Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-19
LETTER FROM GENOi.
GENOA, Italy, June 81

10 Tho Editor of the journal:
We finished our last letter from Paris III
great hurry and intended TO have written
another one descriptive Of what we saw there,
but shall he compelled to give that up and
hasten along on our rapid course to the Med
itcrrancan. We do not regret this much as
Paris has been 50 often described by pens far
more gifted than our own On the day before
we left Paris We visited the National ASSEM-
bly, at Versailles through the courtesy of our
Consul General, Gen. Jne. Meredith Read.
France is a republic in form, and that appears
to us to be about all. 1t is filed with soldiers
and police, and 1t is very difficult to get adj
mission to its National Legislature, where in
our own really republican country the people
are allowed to come and go at will. We had
asked Gen. Read to get US tickets for the As
se,ably a week before, and he had only after
waiting that time, been able to get two while
our party numbered four. The Assembly
holds its sessions in the theatre OF the Yer
sailles Palace, a room much inferior in APP
pearance to our own Senate or House of Rep
resentatives. 1t is about about the size and
shape of one OF our ordinary theatres, lighted
| from above, with two galleries around
| the sides ending near the stage in boxes, in
| one Of which Che Presidents) we were for
tunate enough to get seats, having tickets
for the box. good only for that day. We en-
tered the hall about o'clock, and taking seats
waited for the session to begin. Below and
little to our left, occupying the centre of what
was the theatre stage, is the desk of the Presi-
dent of the Assembly, elevated above the
platform as are the Speakers chair in our
National and State Legislatures. 1t is
plain affair. On it is brass bell with cross
piece on the handle--about the size of our
dinner bells. Behind the Presidents chair
and somewhat lower is the desk of the Secre-
tary, and two stalls which were occupied BY
men with silver chains around their nccks,
who seemed to be messengers. There are no
pages. Immediately in front of the Presi-
dents desk and little lower down is small
rostum with steps leading to il from the stage
on either side. When a member makes "a
speech he mounts to this place from which he
commands the whole room, and can be seen
by every one of his fellows without any turn
ing or twisting-a decided Improvement we
think over our plan of each member speaking
from his own desk. The seats occupied by
members are plain mahogany benches with
very narrow desks. These benches and desks
run from aisle to aisle without a break. In
front there are two passage ways, dividing the
benches into three sections, while the rear is
separated by one aisle into two divisions.
Circular benches line the sides of the room
occupied we suppose also by members, )
above which run the two galleries for visitors
which are separated into stalls after the man
ner of French theatres. plain circular sky
light occupies greater part Of the ceiling.
The upholstery and trimmings az we'll as the
pillars (Which are wood painted in cheap imita-
ton of marbe) are all in red and gilt giving an
odd appearance to the hall not pleasant at first
Inc members enter from the rear. When we
took our seats scarcely any were present, but
slowly one by one they came in. The Presi.
dent mot of the Republic but of the Assem-
oiy), himself entered little before half-past
two and rang the dinner bell lightly. This |
performance he repeated twice at intervals of
about live minutes before the Assembly came
to order Members sit with their hats off and
behave very much as they do in our National
Assembly, except they do no, clap their hands
Tor pages or IN applause, but when the speak
or makes good hit, they calculated their an
prova', and rice rerSn On getting order the
President took up several papers, read from
them. and passed them over to the Secretary.
all apparently matter Of form. Soon after
large man took the rostrum and made We
hement speech which seemed to Lc well re-
ceived. He was followed by a small, old gen
tleman whom we Judged to be speaking in re-
ply to the first Though the style was calmer
and more deliberate than that OF the first
speaker, he seemed to command AT once more
respectful attention, and 10 excite members to
frequent calculations. On his leaving the
desk the first speaker came forw ard and made
wha, appeared short reply, which in turn
full la cd w n M he