, 1864-06-22

PARIS TUESDAY, May 81, 15Ga.
The news which has reached us last from
America leaves the two armies face to face
with each other, after their late deadly en-
counters. There seems to be pause, crc-
ated By mutual e1haustion- 1t leaves us In
= state of anxious suspense; but as reinforce
ments arc rapidly pouring In to the North
ern army, willie that Of the South, it maJ be
supposed, cannot be SO strengthened, or at
least not in the same degree, the expectation
is thSt Grant Will coon be able to repent his
blows and once more progress on the road
to Richmond. Mean .hile We have little
breathing time between the tremendous tel
egrams which have lately poured in upon
us. For q fortnight past ote's constant
thought and occupation has been to watch
the arrival Of American news, and few peo-
pie have thought Of anything else. Now,
however, we must look around and see what
is passing among us at home.
There Is nothing Of any great Importance
10 chronicle, either soci lily or politically.
This is the season Of ont-of-door and summer
gniety in Paris, Of those amuscments and
rccreations which precede the general depart
ure from town for ,ilicgiatura in the country,
or the sojourn at the watering place or the
sea side. As in England, the races marc been
tha great feature Of late in Paris and the
Eicif1ty. The French Derby has just been
run at Chantilly, in the presence OF such q
tbrong Of fashionables as no other country
in the world, perhaps, except France, could
display. Every thlng connected with sport
is the height Of fashion Just now, and is pat
rontzcd BY all who pretend to be de- la noit.
The French Jockey Club aud Society for
improving the breed Of horses In France
boasts of all the richest and most important
personages Of the capital among Its members,
and its annual revenue now exceeds q
million OF francs. This Sun Is chiefly
devoted to.racjDg prizes, Of which the Derby
is the principal, and Of which the winner
nets about ST, GOO francs. The "people'' don't
care much about the race, but the concounse
of the fashionable world which Aocks to see
it is immense. Cbantilly, where 1t Is run
for, is beautiful place, abont an hour from
Paris by railroad. and the race course is
chsrmingly situated, surrounded by belt OF
fine forest. Special trains carry down hund-
reds of ladies' attired In the most extravagant
height Of fashion, princesses, duchesses, am-
baEeadresses, md every title that can be
imagined. 1t is an extraordinary and striking
sight to eec ali this hnery aud magnifcence
emerge out Of the first class cars q. the Chan
tilly Station and proceed to walk (for there
are no car1iages) through beautiful and ro-
mantle glade Of the forests, about . quarter
OF mile long, to the race course. The con-
trast between the excessive artidcfalfty Of the
costumes, (often more fit for fancy ball
&hon pfomeQAQe} auu Inc Wi1a Woodland
nature around, is most extraordinary
as the guy procession escorted BY
gentlemen, winds its Way along the sylvan
Eath. 1t is sight which NO stranger should
omit seeing, 80 completely French is it aud
characteristic OF the country. There Is very
good racing in France now, and thirteen fine
horses started for the French Derby at Chan.
tilly; While Just about the same time another
French horse, File de Pair, carried Of the
oaks, the second prize in England, at Ep.
eon, and worth nearly IS GOO. Next bun1aF,
traces are almost always on Sunday In
France,) the great Paris prize will be run for
on the course in the Bois de Boulogne. It
is worth 100, 900 francs, and is given one:half
BY the municipality and one-half By the rail-
way companies. Thousands Of people will
ecmc from sll parts to see it, aud its termtn-
alton is now the signal for the general break
ing up of the fashionable world, and the end
OF the g-y season in Paris.
The French Chambers closed on Saturday
last with short speech from the President,
the Due de Morney, afler having sat for near
II seven months. Inc Emperor and Empress
snd the Court hare just gone to the great
horse fair aud agricultural show st Evfeux,
md will coon leave tor Fonta1n bleau4