New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-20

lust received from the old Preiect n1cr u
curing him TO proclaim state OF serge III the
department 1t was the toss up of cara whetiler
Uoussmann would himself be consigned to a mill
tary prison or be acknowledged as master oil the
situation. The most consummate tact and the
most absolute presence of mind and GOODNESS were
necessary at such a crisis. Baron llaussmann
acted with equal energy, rapidity ana Judgment
Announcing his mission and his extraordinary
mowers. he did not give any Of his opponents
time 70 reflect. but instantly began issuing pc
rcmptory orGers The printed placards procialmhs
n state of siege had actually been brought from
the printers. and were in the room, aOouO 10 w
sent out for distribution. llaussmann ordcreu
them TO be destroyed. Upon this the geherai
commanding interfered with an encrsetc pro'csV,
declaring that the Project had already empowered
him to declare the state of siege Haussih""ii
instantly produced his extraordinary Po"e'S'
which constituted him Commissioner OF inc "n" n
district, with absolute and supreme authority Vi
course if the general had been tenacious ana reso-
lutte he could easily have refused 10 lecosnl~o
the authority of Louis Napoleon. Dut llauSs'h"ii
,os zoo ouicl, and too masterful; and before the
roomful of nlotters knew what had happehc"
tbov found themselves dispersed, and the power
was in the hands Of the one man VINO khe"
exactly what he wanted and who had lhaue up
his mind how TO attain his end.
1t was O triumph of energy and clearsleh'eune',
over vague and vacillatng counsels, IN shorU anu
it was q fit prelude TO what followed IheIe WAC
n strong Red element in Bordeaux ana 'hrousn-
ont tho Gironde Its centre was the large city
There Haussmann dealt with the lnsurrecuohaiS
movement by preventing it from coming TO head
In Paris the mistake had almost invaraolN pech
made of waiting for the erection of the barrlcades
no out oil the D0TTdCkS.
AZ RordeauX HauSsmann took measures against
tho gathering anywhere Of formidable crowd.
Tho rasult Of this method was that no overt act oil
revolution occurred at Bordeaux; that no lives
were sacrificed: and that only few arrests were
made In the interior there was more trouble, ana
at n few points some fighting had 10 he done pu'
tbe department as a whole passed through the
critical period in singular tranquility, ana from
first to last was held firmly for Louis Napoleon
Baron Haussmann on this occasion unquesuohapN
oxbibited true craftsmanship and a power Ct adj
ninistration riven TO few men, II is evident,
however that what is vaguely called personal
magnetism counted for much In his succesS'S'
Thus in Var, when a non-politcal riot broke ou'
in a considerable town, and some thousands ol
lusty young men were bowling for the plood VI
certain officials laussmann, then Project, went 10
the place with an escort of eight eendarhes' Ie''
his escort outside. and forced his way INTO 'he
ccrtro If tbe furious mob and by his perfect self
possession and his assumption OF absolute trust IN
tbe power of the law, actually Gained the rioters
brought them to reason, and was enabled to arrest
and carry of the ringleaders without resistance or
even protest 1t takes strong man to do such
thing as that.
1t is neither possible necessary to follow thc
rurely political narrative in these memoirs. lha'
n Americans
cannot concern themselves much about Frcnch
clectionecring programmes and devices. II VII!
suffice 10 say that Baron Haussman appears here
os a bold and deXtcrous politician as well rs an
able and judicious administrator and there can De
no doubt that he served the cause Of the Second
Empire well in n great many ways, all OF w.hch
he sets forth with great frankncsS and apHH''h'
detail One or two romantic incidents in his long
career may be noticed. OF these the most senSa-
tional is his apparently narrow escape from muir
der While Sub-Prefcct he was travelling with
friend in wild district, and was oVertaken al
night in a lonely tavern situated at the junction of
cross roads. The place was dirty and the accom-
modations bad and after staying some hours the
rising of the moon inspired the travellers with the
idea Of going on. They did 50. in spite OF the
strong persuaSions OF their host an lll-looklng
fellow. Not long afterward Baron Haussmann
saw IL stated III Il newspaper '"N wv i'e'-''''' 80
a certain country tavern had been arrested on The
charge of numbering and robbing his guests; and
further inquiry revealed the fact that this tavern
was the one at which Haussmann and his friend
were so near passing the night More than this,
certain rich cattlc-dealer, who was recognized al
the tavern on that occasion by the Baron, proved
10 be among the missing travellers. Under the
circumstances the presumption that their own
throats would have been cut had they stayed that
night must be very strong.
The Baron was fortunate enough on one occa-
sion TO have George Sand for his guest at the Sub
Prefecture but he did not like her. thought her
unfeminine, and has not much TO relate OF the talk
between them. In the second volume tie great
undertaking Of the rebuilding Of Paris will be
described at length, and there can be no doubt
that the account will be very interesting while II
is likely also to afford some valuable hints TO the
people OF cities which need rebuilding, both above
ground and below.