Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-05-11
FRENCH DEPUTIES.
THEIR PALACE, CEREMONIES AND
IDIOSYNCRASIES

History of the Chamber and the Build
ing In Which 1t Meets-Scenes In and
Around the Palace When the Chamber
Is In Session-Two Salaries
To Americans. who know that after
the excitement Of the presidential cleo
zion is over there will be no change of
Importance for four years, these contin-
ual ministerial notifications of the
French cabinet appear strange, and their
effect is prejudicial TO France both as
regards her domestic prosperity and her
international prestige. Under the di-
rectory there were two legislative bodies
the Five Hundred" and the ''Ancients. "
After holding their sessions in various
places-more or less eonvenient-it was
decided to give them the Palais Bourbon,
which had been built in 1922, but never
occupied. They took possession of the
building in 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, y
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 l, that the grand staircase, sur
mounted by the portal facing the Place
de la Concorde, familiar to all visitors
to Paris, was constructed. Then it was
also that the colossal statues of Justice
and Prudence, Sully, Colbert, L'Hopital
and 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 writer of
the time to say, He gave the deputies a
brilliant costume, embroidered with
gold, and at the same time withdrew
their right of free speech"
1t 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 d
good deal of the pomp and ceremony
which usually appertain to monarchies.
The president of the chamber lives in
a mansion on the Quai d'Orsay, the
grounds of which join these surrounding
the chamber of deputies. Before the
opening of each sitting he is escorted
through the long Sale des Pas Perdus
preserved for the use of members of par
lament and journalists) by a detach-
ment of infantsy in command of a cap
tain. The drums beat, and the process
sion is preceded by a gorgeously attired
usher, who announces, Monsieur lie
President"
Thus escorted, the president mounts
his seat, high above the tribune from
which the members speak, and immedi-
ately there is a noise of members scram-
bling to their seats, like schoolboys afraid
of being marked late. This part of the
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
a brass bell, the president declares the
sitting open, and a relative silence is es.
tablished for a moment. The formal
business of reading the minutes of the
last sitting is gone through, and then the
discussion upon the question of the day
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
ber, 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, fol
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 a 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 q
speaker is wont to moisten his parched
lips during a heated debate.
1t is upon these occasions that the
French chamber treats the world tC
some of those surprises (which no fellow
can understand" What is called in
France lie petit jeu des combinaisons is
played, and often government major,
ity of today is turned into minority to
morrow.
| l. Ne IdCG Is, l1dI TIC LudJOIlUy VI lAe
deputies are men who would be loath tc
lose their pay of % 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 tC
give ministry majority rather thai
provoke its overthrow and the crisis con
sequent thereon.
Two ministerial portfolios are espe
cially coveted-those of the interior ant
fnance-for besides the importance o.
the posts there is an ancient custom il
connection with them. The day after
the acceptance of the portfolio one of thu
grave, white necktied, sword bearing
ushers calls upon each minister ant
hands him an envelope containing 6O,00t
francs for frais de displacement, or NOV
ing expenses If he retains his portfolio
but single day, he never returns thu
$4,000, nor is he expected to.-NeV
York Sun.
Duchess and Her Diamonds.
When the Duchess of Marlboroug
made a flying visit to America about