The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-09
OPENING OF THE PARIS EXPOSITION.

Exposition was formally opened this morning.
The day was observed as holiday by the entire
population of the city. The morning dawned
cloudily, but the sky cleared at an early hour,
and by 10 o'clock in the forenoon the weather
was most beautiful, like that enjoyed on fne
day of May in New York. The state Of the
weather may be taken indeed as typical of the
Exhibition building, which is now 10 great con-
fusion, but when fully completed will be one of
the wonders of the world Viewed at distance,
the building resembles a mammoth gasometer
dressed with flags, but when entered it is fouod
TO be 10 every way convenient. At IL A. nj :,
the doors we're opened, and by the time of the
Empcror's arrival there were 5000 persons in
side Outside, along the banks of the river
Seine, and on all the hills and roads for miles
around Paris. at least 100, 900 people had as
bled. There were 5000 policemen duty
and the order was excellent Every carriage 10
Paris seems TO be employed in journeys to and
from the building. The grounds of and around
the Exposition building are in lamentable
state of confusion. Not one tenth of goods
| opened or arranged, but the French Department
of course in the first order. Next to that the
Russian, and third the English All the de-
partments were not ready. The American De-
partment is one of the most incomplete, and the
Commissioners, exhibitors, and Americans gen
|
missioner Beck with, who appears totally incfi
! cient.
! The only department in operation is the res
taurants, but even here the Americans are be-
hind hand. The only goods which have been
damaged on the voyage are American. At one
| o'clock the invited guests assembled in the Art
Gallery, where America made fine show, many
fine pictures being exhibited and we'll hung !;
but the English display was much greater -
When the guests gathered, however, the supe-
riority of the American ladies was conceded.
They we're the bellies of the day. brilliant
company bazing with diamonds and orders filled
the central nall to welcome the Emperor and
Empress, who came precisely at 2 o'clock In the
afternoon. The crowd outside the building was
good -natured but not demonstrative toward him.
No cheers greeted the imperial party. They
drove up long avenue covered with velvet
canopy Of green and gold, decorated with flags
and lined with soldiers. They alightcd at a
splendid pavilion specially built for the Emperor.
The Emperor Immediately re-appeared and gave
his arm to the Empress, and proceeded on foot
to the main door During the imperial progress,
full bands played the national air. The cheering
now grew louder the Americans and English
present leading with hearty "hurrahs," and
Turks, japanese, Italians, Pruss;ans, Germans
and French joining in the different styles pecu-
liar to their several countries. The Emperor
and Empress bowed repeatedly to the crowd as
they assembled the platform which runs around
the machine gallery.
Preceded by the chamberaios the party
passed round the entire gallery, nearly mile
| long The different national commissions stood
on platform over the sections allotted to their
countries. Turks, japanese, Russians, Moroc-
coans, Tunisians and Persisns wore their full
| Tha 10 forr
words to each Commission, but at the American
department he stopped, with the Empress, and
| bowed to the crowd, who were cheering hear
tily. half an hour was consumed in this tour
Then the cortege descended and passed through
the Art and few other galleries, and at O.
clock returned to the Palace The Exposition
will not be ready till May. Onehalf OF all the
space is allotted to France, and that is not CON-
plete. The English are very strong in machi
merry, beating the Americans in that depart
ment England being near Paris accounts in a
great measure for this. There is nothing like
SO many strangers here as were expected The
number of Americans is not much greater than
usual every season. Prices have gone up fear
fully. The hotels raise their charges fifty per
cent after this week 1t is useless to come to
see this Exposition before May.
|
! EXECUTION OF 1913 PR1soNERs.-General Es-
cobedo issued order after the late battle ofSan
Jacinto, Mexico, commanding the execution of all
foreigners taken prisoners with arms in their
hands, except such as were wounded. The
Weekly (Texas) Ranchero says:
"Ihs order was executed on the Sd instant, at
7 O'Clock in the evening; or rather the execution
of the one hundred and twenty three prisoners
WAS finished at that hour. One by one the pris-
oners were shot, and each bloody body was left
AS it fell for the next victim in order to look upon
We are informed that but few of the doomed vie
Tins faltered, and when marched out for execution
most of them sang the Marsellase hymn. We
have been promised the full particulars of this
awful massacre, and when received they will he
laid before the public, in order to complete the
black and dannng record After the execution
at San Jacinto, General Escohe.io ordered ball
at San Luis Potos, i'll honor of the victory ach lev
ed over Miramon. 1t was to have been the grand
est affair ever gotten up in that city. Ore hun
dred and fifty ladies were invited, who were, of
course, the "ton of the town" When the hour
come to commence the dance, the heroes of the
San Jacinto massacre found that but fifteen ladies
had responded TO the invitation And no more
than fifteen Of those invited did attend that night
From this 1t may he determined what the women
of Mexico think of the mu-derers Of those French
and German prisoners.
Our NEW PossEssIoNs.-H Why Russia &C.
drtt IHem.-Ihe cesson excites intense interest
Influential parties regard it as significant of
Russian policy, in view of impending European
complications on the eastern question. Russia
cedes her Al, erican territory for the same reasons
that induced Napoleon to sell Louisiana. In the
event of a war Russia would probably lose this