The weekly Butte record. [volume] (Oroville [Calif.]) 1866-1887, 1867-03-23
Victor Hugo.

interesting article relative TO this expatrated man
of letters and genius that cannot fail to be inter
esting TO every one who has single spark OF man
or womanhood about them. Ii says: Ii has now
been ten years since protest published against a
violation of the sacred right Of asylum made a
pretext to drive from the Island OF Jersey the refu
gee Frenchmen who had sought home there after
the comp d'etas of December ISL. To that act of
expulsion the sister Island of Guernsey owes this
day the immense honor of sheltering one of the
master minds of Europe. Victor Hugo. In this
beautiful little isle OF the Norman Archipelago the
latest works OF imagination have been written.
aud il is to the rock of Guernsey. as 'the rock of
liberty and of hospitality that he has dedicated
the last of his books the Toilers of the Sea-. But
it is not only in wreaihing around her rocks the
flowers of his genius that Victor Hugo tenders TO
his asylum thanks for her hospitality. Guernsey
gives to the exiled poet refuge; the poet gives
the poor of Guernsey tender and generous assist
/ aace, and his name is as well known among the
! destitute children of Porte St. Pierre. whom he
makes the sharers of his bounty, as his fame is
familiar to the thinking portion of mankind. who
know him through his genius. poor children are,
/ perhaps, the most affecting objects on the earth ;
were his words, and they have not been the mere
expression of useless sympathy for once every
week some % poor children assemble to substan-
/ tia dinner ia his house. and at the end of Decem
ber takes place the annual feast and distribution Of
! clothing, which may be called the Christmas num-
/ Der of the great writer's charitable works. There
is no selection among these children on account of
/ creed or country. Channel Islanders, English
French ard Irish (the last not the fewest) are
all welcome and the sole claim to hospitality is to
want it. 1t is five years since this little inst
tuition of fortnghty dinner was first established
by Mr.. Hugo, and each year has had the satisfac-
ton of seeing his example more widely followed in
the different parts of Earope by many who wish to
benefit their suffering fellow creatures. On Thurs
day last, the 9th of December, the annual Christ
mas fete took place at Hauteville House, in Guern
sey. There were assembled some - poor children,
varying in age from three to twelve years all
looked happy and joyous. and seemed perfectly at
home in the house and in the presence of their host
The fete was divided into three parts-an excellent
lunch a distribution of clothing, and Christmas
tree. Previous to the distribution, Victor Hugo
addressed his guests and visitors in the following
words:
Ladies and Gentlemen You are aware of the
object of this little meeting. 1t is what, for want
of better term, l call the festival of poor little
children. l desire to speak of it in the humbeSt
terms. and with this feeling would borrow the
simplicity of one of those little who now hear
me- To do good to poor children, as far as am
able is the oijet that have in view. Believe me,
there is no merit in the act, and what l say sin
cerely mean. There is no merit in doing for the
poor what can, for what we can do it Is our
duty to do. Do you know any thing more sad than
the suffsrings of children? When We sutier-we
who are men-we suffer justly, we endure nothing
but what we deserve but children innocent,
and suffering innocence is it not the saddeSt thing
in nature? Here Providence entrusts with
portion of its own functions. God says to man.
conide to thee the child. And he does not conhde
to us our own dear children alone for it is simply
natural that we should have for them, and the
brute obeys the laws of nature better sometimes
than man himself. God entrusts with all the
children that suffer- To be the father, the mother,
of poor chIldren-ths is our highest mission. To
have towards them the parental reeling, is to have
fraternal feeling towards humanity
Mr.. Hugo explained the idea which first led him
to establish this fortnightly dinner, an idea, he
said which had its origin in report upon the diet
of poor children, made eighteen years ago by the
Medical Academy of Paris But continued he,
"engrossed, when in France, by the business of
public life. | had time for establishing dinners
for poor children. Proitng, however by the les-
ure which exile has given me in Gueinseyt have
carried the idea into execution. Believing that if
a good dinner once month could do so much good,
a good dinner once fortnight would do still more.
have fed A. children. q of whom have come to
me every Week. Moreover, when the end of the
year arrives ish to give them the little pleasure
which the children of the rich find in their own
homes; wish also that they may have their
Christmas. This little fete is composed of three
parts-a luncheon, distribution of clothing, and
distribution of toys, for joy is an element of chill
drens health. Therefore it is that dedicate to
them annually Christmas tree. This is the fifth
celebration of the ete. And now why do say all
this . The only merit in good action is to say
nothing about it. | should in fact be silent if
thought only of myself. But my object is not only
to do good to forty children. Ny object above all
is to set useful example. This is my sole excuse,
ladies and gentlemen In support of the benef-
cal effects attending the adoption of this system in
other countries, Mr.. Hugo read extracts from two
newspapers, the Petit Journal and the Times.
The treasurer of the Ragged Chidreus Dinner
Fund. writing TO the last named paper had stated
that during the late epidemic in London, not one
death from cholera had taken place among two
hundred poor children who had thus been nourish-
ed. Upon this fact the speaker laid great import
ance. ard after expressing hope that the 'mourn
ful and deplorable word ragged would soon be
stricken from the noble English language, he thus
concluded:
This, ladies and gentlemen, this is my excuse
for describing to you what takes place here. This
is what justies the publicity given to the dinner to
the forty children. 1t is that from this humble
origin there arises considerable smelioration in
the condition of Suffering innocence. To relieve
chdren-to train them to men--such is our duty.
will add but one word more. There are two
ways of building churches. They may be built OF
stones-tbey may be built of flesh and bones. The
po or whom you have succored 4 church that
YOU have built from whence prayer and gratitude
ascend to God
Many know the marvels of Victor Huso's pen
few are acquainted with the magic Of his voice
and only those who have heard him speak in public
can realize TO its full extent an utterance which