The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-06-22
The TuIIeries.

The Palace of the Tuileries, lust
destroyed by the Paris mob, has history
extending over centuries. In 1864,
Catherine de Medicis began its erection.
A prediction bidding her beware of ST.
German and the Tuileries caused her to
abandon the work, and leave it for Henry
". to extend and embellish. He began
the long work which joins the Louvre to
the palace; and the works suspended by
his death were carried on and terminated
by Louis Kill, who fixed his residence
there. Louis XIV, having ordered
Leven and d'Orbay to harmonic the
whole, an attic was added 10 the central
buildings, and other important improve
ments mabe: Tbs monarch resided in the
Tuileries occasionally until the building of
Versailles, when the court entirely forsook
the capital. The regent Duke of Or
leans who fixed his abode in
the ~Tuileries during the minority
of Louis XIV; but from that period
till the forced return of Louis XVI. the
families of persons officially attached to
the court occupied it. During and since
the great revolution the palace of the
Tuileries was associated with many mem
orable scenes. The mob entered it on
the Goth of June, 1892, and it was at
tackled and the Swiss guard massacred in
the August following. 1t was the official
residence of Napoleon when First Consul,
and when he became Emperor it formed
one of the imperial palaces. In 1903,
Napoleon began the northern gallery to
serve as a communication with the Lou
vre. After the restoration, the Tuileries
continued to be the chief residence of the
King and royal family. After the revo-
luton of 1880, when the people attacked
and took the palace (June 29), Louis
Philippe fixed his residence in it, and
continued to inhabit it until the Oath of
February, 1S4S, when it was again inva-
ded by the people, and the King made
his escape. BY decree of the provision
al government of '48 it was to be trans
formed into an asylum for invalid work
men, but that intention was not carried
out During and after the formidable
instruction of June of the same year, it
was used as a hospital for the wounded.
In 1913, the yearly exhibition of paint
ings was opened in the Tuileries. During
the reign of Napoleon III, it was his
official residence, and was the scene of
magnificent balls and receptions. A
concert was recently held in the hall of
the marshals, under the auspices of the
commune The exterior of the palace
was grand and imposing. The extreme
length OF the facade was 1856 yards; its
breadth 36 yards. Owing to the diff
ferent periods at which it was built, its
architecture was not uniform. All that
wealth and taste could accomplish, was
employed under successive monarchs to
embellish its interior. The Emperor's
private apartments were gorgeously
decorated. The theatre could accom-
modate 800 spectators, and was used as
a supper room when balls were given at
court. The chapel of the palace was
rather plain, and had gallery and cell
ing resting upon Doric columns of stone
and stucco. The Sale de la Paix was
used as ball room, and was 40 feet
long by 80 feet broad, and contained
splendid statuary. The hall of the
marshals was remarkable for its splendor.
The names of the great battles fought
under the first empire were inscribed on
its walls, and around the hall were busts
of distinguished generals and naval COM
manders, while portraits of the great
marshals of France adorned its panels.
The furniture was ornamented with
green velvet and gold. This was used
as ballroom on state occasions. Three
other magnificent halls were conspicuous
features. The carpets on them were of
Gobelin's manufacture, and cost 5000, 600
These halls were the White, the Apollo,
and the Throne halls. The Throne hall,
a splendid apartment, contained the i'm
perial throne. The hangings were of
dark velvet of Lyons manufacture, with
palm leaves wrought in gold. The
throne. facing the windows, was sur
mounted by canopy of the same, and
the drapery depending from it was stud
ded with bees embroidered in gold. A
description of the remaining apartments
would simply embrace a repetition of
decorations of unrivaled elegance, the re-
suits of lavish expenditure.