A FRENCH ELECTION.*

LET us be precise. When we say a "French Election," we mean a" Paris election," not a provincial election, noreven an election at St. Cloud, Versailles, or St. Denis, i. e. in the environs of the capital-but we mean an election for a deputy in one of the fourteen arrondissements of Paris itself. As our well-beloved editor has wisely resolved, that he will neither have politics nor personalities in the New Monthly, we bow to his decision, and shall endeavour to steer clear of both in the course of this article. It treats of politics without being political, and its names are, for the most part, purposely imaginary.

At a moment when the public mind in Great Britain is intensely fixed on candidates, hustings, electors, bribery, boroughs, and so forth, it may be at once amusing and profitable to know" how they manage these things in France," and to take a peep at those who are usually styled our lively neighbours.

We do not profess by this article either to praise or blame; either to hold up the French electoral system to imitation, or rejection. We simply sketch the landscape, and leave the public to praise or censure the picture; or rather we act the play without being responsible for its moral. If some think a French election is too democratic-pray let them think so. If others are of opinion that it is not democratic enough, we shall not find fault with their sentiments.

The election about to be sketched, is drawn from life. It is no fable. In the French provinces, elections are in some places less, and in others more interesting, according to the prevalent opinions in the department; but in Paris the specimen we give is, in principle, most accurate, though we feel it loses by being written in English. Such as it is, it is; and if we succeed in placing the whole matter clearly and strongly, as well as truly and graphically before all parties, we shall be satisfied -for our whole object will have been attained.

ACT FIRST.

SCENE FIRST.

Office of a Republican Newspaper at Paris.

GUSTAVE (a sub-editor).-This state of things is intolerable. Men's minds are on the rack. The prison-doors are not thrown open. Patriots still languish. Who can wonder? We are not represented! Out of four hundred and fifty-six time-serving, salary receiving, placehunting, pension-seeking scoundrels, there are not twenty-no-there are not ten patriots. Look at Barrot! He is no patriot. His quarrel is with the Constitutionnel one year, and with the doctrinaires the next. But he is no patriot. Look at Thiers. He only cares to manage the telegraph, receive the first foreign news for speculations in the foreign funds, or for large operations in our own three per cents. Look at

It appears to us that this paper, although still savouring of French politics, will be read with considerable interest, at a moment when the electors of the British empire are about to exercise their rights.-ED.

Dupin, the mere clerk of the closet of Louis Philippe. Look at Passy, a wavering humdrum, who only seeks place to gratify his pride and his family. Look at all the men who make the most promises, and get the reputation for being friends of liberty and humanity; and what are they? Either eaters of the loaf in power, or disputants for it, because out of office. We have no patriots!

ANTOINE PEPIN (chief editor).-You are quite right, Gustave. But we must do justice to Arago, to Garnier Pages, to Lafitte, to George Lafayette, to Michel, to Cormenin, and some others, though they are lamentably few. In this arrondissement we have not been sufficiently active and yet something is to be done. We must then make an effort. I think it possible to turn out that usurer, that Orleanist, that monarchical enragé, that wretched, hateful, deplorable "juste-milieu" Martin. Just now the Constitutionnel would help us the Temps might be favourable to our views-the Debats would of course abuse us, and the Presse would denounce us. But what care we for their diatribes and their quolibets. We will raise the standard of democracy in this debased arrondissement, and make the lovers of bats, owls, and other creatures of ill omen, like the wretched Martin, tremble for their

seats.

THEODORE (a feuilletonist, i. e. a writer of small literature, theatrical news, and book criticism).-Besides which, the example of this arrondissement may be followed by others, and our decision this day may influence the whole of the elections throughout France. Let us take the first step; let us pledge ourselves by some act from which we cannot recede; but who shall we name as our candidate?

ANTOINE PEPIN.-It is not necessary to mention any name. We can so word the paragraph as to suit fifty barristers in Paris and the provinces, until we shall have decided on our man. But there is no

time to lose.

