New-York tribune., 1868-11-06

devoted to nOn-ournallZlng political crlnlnais
The conversation naturally turned on French politics.
and grew lively. At about o'clock. NJ SAID II was
time for dinner which Mr.. X. and your correspondent
were invited to share as volunteers.
We descended the stairway OF newspaper Onense,
passed through corridor separated by g grazing
from yard where criminals of the thlrd cIass were
taking such air going, mounted anotheI nlghi
Of steps and came to long corridor parualFllghte1
by window at its further end, on either side oil
which are the of the second class OF pilsoeis
mentioned above We entered mar OF Mt; & s;ed M
Inv a large grated window, looking on the criminal
court inst spoken of furnished by Government win
bed chair small table and shell OF TWO, nc,'' cSo
last are we'll stocked with books by the present Occur
nant who is as hard at work reading whlle mere ~
he was at the tools of his trade when be "as III MS
Workshop TO Judge from the titles OF me Dooks g.
sbOuld say that Government, i'll conining MN 10 ,S
cOuvse of reading. had chosen n slngulhIy Iou ;.;
bout way to lead Mr.. NJ from his ways on opposition
rmpeasantness TO its we-hedged pains Oh pcace'
The walls were highly ornate with cooied pii@n.s; @
and caricatures cut from the illustrated papers anu
pasted there by some preceding boarder' A..
NJ il one of nine mechanics doomed 10 tniee
montbs confinement here for having been ofhceTs OF
one of those wOrkingmen's societies that laWluIy
exist in all countries neghboring on France unoss
il be enlightened Spain. Although they are housed
with dctenas pofQues, neither the action nor oDect
of their Society was in any direct sense political;
That their personal political Opinions they are al,
Liberal is probable-I can affirm the fact OF but
portion of them: but have never yet happened 10
meet Frenehman actively Interested Ill any reform
movement, whether II looked TO cooperation ol ,oor'
tiOn by freer schools and cheaper libraries TO refOi
ton of the legal code. or to large mechancal, social
or political ameliorations OF any kina Dut fna. n
Frenchman was a political liberal. III is one Oh .e
condolences as s. Weller, Jr. would saw
which actually yelling dynastc ministers eiI anu
prosecuting attorneys and judges are pallin,y nI!
aware of The fOrcible objection to working OF any
other mems societies for any object Is that tnc ci
bers get accustomed TO acting together. eAcnn"eTC
and assimate views on Var,oms of cpn,bination
and learn to think for and take care OF thcsrncH ~
selftcachng. with consequences nat c3ntI"iHr i r ~
The parental precepts and pateInal prom. Oh lhe LUZ
periai Father of all the pomplers ana o'her
Presently a contribution of chairs was takenY
fran, room 70 room and these. pieced out win
rouL or two gave seats at close quarters LOT - pt,
sons about the tables placed end to end tha StIe'ceu
down from the wndowed ehd ol tne 1 ToiIiu"r, ilif
side the condemned workngmen and the JOURNALISTS
and few other deteRas pOhuqaes there were M'oN'
children. and visiting friends from without Iheie
was NJ the goldsmlths wife. among others hapV
there by the side of her husband. baby III her arms
and two older children with magnificent great )eWc
ewes by her side The only "seditiouss cry
by the way that heard that day Was afry dinner m
piped out "Vive la Republique" Minister fiharu
has not vet descended 10 spanking as n repreSsN9
means and the infantile excitement to hatreu ana
conten,pt of the Government attracted 10 particular
Ii was Sunday and f6te day. and so there was ex-
ceptional luxury in our banquet. Goycrnment gives
10 its political bOardeTs sustaining modicu oi raw
beef and beans. bread. and daily glass Of VINE on1
generously allows them to bny anything more ana
better at their own expense; IT also grants shailoW
earthen bowls forks aud spoons. one OF each 70 each
of its pensioners does not prohibit the INTRODUCTION
of private plates: does not dispense tnpieclotns,
napkins and other dining accessoieS-whlch IOf tnc
rest we dispensed with. The company being seated
their first appeared an llomeric saucepan OF
stewed beans, which was passed down the tahle
to where sat. of all men IN the world TO DC
accepted as impartial distributor OF us con-
tents the journalist who was there for hay
ING "excited citizens to hatred of each other" With
thfa In of brea bottles
able wine. Then followed another mighty casserole;
the very copper likeness of the first, capacons oi
stewed beef, due portions of which were CIRCULATED
on the plates platteTs, and pOrringers now widowed
of their beans For the finer cutting of our individual
portions the French Empire not octroying knives
each man drew his pocket blade or borrowed his
neighbors or awaited his turn for one of the hall
dozen table knives of many different patterns, OF
which there was common usufruct among these plac-
teal Socialists
sThe beef was uncommon savory. and there was loud
call for the mess cook of the day, who was at last
obliged to rise from down the dark end Of the table
amid shower of applause" which rose TO storm
at the mention of Madame - lone Of The family
visitOrs) his volunteer assistant The Bean bud.
