Gloucester County Democrat., 1893-05-04
FRENCH DEPUTIES.
THEIR PALACE, CEREMONIES AND
IDIOSYNcRASIEs.

AFOunu the IaAace when the Cham Der
Is In Session-Two Salaries.
To Americans, who know that after
the excitement Of the presidential cleo
ton is over there will be no change Of
importance for four years, these contin-
ual ministerial notifications Of the
French cabinet appear st6ange, and their
effect is prejudicial to @rance both as
regards her domestic prosperity and her
international prestige. Under the di-
rectory there were two legislative bodies
the Five Hundred" and the ssAncients. "
After holding their sessions in various
places or less convenient-it was
decided to give them the Palais Bourbon,
which had been built in 1922 but never
occupied. They took possession of the
building III the year VII Of the republic
! Q79S). During the preceding year the
necessary improvements had been made
to render it suitable for the use to which
it was then devoted.
From that time, under the different
titles Of ''Palace OF the Council of the
Five Hundred, Palace Of the Legisla-
| tive Corps" and Chamber of Deputies" I"
it has always remained consecrated to
the service of the peoples representa-
tives.
From time to time such improvements
as economy would permit were made,
but it was not until 1907, under Napo-
leon I, that the grand staircase, sur
mounted by the portal facing the Place
n n 10, c.
to Paris, was constructed. Then it was
also that the colossal statues Of Justice
and Prudence, Sully, Colbert, L'Hopital
and d D'Aguesseau were placed where they
now stand. These statues, by the bye,
which look like marble, are in reality
made Of stone and covered with a coat
ing Of white glaze
/ Under Napoleon the building was at
first called the ''Palace Of the Legisla-
tive Corps" and the deputies wore bril-
liant uniforms. This caused a writer Of
the time to say, HE gave the deputies
brilliant costume, embroidered with
4 gold, and at the same time withdrew
their right Of free speech"
It was in 1914 that the name was
changed to that the building bears to-
day, palace of the Chamber of Depu-
ties, or, as it is more generally called
now, Chamber of Deputies" But if
the legislators Of the year Of grace 1893
do not wear gold embroidered uniforms
there still remains In their ceremonies
good deal of the pomp and ceremony
which usually appertain to monarchies
The president of the chamber lives in
mansion on the Quai d'Orsay, the
grounds Of which join these surrounding
the chamber of deputies. Before tho
opening OF each sitting he Is escorted
through the long Sale des Pas Pcrdus
Preserved for tho use Of members of par
lament and journalists) by a detach-
ment Of infantry in command of cap
sion is preceded BY gofgeeodsfg fge afGffad
usher, who announces. Monsieur le
President"
Thus escorted, the president mounts
his seat, high above the tribune from
which the members speak, and immedi-
ately there is noise of members scram-
bling to their seats, like schoolboys afraid
of being marked late. This part of tho
proceedings Is about as undignifed as the
entrance of the president is imposing.
After tapping his desk with a large paper
knife, or in case of much noise ringing
brass bell, the president declares the
sitting open, and relative silence is es-
tablished for moment. The formal
business of reading the minutes of the
last sitting is gone through. and then the
rNf no =
begins. When unimportant, everybody
who is not engaged in letter writing
talks. When the question before the
house Is Of interest, silence Is maintained
until somebody sets the example Of inter
rupting or perhaps insulting the speaker.
Then the scene is one which has often
been described by clever writers and art
lists, but which must be seen to be ap-
preciated The ushers inside the cham
her, who wear evening dress, white ties
and swords, have frequently to come be-
tween excited deputies, who, but for their
intervention. would often come to blows.
These ushers form in reality the most
conservative part of the assembly, for
they, with few exceptions, grow old in
the service. They are almost as familiar
with the rules of the house as the presi-
dent himself. and they regard newly
elected members very much as an usher
in public school regards new boy.
They know that every deputy drinks
while speaking, and one of them is espe-
cially told off to order from the buffet
the particular beverage with which a
speaker is won't to moisten his parched
lips during q heated debate.
It is upon these occasions that the
French chamber treats the world to
some of those surprises (which no fellow
can understand" What is called in
France le petit jeu des combinaisons is
played, and often government major
ity of today is turned into a minority to-
morrow.
The fact Is, that the majority of ths
deputies are men who would be loath to
/ lose their pay of 20 francs per day and
the honors attached to the post of repre-
sentative of the people. That is why the
fear Of dissolution often induces them to
give ministry q majority rather than
provoke its overthrow and The crisis CON
sequent thereon.
Two ministerial portfolios are espe-
cially coveted-those of the interior and
fnance-for besides the importance Of
the posts there is an ancient custom in
connection with them. The day after
the acceptance of the portfolio one of the
grave, white necktied. sword bearing
ushers calls upon each minister and
hands him an envelope containing 10000
francs for frais dc displacement, or NOV
ing expenses If he retains his portfolio
but single day, he never returns the
$4,000, nor is he expected to.-New
York Sun.
The Women Du nIaurier Draws.
We should feel as if Du Maurier had
been tickle and faithless if he were sud
denly to cease to offer us the tall, tran
quill persons he understands 60 well.
They have an inestinable look Of repose.
kind Of Greek serenity. There is fig
ure in o cut Of which we have forgotten
the 'spoAt' and the date tive mention il
at hazard-it was one in hundred):
which only needed to be modelled in clay
to be truly important" creation. 4
couple of children address themselves to
a youthful aunt, who leans her hand
upon toilet table, presenting her back.
clothed in loose gown, not gathered in
/ at the waist to the snectntor Her charm