Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-06-02
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL
nh. coDe.gratIon OF Paris.

COndR2TAtAc1A
The destruction now going on IN Parls
can find no parallel save ID the siege OF
:Jernsalem by the Romans under Titus
Tbere. as now, the besiege1 destroyed IN
their fury what the besiegers were arxlous
To spare. The buildings and monuments
which formed one of the chief attractions OF
Paris ara in ashes, and the falrest portions
of the city are now prey to the flames.
The heights of Montmartre and Belleville,
at the Northern and Eastern extremitles
of the city, command il even moro com
pletely, and at closer range, than Mount
Valerian on the West; and it is from the Sc
heights that the ineurgents have showered
their incendiary shells upon oil the best
built ana wealthiest quarters, while Belle
vile. ST. Antoine and ST. Marceau, inhab-
tied chiefly by the 'laborlGg classes have
escaped the confagration.
That portion Of Paris which fer splen-
dor and beauty had no equal in Tie world,
is almost utterly destroyed. The palace
of the Tuilleries, first begun by Catherine
de Medici, illustrated by SO many historic
al memories of the Bourbon kings, the
National Convention, the Napoleons, is
completely destroyed. The Louvre, with
it's galleries Of paintings and statuary and
it's museums of Greek, Roman, Egyptian
and Assyrian antiquities, is loss not to
France alone, but to the whole world
The rue Royale and the rue de Revole, OF
palatial architecture, both leading from
l. do ~
in flames, and the stately palaces just
across the river have shared the Same tate.
80 that all that large space extending from
the Champs Eiisees to the Place du Louvre,
formerly prospect of matchless beauty,
is now a dreary area, marked only by
blackened and smoking ruins.
On the left bank of the Seine, the Palace
Of Justice, containing all the Law Courts,
and the Prefec ture of Police have been
burned, together with the Courdes
Complies and the Ste. Chapelle, one of the
most complete and beautiful specimens OF
Medieval church architecture. Il seems
impossible that the Conciergerie and its
ancient towers, between the Palais de JUS
tice and the Prefecture and in immediate
contiguity with them can have escaped
All those buildings are on the island O
STA Cite" the cradle from which Paris
sprung, and were among its most preciou!
historical relics. .t .--..
Opposite the splendid c0iopnade of the
Louvre stood church connected with c
sinister memory that of ST. German
~ IN iohf IF Ror b0
lomew Catharine dc Medioi, Charles thu
TX, and all their blood Thirsty minion
listened for the nal Of the massacre
which was sounded from the belfry Of tina
church, of which nothing now remains bu
ruins. .....L ..... ...
One of the buildings whose loss mus
fall most heavily upon Partisan trade, il
the Palais Royal. II was built in the 17tt
century by the famous Cardinal de Richie
lieu, who employed in its construction the
many millions which he had appropriated
=----r, ~..--7------~-----
death, bequeathed it to the King Louis
18th. Known at first under the name oil
Palais Cardinal, it became the apanage OF
the branch of Orleans Tt consists of q
vast reetangle. CO vering the area of several
squares One of the short sides of the
reotangle was appropriated to tho ducal
apartments The interior was o garden
planted with avenues Of ancient and state
~ Indens, and s@orBamentel with statues
and fountains. range of arcade5 form
ing covered gallery ran around Tao in
terror of the rectangle and the lower story
of the buildings all around this reetangle was
occupied by stores displaying the most
gorgeous productions and fabrics. not only
of Paris, but Of the whole world. There,
the most splendid diamonds and pearls Of
the East, and the most costly textures OF
Cashmere wore seen side by side with the
cutlery of England ana the gold
inlaid blades and barrels Of Damascus.
The Palais Royal was the bazeri and en-
porium where all the crowd of foreigners
who visit Paris were wont to mako their
purchases. There it was that Very and
Velour and The Trois Freres attracted
their all but kingly crowds of bonS-eirans
and cafes 6 'ittering not only with mir
rors and gold-but Respondent with the
tracted their gay ana elegant throngs. In
that extensive building was situated also
the "Theatre Francais," specially devc ed
TO the represen tation of the masterpieces of
the classic French Stage. All this mag
nifcent pile is now in ashes. If the whole
Of Broadway, New York, were destroyed,
he loss would be less thsn that of the
Palais Royal. .,r
Had the Prussians, in the legitimate
of the operations of c siege,
inflicted such desolation, how barbarous
t would have been thought Yet it is
he people of Paris who have done this,
With their own hands, and as it would
eem out of wanton madness.
But the loss of property, immense as it
J, pales into insignifcaIce when we think
f the loss of life, and the shedding of in
ocent blood by the Infatuated fiends who
ave, for time, tyrannizad over the un
,rtunate city. The only relief that we
'el in reading the fearful accounts is from