The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-05
FASHIONABLE PIETy IN p,pTs

Il VI
kGPTtss, writing under date of March 18th sars
r. remember having read, some time ago. in the
hTPrcss, a lively paragraph descriptive of a new,
iashlon, just then inaugurated in New York under
tue designation of "religious matinees" If the
name alone did not bear Partisan odor sufficiently
strong TO convince you that this mode is only of
exotic growth in the Empire CITY of America 7
could tell you that it originated here and was in
vented as an aristocratic and exclusive plan of
observing Lent, combining piety with amusement.
Forty days and nights abstention from worldly
distractions, in the very heghth of the CAV season
Is great deprivation to the peasure-oving Paris
lans; and, rs dancing is vigorously tabooed in the
drawing-rooms of the noJesse, some sort of diver
sion must supply the place Of Terpsichore, or our
fashionables would perish of ennui
In this trying emergency, it was natural to have
recourse to the consultations of religions and the
happy IDEA OF morning prayer meetings. organized
IN such manner as to Danish the vulgar herd
from all participation in these select gatherings of
the faithful, has now been definitely adopted by
the faubourg st. German, whose titled denizens
may be compared, in humble way, with the
princes OF your Fifth avenue Instead of minging
with the greasy thToug which hocks to Notre Dame
or the Madeleine to listen to the exhortations Of
renowned pulpit actors expressly engaged to enliven
the public performances in those temples the
Duchess de This or the Marchioness de That ar
ranges the programme of her little private repre-
sentatiOn, secures the services of such sensation
preacher as is most certain to draw, and proceeds
to issue cards, precisely as for bali or concert.
1t Is proper to add, that, when the entertainment
offered promises well, the acquaintance Of the
Duchess and the MarchiOne35 accept the invitation
with pious aacrity.
The Partisan religious matinee accordingly be-
gins at two j. H. and ends at six, with intervals
Tor refreshments. Ladies come in walking cos
tunes, or In elaborate evening dress, If they intend
to dine out, after the sermon. 1t must not be sup.
posed that the attention of the company is exclu
sveiy devoted to spiritual matters and the absorp-
ton OF ices and cordials. The first and last hours
OF the meeting consecrated to polico-religious
conversation, in which the suferings of the church
OF course occupy the place of honor, sharing gem
erously, however, with the trials of our beloved
sovereign who, need scarcely remark, is not
the three principal objects of worship during these
cotloquial episodes, are His Majesty, without
throne,) Henry v, His Holiness, Nikely soon to
follow sut.) Plus IN, and that touching Young
martyr OF the Italian Reign of Terror, Bomba II.
Inc sermon fills the centre of the programme like the
singing and dancing on a theatre bill The preach
er-invariably Able of ferocously papist pro
chrlties-carefully selects such text as will ena
pie MIN to denounce the Pontus Pilates of the nine
teenth century, or, if likely to produce a more
vivid sensation, afford occasion to launch forth
into philippe levelled at the blemishes and
weaknesses of society.
At late reunion of this character held at the
residence Of noble lady of the noble Fau-
bOurg, one Of the most celebrated preachers of the
day, Father T., pronounced a discourse against
the extravaganza OF female dress, and the undi-
Hiulsueu proportions OF crlnOllne. Upon this mex
haustible theme the eloquent A bbe Numbered away
in splendid style, repeating many things already
said, over and over again. by the enemies of female
prodigality, but comforting upon somewhat stale
arguments the stamp OF his own brilliant ina gerry
ana studied gestlculatiOn. As matter of course,
such sermon eminently we-timed, delivered
as 1t was before congregation principally COM
posed of danes dressed in the extreme of luxury
and fashion, Or the fifty or sixty persons present.
fully three fourths were ladies, and they alone
rather crinoliOpS-cuflirad IN
those immense drawing rooms which no longer
exist in Paris except in its ancient and arstrocrac
mansions. Father f. dealt his rhetorical blows
without mercy amid the elegant thronr buried in
costly laces, and sparkling with diamonds. He
drew vivid picture of the disastrous consequences
entalied by love OF dress; fortunes compromised or
entirely destroyed; wives encumberng their hus-
bands with enormous debts loss of credit and social
position; eleventh hour repentance, &c, &C.
of am correctly informed" said the orator.
there are ladies within the sound of my voice
VINO purchase as many as fifty dresses in a single
year. With the materials used in making these
dresses OF extravagant dimensions, hundred more
OF reasonable measure might be manufactured
ana these, with proper care, ought to last a life
time" This matter of-fact calculation naturally
eXcited general smile among the fair auditory;
observing which, the preacher exclaimed in pro-
Phetc tones, beware, my hearers! The gates of
Taradse are narrow, and you never will be able to
pass them with your crinoliues ~
An outburst of this sort might produce whole
gDuuracy nf
our sinful Parisiennes is such that fear the good
Abbe,s terrible warning was quite thrown ayav
upon MS listeners, who belonged to a nation not
famous Tor giving itself much concern about to-
morrow, or the day after. | will not, however, 90
80 lar as to assert that Partisan ladies are utterly
hardened in their wickedness, for, when Father F.
