New-York tribune., 1870-11-29


ment might put one in position to share the
society and friendship of Fleury and Morny
Although an aristocracy is powerless for re-
form, it is practically omnipotent for mischief
Borne ON this easy tide of success which
the great industrial enterprises OF the CONT
nent were supplying, it seemed as II Parls had
lost all sense of responsibility. The city gov
ernment went on, robbing Peter to pay Paul,
taking no thought of the day after to-mor-
row, satisfied with keeping its hundred thou
sand laborers quiet with useless and beautiful
work, and cooking its frightful deficits barely
enough to Justify the apathy OF the Council OF
State. The Opposition was little better. The
leaders, such as Favre, Pelletan, GARNER
Pages and their associates, were men OF the
best and truest Republican fiber, who carefully
studied the problems of the future, ana ac-
cepted in the main the American theories OF
the correlation of rights and duties. But the
ardent working politicians OF the cups ana
secret societies went on with their sappipg
and mining, apparently without caring whether
the building they were seeking to destroy fell
on their own heads OF not. Like the lmproVl-
dent partisan in HOgarth's picture, they kept
saving energeticaly at the very branch they
sat on. They seemed to think that the same
old dissolute, easy life would go on forever
no matter what they did.
The people of Paris most clearly indicated
this utter lack OF forethOught III the manner IN
which they welcomed the Emperors declara-
ton of war. They were not shocked at Its
utter wickedness and criminality They never
thought of the possible consequences. Morally
and intellectually they seemed incapable OF
serious view either of the ethics or the proba-
bilities of the situation. The city that had re-
iected the Emperor in the plebiscitum went
wild with delight over his greatest crime and
his greatest folly The Republican and Lib
eral iournals-let it be remembered as an OIL
set to subsequent mistakes-were almost unan-
imous against the war. But they were over
borne by the general voice. The people OF
Paris danced to the piping of the dull despot
they had so often denounced by their votes
When the defeat came, they turned upon the
false power that had deceived and mlsled
them. There was q certain instinct of justice
in this. Bonaparte was the sole cause OF the
war; and justly fell in it. But the idea OF
their completely in his final error never seemed
to enter into the minds of those who, being
his accessories, made themselves his accusers
and judges.
1t is impossible that in these two months OF
siege and misery the Parisians should not
have acquired some sense of their own respon-
sibility. They have certainly lost that over
weening sef-cOnfdence which led them to
their ruin. They have seen on what frail
foundation was built that airy structure Of
apparent prosperity, which for many years has
dazzled and deceived the world. They have
been living for eighteen years in feverish
dream. Now it is broken, and the work-a-day
life will come heavily upon them.
Their conduct during this siege has been
such as to prove that the lessons of this hard
experience are not lost. With an enemy at
their gates so strong and persistent that it
seems like the iron hand of necessity slowly
Tightening upon the throat of the Queen City,
with government deriving its sole sanction
from popular consent, the condition of Paris
has been as free from tumult and disorder as
during the best days of the Empire. The
armed people have vindicated the authority of
law against disturbers of the peace. The
unconquerable Latin pride, which refuses to
listen to reason when fanced honor forbids,
prevents them still from giving up the hope
less struggle. But when the end comes, we
expect to see in the Paris of future years the
good fruits of the terrible discipline through
which this glorious city-which more nearly
than any other represents the beating heart
of the world-has passed and is passing.