LETTERS FROM PARIS, BY 0. P. Q.

No. XX.

ENCORE! THE GACHIS !

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.

Paris, 2',Jd July 1834.

Sin—In my last letter I dwelt at some length on the affairs of Spain. To- day I must again allude to them ; but I shall also examine with attention the other elements of this" tponcantablegarhis." And first of all, let us attend to the admissions of our enemies. These are often more instructive and convincing, than even the better arguments of our friends. Well then, the Journal des DE:hats—the journal of the Doctrinaires— of the Ghent-absconding Doctrinaires—the journal in which GUIZOT, VI LLE-• MA IN, and the men of that clique have been writing for years—the join nal of the Counter-Revolution—has come forward to-day to make its admissions—to ask pardon of the Opposition—to acknowledge that it was wrong, and that the Government was wrong too, and that the Opposition was right in demanding that the French Chambers should meet, bona fide meet, on the 31st of this month of July ; and not merely meet to adjourn, as THIERS and SOULT, and their confederates proposed, only a few weeks ago. But you shall hear the D'hats itself; you shall listen to its own admissions; you shall see how this renegade print now wishes to return to the Revolution and to the men of the Revolution. after having betrayed, insulted, imprisoned, and massacred them. Sou LT is turned out ! GERA R. n, who fought in the streets of Paris against the soldiers of CHARLES the Tenth, is named President of the Council. The Opposition in the new Chambers is courted and flattered. The pacific promises and assurances of futeign powers turns out to be moonshine ; and now the Doctri- naires—impudent vagabonds that they are—cry aloud against the Counter- Revolutionary party, just as if its politics and opinions were those of the Franrais, Journal the Commcrre, or National. I have made use of a strong epithet when I have called these lying, nicking, cheating Doctrinaires, "impudent vagabonds ;" but I have done so advisedly—fur they have vaga- bondized about l'or the last twenty years—have endeavoured to attach themselves to whatever party was most popular for the time being—have gained their liv- ings by dishonest practices ; and now once more, in July 1834, perceiving that the Counter-Revolution is in danger—that France is awakening from her sleep, and will soon utter a cry which shall make the earth tremble—are for turning completely round—are for attacking the very Counter-Revolut' they have en- couraged—and are hoping to save their places, their purses, and their positions, by shouting louder than the rest " Vice la Liberte ! Vire la Revolution !" But I will not detain you longer from this article of the Journal des Daats. It is a memorable document. It will make the heads, hearts, and backs ache of the deluded Juste Milieu, who were deceived by the cry of "Peace, peace," when there was no peace.

"fine events which have transpired have proved that the Opposition were right. We admit this without difficulty. It is right that the Chambers should meet on the 31st July ; and that they should really, bond fide assemble. The Government did think. that in the midst of the general security, and at this epoch of the year, the greatest number of Deputies would not conic to Paris ; and that it was better to save some of them a useless journey, by warning Bunn that there would be no session. The. Govern- ment made a mistake ; mid we were mistaken with the Government. Events are proving, and have proved, that we have not yet arrived at that degree of security when it matters little whether a country has or has not a Chamber all ready for action. The session which is about to open on the 3Ist July may become a session most grave. The events of which Spain is the theatre—the change of the President of the Council in France—the Ministerial shock in England—render the presence and the support of the Chambers necessary to the Government. We were then wrong. Let those who think themselves infallible triumph at this admission. We prefer to confess the fact, and to condemn ourselves. All amourpropre hold always yield to the interests of the country ; and it would be strange indeed that the avowal of an error should be con- sidered surprising ou the part of mere human prudence."

This I call " gachis," and the Doctrinaires are evidently chin-deep in it, and it is rising to their mouths and eyes. Poor Doctrinaires! No, no—we will not reproach you, for your want of" human prudence;" but we will reproach you for your obstinacy, your perversity, your inconsiderateness, and above all for your innate Jesuitical love of the principles of that Counter-Revolution which you now fear will crush you. But this is not all. After having declared, in the article from which 1 am extracting, that the " foreign portion" of the Spanish question is not that which is the most difficult, it observes-

- We must not deceive ourselves, or others. The question is a disable one. in Spain, by the side of the purely Spanish question, there is another which is French.

