Year: 1870

eral in it's actual working.


thought it likely, too, that the singular change
which has come over NJ Ollivicr's manners in tho
House may have had some influence on his popu-
larity. At first he was very oily, and winning and
conciliatory but he has quite gotten that. He
seems to have been very much struck in early youth
with admiration for NJ. Guzot's often quoted piece
of bunkum, There are insults, Sir which do not
rise even to the level of my contempt This was
well enough for in France, but really NJ Oil
vier has treated his colleagues to it five or six times
too often. And when it is applied to such men as
tavre and Gambetta, it becomes simply impcrtnent.
Then new lTick of his is to maintain q, from his
point of view, majestic silence when arguments
and questions are addressed to him that
he cannot answer or does not wish
TO answer. Finally, he has gone just


step too far in this direction and the public voice.
which yet counts for something, especially with q
man who loves popularity Olivier does, has
obliged him to eat humble pie The public of Paris,
however disunited they may be political ques-
tions, i'll general is unit on the subject of the
famous "COmplot" which Pietn has invented, and
Which he is now working day and night to prove
exists. All the newspapers, without single excep-
tion that | know of, haye spoken out clear and
strong in rebuke denunciatiOn or ridicue of the
action of the Government in the matter; and three





interpellating the Minister of Justice on the subject
of the Complot. Olivier replied at once, 81 have
the honor to inform NJ. Ferry that when he puts his
questions 1 shall not reply"


1t would certainly have been a cause for wonder
and regret if in any country protesting to have a
cons tutiona government such an answer as this to
member Of Parliament could have been given with
out exciting feeling in the community. And Nj.
Olivier was soon made to feel that France is not
that country. Perhaps his insoent answer would
not have created much feeling as it did had it been
made in reference to some other subject but this
matter Of the Complot is one that comes home to
mems business and bosoms. That public opinion had
had it's weight evident when at the last meeting
of the House. on NJ FeTTy's rising to make his inter
pellation ne received from the Minister of Justice
respectful hearing and respectful answer OF at least
more respectful than his previous language had
prepared us for. The most important part of NJ.
FerIys Interpolation relative to the charge that
is made and known to be founded on actual fact
that the orders of arrest" were delivered to the
police before the trouble of the 9TH and Sth of Feb
ruary in blank! Armed with these weapons they ar
rested less than $50 persons at haphazard in the
streets, throwing net, as Favre expressvely said
and snaring large cOvey at once. These were
marched oil directly, and with all the violence for
which the Paris police are so famous when dealing
with persons suspected Of riOting to the lookup,
uhere Meir names Were inserted IN the blanks rih Whch


their cdptOrS were 1rorided Beforehand Of these $50
persons arrested in the way have described all but
Il were released after a detention of several
weeks, no reason being given for their release
any more than had been given for their arrest many
of them not having been subjected to any interoga-
tiOn. OF these H. several have since been released
in the same way, one has died, one has been made
mad and his friends informed that he might be
taken away and put into an asylum, and the places
of all of the n who have been released whether by
the hands Of justice oh, cruel mockery of the name
of ustice) or by the more merciful hand of death,
have been supplied by other victims since arrested!
All this is taking place to-day, here in Paris in 1.-THE
center of civilization" if may take the Partisan
estimate as the true These facts are the
principal counts in NJ. Ferry's Indictment and M.
Olivier could not give very satisfactory explana-
tions. He asserted however, that 1T is at Least com
forting to know that having been laboring with it
ever since the first week in January the mountain of
French justice is almost ready to bring forth the
Complot-mouse Generally, Olivier says, the pre-
paraory examinations of these matters have lasted
for four or five months This is the first time, he
saws, that an affair SO complicated has been un-
ravcled in so short time as two months. The only
comfort one can get ont of the miserable affair is that
the result will probably Pietr with deserved
ridicule, and may lead to his being thrown over
board. &C.