New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-22
NJ. FERRY IN HIS CABINET.
A TALK WITH THE FRENCH PREMIER.

There has been a widespread idea that we were,
in the course of the week, threatened with
Ministerial crisis, and there was a substratum of
fact in the report of Cabinet disslocation Profit
ing by verbal invitation which NJ. Jules Ferry, at
his last reception spontaneously gave me to go to
the fountain head for political" news, /
called on him on Wednesday morning.
The ground floor saloons of his Ministry, where be
holds his soir6es found arranged if for meetings
of Educational Committees and Cabinet Councils.
No domestic was visible. l then went to side
entrance on the other side of the courtyard and
walked up stairs In the lobby l found servants
at work packing up in bales printed matter,
to judge from its appearance, OF various Sorts In
an inner lobby dignifed and gray headed usher
came up TO inquire whom l wanted to see NJ.
10 Ministre." He does not receive to-day"
think Won are Mistaken for he told me that he was
ALWAYS at home on certain mornings, and Wednes-
day was one of the days he named" That
depends If yOu have an aulience-letter you can
be admitted If you have not you are to come on q
Saturday" 81 have no letter but send in my card
for repeat the Minister invited me tOcall on MN
if pleased this morning. This satisfied the usher
But he said: "lt is pity yen did not call
earlier say at 0 o'clock, for the ante-room is
already full, and each has to be shown into the
Minister'S cabinet according to the order of his ar
rival. You will have to wait perhaps half an hour,
or maybe longer" With this he showed me into
wating-room. II was an OblOng apartment, with
no windows and fat toplight in Opaque glass.
The wall paper was of a dark Ollye-green pattern
with dusky yellow ground. There was no table;
chairs and settees were stfly ranged around the
room, and nearly all of them were occupied.
Although big log fire blazed OH the hearth some
hot-air fues open and rendered the
atmosphere oppressive. On the centre OF the
tall mante piece stood bust of the Republic wear
ing Phrygian cap. 1t was the only purely dec
orative object that could see, and very pleasing
one it was. There was nothing conventional in the
ply siognomy bnt much life and piquancy. L
thought of the grisette who sold the gloves to
Laurence Sterne. Madame la Republique had a
very Impudent nose. slightly retrousse, and
month which nature had formed to chiTrup at chill
dren and TO say smart and amiable things to men,
bers Of the rougher sex.
After had taken note of her peculIarities /
looked round at my negbbors. Two OF them were
priests. | dare say they belonged to the
College Stanislas, for they appeared in-
telligcnt and wel-bred. The others were elderly
men. Everything about them told me that they
were pedagogues. A French schoolmaster has
something in bin which declares his profession
His path does not appear to have lam IN pleasant
places The clothes are decent, but not well cut.
aiu Wnen ne udS "a gray bttItl IL hOb uliIVIuChu1
happens that violet ribbon decorates his button
hole. An expression of timdty is in the eye. The
poor fellow his had to be very wary. If he has
been nearly independent of the fathers and
mothers of pupils. he has been obliged
to avoid giving offence to the civil and
ecclesiastical authorities of the place in
which his lot was cast and yet to stand well with
General Inspectors sent down from Paris. These
gentlemen have often been IN conflict with the
bishops aud other cergymcn since 1879 But
while ministers come and ministers 60 the sacerdotal
body does not stir. To obey cheerfuy ministerial
circular might involve quarrel. Not TO appear 10
respect 1t might bring down a rebuff from an in
spector. As | was observing and taking mental
notes an electric bell rang, door opposite to the
one By which | entered was thrown open.
and a general officer, who had been seeing
NJ. Ferry, walked rapidly through the ante-room
and disappeared He looked neither to right nor
left as he advanced. This military man was Gen
eral Thibaudiu. the War Minister. The old usher
came in with list and called out name. Arather
seedy-looking person answered TO II. He
was kept for less than five Mn
MES but this was the shortest Of the
audiences granted. Some of those who waited
were received by the Minister'S private secretary.
An hour and a quarter elapsed before my turn
came. Fortunately had a volume of the pocket
edition OF Molierc which read when | got tired Of
observing those around me.
The cabinet of NJ. Jules Ferry is very
bigroom. with three tall windows looking upon an
extensive garden. If the large tablc-deSk before
which the Minister sat were taken away and some
bric-a- brac placed on the consoles and mantepece,
il would have the aspect Of "a drawng-rOom. The
chairs and sofas dark carved wood
and upholstered with ivy-green brocade. A
Smyrna carpet hides the parquet The bronze
ornaments the chimney piece are OF a severe
style Some immense Sevres vases furnish light
notes in the decorative, gamut. portrait full
length, of NJ. Cousin in the robes Of Grand
Master of the University of France,
hangs on tho wall opposite to the hearth AIRY
Schcfler was the painter. 1t is an interesting and
valuable picture and the only one in the room.
NJ. Jules Ferry sits with his back to the fireplace
aud his face toward the door by which his
visitors enter His desk is Mt the outer verge of an
extensive hearth-rug. NJ. Ferry picks up flesh.
He used to look his height. which is considerably
above the French average stature, but now he APP
pears less tall than he really is. He has wide
shoulders and deep chest. There is good
natured and at the same time a shrewd expression
in the face His eyes participate in the action of
the mouth when he smiles; they are dark brown.
HIS nose is aquiline depressed at the end and too
hcshy TO be Roman. The upper mp ana chm are
shaved. Both firmly modelled and express
character. NJ Ferry is from the Vosges. He has
a well-devoOped frontal sinus, but the upper part
of the forehead retreats overmucb He is n man of
observation and of action, but not of reflection.
We began with lively conversation |
about the weather. the flower markets aud |
the small picture expeditions; then we |
plunged into politics. NJ. Ferry asked me what |
England was gong to do with Egypt As had |
seen during the Easter holidays leading members of
the Liberal and Radical groups III the House of |
Commons | answered that she was considerably |
embarrassed The Gladstone Ministry would like
to come away and leave Egypt to the Egyptians.