Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-09-20
From the .fl5any Daily .fdueriiser.
THE ACTORS IN THE SCENE.

No. VILLA ErrrE, The Banker and Deputy.
Anong the prominent actors IN the scene, Is
Monsieur JACQUES La Fife, Of the Rue D'Artois
boulevard Jtaiien. His character is somewhat
nuzziine. He may be a sincere friend Of liber-
~. bat one transaction which we shall presently
notice. has not done him credit He is native
Of Bayonne. and was born Of humble paren-
tage in 1853. He early went to Paris, and en-
tered the house Of Pcrreyaux as their book
keeper. His great ability as financ'er pro-
noted the interest of that establishment as well
as his own. He gradually lose in favor with the
principal men in Office. and was made Judge OF
the Tribunal of Commerce IN 1878, and Cover:
nor Of the Bank in 1914 by the provisional gov
ernment in the place Of Jaubert. lie retained
his situation until 1920. when he was displaced:
He had received some distinguished proofs OF
confidence in the interim from the mercantile IN
terest of Paris. In 1873. when 1t became ne.
cessary to withdraw the French armies beyond
the Loire, in compliance with the requisiuons OF
ithe second oauitulation of the city, no money
was to be had without drawing from the bank, to
the great injury Of its credit. La Fitte came
forward at this crisis, with generosity and pa
triotic feeling unheard of among modern money
Changers, he advanced about Sac, 600 out OF his
own pocket, and saved the Parisians from the
hard Alternative which would have followed
noncompliance with the treaty. In 1916 he
wrote famous repor: on the state OF the bank,
and developed the beautiful simplicity Ut Its oPe-
rations-a fine contrast to the mystery, pretcn-
sions, we had almost said charlatanry, Of similar
institutions aspiring to political influence under
our own ewes. In 1916 he was elected Depu-
ty by the electoral college OF the Seine, and be-
came at once an important member OF the Cham.
Der. From that time to the present, he has re.
tanned his seat, and we perceive In the Journal
Of Debates. that he has not hesitated to express
his opinion fearlessly Oh all the subjects coming
up for discussion.
When Napoleon abdcated for the second
time. about five millions Of francs were deposited
with La Fitte for his benefit. The Emperor told
him he believed he was an honest man, although
he had been opposed to his government, and he
should not take " leceipt for the sum. So. too.
when Louis Sth was obliged to depart for Client,
he made La Fitte h:s banker for a considerable
amount, which Napoleon, on lis return, had the
moral feeling to leave untouched in his hands.
| The point which we alluded to in the first part
c: this sketch, as being unfavorable to him is
this: La Fitte refused to pay over to the Empe-
ror's legatees the amount in his hands beqneath-
ed in his will and law suit was OF necessity
commenced by some IF them to obtain their
rights. We have an idea that some compromise
has been made, but the first refusal to pay over
the sacred deposit. discredted him with all homo
rable men. We have never heard of any salts
factory reason for La Ftte's singular conduct
| -see9e4e>
We copy the following just rebuke from the
Nashville Banner.
{. We are surprised that the Richmond Enqui-
rer should so far lose sight of its own dignity
and self respect as to give place in its columns,
with apparent appreciation and pleasure, to the
following paragraph.
! "The Wilmington Watchlnan calls Nr.CLAY
the Eating Hero Of the Coalitionists, and Mr..
Barton the Drinking Hero. 1t says, that as the
former invokes :. War, Pestilence and Famine
upon his country, and the latter wishes to gull
lotne the men Of her choice" their powers should
be united, and that such spectacle would afford
- finished view Of their American system. lit
tie surprising the mechanical dinner at Washing
tom"
"Contempt and disrespect towards the most
distinguished and Justly esteemed statesmen in
our country, reflect discredit rather upon those
who affect to exhibit them, than upon the worthy
objects of such insuence. Time was, when the
Richmond Enquirer would have promptly re-
scented an insult TO Mr.. CLAY, and when that
same versatile print denounced the elevation Of
Gen. Jackson to the Presidency as curse to the
country. IL now, with characteristic consisten-
CIV, defends every act and opinion Of its predicted
course and insults its former fayorite as 6 the
Eating Hero of the Coalitionists." Such Ian
suage, in both instances equally undersigned, is
alike discreditable the print that employed it.
MIR. CLAY never invoked ''war, pestilence,
and famine upon his country" and the Enquirer
disgraces itself by the pitifn misrepresentation;
! nor did he ever, in his loudest denunciations of
his great political rival, go father than the Rich
mond Enquirer had gone before, when it pro-
nounced the election of that rival to the Presi-
dency 80 curse TO the country" MIR. Richie
should be aware how he insults and derides such
a man as Mr.. CLAY for echoing his own Ian
guage and warning the country against an event
which he had himself deliberately and empha-
ticalv denounced as a political and moral curse.
"We are opposed to all such unmanly bitter
ness 1t is not necessary to the support OF Gen.
Jackson, or Mr.. Van Buren-it is not indeed the
best mode of supporting them-to treat with con.
tempt their distinguished competitor or any of
their prominent ODDosers Dignity, courtesy