American citizen., 1875-02-27

Col Forney thus describes a visit to
Versailles: "Reaching Versailles and
following procession of dignitaries un-
der beautiful alcove of trees, freshly
cut and trimmed for the coming spring,
and along beautiful walk, we finally
got to the National Assembly, one of the
dependencies of the Palace, called the
Sale de Spectacle, in the Rue de Reser-
voirs- 1t is a theater larger and better
adapted than the Walnut, though think
entered more miserably than any l have
ever seen. We ascended to our seats in
the third tier by long stone stairs, and l
wondered how in case of fire the audi
ence would be disgorged. When we got
into our places and looked down upon
the $50 members after infinite pressure,
could not help recalling the magnifi-
cent accommodations of the Congress
sional halls in Washington. All the
dressed people, except the diplomatic
gallery. A great debate was expected.
There was a full attendance of members,
and with our printed programme 1--WE
were in the third tier we could see by
the number marked opposite each name
the several celebrities. Ex-President
Theirs was evidently not in his place, but
we saw our kind host, Louis Blanc, with
the black gloves, and our deaf friend, La
dark-complexioned Jules Favre, Gen.
Changarnier and many, many more The
session opened by the ringing of bell.
There was no prayer There were no
soldiers, unless few gems ddY7nes mig ght
be SO called, and there was a pleasing
decOrum. At the slightest confusion
subordinates seem to be stationed to en-
force silence. The word to my Ameri-
can ear sounded like hush and in its effect
was instantaneous. All the officers of
the house on the floor wore steel chains
around their necks and small swords at
their sides, in which guise they dis
tributed letters and documents. The
President, NJ. Buffet, was exceedingly
graceful and articulate. Every speaker
spoke from tribune almost Immediate
ly before him. This tribune was very
like the reporters desk before the
Speaker of our House. or the President
of our Senate, only higher and further
off; in fact, a sort of prolonged pull
pit, allowing the orator to walk up
and down. There was no violent
debate on the situation, and one gen.
tleman who began with claaor of
objections tOiled through an hour of te-
dious iteration. AS he labOred on in his,
to me, incoherent French / looked down
from my perch and studied the legisla-
tors of this grand empire. How many
bald heads, how many bowed backs, how
many careworn countenances! In the
whole body l think did not see twenty
full heads of hair. l knew there were
Princes and Dukes and Counts and mag
mates of high degree, but really, in the
long run, they did not seem to be half SO
| superior a class as the men have seen in
our Washington Congress for the last
thirty years. The creditable thing was
the entire absence of foppery of dress
and manner. Not one of them looked to
the gallery, as is the bad habit of many
in Washington. There were no pages on
the floor, no loud displays of stationery
and books, and no lobbyists in the gal
lery. We retired before the debate was
closed, and walked quietly down the
| long avenue of trees to the railroad sta
ton, our time not allowing us to linger
among the thousand tragical and histori.
cal associations around u.s."