New-York tribune., 1877-08-03
FRENCH POLITICS.


TfON-TACN OF PUBLIC srIRIT-sINIsiLE DESIGNS
ENTEHTAISED.
frROM A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT of THE TRiBuNMI
PARIs July G.-We are 1t a period when 1t IL
advisable to 20 back little in order TO speak with
accuracy of the relations OF France and ltaly-tho
the most important Of all after those between Berlin
and Paris. Shortly after the resignation of jules
Simon on the 10th of May, Gen. Ciaidinl called
upon the Duke Decazes, and brought with him
dispatch from his chief NJ. Melegani, Foreign
Minister at Rome. This Dispatch, which the
Ambassador read contained polite assurance ol
the readiness Of the Italian Government to trust
the promises and intentions of the new French
Ministers, and a iull account Of interviews Win
the Marquis de NoaIlles, Ambassador from France,
dwelling much upon the fact Of the sympathetic
and entlre confidence placed by the Italians in
this latter parsonage. NJ Decales begged To
be allowed TO copy some portions of the
dispatch, but this being against both rule
and custom the General declined; bat, at the re-
quest OF the Duke ne repeated tho phrases desired,
so as to fix them on VI. Dccazcss memory, and the
words he uttered at the tribune last mouth and
which the French public treated as mere expressions
of dipIomatic civility were those of the dispatch III
question: But this was not al. ." aly great reason
for asking 30 copy certain parts OF this dispatch'
said the Duke is that Noailles has rendered ms
resignation Is resolved 20 leave and the only means
have of preventing him from doing so Is to prove TO
him how trusted he is personally by the ltaiian Tow
crnmcn and therefore how Indispensable to the ser
vice Of his own country Now this incident throws
too much light on three varous points not to interest
the foreign rcader u Il proves that the relationship
of France 10 Italy was one that needed good deai
Of what is ydlgarly called bCstering up" ~ IL
shows The relative dependence OF the present Minis
trv on It's sabordinates and agents, when these
bappcn to DO sensible and Hheral-nndcd mem ana
l3 Il rebounds 10 the honor and credit of public
fnnctionary who under VI. Timers represented France
in the United States, and won golden opinions from
all men, W. lie Noaillcs is of great consequence Just
now for the reason that rs long rs he consents To
remain on in Rome il is certain that the Clelicais
viii achieve nothing, and that within probably
short time he is destined to become Foreign Minister
in France.
Apropos TO the Duke DecaZcs, am able to affirm
chat ON his return from the south two days ago, the
news he broughtfro tie Southwestern Departments
wa, ANYTHING but agreeable or atcIne To the Gov
ernmcut and ne has not ceased since 10 impress upon
them the necessity Of conyoiug the Electors in the
briefest space of time possible The Ministry is rap
idly bringing about general provincial disorganila-
ton by the multiplicity and conflicting variety OF
it uroereut ticcrcrs and il II not Tor tine good
sense and compact cohesion of the entire Republican
partya certain amount frcally Revolutionary" dis
order might be very quickly brought abont. But
,bc almost all-pervadiug action Of Republication is
ROW 80 strong and so calm that the wold "Repuh-
ican party ceases to be applicable ami Whatever is
opposed 10 the three monarcuical factions must now
be looked upon representing me Nation itself the
country at LARGE. Ihi, the Government la bogn-
ming 20 feel and strange to say, 81; surprise is as
great ~ IFS dispcasuTo; for sUch is hc blindness OF
the 4o-call,d oycruing classes ia France fhat hall
how die h. Ia q
his recent faults. have truly believed they had u"
country with them, while the other bali oi
the men treated Tire "cou.ty' with arrogant
disdain. "Le pqs" Nhe countDl "What
does that mattrr2 # does not exist" This
is the incredible answer given even now
in ,lrawing-ro0ms by Lcgitnist, and Bonaparti,ts
10 the apprchen-ons formulated by wiser men and
vou may rely upon il that when, sometime hence
the coup dcat " May-June 1877, comes 20 be cooily
iudgcd, ihore VIII be found in its origin more lglo-
rance. more blindness, but also more sincerity than
could De conceived out-ol-doors.
Here is a small incident l can youch for which
passed between W. de Fourtou the Home Minister,
and a Project from the South: hope you arc pie
pared to be impacable" 2" began the Minister. The
Prefect. who is young man, born ana bred an
Oliealst, but very intelligent and a thorough gen
tleman replied: 81 AIN NOT prepared TO do anything
! having douc; | viii obey your orders far hay-
! ing al drcrco5 and public documents p,acarled on
| The walls, but VIII not harrow and wrong peace
| ful population" 10 the Minister'S loudly expressed
! annoyance, his subordinate rjoncd: monsieur J,
| Mul,trc ,nere ir nothing easier ;han to strike out
/ my name from bc list OF your Prcftcss-buJ allow
! me 10 give you another OF my >ons for behaving
as have done and shall DO; ANA i' reason Is there
| would be lao earthly use in behaving otherwise :;
those who were elected in 70 viii be elected in H.
/ and "a too large amount of petty veZatons on the
part of tac authorities would only make their cleo
! hon little surcr" This conversation took place
somo twelve OF fifteen days ago, and the Project !
| sneak Of bcug sort Of social celebrity, high
born. and extremely conservative" was not imme-
diately dismissed; hut matters growing worse. in
the sense nc had pointed out he dismissed three
days back. and fuuctonary of quite the lower
ranks CregaIdcd rs a dependeu0 put in lis place
Nor is the instance quote here by any means an
isolated one. Several of the persons taken from
! among the most determined and narrow Of the
! Conservatives have either mature reflection de-
clined TO be appointed by the present Ministry, or
! when once appointed have resigned their posts.
THIS leads to point that is worth studying in the
/ present moral situation of France. Measured by
purely Anglo-SaXOn standard 1t is not too sweeping
"a statement TO say that the upper or possessing
classes IN this country are without any morality.
They are so entirely guided by their more interest
that every other consideration is subornated -
that alone There is mdryeliouly little ambition
in FIancc-I might say there Is among the govern
ing Glasses, none! There is love o. place of Office
because 1t Is supposed shat Office leads 10 the in
eyitablo distribution and enjoyment Of good thngs
/ Those is 40 desire 20 XeTcse that political power
thai may benefit a nation and ennoble the na.ao of
] a. lao. Y..r md b.