |
self.rcspec and their acceptance patriots of the
Office OF cO6peratOrs in the lberalzed French Gov
eminent Of France by Frenchmen-under Napo.
leon
il is not the business OF your correspondent TO
criticse, az historian or politician, this concatory
circular of NJ. de Persigny Enough for me, rs
your French reporter, TO say that il has been most
favorably received by the public Generally Nearly all
the organs of all the varieties of liberalism from Or
leauist and even Legmist friends Of parliamentary
regime, To Republicans, are inclined TO regard il az
an Interpretation in liberal sense Of the DEGREES of
oath November think their feeling is this: Ii is
good far il goes; il goes in the right direction;
We wish il went further; should, above all, like
10 know hOW far il goes but for its teRdeacg are
glad; il promises, at least, to be the beginning of
better things.
Since lsie, and just by virtue of l84s, which, if
stupid and faint-hearted and shOrt-sghted readers
Of history will permit me- was mol failure, il seems
10 me that the wiser sort Of liberal men in France
Iase learned to be glad Ga different sentiment from
hat implied in thankfully of half loaf or even Of
'rumbs, quite better than no bread. On the
hole NJ. de Persgnys first circular is favorable 10
he liberal, and uniavOrabc to the SOi-disant semi
ncial ilherol nf iln dacr,as nf Nny