New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-05-10
Prom Our Special Cortspopdont


PARIS, April &c, 1867.
On the 18th of March French three per cents sold at
q fraction above 90; the closing quotation yester-
day was fraction above G5. Other stocks fell III
the same period in much the same proportion. Al
though figures can lie, and do on occasion, those OF
the stock list for the last month furnish mainly
faithful summary index Of the variations and actual
state of public opinion on the situation an index,
az VIC can get al it, Of the situation itself Sixtyiye
r. the war and loan rate Of the three per cents IL
idle to say that this descent is the work Of spccu
lators. Spectators did not first begin TO exist four
weeks ago. Cunning navigatOrs take advantage Of
winds and currents, they don't create them.
Along with the growing persuasion that war is TO
come grows the war spirit. People are inpatient OF
this state Of suspense, which is much the same ~
hanging. IL checks and deTanges trade and com
meTce and infcts by anticipation some OF the grave
evils of actual The public longs for certainty,
a decision, assurance of something-war and done
with it, RI that is to be the end. To the popular com
mon sense that looks 20 be the end we are drift
ing toward through the diplomatic fOes. ii Prussia
will not eyacuate Luxembourg the almost inevitable
end. And Prussia shows small signs Of evacuation.
OF the progress of negotiations, definitely know
nothing-I refer 10 negotiations in which France is
an active party. 1t has been saidsemi said
(which does not the enforce beiefl-that France
is not negotiating at all now with Prussia directly,
which means say, that certain Of Minister Monsters
and NapOleOns letters are written, as modest young
authors say in their pTCfaces, with no intention OF
publication" Napoleon IS his own head OIL the For
eign Office. We may safely pay the little cOmpli-
ment to has intelligence TO suppose that he has found
means of communicating his views TO his some
time guest at Barritz and COmpegne, Herr Bismarck
let alone Austrian and Italian, and other foreign
correspondents The Importance of alliances III case
OF war may well De a,sn to as 90 iHs
used 10 say and Prnssan acidities are notori-
Gus, went off the other day for brief visit TO Pran
gins Praugns is on the south shore OF Lake Geneva,
where the Prince has a country house and estate.
Ii lies plovdentlally near TO the Italian frontier
Now that the Prince should take take JT gar
mere thrift and husbandry, is like general
Shermans visit to Jerusalem from purely devotional
motives. Say PTaugns is TO the Italians az the
Holy Sepulchre is 10 the Greeks or their friends the
Russians If Admiral Fox paved our territorial way
to the North Pole, why should not Gen sherman, "A
landsnan, by cllsseross panty OF reasoning nlot
our way TO a naval port in the Mediterranean! The
question is interesting folks here since they have
read the announcement of the coming OF our great
fighting pilgrim in the Quaker City.l Note that
Prince NapoleOns visit to Prauglns follows lmIedl-
Ratazzi. with his French sympathies, takes the
place of Rcaso who was supposed TO hold TO the
Prussian alliance Putting this and that together,
ingenious peCulatOrsbuild the hypothesis OF Franco
Italian, going further Of an Austro tranc0-ltalla
military alliance, a mOrtgaglng OF the future that
is much talked of here and 80 needed to be men
toned matter OF record But note TINS DINER that
Prince Napoleon is reconciled again. since that AJac-
clio quarrel TO his Imperial cousin, and since that
trial and condemnation of the editor OF the Libetf,
to his old friend, its edtor-in-chief Grardin that
the LibeTt6 publishes daily the most bec0se articles
that appear now in the French press, and is OF late
much less severe in its critiques of the Government.
Other leaders of the opposition, however discontinued
with the general policy foreign and domestic, of the
Government: however steInly reprehending It's
peculiarly impIovident conduct last year IN
respect of the war, and its evidently
ill-calculated manner OF starting this Luxembourg
business; however earnestly demanding now their
right in the name OF the nation, TO some word OF eX
PLANTATION at least to the actual state and method
of carrying on the affairs of the nation, are all as
one TO stand by the Government that represents the
nation in foreign war Guizot and Theirs, and
Jules FayTe and VeuillOt moderate. Obscurant retro
front to the frontiers. When Voltaire, or some
other witty Frenchman, reprOached the English with
witty an Englishman replied that the French had
thTty-six songs, but no religion at all. That
before 80 The French now are dey9ut a. in
is the symbol of their common religion.
The people do not want war. They are not silly
enough to send deputations to the Tuileres asking
it, But in view of its imminence, they are spon-
taneousy warming M TO It, Judge that my worthy
friend, Mr.. L., is atona type lie is shopkeeper
very intent his business. which he has faithfully
attended for the past Is years, making money fefns
ing to bother his head with politics. accepting the
Imperial regime as he would accept any other that
did not interfere with his profits notice that 10
these few days past the blood IS mounting 10 MS
head. He loOses his calmness Ia talking OF those
devils of Prussians: he refers 10 the time when he
carried musket and becomes animated, excited, as
he snufs the possible coming fight and inhaes, as IL
were, by memory of his reading the glorious fumes
of the old batte-feds that reeked with bloody VIC
tories, when France under the Great Napoleon,
fought against the world.
War symptoms more pronounced. Military
preparation of all kinds is larger and more yigor-
Ously pushed to completion than supposed when
last wrote. II is evident enough now, though Gov,
eminent takes pains 10 disguise its extent and
activity. Ii is said that should war break out, the
Emperor will take command III person, and that he
has already named his staff and the chiefest officers.
Among them are Gen. MOntauban whom, on that
soldiers return from the AnglO-French Chinese cant
paign, be would have made Marshal and did make
Count of PalikaO-the general bumming prOpensties
OF the higher promotion. and Marshal Bazaine, late
of Mexico. The tax of military exOneraton-the
sum paid to Government by young conscript
for release from military service-is fixed
this year at 5000 francs, 5000 in gold-a
larger If the National difference
price of wages is taken into consideration, a
much larger sunni than our high bounty rates
in the thick of war. This is 200 francs than the
rate at the close Of the Grimean war; 200 francs
more than last year. Officers on leave are ordered
back to their regiments. The army is being fast sup
piled with the Chassepot gun, which the soldiers, a
large body of whom are already practced in Its
use fondly nicknsme@the skin pjercer" and
which is deemed here more conveniently muir
dereus than the Prnssian needle-gun. At any rate
there is no danger DOW Of the ast-naned instrument
inspiring panic terror among French troops. Then
we hear extravagant stories Of new cannon, so light
that two fnen can easily handle il, but deadly dire
that q single one will NOW down whole battalion
in a minufe ot two. Its construction Is kept pro
found secret I tbe trials that have been made Of
it iQ the tOsse Of the tQycaticns beyQp9 81 Cloud