New-York tribune., 1874-03-10
luErIcIy w0uEY AND THEiR 1IGELERS.

JNERTC. IN WOMEY AND THEIR LfBELERS.
The pleasure Of life in Paris has been some
what tempered during the last year or two by
the singular venom and fury with which
American women are attacked i'll the minor
French press. They are abused every day as
unchaste, vulgar, mcrcenary, and altogether
improper One young lady is represented as
saying to an acquaintance who wanted to take
her to the theater, 81 would much prefer the
"slO it would cost you There is much dis
cussion of the word "Airtation,7 which is
always assumed to mean the same thing as the
word HdiSon. NJ. Maurice Sand draws "a pic
ture of typical young lady in good
New-York Society, who drives down
Broadway in pony phacton, picks up
on the ferry-boat a total stranger
whose appearance pleases her. spends the day
with him in llobOken, and in the evening
takes him home with her. 1t is related that
the author read this chapter in manuscript to
an American friend, who told him it was
absurd but NJ. Sand calmly rejoincd. have
"becn III New-YOrk and know what | am
talking about A play called "Unclo SAM"
which failed some time ago in this city. is
now enjoying q great success at. the Gymnase
country; the women being all courtesans and
the men all misers and poltroons.
A portion of this malignant abuse is of
course political The partisans of the mon
archy naturally wish 10 throw all possible
discredit upon republican institutions, and no
moro effcctual means could be taken toward
this end than to represent democracy in gov
ernment as leading to decentralization in so
ciety. The fact that this abuse comes in great
measure from the champions of the Empire
which was so sincerely hOnOred and warmly
mOurned by those Of our fair countrywomen
who have sojOurned at Paris IN recent years,
may add to the afflictiOn which it causes in
those tender hearts, but will be taken by others
as an instance of retributiOn not alto
getber undeserved. Up to the time when the
Emperor and his son marched gayly ont toward
the Rhine, the intercourse between Americans
and French people in Paris was almost entirely
limited to the imperialist society of the Capital.
Few were admitted to the select salons Of
the FaubOurg st. Germain, still fewer knew
anything of the scientific or literary circles,
and hardly any ever came into contact with
that vast middle class of wealth and cul-
ture which forms the counterpart OF our
average American society. But the Tuileries
and the Hotel do Vile were open to all for
eigners who received the Endorsement OF their
Legations and after public presentation the
way was easy enough, to those who chose to
avail themselves of it, to the Empress's Mon
days and the balls of the Ministers. The
journalists who are now libeling their former
partners are mainly ex-onicials of the ex-
Empire, in many instances men of large
names and small means, who have special
reasons for bitterness.
In all of their attacks there is one always
recurring strain-the American women have
no heart. Their great lack, according to these
Gallo critics. is their lack of sentiment. They
have the rapacity, the immodesty, and tho
sang fr0id of e0urtesaus When any man says