The opening of the French Legislature.
--A correspondent of the New York
World, writing from
Paris, thus describes the opening of the French Legislature:
The appointed hour was one o'clock, and as early as eleven the lines of carriages might be seen beginning to wend their way to the place of rendezvous Giled with official personages of every grade — civil, military, and ecclesiastical — all
engrande tenue, or with the general public in plain garbs, who had been fortunate enough to obtain tickets.
Vast crowds assembled in the
Place de Carousel and the
Place Napoleon III., and the animation displayed, and the eager tone in which the probable bearings of the
Emperor's language were discussed, showed how much the popular interest in the Legislature has increased of late in
France, and also how much importance was attached to the words that were about to be uttered in its presence.
The intervening space between the Tuilleries and the entrance to the
Grand Salle des Etats, where the
Chambers are convoked, was strewn with gravel and lined on each side with troops of the line and National Guard, Precisely at ten minutes to one the thunder of the guns from the Invalids announced that the
Emperor had entered his carriage, and that the
Imperial procession was on its way to the place of meeting.
Only a few minutes previously the
Empress and her Court had arrived at the entrance of the
Grand Hall, up the centre of which Her Majesty walked with her usual graceful elegance of dress, person, and hearing.
In one hand she held the little Prince Imperial, now grown to be a tine child and tall for his years, attired in the uniform of a corporal of the Grenadiers.
Close beside her walked the
Princesses Clotilde and
Mathilde.
Lucien and Joachim,
Murat and
Princess Anna Murat, remarkable for her beauty and dignified carriage.
The sight at this moment was very brilliant and imposing, the vast ball with its side galleries and double range of richly gilded columns was filled to overflowing on each side with elegantly attired ladies, while the middle space was entirely occupied with the gorgeous robes and uniforms of Cardinals, Marshals,
Admirals,
Senators, Deputies, and official persons of every rank.
Round the throne, at the upper end, clustered a still brighter constellation of Chamberlains, Masters of the Ceremonies, Ministers, and other officers of the imperial house hold.
And now the cannon roars still louder, and the
Emperor himself enters from the bottom of the halt, the entire assembly rising and greeting him with loud cheers.
Napoleon III.
seems stouter every time he appears in public; but he looked in good health, and firm and calm in tone and manner.
Ascending his throne, he drew forth the speech, which he read with a clear and well accented utterance, and amidst the deepest silence and attention.
You might at any moment have heard a pin drop upon the marble floor.
