The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-01-12
INTERNAL CONDITION oFPARIs
A Paris correspondent Of the Cinc;n-

A Paris correspondent Of the Cinc;n-
natl Gazette writes:
Reading over what have written,
am prompted to say perhaps you will
think me hard upon the Parisians. Why,
dear reader, it is impossible to be too
hard upon the Parisians. | have distinct
ly said, and DO as distinctly say again.
that there are s.5 earnest, sincere and de-
Vout men and women in Paris as are TO
be found in any city of the world. There
are Catholics and protestaats here, men
and women, priests and sisters, who
were even born and bred IN this city,
who cannot be exceiied for devotion and
self-sacrifics. for fidelity to men Or fear
of Sod; but when you speak Of Paris
as a community in itself, you speak of q
bottomless, IathOmloss mire OF pollution.
a greater stencil never rose in face OF the
pure heavens. 1t needs but the most
superficial observation to convince ns OF
this. On the tents Of the soldiers have
seen words and sketches Of the last de-
gree Ct fragrant indccency. The songs
OF the camp cannot be repeated in the
presence Of a lady. an officer Of the
National Guard tells rne upon my com
pairing notes with him as to this, that
withthe exception OF the MarseiLiaise, and
the Chant dc Depart, The soldiers
songs are grossly Indecent, and, he added
that the conversation OF ny comrades is
no better. It is SO obscene and prcfane
that |, without making any pretensions
to religion, am shocked and repciled.
With you [ know it was different. l
was in your country during the war.
Your camp songs are sung in the draw
ing-Tooms-ours are too aboniuable TO
be tolerated in respectable society," /
have had abundant confirmation OF this
| officers testimony. But | inust rot fsit
to make the exceptions that | end among
the Eretons. They have some noble and
elevated songs which | shall try to Sc
cure. They and the hlsatians are the
salt in this mass of putrefac.ion. IF
| there shall be anything done toward fe-
deeming the fall of this nation, or avert
ing the doom which impends over this
city, syou may depend upon it, it viii rot
be done by the pArisians of any class or
any battalion. 1t will not be done by
the proletaIre OR the bourgeois, by
the fire eaters Of BalleviiIe or the snobs
Of the Quarter des Champes Elisses, It
will be dona by the steady headed
straight-stepping fellows from the south
and east of France, by the Norman Mo-
blles, the Alsstian Liners, or the gen
darmes from the provinces, who have
been picked. assorted for several genera
tions for military duty. The genaarme
is the best dressed, best behaved, best
drilled soldier in the city-if, indeed, he
is not the only real soldier in the city.
10 see them of guard, or on the street,
or In their quarters, is 10 be impressed
with their appearance and to believe in
their fidelity. | have never yet seen one
Of them lounge, or slouch. or draggle.
They are ali always mintlipg their own
| business. Their dress is neat, pretty,
substantial and p;cturesque-those of
! them who wear long-taiied. blue, double
breafted coats, with short swords and
kepis ia keeping, being particularly at
traetiye The gendarne becomes his
uniform and the uniferin becomes him,
and | shall grieve to see one Of these
| handsome veterans carried by me On the
stretcher. But now can | grieTe for the
loss of, or rather how can one keep
erieYing over the death OK one Of these
reprobate Parisians who live without an
object higher than their own enjoyment,
and fight, if they fight at all, with no
definite end whatever?''