New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-14
Ansn~ tie Depuit,es.

Il A~SBses00e
Versailles q about fourteen miles from
Paris, and beautiful ride it IL. When we
took our seats in the cars the deputies from
Faris, each with portfolio under his arm,
were coming in. It was an exquisite day,
after two days of severe cold; and, as we
looked ont, upon the surrounding country,
nOthlng was more curious to our American
eyes than the landscape. with the gardens
divided into little plots, the comparatively
small houses, and the universal industry Of
the people, especially the women gardeners.
mere was 2 sense of spring in the atmos-
phere, and they worked as If the spell of
winter was broken. There is q UNIQUE &C.
verify in rural horticulture and architecture
in France Elsewhere it would be unnatural
but here all things seem to justify the man
ner IN which they cut their trees, paint their
houses, trim their arbOrs, and arrange their
roads. The fields, divided into patches. were
curious to us. from the fact that every little
patch bad it's bunch of fagOts, gathered from
the refuse of trees, to sell in Paris to light
the fires the next day. We sat in carriage
among several deputies, one vf whom had
the proofs Of report, or speech, with the
marks OF the printer. Reaching Versailles,
and following procession of dignitaries
under a beautiful Above of trees, freshly cut
and trimmed tor 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 DIES Reservoirs. 1t is y theatre larger
and better arranged than the Walnut,
though l think entered more miserably
than any l have ever seen. We assembled
to our seats in the third tier by long stone
stairs, and l wondered how in case of fire
the audience would be disgorged. When
we got into our places and looked down
upon the $50 members, after infinite pres
sure, could not help recalling the magnif-
cent accommodations of the congressional
halls in Washington. All the tiers and the
except the diplomatic gallery. A great
debate was expected. There was 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
saw our kind host, Louis Blanc ca' with
his black gloves, and our dear friend La
boulaye, with his long, thin hair; the dark
complexiOned Jules Favre, General Chan
GARNER, and many, many more. The SEES
sion opened by the ringing of bell There
were no soldiers. unless q few zen darmcs
might be so called, and there was pleasing
decorum. At the slightest confusion sub.
ordinates seem to be stationed to enforce
silence. The word to my American ear
sounded like hush, and its effect was in
Simultaneous. All the officers of the House
on the hsOr wore steel chains around their
necks and small swords at their sides. in
which guise they distributed letters and
documents. The President, M. Buffet. was
exceedingly graceful and articulate. Every
speaker spoke from q tribune almost mime.
diately 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, sort
Of prolonged pulpit, allowing the orator to
walk up or down. There was no violent
debate on the situation, and one gentleman
who began with q clamor of objections,
As he labored on his, to me, incoherent
French, looked down from my perch and
studied the Legislators of this great en-
pire. How many bald heads, how many
bowed backs, how many care worn coun-
tenances In the whole body l think
| did not sec twenty full heads of hair.
l knew there were princes and dukes, counts
and magnates of high degree. but really
in the long run they did not seem to be half
so superior class as the men I 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
w Washington. There were no pages on the
floor, 10 loud displays of stationery and
books, and no lobbyists in the gallery. We
retired before the debate was closed, and
walked quietly down the long avenue of
trees to the railroad station, our time not
allowing us to linger among the thousand
tragical and historical associations around
US. After taking glass of ale and eating
a little exquisite bread and butter and
cheese, VS. returned By the evening train to
Paris, thanking M. Louis Blanc for
pleasant day at Versailles 1t was delight.
.ul ride home, made not less agreeable by
The fact that we expected to see the French
Assembly in great uproar, and found it as
1ecorus and quiet as an American Congress
when it had no personal guarrels on hand
J. W. For'ney IN the PHILADELPHIA Press.