get had closed with handsome balance In favor OF
government, but II was amusing 10 see the General,
toward the close Of the second course taklngaoconn
of stock in the reduced beef department: only five
pieces left then qIlck ana hopeinlly hke MlLhs
ter of finance. but plenty of sauce plenty And 1t
was better than amusing, when, close on tnat an
nOuncement, a plate came up from the dim distance
asking for solid meat and raising the ustifaby pru
dent doubt whether it was a belated first ITS
second round to note how its claim was straightway
supported by: Cet pour une dame 1T is for lady,.
and with what courteous, quickness the male months
Of these criminals put down all question a. they took
up the word in chorus "C'est pour une dome, Cest
pour dame! And again to note how, vhen the stout
goldsmith forwarded his plate ostensibly for the
0nd time, he anticipated suspicion of uDmanly greed
ny shouting: "lt is only for the sance ITO which
declaration of honest principle, the General and
half dozen volunteers; Plenty OF sauce plenty
OF sauceW
The beans being gathered to their restingplace
and the beef packed away. the twice-washed plates
were ready for the salade which was stirred IN NJ,
committed TO the man who exctes citizens 10 hate
each other apr0pOs of one of Courbes pictures for
distribution Thereafter two bowls of sugar ran the
gauntlet of the tabled row Of offenders and their
guests, each of they passed taking his need OF
Jumps; to which succeeded two big mugs OF coffee:
This we took in our tuulblers, preserye-lars, aud
other improvised succedancOus drinking vessels,
stirring it with reversed fork handles, and Icllshlng
il we'll as though Seyres china and silver spoons
had gone to its service.
Not that ihe elegances of the table are to be con-
temned. And surely l have sat in my time at feasts
that in every material sense preferable TO this
plain fare. got 10 the unwiped month from unchanged
plates on c0tless tables, by widowed forks and in
valided knives. Bnt have rarely sat at meat with
more genial cheerful company than that, where
felt hOnorcd TO be n guest last Sunday. And il being
Sunday, and your correspondent being New England
bred he could not but think that this visiting of
friends in prison, this good meeting of members OF
the same family, a good observance of the day :;
and as he watched and admired the novel scene, he
could not but see and feel in it illustration quite
larger in its light and shade than Dor6s fancy can
compass of that wise Scripture. Better is dinner
of herbs where love 49, than Slated OK and hatred
Herewith"
Surely il was not all fun, and touch Of some other
passion than love to the Emperor was conceivable
there Ii is not exactly joke let alone liner sentl-
euts TO these wives and children that the head Of
the house the skilled bread-earner, is kept out OF
his workshop and his wages for three months to-
gtthcr IL was not merely cheerful TO see that stott
goldsmith stoutly keep mp his own and his wLieS
spirits and play with his little children and laugh
jnely kiss the little chit that trebcd out her m Ia
RcDabique AL of whom must quit him at o'clock
and lraye him and them 10 mediate on the loving