GUSTAVE.—What think you of Jules Marat Corbin? He is young, active, zealous; is a communist, subscribed largely to the Republican Indemnity Fund, belongs to all our secret societies, and yet is rich, and related to the families of Dejean and Lerminine. Besides which, Corbin is ambitious. I know him well. He has a good house at Neuilly. His Sunday parties give great offence at the Château. The King abhors him. The Duke of Orleans turns his back on him when he meets him on the road. Young Nemours calls him by his Christian name Marat and not Corbin, when he speaks of him. His election would gall the court to the quick. Even his nomination would operate as a nightmare-and Madame Adelaide (the King's sister) would not sleep for a week. What say you?

ANTOINE PEPIN.-I only fear he is not a reasoner. He has not a mathematical mind. He was never at the Polytechnic school. He excelled at the "Ecole de droit," but we want men of science. Republicanism is to be argued into the minds of the people. It can be proved with as much ease as a problem of Euclid. However, the candidate need not be selected to-day. Stay, I will draw out a paragraph in two seconds, to appear in our paper to-morrow, Monday. Go you, Gustave, this evening, and see Corbin. His name is not essential, however, for the moment.

[Antoine Pepin then draws out the following paragraph: "The patriotic electors of the 7th arrondissement, overwhelmed with

shame and horror at the deplorable anomaly that their arrondissement has long been represented by a man who has voted the laws of September, supported every act of " brigandage" on the part of the police, and rejoiced at the disgrace of France in foreign countries, by the hitherto unheard-of base humiliation and cowardly obedience of her juste-milieu ambassadors, and other diplomatic agents to foreign powers, have resolved to rescue this district of the metropolis of the world from such dishonour and disgrace: and have determined on supporting the candidateship of a man, long known as an ardent champion of the cause of the people. A preliminary meeting will be held in a few days of the patriotic electors, when the candidate will be announced. Let no elector then who values his own character, or that of the 7th arrondissement, enter into any engagement with the representatives or agents of corruption. Let them reserve their votes for a man, who will demand peace with honour and advantage, or war with glory and greatness. All communications relative to this effort to emancipate the 7th arrondissement from the degrading influence which has so long held it in submission and slavery, should be addressed to the office of their journal."

THEODORE.-Admirable !

GUSTAVE.-Charming! But should it not hint at a subscription? ANTOINE PEPIN. - Not yet-when the candidate is named, and when the preliminary meeting shall be held, it will be time enough for that.

Here! Guillaume! [calling to the editor's porter,] give this to the Prot (the maker-up of the journal), and let him set it up in gaillard very strikingly, and lines leaded: first page: immediately after foreign news, and before the leading article.

GUILLAUME.-Oui, Monsieur Antoine.
GUSTAVE.-My conscience is now at ease.

THEODORE.-Success to your application to Corbin !
ANTOINE.-Adieu, mes amis ! I have a rendezvous with Pages.

SCENE SECOND.

Maison de Campagne of Monsieur Jules Marat Corbin.

SUNDAY, HOUR, HALF-PAST FIVE.

CORBIN.-Mon cher Gustave, how charmed I am to see you! You are the very man I wished for at this moment. By what good luck, by what happy chance, by what fortuitous circumstance, have you arrived? I have a few of our friends (the communists) to dine with me. There are Raulin, St. Just, Robespierre Cantal, Marie, Clerval, and yourself. We were just deploring that we had not thought of you, and if it had not been so late, I should have sent my cabriolet after you.

GUSTAVE. If you did not think of me, mon ami, I shall soon prove to you that I have not been forgetful of you. I come to invite you, in the name of the patriots of the 7th arrondissement, to become a candidate for the Chamber of Deputies

CORBIN.-Impossible! my dear friend. Who could have thought of me? Sure there are men known to you, to Pepin, and to our other friends, more worthy of so distinguished an honour. But I must be guided by you all. You know my devotedness to the public welfare; and my horror and hatred for the present state of things-the government of Philippe.

GUSTAVE. It is for this reason we have selected you. Your age, your fortune, your social position, and your family connexion with the arrondissement, all are in your favour-but they would only have weighed as a grain of dust in the balance, had not your known and tried animosity to the government which has prosecuted, imprisoned, fined, and betrayed us, indicated you as the natural representative of our contempt, abhorrence, and vengeance.