turned MS attention to the dreadful crime of pri-
Fale theatricals (almost as prevalent, at this sea-
son, as religious matinees, the Countess de B. ST.
lehtiy lett the room, whispering the mistress of
the house the following excellent apology for her
precptate departure: 81 am going before the end
OF the sermon, for fear | shall be converted if
remain, which would be rather unfortunate to-day
as have two parts to play at the Marquse de M's
tonight, and could not think of causing disap-
pointment.F You will be at the Marouis's of
course, so | shall merely say reUoir."
PROPOSED TRANSFER OF THE REPUBLIC OF EcUApoR
TO FRANcE.-Gen. Franco, the Ecuadorian flibus-
ter, has published, in Lima, three letters from the
present President of Ecuador, to NJ. Triuite the
French charge d'affaires in Peru, which. if not
forged, are highly Interesting as they prnpose the
transfer OF Ecuador to France, something in the
way Dominica has been banded over to Spain, The
IetterS were written last December and the oripi-
nails are publicly exhibited at the Concrete office in
Luna How they came into Francois possession
does not appear. In the first letter, dated Quito,
December 9TH, there is the following passage:
my opinion, and | NAV even say in the
opinion OF every order-oving man, the happiness
of this country would depend upon its union with the
French empire, under conditions analogous to those
which exist between Canada and Great Britain
excepting the differences which have to be intro,
duced by the force of circumstances Those of ms
who are tired of struggling against the licentions
ness OF the soldlery and the turbulence of the dem
dSoSues; those who work in vain to continue the
anarchy which dishoDors and i1npoverishes MS. and
VINO see advancing rapidly the devastating torrent
OF the Ango-American race, We should soon find.
under the auspices of ance, the civilization, in
Tue peace and liberty, in the Order and BLESSINGS.
which feeble and extenuated Snain could naESoyy
make US enjoy" "'" "0'e'
IN the tnird letter, written in French, and dated
unto December q, we find the following:
III Is not the question either (transated in tba
Concrete mot only') of guarantee which nno :;
pound to say the ambitious chiefs of these unhannv
republics have exacted so many times It sis pp;,
translated mot only question of interest to the
i! oaelnLleht OF winch am member but to the
interest OF this country, which has lust been de-
hVered from the scourge of the eternal revolutions
by assocating itself to q great Power. nf wbnSo,
repose and civilization it could partake 1t is also
ahe interest OF france, as she would become the
mistress OF this beautiful country which would mot
be useless to her. ~ Ao'
"What intend to do, and what | certainly vii,
90, as soon as you give me the confidential assur.
ance OF me her maJesty's Government, is the follow
ing The Provisional Government of Quito will
ask the people if it will unite itself to the French
Empire, under the name which you please to in
ulcate beforehand: and am sure of the consent of
lne people, tired as it is of the caamites of the
revolutions, and much as it hates to be drapped bv
force into dependence of the American Govern
ment. Meanwhile, we will endeavor to gain time
put 1t would be better to act soon and it would be
I, blessing for Ecuador, if you or the Chief of the
frenca Naval station could take upon their re-
'ponsibity the step propose to take; that is the
assurance OF not being Abandoned
How THEY SETTLE TARIFF DIFFERENCES IN INDIA.
IN the British Provinces in the East Indies they
nave an easy way of settling differences between
he custom house officers and the importers If
he custom-house officers consider the price nam ed
or certain quantity of goods in the invoice too
ow, they have right to buy the goods at the
'rice named In the invoice, and the merchant is
obliged to sell at that price In this country i'm.
'orters have to submit to the opinion of the an
'raisers and the only alternative left to them is to
Jay the duty ana sue for it afterwards
- . EARRIED.
On the ID instant, by Rev. Dr. McCron OTTO STEINER
his city - '0- - NFe'Nei' d. Vi
On the LIST instant, by Rev. NJ Bowser CORNELIUS |
oH ES to Miss MARY E. CASSELI, both OF this civ |
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DIED.
on Thursday the 4th instant at her residence in Balti
nnIe county on Madison Avenue ext 'nded. MARTHA |
l1hPS wife of Chauncy Brooks in 6th wear of her
&e. Hartford Conn, papers copy ~ - 49,
relatives and the friends the family are in yed IN
,lehd her funeral, on tomorrow Saturday morning at
o'clock without further notice Orders for
treet. - -0N'-o'0"' neal ath
On the Sd instant, a he