The Counter-Revolutionary party no huger snakes c:; ar in La Vendee, where it has been so often defeated ; but it makes it in Navarre, and in Biscay, It is there that this Party will search out the Revolution: it is there it hopes to crush it; it is the Charter 1211830 which it menaces in the free institutions founded by the Queen of Spain: and it is to our Chambers it shows the bayonets of Dou Carlos driving away the Cortes of Madrid. If the Cuuder.Bevolutiouary party carries its arms into Spain. it is because it thinks its game is more brilliant there than in France."—" Spain is the field of battle ; but France is the point aimed at. At Madrid. and at Paris, the question is the same—it is that of Constitutionai Monarchies (spina the Absolute Monarchies of the Middle Ayes !I'!"

To be sure it is : there is no doubt about it. But is this the Debats we are reading ? or is it an article from MA ICRA ST in the Tribune, or from A RM A ND .GARREL in the National!—From neither. It is in the De'bats—the lead- mg article—the large-typed article—the protest of the Government of Louts Putur to justify an intervention in the affairs of Spain. But can it be so ? I rub my eyes again and again ; and look to see if "L. P. BRIITIN L'Atats" has really signed the Dehats as " Le Redacteur en chef, Gerant responsable ;" and I find that he has done so—and that in truth and earnest it is the Debata.

So, then, all the caresses lavished on Pozzo ni Bono° have been in vain. So then, all the sacrifices inarie to M. D'A PPON Y have been in vain. So then,

all the humiliation which one French Minister of Foreign Affairs after another has submitted to since 1830, at the hands of M. nr Writriirn, the Prussian Minister at Paris, has been in vain. So then, the Carlists and Royalists in France have been courted and flattered in vain. So then, theexpulsion of the Polish refugees front France, Belgium, and Switzerland, has been consented to in vain. So then, the persecutions to which the patriotic press and clubs of France hate been subjected have all been in vain. So then, the refusal townie Belgium and France, though Belgium. offered the union, was made to gratify the Holy Alliance in vain. So then, the non 'settlement of the Belgian ques- tion, by France and England, and the non termination of the conferences as to that complicated matter, in order to curry favour with the King of Holland and the Court of St. Petersburg, have all been in vain. So then, the permission granted to the Emperor Nrciioaas (if not express and written, at least implied and matter-of-fact permission) to convent Poland into a mere Russian military province, has been made in vain. So then, the backwardness of France and of England (I do not mean the People, but the Governments) to interfere, as they ought to have done, in the affairs of Germany at the Congress of Vienna, has all been in vain. SO then, the scandalous neglect of the same Whig and Doc- triliaire Governments to say to Russia " You shall not advance one step towards

Constantinople," has been another concession made to Russia in vain. So then, all the laws passed in France against the liberty of the press, and the right of association in this country, have been passed to please foreign powers, and to gratify the holy Alliance, in vain. So then, Italy has been humbled by France in vain ; and Greece has been left to Russian dictation and influence in vain ; and Switzerland has been counselled to ask pardon of the King of Sar- dinia and of the Emperor of Austnia in vain. Yes, yes ; all this has been done in vain : and I ant glad of it. I rejoice at it. I thank God on my handed knees that all these concessions have been made in vain; and 1 thank God that the enemies of liberty, the Whigs and the Doctrinaires of France and of England, are now compelled to admit that the VeSti011 NOW TO BE DECIDED, " IS TIENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHIES, AC. I NST THE ABSOLUTE MONA ILCH lEs or THE MIDDLE ACES." There will he another question by- and-by— between Republics and Consi::eitional Mona, chies;" but for the pre- sent, we will dispose of that which is on the lapis, and fight roundly and fairly the battle announced by the Debuts. Now all this is what I call "gachis ;" and ifever in any country in the world a government was up to its eyes and ears in a slough of despondency and misery, that Government is certainly that of the French Doctrinaires.

