New-York tribune., 1868-07-25

For keeping TO this comparatively triAing matter of
the Legion of Honor under whose banner a so sadly
prominent class OF our otherwise intelligent Ameri-
can stoti eager to enlist, read this extract,
translated from the most remarkable book that the
French press has lately been delivered Of by eX-
cess of seeing this decoration, which IN Its author
design was reserved for eminent deserts IN all KINDS
distributed with unheard-of prOdlgaIty down 10 tue
lowest ranks of mediOcrity, and even lower than
that. we have come IN France TO deSpse IL, W"oali
bOrerer, ceGSg 10 desire IT, Nevertheless, To-Day anu
among the enlightened classes, II Is distinction not
to receive II or not to wear IT, and there Is oyaoic
progress in this respect in the last twenty years.
The above extract is from La NOureie france,
lust published volume by Provost PaTad0l It's pup
licatOn is an event. 1t Is essentially discussion
in octave Of what solemn Senatus CoIiSut Two
the Imperial Constitution. II Government WeIelOg-
ical il would have cOnhscated the b0ok III proof
sheets. as il did few years ago comparatively
harmless book by the Duke dAumale, as 1t was ON
the point Of being issued by the same publishers
That PaTadOl admitted seizure cOntscalon ana sup
preston among the probabilities to when ms sVoluhe
exposed itself appears in his pretaGe IN the cam cam
tone of which, he looking such pr0DaOllies stIalgnt
in the face appears also his satisfied persuasion that
the condemnation OF his book ana its author Oy aIol
trary brute force would be its and his triumpha ac-
Quttal and assurance of thoughtful hearing at the
The volume was out of press but three days ago.
have had time to only scurry through ITS pages
toerably faithful synopsis of them would fill two OF
your TRIBUNE columns lmust try 10 conpIeS? solhe
not too unjust indicative hints OF their drit INTO
paragraph The volume is divided INTO three DOCKS
The first is taken up with all essay IN several chap
ters, on the meaning of the words Democracy ana
Democratic Government and on the dangers Inhe-
rent in a practically working Democratic G0verh-
ment. Our author here Will seem, 10 the 0rulnaly
American reader rather subtle than profound rather
profound than broad, in his views. Jhe American
reader, being reminded that Mr.. Paradol Is
thoughtful Frenchman writing to thoughtful French
men, may, on second reading, come TO acknowledge
that he is acute well subtle and that he tur-
nishes hints at least in respect of democracy, that
have large enough breadth oil bearing TO touch
AIag n IN ngnf 70 nd
If happily, everything, III the political kind, were
not simply perfect in the democratic republic con-
fined by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans IN our hem
spheTe, eccentric person might conceive that the
American Intelligent readers of ParadOls first chap
eTs might possibly gather suggestions OF practical
benefit from their perusal1
The second hook is long and careful essay toward
plan of government fit and fitted 10 France, Para
dol accepts what in his heart and IN his head he does
not sympathize WITH universal suffrage as an IRE
vOcable fact. Admitting this controlling condition
of any possible future Constitution of the French
state. he subjects the actual lndiscutabe Imperial
Constitution under cover of hypothesis and theOTet-
ica COnstItutiOn-naking, to "a discussiOn-tO such
Kidding and sitting, and consequent condemnation
as IL has never been exposed TO before IN print
Throughout these first two books, more bitterly Sc
we're upon the second Empire than any other book
that has been let come 10 print III France since 1852
there is personal attack on the Emperor no vailed
personalities The spirit OF the writer is raised quite
above such weakness. Every one knows that Para
dolls wit set against the Emperor or oiclous advo-
Gates of the Empire is 10 win. He does not sink
for paragraph TO grasp that easy victory The
third and last book OF La Nouuelle France is mainly
occupied with question whose solution interests our
national vanity (patriOtlsm) as much as French ma
tiOnal vanity.
Passing by the brcfest of resumes, over consider
atons and presentation of facts which he so strik-
ngly cgOTdipates and argues FROM offer the essences
of his third book in this wiso France is declining.
Not TO accumnlatotOo many proofs OF the decline OF
France since lo52 IN respect OF literature ar ana
that since 1865 New Germany has grown and Is grow
ng. The strength and vitality of New Germany
is unquestiona6le. viii it stop growing, theni
Does all history give us one example OF growing
power that voluntarily stopped grOwngi New Ger
many already grown to be our formidable rival. not
TO say already our superior is still IN movement Will
inevitably complete herself by annexation of HOl-
land, and so French supremacy in Europe falls away.
That, and for to-day, is sad enough TO the French
detail
The grand overshadOwing fate lies larger ont,
clear sdG9 eyed m man The people already
hold in actual possession. and IN sure prospective
America from the Pole TO the lsthmus on the Bri
fannie loyal side, Australia. and that much of the
/ Indies not claimed and absorbed by Ango-American
NJ Paradol, az a clever writer in the Raae des DeuT
MOndes quoted twelve years ago in this correspond
encel regarded the absorbing conquering advance
Of the Anglo-SaXOn as already writ in the books of
fate. All America, Australia, and least the western
coast of China, and the Indies being III the Anglo
Saxon hands. Germany, even growing annually by
! thousands, despite its enormous contribution OF
emigrants TO the United States, while France, send
/ ing out no emgrants, barely holds its own. Where
how and when can France keep recover its presi-
dental position among the nations of the earth
Parad0l frankly admits that the French presidency
OF the civilized world Is lost. He urges that decent
second place among the nations is worth her thrl-
wing for but that the strife TO be successful shOud
/ begin now In sense and an essentially true one,
says ParadOl l.. n. b. was right when he said that
| the power Of nation was measured by the number
of fighting men 1t could put IN the field.
Rather odd, wofully sad, that L. n. Bonaparte and
PrevOstParadO come TO "a close communion agreement
on this brutal article of patriotic greed We had IT
though all over and over again, between 1860 and
| 1865.
Paradol philosophically resigns the old ambition
of France ruling the world; he clngs patriOtcay TO
the hope that France may keep respectable consul
Europe herself is to be what this or that state of
Europe used TO be- The only chance Of fulhllment
of this hope he finds in the development of Franco
AlgeTine colonization. He would people Northern
Africa with an odd ten or twenty millions OF French
men.
ful Wisconsin or Oregon reader OF VI. ParadOls really
valuable and cOmmeudable book, is the utter alb
sence on the part of the author Of the TemOes pre-
liminaTy idea of suspicion that the successful col
OnzatlOn of Algeria depends on anything but Min
isterial RECOMMENDATION" No, truly, this is finally
the most remarkable feature of his emnently remark
able and valuable book: that it, rejecting its sqbtly-
thoughtful authors mind, which he sincerely be-
lieves to be a liberal mind, which ~ liberal mind,
does not get down tonor rise up TO the simply human
conception Of individual democracy. Folks govern
ing themselves! What national folk has got to that
simplicity Not Americans, sure who have only
latteTly got so far to admit black males into the
class of American adults And the wOmenf
One other select American item and am done:
Died last Tuesday, Senator Amedee Thayer He
was son Of James Thayer of Rhode Island, who be-
came French citizen in the time of the old French
Revolution. and made uncommon good pecuniary
thing out of 1t. There was q brother, dead now /
think, also modern NapOleonic Senator and success
ful man. so far as piled up money makes success.
A FRANCO AMERICAN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.
The French Government has contracted with Baron
dErlanger and Mr. Reuter- for the laying OF cable
between France and the United States The agreement
is as follows:
ART The line to start from Brest terminating at