New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-09
TOPICS IN PARIS.
AN OLD LADYS WILL.
THE popE.s HoUsE-FRENCH ETIoUETTE-cATH-
oIIcs IN THE ACADEMY.

No capital of the world can boast or a more
magnificent square than that which forms the
lower end Of the unrivalled Champs Elysees. IL
hears the name Of La Place de la Concorde So
called In honor OF peace, and hence II Is peculiarly
fitting that the standard Of the supreme heao Oh
the Catholic Church. emblazoned with MS TARA
and the keys OF st. Peter. should hutter III the
breeze over one Of the palaces by which portion
Of the plaza Is bordered. The mansion in ques-
ton formed part Of the estate OF the late Mar
ouise de Plessis- Bessiere. an enormously wealthy
old lady who ike the even still richer Duchesse
GaIliera had acted for many years as FAIRY god-
mother to the Comte and Comtesse de Paris ana
their children Like the Duchess she had prom
ised 10 maize the Duke Of Orleans his brothers
and his sisters her principal heirs and like her,
too she quarrelled bitterly with the Comte
and his family that she altered her will. The
Duchess II may be remembered, took exception
to the Comte de Pariss having made use OF the
house which she had lent him here, rent free FOR
the purpose Of a political manifestation against
tbo RenubIcan Governmental manifestation en-
failing his exile and that of the other French
prctenders. The Marquise fell foul Of the Comte
IN connection with his unfortunate association
with General Boulanger, and whereas the Ouch
ess Galliera left her property partly to the En-
nress Frederick Of Germany and to the Emperor
Of Austrla-the latter obtaining her palace ana
immense park in the Faubourg st. Germain-the
Marouse de Plessis- Bessere bequeathed her en-
tire possessions to the Ponth. This was great
blow not alone to the distant relatives OF me
Maruuise who very poor, but also 10 the
Comte de Paris who Is reported to nave iur-
r,shod the major part of the funds with which
those relations Instituted legal proceedings with
a view 10 setting aside the will. This became
known at the Vatican. fact which goes far 70
explain the very antagonistic attitude assumed Dy
the Pontin toward the monarchical court III
France-a hostility dating only from Inc death
OF the Marquse II Is generally peneVed 'hat II
was this which induced the Pope to issue his
famous encyclical practically condemning hoyai-
is, intrigued against the French Government and
recommending loyalty To the latter on the part OF
all true sons of the Church. The law courts de-
clincd To set aside the will. but on It's being car
RED on appeal to a higher court. the viii was
hrokon on the ground that the Pope was an allen,
and that II was contrary TO law for him 10 in
herit the property left by the Mar1uise. Leo
XIII nj once realized how wide-reachng would
he the effects Of this decision were II allowed 10
stand Not only did II involve the loss OF inc
soven or eight million francs eft by the Mar
ause az we'll az that Of her palace on the race
De IA C1ncorde and her immense estate In the
r,,or,,,cr, do Ia Sommc but ii promised -
have the effect If debarring many other gener-
ousI, DISMISSED persons from leaving hy will any
~ their property 10 the Pope. He therefore, AZ
once gave orders to carry the case 70 the highest
court OF appeal I'm the land and with view 81
leave nothing to chance. took steps 10 bring an ut
, cor,n-onise with the heirs The latter. since
the death OF the Comie de Paris deprived them
~ their principal financial hacker. proved to be
fr.te Of
fret and an understanding was brough, about
With the result that the case has been taken out
~ cour, ana all legal proceedings have come u
an end His Holiness has distributed about half
~, tho 600 900 francs among the plaintiffs ana
ro,alrs undisputed possession Of the otner haif
and of the property In the country ana the man
sion on the Place de la Concorde. where the
Papa Nunco. or Ambassador, ~ ABOUT 10 TAKE
up his quarters.
T, ,vou,a he difficult % find anywhere else In
the world a city where the foreign embassies are
more magnlhcently housed han in Paris. Inc
Austrian Envoy occupies the palace ley, 10 the
Emperor by the Duchess ~ Galliera. h'rd pui-
form tho English Amba ssador Is domcsed in
tho palace formerly occupied by the heau'hu'
pauline Rorghcse sister Of the First Napoleon.
Coun, Minister. the representative ot emperor
William. resides in the mansion that was once
press Josephine. and great favor!te Of his step
,,.,.r tho Emperor Now. the Papal Ambassa-
dor has secured possession " tho house or
r,,,or naIace of the Marqusc Dc Plessis-Bes-
sere | NAV add that the whole question IN con-
nection with the Will OF the Marquise turned on
tho argument as 10 whether the Pope could sun
y. regarded as a temporal sovereign or not For
,.bcrc,s legal obstacles are placed In the way
., IN. inheritance ~ ownership of property III
France by ordinary aliens. an exception Is ''aNc
I'm favor ~ reigning sovcreigns IL Is this Pu'S
,lnn which the supreme Court Of Appeals "ou'u
have had 10 determine. and 1t Is prooapie '"a'
,,o decision would have been source OF ""'"
embarrassment 10 the French Governments NJ
though tho latter alone In Europe has re""ihc"
,r,u NOW from giving u fun recognition IL tho
derivation of temporal sovereignty ~ IN" tope
bv the Italian Government in 1870 Yet the OH
clal and public intimaiion To that ehec' aS con-
vowed by a decision of the supreme court ''"'
His Holiness WAS still temporal sovereign ''s"'
have been regarded as an act OF de'iahce u uc
| KINGDOM Of Italy. cntailing war whHe !" wv
o,o,, ~ , contrary decision the Pope might
have been expected to Withdraw the S"pio''
which ne has " late years accorded ~ NV ~
publican Government Of France
Although France is ruled by republican gov
oror,o,, and claims TO be the most advanced OF
all nations so far as the democracy "i Us III
stitutions is concerned. yet 1t Is the only cou"-
fry in the world where the rules OF social pre'e
dcnce are prescribed by state. instead oi ny '"e'e
| usage and tradition. as is III. case with monarch
teal MOVERS But this Is perhaps only III keep'"s
with the well-deserved reputation whlca '"e
French enjoy for frivolity. The statute III q"os
| tlon bears the date Of 1904. just AFTER N'Po'e'"
| had been proclaimed Emperor. ana Is sun c"-
| forced to this day. 1t gives the hrst pace "n'
diately after the Sovereign. MS 'ohsol' anu -"
helr-apparent to the Princes ana rI''oeS'''
! tho blood Next come the Cardinals theh 'he
| c.,,ao, minister's who in turn are followed by