The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-02
AMERICAS EXHIBITS.
Paris, Risen from Her Ashes, Re-
sounds with JOY.
EXAMINATIONS AT NIGHT.
[Dx CABLE TO THE HEnALD.1

PARIS May l. 1878.
The great International Exposition was opened
to-day by Marshal MacMahon, President OF the
Republic, surrounded by distinguished throng
and before 100000 people. under circumstances OF
the most favorable character. The weather for
forty-eght hours previous had been unusually
heavy with transforms, thunder and lightning
which had considerably retarded the progress OF
work in the buildings and the grounds. Last night
Paris was swept by q torrent OF rain which rem
dcred the grounds sodden and miry particularly
retarding the horticultural arrangements. The
workmen, however, pcrsevercd vaiantiy in fight.
ing the rain, like soldiers in the 1eld resolved
that the LIST OF May would find France keeping
troth with the world and opening her prodigious
Exhibition at the appointed time
A THREATENING MORNING.
Paris went to bed last night with hopeful heart
and awakened early 10 find the morning threaten.
irg, showery and dismal But bless you, the
ParisiaDs jumped out OF bed with an air OF brisk
confidence which only the Frenchmen can COM
pass when France is in question. The morning
was not auspicious, but then it was not oil
shadow, and there were riffs IN the clouds through
which the sunshine came from time to time What
OF the slight rain That was not much to bear for
the honor and glory Of France to men who had
faced the iron rain OF shot and shell for her. They
would be Of good cheer and they were. They
seemed to conquer the elements which were in
capricious mood, and were Mt last allowed to
celebrate their great festival without very great
discomfort.
PARIS ALL JOY
Paris, queen city of the world, was in festival.
Every avenue and every street bloomed width lags.
save up in the Faubourg st. Germain where the
royalists sulkcd But that was q small matter.
The tricolor was on the breeze by thousands
Flags Of every nation were floating out In the sun.
shine and the rain. and our beloved Stars and
Stripes was seen IN every street How many
thousands OF people were abroad 1t would be i'm.
possible to say. There were over hundred thou.
sand on the Exhibition grounds, but then tho
principal streets, despite tho weather, were al.
most impossible toward noon.
HISTORICAL CONTRAST.
Seven years ago, in this very month OF May, the
writer OF this despatch came into Paris from Bel
GUM. In the train were three or four passengers
belatcd IKE himself The suburban stations were
masscd with Prussian troops, and Moltke's guards.
men crossed bayoncts over the tombs of the kings
ut Saint Denis. There were two or three fright.
encd porters in the vast station or the Northern
Raiway--thc station where thousands OF voyagers
surge to and fro from Paris every day. The lights
were out passed into Rue Laiayc cite, where the
double line OF lamps are blazing tonight
In long, waving almost endless lines CT
bcauty--wherc crowds OF citizens are strollIng
watching the bazaars, finding their comfort In the
spring air and the joyous night The street was
dead There was no sign OF He but an occasional
soldier hurrying 10 his quarters and the stately
tread OF guard relieving guard. came into the
boulevard sweeping around that Babylonian pile,
the new opera House. barricadc frowncd upon
IT, Soldiers were campcd within It's walls The
boulcvard-as II was this evening perhaps The
most Joyous scene Of real NE on the globe, q mass
d color, notion gayeiy, contentmcnt aud peace
This incompatible boulevard was as dismal as one
pf inc avenues In Greenwood. The cafes were
closed, the gas was out, the boulevard was dead.