Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-05-06
THE RICHMOND WING.
OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENCE.
IAAIs, Iuetuiy, ApFI TO, IoBI
II {br 4 Blor nj NE Viii

To The E!itor Of the Whig:
The well known expression that "Paris s France" wa
never perhaps truthful in its application than sine,
the accession ofNapoeon III whose reign has thus fat
contributed in unexamped degree to render Paris not
only the concentration OF the French Empire, but the
mos: splendid capital of the world Ia another sense
however the reproach of negectng France for the bene
of Paris is mer;ed by the present Emperor In fair
| proportion with the immense works of embelshment
and improvement which have been carried on, during
the past decade in the metropolis the provincial cities
and seapors of France have prced by the energy Of
the directing hand. Mraseilles Lyons Bordeaux Stras
burg Orleans Tours, Amiens and many other towns
possess and public buildings Of which they
justly proud is Paris of the Boulevard lie Sebss-
topo and the new Louvre whilst the forfcaiious Of
Cheboueg imperishable monument Of the second
imperial dynasty.
Nor does the Emperor intend to confae his cpcour-
agement of provincial ameliorations works Of edty
alone. By decree which appeared in the Monteur OF
Sunday lsst administrative notifications of great import.
nsuguraed whose fleet will be confer upon
the governing authorities Of the provinces powers Of
much wider extent than they have heretofore exercised
In order that the brief illusions which | about TO
offer in reference the shall be perfectly
understood by readers who may not be familiar with the
machinery of the French system, il h proper mention
that France is divided into eighty-nne Departments
each OF which has Project, ore more SubPreects
and General Council corresponding in respects
with own State officers, Of Governor, Lieutenant
Governor and the State Legislature. The radical d-
renee between he French and American system that
the French iunctonares with the exception of the Gen
eal Councils, which eeciveO hold their sppoiUt
ments directly from the Chief of the State and are re-
sponsible to the Minister OF the Interior az Paris. So
extreme has this Capitalization hitherto been that the
required the sanction OF the Minister aid every admit
stratve Office gbout France has been part o tie
cabinet patronage. There is nothing unusual in this
and every reader of these lines will perhaps be ready
to admit that similar state of Thugs exits ev
countries DO lsting much more republican form OF gov
ernment than that OF France
The imperial decree Of the 18th instant extends the
powers OF the Ocl authorities aud invests the Projects
with various attributes hitherto exclusively ministerial
By these changes decisive decree dealt at the French
Crcumlocution Office" the transaction OF business il
vastly smpied, and Il proportional increase of des-
patch obtained. II is difficult 10 convey adequate
idea Of the dependence upon Paris under which the ua
population have lAbortd, from time mmcmOral in all
matters pertaining Cicisl acts. To give single
ample none OF the 10000 commuI Of France could
undertake, the departmental cost the repairs of pub
lie buildings without first obtaining authority from three
or four Ministers Hereafter such questions will b9 de.
cide1 by the Projects Altogether, though the de-
cree is OF purely local interest and will be the sub
ec. OF general comment abroad it is gigantic liberal
stride and deserves be ranked beside the
promulgated ia November last, restoring the liberty Of
n press and the tribune. The Initiative s principally
owing 10 the Count de Persiguy, the present popular
Minister of the Interior to whose long residence in Eng
land and to whose fam.l .rity with liberal institutions,
France indebted fer the effective in which the
reforms resolved upon by the Emperor Napoleon
have been nauguIated and put into working order.
II exterior politics. the subject ich continues 10
cupy the largest share of attention is the Warsaw
sacre The Paris press is unanimous in condemning the
slaughter OF uuarmed aud defenceless tLrOlg; but
sOme OF the journals manifest strange unwiingIess to
denounce the act Of the Russian government
in the energetic language the late coweIdy murder
Warsaw richly merits. suspect that this modera-
ton proceeds not from indifference 10 the wrongs OF
POI l. but Is the consequence Of ministerial hint %
maintain dguihed attitude in order Rt when Frame
shall be ready to utter her sentiments they shall have
greater effect This is, OF course mere slmisc but up
o. one point there is doubt whatever; any expectation
ENTERTAINED By Alexander H. OF icrmas alliance with
France may KS well be dismissed at by the Russian
Autocrat. The Freich people do no; ally themselves
with SOvcrgns whose troops ordered 10 shoot down
women and children in cold blood If few months hence
should bring the French aud Russians together i; will be
at th canons mouth, and on the borders Of the Vstu
Ia the imperial eagle of France fatetuiziug with the
white eagle OF resusctrtad Poland.
Thew are by . bed OF at Turin. It
WAS perhaps fortunate al hings considered that Carl
badi unable to take the seat in Parliament which be
mad so Unexpectedly accepted. If violent attack of
gout had not kept him from the Chamber unpleasant
scene would problby have marked his reappearlnce in
poi;ics 1t to be feared that the Dictator oil Naples
with all lis incouteslaby noble qualities is not giitCd
with anv great degree of msgnaIm!,y His resentment
agains, Count Cavour who has certainly largely
rbuted 10 the regent ration ol Italy has Gublli HIM
self is evidently strong cver and, IN his reply 10
the address Of the Miantse wokmen, he Indis
Greet as to give open expression 10 his contempt for
part of the Italian Parliament meaning the members
who had voted for the ccsson Of Nice Il was this i'm
polite act which threatened TO raise storm, when the
General should appear hs place but thanks to the tact
Of RatazZ Preadcn; of the Chamber and other friends
of Garibadi-the whole ALTAR has been settled, and the
berator's letter to Sguor Rliazz makes tie omends
honorable to the nsulted members. The other difficulty
in which GarbalGi has been involved with the Cabinet,
this time very much his credit concerning the treatment
experienced by his late companions in arms seems also in
a fair way of settlement corps G'Umes is TO be
formed composed of three divisions OF Glrbads volun
teers There will be SIX brgades and twelve regiments
and all the Garbadian officers who held commissions
can proye their title 10 the rank they claim will be ncor
porated in the new army Meantime, rumors are cioat
that the old hero is about oil another expedition
and the good people who assist Francis Joseph IN man
aging his subjects in quite ferment about it, and per-
st in believing that the arch pirate" actually meditates
an attack upon Venice As Father Richie used 10 say
noUS UeTrOns.