FRENCH POLITICS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 41, 8 February 1884, Page 9

FRENCH POLITICS.

Paris, Dec. 1, 1853. The political horizon is just as dense, at home as it is abroad. The Conservatives are as inert and as loud in denouncing the inertia of their party, as during the lifetime of the Comte de Chambord, whose inertia was the scapegoat on which all parlies veDted their patriotic indignation, and charged with being the cause of the nation's suffering a disgraceful political situation. The Comte de Paris has let several months go by without getting on horseback and riding up the Boulevards and^saving France. This inertia is becoming intolerable. That able and thoughtful writer, M. Saint Genest, has roused the anger of the Conservatives by a series of articles in the Figaro, in which he tells them unpleasant truths, and holds up the glass to their own faults and follies. One of these spirited articles gives a sketch of the Conservative gentleman in his chateau, surrounded by a group of patriotic friends and relatives. They have returned from a hunting party, the horses are prancing in the cour d'honneur, the dogs are barking, the chatelaine, in Worth's last novelty, is arranging the flowers amidst the gay and elegantly attired friends in the saloon ; all are chatting merrily, " Write to Worth," — " Sell Egyptians "-— " Felix bonnets are more chic " — •' Sarah Bernhardt ' are the words that cross each other all round the brilliant home-gathering. Suddenly " M. Le Cure " is announced. Ha is made a fuss over ; that is part of a good Conservative's duty, and a way of " protesting against the political situation." The venerable old Cure is sad and disheartened. "M. le Comte, things are going from bad to worse. There is no boys' school, and the one for the girls is too small. Ah ! It is hard to see honest parents bring their children, and to have to turn them away and say, we have no room and no money ; you see, the Municipal Council takes everything." iTpon this, M. le Comte stamps his spurred heel, on the floor, and exclaims : " But these Brigands of Republicans are then resolved to ruin the country 1 Oh 1 the wretches ! If I had a hold of them, as of the deer this morning, I would hack them to pieces." The Chatelaine opens wide eyes of admiration on her husband for this generous outburst. " Oh, my dear, if everyone were like you France would soon be saved. But alas 1 there are not many like you. The re is no energy left in the country. Ah! t he miserable wretches I " All the others (who are not discussing "Worth or Sara Beruhardt) cry in chorus : " Ah, the miserable wretches ! '' The Cure goes on with his sad tale of woe. " But, it is not only the Church that suffers; M. le Comte. You know B , that upright magistrate, wno has just been set aside ? Well, he is literally without the means of subsistence. Then there is that honest Commissary of Police, and the good gendarme, who have been turned out of place ; they are in actual want. It is very sad, I assure you, M. le Comte, when we see men who have lost all for principle, and for us, and who are living in misery. That poor Biffau is actually starving." "What! Riffau? The best man that ever lived ! What brigands these Republicans are 1 What an infamous government ! When shall we get rid of them ! When •will the Comte de Paris make up his mind ? But he must mount on horseback." Th« Chatelaine again applauds her husband. Everybody abuses somebody ; the gentlemen move about stamping their spurs on the parquet, and crying Infecte Republique ! La gveuse ! La diolease! The Cure is sent away with a bank note, and the merry company go on with their dancing, and hunting, and amusement, and consider they have done their duty by their country. As a contrast to this selfishness and culpable indifference of the Catholic party, I might quote the example of one of the bitterest Radical members of the Chamber, a fierce anti-clerical and a poor man, whose sole resource consists in his pay of 9000 francs, and who gives 5,000 francs a year for the support of his parly, and lives on the remaining 4,000. These articles of H. Saint Genest have drawn down on him angry letters from numbers of the Conservatives who protest against being charged with want of patriotism. To these, M. Saint Genest answers in an article entitled "Le Patriot et h Chauvin" where, with scathing irony, he shows the difference betweea the two characters, as exemplified, the patriot by Prussia after Jena, the Chaurin by France after the war of 1870. He shows France, under the Empire, rich, prosperous in commerce, in science, in art, leading the fashions of Europe, and the centre of all elegance and meiry-mak-ing, but rotten at heart, without religion, without a moral conscience, bragging of her prosperity, swaggering and telling all the envious nations to come on and fight her, and Prussia came, and we know the rest. After Jena, Prussia thought not of making money, and getting up exhibitions, ard bragging and amusing herself. She thought of avenging her misfortunes. She fed the name of patriotism in her heart ; the men drilled in cellars, and hid theories of military tactics, etc., under the covers of their Bibles, and the women gave their jewels to make weapons of iron, and when all was ready, while France had been decaying with luxury, the Prussians came down and showed the world the difference between a patriot and a Chauvin. — Exchange.