The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-03-24


The extract here given Is the report
of conversation between cores
pondent of a Cincinnati print and a
French officer:
And it is go everywhere--friyolity
and frolic. Thousands of suci-a
whole population of this frivolity and
inanity. Tell me how any leader
could find followers, or any General
make soldiers in such situation.
"sBut, said /, there are some good
and true people in. Paris, are there
not p
90, of course, of course; the best,
the bravest, the manifest are here
and all the better for being good here.
There are as devoat priests, as faith
full sisters, and self-sacraficing people
of rank and wealth, as are to be found
in any city on the earth, and thank God
for them. Let them have all honor !;
they are broken-hesrted over our poor
country. Such nnobstrusiVe char ;ty,
such self-devotion, such heroism, and
virtue, and purity, and fdelity and
patriotism! 0, there are none so good
as the good of Paris, and there is
nothing in all the world so beautiful
as their goodness. But Paris is su-
preme. Paris allows no rival. Paris
keeps her black hand upoas these
white souls. Paris the harlot reigns
over Paris the saint.
"And, mark il, all the world. pays
court to Paris the harlot, and never
dreams of Paris the saint. The AM
erican and the English prostratc them
selves and all they possess before Par
IS the harlot, and never give a sou to
Paris the saint. Yes, my dear friend.
you Americans-I grieve to make so
grave a charge--are the best CUSTOM
ers at this market of virtue and hero
ism. For twenty years, particularly.
you have done your utm ost TO help us
on to this precipice, over which we
have now fallen. You have heaped
fuel upon the fire that has buried us
up. Americans who revel in-the rot
tenness of Paris are the most violent
upon the corruption of the capital.
They go where j, an old Parisian. have
never been, and would not 90. AM
ericans make discoveries in Paris
which the inhabitants do not know of.
And for wallowins in the filth thus
industriously searched out, commend
me to the Americans. They glo " in
having found 1t, they glory i'm having
wallowed in it, and yet they glory i'm
being opposed to it all They are
viciously fond of what they are virtu-
ously indignant at. American women
go where Parisian women of respect
ability are never seen, and American
gentlemen DO what French gentle
man would scorn to do. So you see
that while l admit the degeneracy of
our people, must say I think the
abuse we get from our guests is hard
ly fair, while these guests show so
much relish for what they affect to
detest. What wonder if our sea of
filth runs over, if every foreigner who
comes to us contributes his bGckctful?
How many Englishmen come here to
spend life Of debauchery which they
dare not attempt at home, and vet ev-
cry man of them is careful to dis
course to US and to his countrymen
Upon the licentiousness which prevails |
i'll Paris! And now that we are down.
fallen, crushed under this stupendous |
avalanche of iniquity and corruption,
these virtuous AnglO-S -Saxons are the |
most furious in their denunciations of |
us, and the most pious in their tracing
out the origin and intention of the |
judgement After contributing what
they could to our present situation,
they commend MS to the retributions
of a righteous Providence, in the hope
that the terrible chastisement will
bring us more upright manner of
life. But if Paris were an upright
city, how many Anglo.Saxons would
make it their home? If Paris were
how many Americans
would care to visit it or having visit
ed it, would find anything attractive
IN it! But | am boring you"