Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-03-21
ALEXANDRIA,, VA.
THURSDAY, MARCH q, 1872.

FRANCE.-The anomalous condition OF France
al this crisis in the affairs of that country leads
TO very diverse opinions as to what will be its
future form of government And, it is a sin-
yular fact that there are no very decided ex-
hibitious Of public feeling either In Paris or in
the provinces, which will enable us to form a
correctjudgmeut All is doubt and uncertainty.
The prominent partizans of the contending fac
tons appear on the agitated surface, but the
great body of the people keep, comparatively,
uuiet, and seem to be disposed to wait for the
leading and active spirits to determine upon
the form Of government to be established
rather than to assist, themselves, In causing
more confusion and dissension than already ex-
lists. Now and then, in the large cities, there
is movement" but it soon subsidies The
peasantry, in great degree, are silent. What
majority of the French people are really in
favor of can be conjectured only, as far as ex-
preston is concerned-and, this, notwithstand-
ing the complexion of the present Legislature
and what has, recently, occurred, in that body
Probably what is most wanted, and what will
be, at least, acqutesced in, is government to
preserve order, irrespective of name or leader,
and which will watch and wait for an oppor
tunity to regain the possession of the dismem-
bered departments, and the reinstatement of the
country to its former boundaries, and its for
mer power. The people just now seem to pre-
fer abstinence from commotion, to avoid sub
sequent evil, under adverse circumstances
which may arise. They put us in mind of the
witty story told, years ago, by Paul Louis
Courier, which may be quoted as applicable =
There was village" said Courier, I'm re-
tired district Of France, the inhabitants of which
seldom came in contact with the great world.
These simple people had been accustomed at
all public displays to shout Eive lie Roi
Enough for them that their fathers had used
the same cry. Well, it so happened that they
found themselves suddenly compelled to drop
Fiye lie Roi, and to commence learning Nive
Ia Republique. They had hardly got used to
the phrase when-hale-th were all wrong
AS good citizens and true Frenchmen they
were to cry Vive lie Premier Consul They
were docile and yielded to this, too; when
another injunction was issued commanding all
men to repeat Vive rEmpereur 1t was long
time before they were thoroughly broken into
the new refrain. Well, they went on admir-
ably. when one Gne day, party of them re-
turning from market, were met by some gen.
darmes, and rudely ordered to stop that, and
shout Yive lie Ro That same ght council
was called: and after deiberation, it was re-
solved, that owing to the extreme difficulty
of knowing at what precise time, either
Vive lie Roi, Vive la Repubique, Eive En-
pereur, or Vive any thing else, was appropri-
ate, it would be advisable, till further notice, to
abstain from shouting at a!' This decision:
says Courier, acquired for the villagers an i'm
mense reputation for solid sense, so that it was
likely their example would be followed after
wards by discreet people.