sed of
strongminded women and demagogues, who never did an honest day's work in
their lives. The Government has, however, been "interviewed" on the
subject of the municipal elections by the chiefs of the battalions of
the National Guards of the Faubourgs, and, if only some men of position
can be found to put themselves at the head of the movement, it will
cause trouble. As yet, Ledru-Rollin is the only known politician who
avowedly favours it. The Government is, I believe, divided upon the
expediency of holding the elections at once, or rather I should say,
upon the possibility of putting them off without provoking disturbances.
I am inclined to think that, as is usually the case, the Moderates will
yield on this point to their Ultra colleagues. Very possibly they may
think that, if ever a capitulation becomes necessary, it will be as well
to make the nominees of the Faubourgs share in the responsibility. As
Jules Favre said of Rochefort, they are perhaps safer in the Government
than outside of it.

The column of the Place Vendome is daily bombarded by indignant
patriots, who demand that it should be razed to the ground, and the
metal of which it is composed be melted down into cannon. The statue of
Napoleon I., in the cocked hat and great-coat, which used to be on its
summit, was removed a few years ago to a pedestal at the end of the
Avenue de la Grande Armee. It has been concealed to preserve it from the
iconoclasts. There has been a lull of late in M. Gambetta's
proclamations. Within the last twenty-four hours, not above two fresh
ones have appeared. The newspapers are beginning to clamour for a
sortie. Why, they ask, are we to allow ourselves to be besieged by an
army which does not equal in numbers our own? Why are we to allow them
quietly to establish their batteries? There is a certain amount of sense
in these complaints, though the vital question of how regiments, which
have never had an opportunity of being brigaded together, will be able
to vanquish in the open field the disciplined troops of Germany, is the
unknown [Greek: x] in the problem which has yet to be solved. It is
evident, however, that the question must be tested, unless we are to
remain within the fortifications until we have digested our last omnibus
horse. If the enemy attacks, there is fair ground to suppose that he
will be repelled; but then, perhaps he will leave us to make the first
move. Without entering into details, I may say that consid