American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-10
A Short Account of the State Elec.
ton Riots in Paris.
Correspondent Of n. Y. Mercantile Journal
PARIS, June -, 1869.

AS / predicted in my pl evious let.
ters, the political excitement has not
calned down without some slight
effcrvescence OF popular feeling,
which at one time appeared likely
to eliminate III riot. When the
result Of the second election became
known, there was great Indignation
manifested by the revolutionary
spirits at the defeat of their candi-
dates, and especially at the over
throw of ROchetort, of Lanterne
celebrity, and it became evident that
there was riOtOus disposition
abroad. The nucleus of disorder was
a small one, but animated by bold
leaders, and their attempt being
seconded by i'll judged repressive
measures, it is a miracle that the
city has passed scatheless through
the crisis.
For the first time in this genera
ton, the battle song of Freedom, or,
as others style it, that yell of anarchy,
the Marseilaise, has been heard on
the Central Boulevards of Paris, and
for the last few days the broad ave-
nue. from the Opera Comique down
as far as Vachette's on the Bou!e-
ward Montmarte, has been the scene
of a contest, which at one step might
have merged from the ridiculous to
the tragic. In my snug quarters on
the corner of the Rue Vivienne, /
was enabled to view the farce at
mine ease, and if the most sensation
al rumors have reached our shores,
season By flaming heading, such this
as "Glave Riots in Paris" "Erec-
ton of barricades," Attacks by the
Military" etc, etc, you, will un-
derStand that they were gross ex-
aggerations of tempest in a-pot.
The first intimation, however, that
l received of the coming shower, was
at the Cafe de Madrid, II rendezvous
of many OF the leading Partisan Jour
nalists. Seated there at one of the
outside tables enjoying my cigaI, ]
was surprised to see the Boulevard
suddenly invested by "a strong de-
tachment of police, and while a
crowd surged around, Offering con-
lectures as to the reason of this de-
monStration, we saw a band of some
five hundred men debouching on to
the Boulevard from the Rue Richie
lieu, and advancing toward us. sing
ing the Marseillaise. and making
the night hideous with their wells.
These cries were. | believe, "Vive
Rockefort,' "Vive LIE Pappel,"
"a bias Fa,re," A bas Napoleon
The scene that ensued was perfectly
ludrico
Every one knows how the Partisan
cafes cucumber the entire pavement
in front of their establishments with
three or four lines of chairs and
tables, and that almost every house
at this part of the street is cafe
Imagine these hundreds of chairs
occupied by peaceful citizens, enjoy
ing their otium cum dignitate, with a
horde of rioters on one side, and Il
brigade of police Oh the other, and
a collision imminent between these
hostile forces. Before any attempt
could be made to clear the battle
field, the police charged along the
whole line. carrying breast works Of
tables, rcdans of chairs, scarp and
counterscarp, in such gallant style,
that in a second not "a defender of
those works was visible to the eye,
while the mob also gave way beneath
the terrible onslaught.
ASH saw the tornado coming,
Jumped inside the cafe, where / had
the pleasure of seeing many of my
unknown companions scrambling nm.
der the tables, or pushed over in the
melee, just like the scene in panto
mime Gracious heavens the
amount of tall swearing that ensued
was something awful, and as there
is nothing that a Frenchman so mncl
fears as ridicule, when the whlrlwint
had passed there was perfect clam
or of Indignation, mingled with cries
of "Down with the Police The
wounded were picked up, beer, ices
coffee, and broken crockery were
mixed up in extricable confusion OF
the pavement. with mems hats ant
womeu's shawls, while the windows
in front of the cafes were almost all
broken in the fracas. In few
minutes the police retraced thei
steps, and proceeded to clear TIT
cafes of their customers. and in al
instant l found myself in melee, il
which cups, saucers, and glassc
formed the projeetiles, while til,
police forced their way up one sid,
of the cafe, and advancing in serriet
files, drove us out into the streets
In few minutes l gained my quar-
tiers by round about way, as tn,
Boulevard remained in the hands O
the soldiery. This was all saw O
f the roiU that night, and l believ,
that it arose from. the ill.judget
measures adopted by the authorities
to clear a crowded but peaceful
thoroughfare by such rough means
There was no one seriously wounded
but felt convinced that the affai
would lead to still more dangerous
manifestations Oh the morrow, arc
, such was the case.
The news that became bruitet
, about was such as to remind me O
the eventful days of As. 1t wa
, said that there was fighting goin.
on at the Quarter Latin, and at thu
Bastille, and that barricadeS wer,
springing up like mushrooms al
over the capital. l believed in 1T
, such rumo,s, as l well knew that al
, the tortuous streets, with their ston,
blocked roadways, had been replaced
in those dangerous localities b.
broad avenues paved with asphaltun
, and that nothing could wlthstan,
the immense military power tina
had been concentrated around Paris
1t appears, however, that a band 0
men in blonSes managed to create
serious distuI bance on the Bonl,
t vaId du Temple, and were dispersed
? at the point OF the bay Onet. y grea
5 many arrests were made, and Their
was general disquietude visible il
f all the large thoroughfares When
: however, it became known that til
, Emperor and Empress had driver