The New York herald., 1876-12-04
THE S0MMERARD UNPLEAANTNESS
A Pathetic Paul ard an Adora-
bic Virginia.
WHAT THE ARTISTS ARE DOING.
The Plot OF Dumas ola Com
tesse mani"

attention here. notwIthstand,&c ,ha ro.,,ivs sss,r-
given by that gsn,icma 10 the government ,ba,
the ctter attributed TO HIM the Vienna journal was
Entirely apocryphaL in rlday last IL The course of
he discussion Of the bulge the Minister Of Asr,cul
,ure and Commerce lSAshe Chamber of Deputies, NJ
t'rsro' snc repor.H~, pN an Interpolation to tho
Minister on ncsubjccs at Ac request Of the commits.
'oa inS question came up ,cdentally in connection
% ~ orea" OF ooo'oooI 'odeiray the expenses OF
The Fpcnch department in the P.,adelpho Esh,Dtion
At,/f alluding to the noto publhcd in tho .yourno,
p6cisI OF tho 2stn Of October, invhich the govern
ihcnt announced Its intention Of Ching N dp Som.
merard to account for the letter in quo.ion T,rard
proceeded 10 say that since that TIM tho omcol
journal had remained entirely mute, and Snt no renv
had appeared. ut true" hc said, sths ,ournal
had published letter winch was renv
but he was bound to state that This repv
lad not satisfied public opinion, which was
he moro moved by this regretabe incident from ,bo
hct that the functonary ncupa.ed (and it was need
css to name him, for his name was every mes
ips) had not fulfilled, It must be acknowledged. NJ.
functions as Commssaire General at the Philadelphia
Exhibition to the satisfaction OF French commerce
He M Trard constituted himself tho organ not only
OF several OF his colleagues but also OF grca. num-
Der Of exhibitors who had failed to receive ON the
part OF the Commssairc General the least support or
encouragement N. du Sommerard did not proceed
10 the United States; he Com missare General
in portibus, and far from coming
TO THE AID OF TAR FRENCH EXHIBITORS
IN the difficulties they had to surmount no did not
trouble himself in tho least asout them 1t was not
therefore, surprising that public opinion should be
moved by the note which had appeared In tho Journal
O0cte because it exhibited between the conduct Of
tho Commlssaire General and the terms of the letter
IN question certain concordance which called for
Rnn1 Thn Mtnte n
planning that the delay complained OF tho action of
the government had been caused by the absence Of
du Sommerard from Paris proceeded to road that gen.
tlcman's reply TO the charge made against HIM. II
may bc summed up in the following sentence :--.I
have never," afnrms NJ du Sommerard, shad any such
correspondence with the Baron do --; have
never written to any German journal; declare apoc-
ryphAl the letter published my signature, and l
dsavow II in the most formal manner.n The Minister
stated that on receiving this reply he had communi.
eated It through the Duo Decazcs to MIR. Washburne
who declared himself fully satisfied He the Minister
iclt 1t necessary to add, reply what had fallen
rom NJ. Tirard in regard to the Commissaro General
not having proceeded TO his post at the Philadelphia
Exhibition that thero was no Commissaire General
for that Exhibition When in 1871 the govern
mont Instituted superior for international
exhibitions 1t appointed two Commissaires Genoraux
whose especial business it was to organize those
ssoemnities" abroad. Those functions were entirely
honorary. so long the persons thus appointed are
mot In active service they receive kind OF remunera
tion. When the project Of the Philadelphia Exhibition
was started commissioner was delegated to go to
America to protec. the interests Of tho exhibitors
while the Commissaire General, who remained in
Paris took charge Of the forwarding Of articles cx
hbition and or the details with the journey
Of the delegated workmen But again. he begged to say
that there kind of compensation attached to
shc title OF Commissaire General.
PUT AN TO INCIDENT
20 far the Chamber concerned, and the cor
respondence with Mr.. washburne which was referred
in the discussion having since been published in the
newspapers and found be all that was described by
the Minister II might naturally be supposed that there
was nothing further to be said the subject There
il class OF people, however, who will satisfied
without probing to tho bottom the why's and where.
fores of things Thus, although has right TO 90
behind the specific and solemn dcnials OF NJ du
Bommerard, and which, II do not mistake
he offered In his FIRST letter to substantlatc
ON oath. there persons who ask what pos
sbls motives there could have been for any
ono to fabricate q letter Of this description un-
der the authority Of his and to have published
in Vienna journal Then, again, they lay on
the that most Of the sentiments expressed the
to entertain regard to the Philadelphia Exhibition
others or all this is very wrong and unjustina-
bic In presence OF NJ. du Sommerard's solemn assur-
anccs to the contrary but the world unfortunately
gwen scepticsm. and tho tendency In this instance
has received fresh impulse from the fact that the por
Mon Of the inculpated letter which suppressed by
The Figaro has found It's way into print and proved to
DO an almost equally vrulcnt attack the French x-
Albtion OF ly7s This naturally renders tho French
republicans irate and. N. du Sommerard is a Bona
partist they affirm that there can be mistake
The authenticity Of the letter, for no Is known
70 be Jealous OF the credit which the Exhibition
10 likely 10 reflect on the republican rtgme
in Franco and to be determined TO nsu,ralzo 1t far
as IL Is IN his power as official intruscd with the
man agcmcnt OF such matters to do So Tho irritation
caused by the affair has received fresh nnmus from
the publication Of triumphant article the Figaro
yesterday, embracing the statements OF Captain
Anfryc, tho French delegate at Phadclphia to a
porter Of the NEW YORK HERALD, and which would
appear have served MS the bass OF the caumnious
and shameful lcticr attributed to NJ du sommcrard.
.pAUL VIRGINIA."
Let me QUIT this unpleasant subject and pass TO
ono with which but agreeable and grateful feelings
are associated. allude TO the production after re-
pcated posi- ponements and tho most dishcartening
dsappcntments of Victor MASSES opera, sPaul
Il virginc,n at tho Theatre Lyrique. No event OF
ouI interest to my recollection after thirty
years. acquaintance with the lyrical stage
no moro genuine wei-meritcd and
complcte success has ever fallen TO the lot
OF any French composer. The result has fully iust
God The confidence icI In the work by NJ. Massc and
the many sacrifices which he has made to it's
production under proper conditions. Similar credit
should DO awarded 10 tho director OF the Lyrque,
where IL has been brought OUT Tor, although embar
rasscd by obstacles OF ono KIND another, not tho
least OF which was an insufficient subventon. ho has
presented the work 10 the public with bcraliy and
which attest at the soundness
of his Judgment and his faith In the public taste
do not remember to have ever work Of this
kind.pus upon the stage with such determination
render each role matter how subordinate, perfect
in itself and worthy OF the whole. Il is needless Tor
me 10 say that story could be selected by CON-