The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-10
The French President at Home.

Ihe Frencn President at Home.
It is to be remarked of M. Grew
that he is an eminently correct Presi-
dent; he gives his master of the cere-
monies far less trouble than M. Theirs.
The latter delighted to have military
guard, and to be received by roll of
drums wherever he went. He put on
the cross of the Legion of Honor as
soon as he came to Office, though he
was only a grand officer of the army be-
fore; he required that ambassadors, on
introduction, should make him the three
customary bows, as to sovereign, and
he expected that all the honors paid to
himself should be rendered to his wife
likewise. But then M. Theirs, when he
was giving audiences in the morning,
kept rushing out of his study every
quarter OF an hour TO espy who were
waiting to see him in the ante-rooms.
He shook hands with some, scolded
others, made straight for any newspa-
per editor who might be present, giving
him precedence over dukes or arch
bishops, and talking with him pretty
audily in that shrill falsetto of his about
the views which he desired the editor
10 promulgate. When he gave dinners,
again, M. Theirs could not be prevailed
upon to sit whilst his guests were go
ing through the customary series of
courses. His own invariable menu was
cut off of a joint, with some vegeta-
bles and a few spoonfuls of jam; and
when he had dispatched this fare,
which he did in ten minutes, he either
frisked about the room or retired into
y the next one to take nap. If he lin
! gered longer than usual at the table it
was to start some political discussion
which made his guests uncomfortable;
and all this was very grievous to the
master of the ceremonies. Marshal
Mcmahon had served an apprenticeship
in court pomps during his Governor
Generalship of Algeria, and under the
auspices of the Duchesse de Magenta
the etiquette or the Elysee was modelled
on that of the Tuileries during the EN-
pire. The servants wore the McMahon
liveries of gray, scarlet and silver, with
aiglets and powder. There was always
an aide-de-eamp in full uniform and an
officer of the palace guard to attend in
the Marshaps ante-room; and the Ouch
esse herself was constantly attended by
one OF two adies-in-waiting. When
the President and Duchesse went to the
races they and their suite occupied two,
sometimes three, carriages, with four
horses, which were preceded and fol-
lowed by outriders; and when they
travelled they used the saloon carriages
which had been built for the Emperor.
President Grevy neither keeps so
much state as the Marshal nor trans
crosses the minor laws of etiquette SO
cavalierly as NJ. Theirs. Before coming
to Elysee he has inhabited apartments
in the Palace OF Versailles, by virtue OF
his position as President of the Cham
Der of Deputies; but his style of living
was of the simplest, and his attire was
that of country gentleman. He never
wore high hat or gloves. He had q
property hat, which was kept under
his desk in the Chamber ready to hand
in case it became necessary to "covel
himself,' and thereby to suspend tu
multuous sitting abruptly; but in the
streets he wore wide-awake. He was
very fond of strolling about the boule
wards for hours at a time, looking into
the shop windows; and he was passion
ately fond of billiards, nor did he care
whom he played with. One of his fav.
orite opponents at this game was M.
Paul de Cassagnac, with whom he has
not an idea in common; but the editor
of the Pays and he never exchanged
political views while making carroms
Sport, agricultural and music are the
topics on which M. Grevy converses
with most pleasure; but he is silent
man, who talks no more than is neces
sary to make the time pass, and he new
er let's conversation run into argument
When he became President M. Grevy
had to give up his wide-awakes and hi
boulevard strolls, and to moderate hi
ardor for billiards. His most frequen
companion at this game has been of late
M. Wilson, who is going to be his son
in-law. M. Grevy, as President, also
had to don the broad ribbon of the LIE
gion of Honor, but he did not do thi
until after much hesitation.
NJ. Grevy's salary is E32, 900, and hi
probably lives within it. Marshal Mac
Mahon, on the contrary, spent grea
deal more than his salary; for, beside
keeping up large establishment o
servants and many horses and carriages
he entertained a good deal. He uset
to give at least a couple of dinners
week, whereas M. Grevy scarcely give
one month. M. Grevy has as man,
servants as the Elysee requires, but no
one over. They dress in black, like tn
hotel walters. The Presidents coach
man also wears black, without cockade
and the carriages he drives are small
plain broughams, black, and with dark
blue wheels, and no crest on the pan
els; they are drawn by couple of bays
When the President has to attend
great open-air pageant, as when he dis
tributed new flags to the army last year
he has barouche with four horses, bu
he has no outriders. His cook, too, i
no grand artist, receiving the salary o
Project, like the famous M. from
petite, who lords it over NJ. Gambetta'
saucepans at the Palais Bourbon. al
the housekeeping arrangements at tn
Elysee are under the control of Mdlle
| Cravv and will remain so after he