CORBIN. But come, let us join our friends. They will be as enchanted to see you, as I am.

[They enter the summer-house in the garden where all the communists are smoking cigars, and drinking aniseed and water before dinner.

CORBIN.-Well, my triends, here is Gustave.

RAULIN. We were just talking of your journal.

ST. JUST.-And praising your article against England.

ROBESPIERRE CANTAL.-And praying the gods to send us a good

war.

MARIE. And another Corsican to conduct us to the shores of perfidious Albion.

CLERVAL. And with Darmes, and a thousand like him to flock round the general!

GUSTAVE. With all my heart! and the sooner the better; but in the meantime we must make use of the weapons of our enemies, and defeat them at their own tribune. You will none of you guess the object of my visit to Neuilly to-day.

RAULIN. To meet your friends, and see Corbin.
GUSTAVE-NO. Certainly I am enchanted to meet you,

expressly to see him; but for what object?

ST. JUST.-To enroll him in some new secret association?

and I came

GUSTAVE. Not to-day; though we will speak of that anon. ROBESPIERRE CANTAL.-To organise a plan of attack on the government, by means of the distribution of patriotic tracts among the soldiers?

GUSTAVE. No, though the proposition would be worthy of attention, we have paid too little attention to the army. Are not the soldiers of France the sons of France? You must, however, guess

again.

MARIE.-To decide on the defence of Darmes, and on the protection to be offered to his friends and family?

GUSTAVE. That is already arranged.

CLERVAL.-I think I have it. It is to invite Corbin to put himself forward as a candidate for some patriotic arrondissement in the east of France.

GUSTAVE.-Not for any arrondissement in the east, though there are patriots there, but for the 7th arrondissement in Paris. Here is a proof of an article which will appear in our journal to-morrow.

[Gustave reads the proof of the article prepared by Pepin, and the whole party join in long and loud acclamations. CLERVAL.-And you have selected Corbin then? GUSTAVE. We have-but he hesitates.

ST. JUST.-Hesitation is impossible. It is his duty to accept.
ROBESPIERRE CANTAL.-There can be no doubt of that.

Corbin,

you must accept the offer-you must make the sacrifice-we must cause the traitors to tremble-and Heaven and earth to ring with our jubilee.

CORBIN.-I shall follow the directions of my friends; not that I am ambitious; not that I imagine I can contribute greatly to our sublime and glorious cause; but I am willing to devote all my time, my energies, my fortune, and my life, to the service of France.

GUSTAVE.-We will publish your name at once. Give me pens, ink, and paper, and before dinner I will send off the announcement. It will arrive in time for our setter-up, and will confound the miscreants, who flatter themselves they will carry Martin in triumph through the ballot.

[Gustave, being supplied with materials, composed the following paragraph :]

"We stop the press to announce, that after deep and serious reflection, the patriots of the 7th arrondissement have fixed their choice on JULES MARAT CORBIN, whose family connexion with the arrondissement, but above all, whose pure and patriotic life point him out as pre-eminently deserving of the support and suffrages of all who are opposed to national degradation and to national disgrace. The committee for securing his return, will sit daily at the office of this journal. Address M. Gustave Bondy."

GUSTAVE.-Let me read you what I have written.

[Gustave reads. CORBIN. It is too flattering. RAULIN.-No-no-it is justice-not flattery. Send it off. [Corbin despatches a young man with the paragraph to the office of the journal; the dinner is announced to be on the table; and the arrangements are made for an active canvass; for a charivari (or marrowbones and cleavers disturbance) to be given to Monsieur Martin, the government candidate—and a serenade to M. Corbin, at his residence in Paris. M. Corbin's address to the electors is to be prepared by M. Pepin.

SCENE THIRD.

Counting-house of M. Martin, the Government Candidate.

FIRST ELECTOR (entering with a republican journal in his hand).M. Martin, have you seen this disgraceful paper, this republican libeller, this revolutionary terrorist to-day?

M. MARTIN. I make a point, my friend, never to read it. Every number sold and circulated by right-thinking men, is so much encouragement given to its principles. Those who are the real friends of truth, order, and the laws, should not soil their fingers by touching such a print as that.