l, teasing vexations from these military
bureaucrats, and made to feel at every step he takes that he is a
prisoner on leave of absence, and only breathes the air of his native
land by the goodwill of his conquerors. The English public must not
forget that direct postal communications between Paris and foreign
countries are not re-established. Letters from and to England must be
addressed to some agent at Versailles or elsewhere, and from thence
re-addressed to Paris. As in a day or two trains will run pretty
regularly between Paris and London, had our diplomatic wiseacres been
worth in pence what they cost us in pounds, by this time they would have
made some arrangement to ensure a daily mailbag to England leaving
Paris.

News was received yesterday that Gambetta had resigned, and it has been
published this morning in the _Journal Officiel_. A witness of the
Council at which it was agreed to send the three old women of the
Government to Bordeaux to replace him, tells me that everybody kissed
and hugged everybody for half an hour. The old women were ordered to
arrest Gambetta if he attempted resistance. It was much like telling a
street-sweeper to arrest a stalwart Guardsman. "Do not be rash," cried
Trochu. "We will not," replied the old women; "we will remain in one of
the suburbs of Bordeaux, until we learn that we can enter it with
safety." This reply removed from the minds of their friends any fear
that they would incur unnecessary risks in carrying out their mission.

Provisions are arriving pretty freely. All fear of absolute famine has
disappeared. To-day the bread is far better than any we have had of
late. Some sheep and oxen were seen yesterday in the streets.

The walls are covered with the professions of faith of citizens who
aspire to the honour of a seat in the National Assembly. We have the
candidate averse to public affairs, but yielding to the request of a
large number of supporters; the candidate who feels within himself the
power to save the country, and comes forward to do so; the candidate who
is young and vigorous, although as yet untried; the candidate who is
old and wise, but still vigorous; the man of business candidate; the man
of leisure candidate, who will devote his days and nights to the service
of the country; then there is the military candidate, whose name, he
modestly flatters himself, has been heard above the din of battle, and
typifies armed France. I recommend to would-be M.P.'s at