New-York tribune., 1870-10-06
PARIS TOPICS.

PARIS TOPICS.
A defensive force of half million or more
inside of Paris-a hostile army of half mil
lion or less just outside of Paris-is an amaz-
ing and terrible spectacle. The metamorphosis
of the "gay city"-the city Of theaters and
cafes and newspapers, of parks and boulevards
and fashionable prOmcnades, Of streets lined
with magnificent edifccs and baZaars, of the
Empire and the army as well as of Democracy
and intellect and science, Of vivacity and polish,
| of brilliancy and cOlOr-is complete, Every
man is a soldier, uniformed in one way or
another, armed with Chassepot or other weapon,
drilled daily with his regimens, and kept con-
stantly on the qui riUe for tse approach of
the enemy. 1t is gay Paris TO more-it is
grave Paris now, without its theaters, or IT'S
promenades or It's gorgeous panorama of life
and cOlor. The victorious army which mas
broken ths military power of France is plant
ing all around the city the tremendous arti-
lery which will sOOD menace its existence, ard
it can almost discern the cleaning OF the
| hundreds Oe thousands of neede-guns which.
the helmeted soldiers of Germany are deter
mined to display in its streets. Almost every
day there are skirmieii6s oa one part of the
line or another, and on all hands t1ere Is
consciousness that fearful experiences must be
suffered within the next few weeks. Such Is
life in Paris to-day.
We miss il these unliappI times, he files
OF Partisan papers which we have been accus-
toned to receivs every few days, for yea , past.
No longer do tie mails from Paris bring ms the
LiSeTf6, with ia terse and vigorous 'htlcal
diatribes the Figaro, with adj it's vivaci;y and
gayety; the Monittur, with its admirable essays;
the GaulOiS, with its sensational Inventors; the
Journal OGciel with it's imperial decreesi the
Constitutional, tie MarSetiIaise,. the Pdls, the
Steele, the JournA des De6ats, OF any of the
others, with tbeis varied and variable cAarac-
terstics A few of them have removed to
Tours, but a Par 3 journal Published at Tours
cannot be like q, Paris journal issued from
Paris. Those that remain in Paris-at least
The latest copies of them received In this oOun-
tIy-are wholly given uo' to war, patr otism,
and anti-Prussia 1ism, and are iatogetherdesti-
tute ok the char steristic (which formerl made
them attractive.
-Bs our Mioister tn, France, Mr. Wash
bune, has dete mined % remain in Paris, he
will be cOmpe Ted hereafter 30 send his dis
patches to our 3oyemment Odt of the city bJ
balloon, the GC1man commanders having To-
fused to permit the bearers of dispatches 40
pass through their military lines. When 0rce
Mr. WashbuI ne's dispatches get to. Hare,
however, the French cable will assist N their
speedy trans mission to Washington.
up to a acent dJte, sc sod Americans, ghen
"they died, went 10, ParsS," according TO the
prOverb Ent Paris, at the present time, can
hardly be he place for realizing the celestial
| aspirations of our pious eountrymen.
The fact that there has been 40 rising of
| che "ReGs" in Paris during the last month
! shows that Con. TrOchu has Kept strong
| hand upon tie elements of disorder 1t Is
absurd to suppose that they have been re-
strained by any patriotic feeling or any regard
for tie Republic 1t was discreet in Troehu
to caIl the services of ROchegort into reQdisi-
ton.
During the last fortnight we have heard
from time 10 time about the departure from
Paris of balloons laden with letters and papers.
But we have heard of no balloons entering
Paris from any quarter; and we suppose that
the Parisians know even less, if possible, of
the outside world at this time than they Ordi-
narily know.
Some of our exchanges are disposed to
make political capital against Mr. Washburne
because he added to the official recognition of
the Republic the Yankee geniality of "going
Ito the Hotel de Vile and shaking hands
"warmly all round.n We do not suppose Mr.
Washburne meant to commit himself def
nitely to any future anti-Prussan alliance by
the shakes, or had any other idea than that he
was shut up with the Hotel-de-Yilliaus by a
common danger. When fresh meat grows
scarce and bullets plentiful in a besieged
town, even ministers are not more likely TO
discriminate i'll the politics of their neighbors
than to swap horses in the middle of the
river. Or it may be Mr.. Washburne, sure of
the Republicanism of his friends to-day, and
not very sure of it tomorrow, made haste to
crown their fleeting virtue with his approba-
ton. We all know the story of Uncle Pomps
prayer over his repentant sick son: 80 Lord,
take Pete in de gates of glory when he dies {;
80 Lord, you d better take him in right off,
" afore he done backslidn
Three murder trials yesterday occupied the