Russia does not dream of king friendly with the Revolution of It Austria does not dream of recognizing the Constitutions of Spatiu OT of Portugal. Prussia has nut the slightest idea of acknowledging the division of Belgium from Holland. These powers have been trickier; fur four years—g. t i tt i l time— deluding the Court and the dynasty-of Lours Priistr—jesting and jeering with the Whigs and the House of Brunswick—and mocking, yes mocking the Pal.- atrasroNs and the TALLEY ita nits, the inErs and the lieocsIEsof France and England. And now the battle to be fought " is that of Constitutional 3lonarchies against the Monarchies of the Middle Ages!" But will the Doctrinaires be allowed to fight this battle? Will France trust such men its Prinsil., Toirus, DE Rte. N V, and GUIZOT, with her interests in such a cause, will during such a conflict ?—Certainly not ! A cry will soon he heard in France, which shall not be uncertain—shall not be suspicious— shall not issue from the mouths of such journals as the Debats, or from the pens of such writers as M. ; but a cry of "EN AVANT " shall be raised, and the Revolution of 1830 shall attain its end.

This is the state of ;melds in which France is placed,—her dearest interests, her most valued rights, her integrity, her institutions, her liberties, all in jeopardy', and all in danger. in consequence of the anti-national march of her Government since March 1831. But will public feeling be revived ? will pub- lic indifference disappear ? will the Doctrinaires, who have lavished for three years incessant praises on the "good faith" of the Holy Alliance, now be able to convince Fl :we that in this, a.; in other respects, the Government has been deceived ?—I know nut, but I think not. Public feeling and public energy will return ; patriotism and revolutionary sentiment will come hack ; but wo to the Doctrinaires, in my opinion, when once the current shall set in; for when France shall find herself betrayed, oh then she will become a rampant and even most savage lion ! This is the gachiss and the Doctrinaires are sweating blood with apprehension and horror. They will soon call on the Opposition to deliver and to save them ; but then the Opposition must leave them to their fate, and abandon them to their destiny. Nor is this all. The affairs of the East are more and more complicated. Russia will not yield. Russia is extending, hourly, her influence in Turkey, and in the whole of the South of Europe. Her naval forces are augmenting. Her army and navy hold the Dardanelles in their power. Russia requires that England should diminish her naval forces in Mediterranean, and that France should remain at home; whilst LA RECCE is sent to Palis to demand the expul- sion of all Polish refugees. This is another element in the gachis. Then come the affairs of Algiers—the cause of Donna MARIA in Portugal— the occupation of Ancona by the French—the situation of Switzerland—and above all, the Belgian-Dutch discussions. On all of these, the Holy Alliance has determined not to yield. Don ItliGues is to get back to Portugal, as Don CA Rims was sent back to Spain. By this time he has probably left Genoa. The Legitimists of France and the Tories of England supply money ad libitum. Nothing in the shape of money is wanting. 1 he King of Holland " assures his absent friends, that every thing is marching must satisfactorily ; " and he renews his promise "never to yield." The French Government knows all this : and therefore it feels how stiff, bow sticking, how vexatious and troublesome is this gachis. Pozzo tin BORG°, WERT Ii ER, and D'A eroxv, have expressly told M. DE RIGNY, that if a French army shall enter Spain, there will be immediately a Prussian and Austrian army on the Rhine. Russian will avail herself of that moment to extend her Southern conquests ; whilst Spain, if governed by Don CA IcLos (and this is not impossible), will agitate and annoy the Southern and Western provinces of France against the Charter of 1830 and in favour of the Duke of BORDEAUX. A French national Ministry would then enter Spain 50,000 strong, to the tune of the Marseillaise ; and from that moment Europe' would be free !

But will the Doctrinaires do this ?—No. Will the Whigs encourage this?— No. And yet they admit that the battle to be fought, "is that of Constitutional Monarchies., against the Monarchies of the Middle Ages ! ! ! " This is the garhis. Such men as GERARD and MELBOURNE, A LTHORP and HUM A NN, Dv scannon and Ducliarrs, Guitar and BROUGH AM, may be very successful in introducing us into such gachis ; but will be wholly unable to extricate tis from it. but the People of both countries will soon open their eyes —soon speak aloud ; and then all this miserable tripotage will be at an end : for, spite of Whigs, and spite of Doctrinaires, the Revolution is marching in

Europe. I am, Sir, yours obediently, 0. P. Q.