The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-11-13 00:00:00

BL ROCHEFORT IN PARIS.

M. Rochefort, the hero of the hour, appeared lallt
Saturday evening at api die electoral 1111 etimi of the
let Cireuinscri htion, in the Rue D eirauville, Ls
Chapelle. M. Vertnorel, forrnerlyr &tor of the Courtier
Feoncuis, was in the chair. About 1,509 persons
wen. present. M. llochef.mt, on mounting the tribune
was saluted with enthusiastic and unanimous cheers,
which lasted for several minutes. When s.lence was
obtained he woe very pale and for some time his voice
faltered, but it gradually pale,
audible. Ile said
. •

Citizens, the emotions winch! cannot conceal may perhaps
give yU a poor Weds of my energy; hut when an exile, on
returning hinne, meets with such a reception as yon have
Just given elle, such emotion is, I hope, excusable. Yon do
not yet know nu.' lout you trust me already, soil 111100 k you.
At Brussels as at l'Arls I have dally watched the pr icress of
the great revolution which we will accomplish together. II
I have taken tile oath It is only because I shrink from nothing
to serve the cause of the re :plo. The non stion 11 the sostli
is Ft .1.10115 0110. I hive takt.ll it San my eyes open. i
know well enongh that on the slay after the lievolution they
Who plow sl under this yoke will be put in he index. bolt I
accept this situath so, and am resigned list wetland Let the
Revoluthoo do with me as it will The oath, moreover, is
less homdliating to the candidate S ho animas to take it than
to the Government which imposes it, and thereby shows its
terror at certain names.
_.• • •

The Coaaniaary of Police, hiterruptity, gave two
wal n .

lat. Because the Constitutional (location of the oath could
not he discussed : and 2nd Because Prophecies of a
Itstothhc could hot be tolerated under the Entperor'a govern-

M. Rochefort continued :

,
Never did a strong Government more stupidly avow Its
we tit...B lima the present owe Old by the invention of the
..n: h It pretends to call on universal suffrage to pronounce
between HAW( alai TIN, and when universal suffrage is blend
to answer, shuts up its mouth. 1 have thou:nit it my duty to
offer you my set vices without any reserve Citizens, we hays
a comtuon object. I have never concealed my intentions, and
I see that you agree with me.
Loud cries followed of "Yes, yes! " On descending
from the tribune, M. Rochefort had difficulty in gain-
ing his place, so touch was he pressed upon by people
striving to shake bands with him. It was unanimously
resolved at this meeting that Rochefort should be the

-ole candidate.
Simultaneously another meeting in the came circum-
acription was held at the Folio; Belleville, M. Gam-
betta in the chair. AI. Laurier reiterated his deters
mination to withdraw in favour of Rochefort. After
4 siting till the time fixed by law for closing, in the
hope that tine favourite candidate wou'nl make bin ap-
oearance, the meeting separated with cries of " Vive
Roeinef. nrt I"
The Rowel publishes the following letter:—
My dear Frieuils,—The Court journals absolutely will
have it that I am under an obligidi in to the Emperor, be-
cause after arresting me at the frontier he set vie at liberty
eight hours later I desire to have the public for judge,
and not the Constitutionna The truth is that at noon a
c missary of police said to me, you are a prisoner, and
at eight In the evening he added, you are free. There is the
while hichiput in all its simplicity. The ni.ignanimity of the
Government, therefore consots in having done a foolish
thing at union, and finding lilt its mistake at eight—inst as in
everything it his done for the last eighteen yearn—when it
was " too late." The stmy which these Journalists tell about
a safe conduct is all a fable. I have seen no site conduct.
Nobody ever , p die to one of one. !lad the Government had
the hail taste t eller me one I should probably have
answered that I dint nit care shout toeing safe and °id not
• not to tne nunnolneted, and most likely thrown the document
in the face of the donor. this explanation was necessary to
excuse my ingratitude, which is more radical than ever. Mille
poigwes de main titnelni ROCIIEFOIIT.
The Soir observant upon this characteristically " irre-
concileable" letter that the Pan conduct must exist,
otherwise M. li.nchefort would at thin moment he
imprisoned, pursuant to the sentence of four months
against him for his assault upon a prin' er, and that if
he did not get a notification of it, which must
have been sent by post, the only reason was that
it was desired to spare him the unpleaaantness
of a twenty-four hours' sojourn in custody at
Feignies. It says that M. Batch, fort, on being told
that telegraphic orders had come to net him at
liberty, thanked the cononissiary of police for his
courtesy, and mentioned incidentally that the Lanterne
would shortly crake to appear. The antbirreconcileable
journals are not at one as to the policy of the act of
special clemency to Rochefort. In the Liberte M.
Emile de G rardin hails it in an article headed
" Bravo !" and seems to think it diminishes the chance
of Roclaefort's election. But M. Rouher's organ the
Public groans over the act as an "ill-judged expe-
dient." Both the Liberte. and Pubhc, however, agree
in drawing the logical consequence that a safe
conduct ought not now to be refused to M. Ledru
Rollin.
It is thought that M. Rochefort will be elected by an
enormous majority, and this was the general opinion at
a grand dinner given by M. Emile de Girardin, at
which M. Emile 011ivier was present.
M. Ledru Rollin, who had a requisition from a com-
mittee of the third circumscription, cifering to support
him if he would take the oath, declined to do so ; but
he now comes forward in the fourth circumscription as
a non juror. The Berril publishes the following laconic
letter from him to the Democratic Socialist Committee
of that district:
citizens,—ln answer to your appeal, I accept with
deference and g”titude your proposal to stand an a non-
Wing candidate for the fourth circumscription of the de-
partment of the Seine. It is a serious determination, and
one the responsibLity of which I have maturely weighed. I
shall have the honour subsequently to submit to you the
irresistible considerations which have acted upon my con-
science and Republican faith.—Salutation and fraternity,