The New York herald., 1876-09-18
f r A N G E.
Felicien David's Funeral-The Ques-
tion of Civil Burials.
A CURIOUS LIBEL CASE.
The Sixth Anniversary of NapoIeon's
Fall at Sedan.
THE DEPoPULATIN OF THE REPUBLIC
General Berthaut-T-e ''Dauphin." Gam
betta-The Exposition of 1878.

worthy civil burals and refusal OF the sacra
ments on the deathbed becoming quite common in
Franco Only years ago N. Rouhcr could
press panied surprise 10 the Senate that Prosper
Mermce, member OF that body, should have ven
tured on '.that last OF bodness free thinker'
in giving directions that his funeral should be
companied by any religious ceremony. AS rule tho
French "liberal" con,rivcs to go, through life
WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE THE CHURCH,
but he seldom dies II no help it, without having
made formal confession to the priest and received
the eucharist and extreme unction Now moro
healthy feeling the fruit OF larger tolerance IL bcgn-
ming manifest ITSELF and men length muster
ing courage to deny the convictions Of lifetime
at its most solemn hour Assuredly the OF
sincerity and truth, aud therefore OF religion prodtcd
thereby II would be better, doubt II all could live
and die Christians, but II is quite another thing
1.-Two for the world during seventy years and dedi
seventy minutes OF languor and exhaustion
to the Almighty. When a celebrated wit heard that
Taeyrand, in extrcme old age had been 'reconcied to
the Church." the phrase was, he quietly Observed
''that has been cheating his fellow beings all his
lifetime and now he hopes to cheat God"
CAREER.
Fecien David, in carly life, Joined the sect Of 81
SImonians and enrolled himself brother Of the
queer coniraternity at M6nmontant When 1t was
broken up by order of the police he travelled in the
East for q timc. Oriental scenery and associations
tended very much modify his early views but like
M Roman, who madc the same voyage with something
Of the results no returned the ways of
orthodoxy proper
An amusing anecdote by the way, is told of David
in reference his travels IN the East At Cairo he
attracted tho notice OF Mohammed Ali, who was
charmed with his talents and requested him to give
some lessons tho piano to the ladies OF the Vice.
regal harem. The young Felicicn who was not a
Frenchman for nothing, was delighted at tho
proposal, though 1t soon transpired that the
not to be liberal He was
not allowed donkey hire and from tho palace
Still he made his appearance at the gates OF the royal
abode, hot and painting indeed but full of curiosity
and the hope of adventures. He received by the
chief OF the eunuchs who introduced him to four of
his colleagues and suggested that the lesson should
begin at once 'By all MEANS" said Fcc,en, ..but
whcrc tho iadess 'why, dog OF Giaour ex-
claimed the head chamberlain, red with anger do you
dare to speak of the ladies OF His Hghness' courY II
is US you must givo the lesson $50 you9" stom.
mered n. David, not quite realizing the situation
"Yos teach what there Is to do and we'll rcpeatit
tho ladies' The Frcnchman. with much vol,biiity
informed tho grand euuuch that he could not teach
music in this fashion, and the engagement was can
celled. Many OF Fecicn Davlds illusions were dcs-
tined to be destroyed in equally summary fashion
CLERICAL LIBEL SUIT.
mentioned In my last letter that the Archbishop of
Lyons had prosecuted the Petit Lyonnais Of that town.
for libel in publishing bill OF fare which purported
TO be that OF feast given by His Grandeur" and
which contained the amazing anc wholly unlawful item
OF pheasant In the month OF August Yesterday judg-
gwen by the Correctional Tribunal OF Lyons,
the journal sentenced fine OF 5000 besides 800
damages and the insertion OF tho judgment in The
Figaro, Steele and progres de Lyon As the Arch
bishop had not even given dinner since his arrival at
Lyons, and the must have bcen therefore, pure
invo thn kn tdApnA
ANOTHER rREFEcroRAl MOVEMENT
Is announced, and fourteen officials havo been
fcrrcd, without apparent rhyme reason, from
city of France another to the serious detrlmont Of
This is cailod .'settiine the Republic solid
basis" ''Blcss the Republic ~ fourteen officials
excla'm with remarkable energy and unanimiy.
HARVEST.
few weeks ago the promise OF tho harvest was
magnificent but the recent bad weather has done
rous damage Two or three days ago there
rible hurricane III the noghborhood oil Pau. In
twenty minutes all the crops not yet gathered in
destroyed, the loss in maize being considerable us
well as III grapes and other fruits Trees were torn up
their trunks snapped. The haistones ara
scrbed as being of the size of walnus The financial
position Of France with annual taxation Of
IS 10 600 00O say nothing OF local burdens, Is
very delicate that bad indifferent harvest
becomes very serious business indeed. The French
Secretary OF tho Treasury pcrpcually good
harvcsts his prospects Of making both OF
budget regularly meet
To-day is the sixth anniversary of the capitulaon OF
Sedan, alter which the Pope said contcmptuOusy that
he little tor the friendship France bad
lost her teeth (ee peydu dents)a capital pun
the part OF His Holiness but not showing clear ap
prchcnson OF the situation as France has lost neither
tooth claw, and She Is playing impor-
tant part In the council Of nations The appointment
OF NJ de Chaudordy the Embassy at Consaptinople,
the important in the service is another sign
OF vigor the part OF Marshal MscMahon. NJ. de
Chaudordy is OF the ablcst II not the abcst
living French diplomaiists and t IL evident that the
government IN naming him Ambassador TO the Porte,
properly anxious to be well represented during
crisis which daily becomes more complicated. NJ de
Chaudordy Is young, as times go, having been ga
zcttcd to his first post, that OF sttache Rome.
$780, In 1867 he rosc to be Minister Penipoieniiary.
ana on the fall OF the Empire was not too proud to
serve the Republic As "DeIcgato for Foreign Anairsn
IN the government OF NJ Gampetta, at Tours and Bor
dcaux, no won little credit and thought
have gained the better OF Prince Bismarck in the
spondeuce hc had with the rcdouotcd Chancellor
touching Prussian exccsscs on the fall OF tho GAM
BETA administration
NJ. DE cHAupoRDy
named by NJ. 1hicrs Ambassador at Bernc, being
subsequently tran scrred Madrid Is SAID thst on
his arrival the latter city he found German niiu-
ence paramount in the Peninsula but, IN q couple of
months hs tact and address had completely changed
the aspect OF affairs, and France moro, Of
old, the pfeponderant power in Spanish politics
THE POPULATION QUESTION
Continues to be warmly discussed hero, aud NJ
Joseph GARNER has had the hardihood TO maintain be-
fore the Academy OF Moral and Political Sciences, that
slow rate Of increase is preferable because II allows
a proportionatc increase OF comfortable incomes. 1.-TWO
millions OF prosperous SWISS once said Ross, are
better than 100000 OF wrctched Irshmen" The
illustration not worth much, for there has always
been plenty OF room In Ireland Tor much larger popu
lat,on than ever Inhabited that kiogdom. France,
moreover, thinks NJ GARNER, does no, "like England
and Germany" lose its most oncrprsing aud
active citizens, plus their capital, by emigration.
England and Germany do certainly forward q good
deal OF their supcrfuous energy tho United States,
but fancy they have much lett at homo Is be
found France.
NJ. Leroy Beauieu, the wclr known economist,
frankly derores the slow rate OF increase, ana con-
sidcrs that the French Marriage laws are partly In
fault He urges the abolition of OF the present
formatcs, which at numerous and wcari-
some. As tho law stands low. a man OF sixty
obtain his fathers before he marry,
and II the father refuses he take the lady OF his
choice to tho Marie Till he has sent
three respectful summonscs" tsornmdtions re.
specfaeusesl to his aged parent at intervals OF
month each, causing delay Of three months and the
payment OF three ices to n lawyer Now. Frenehmcn
have a national antipathy 10 the disbursement OF
small (as OF larsc) for legal services NJ LEROY
Beaueu also suggests reduction of the succession