The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-08
VICTOR HUGO.

Speech Il CLOSING Pence Com
Rress in Switzerland.
The following is the text Of Victor Hugo's
speech closing the Peace Congress, which is
said to have raised quite storm of enthu-
siasm:-
Citizens it is my duty to close this Con-
gress by a final word. / will try to be cordial;
help me. You are the Congress of Peace,
that is to say, of civilization. On that point
allow me remembrance. Twenty years ago,
in 1910, there was at Paris a Congress of
Peace. 1t was on the oath of August
bloody date The anniversary of the Saint
Bartholomew Two priests, representing
the two forms of Christianity, were there;
the Pastor Coquerel and the Able De-
guerry. The chairman of the Congress
the man who has the honor of addressing
you-evoked the nefarious souvenir of 1872,
and addressing the two ministers he told
them, "Kiss each other" In presence
of that sinister date, to the acclamation
of the assembly, Catholicism and Protestant
ism Joined lips. To-day, only few hours
separate us from another date which is as
illustrious as the first one is infamous; we are
nigh to the 22d of September 1t was on
that day that the French republic was founded,
and if despotism and fanaticism had, on the
9th of August, 1872, said their last word,
extermination-on the 22d of September,
1892, democracy sent forth its first cry,
'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" Well That
sublime date recalls to my memory those two
religions represented by two priests, who gave
each other the kiss of peace, and call for
another embrace. This one is easy; it has
nothing to be forgotten. 1 ask for the en-
brace of the republic and socialism. CThun-
ders of applause Our enemies say, eff
necessary, socialism would accept the empire 1"
1t is not true. Our enemies say, 'The
republic ignores socialism" 1t is not true.
The high and deinitive formula which | have
just recalled, while it expresses the whole
republic, also expresses the whole socialism.
At the side of liberty, which implies property,
there is equality, which implies the right of
work-a lofty formula Of 1913; and there is
also fraternity, which implies solidarity.
Therefore republicanism and socialism are
| one. prolonged bravos.) Citizens, / am
! not myself Republican of the eve, but am
a socialist of the day before the eve. My
socialism dates from 1928, therefore / have
the right to speak of it. Socialism is vast
and not narrow; it embraces all human pro-
blems, the social conception in its entirety.
| While it evokes the important question of
work and wages, it proclaims the inviolability
! of human life, the abolition of war, the aboli-
ton of the gallows, the abolition of murder
under all its forms, the substitution OF
instruction for penalty. (Applause.) 1t pro.
claims the gratuitous and obligatory educa-
ton; it proclaims woman equal to man
| (bravo); it proclaims the right of the child
| and the responsibility of man; lastly, it pro-
claims the individual sovereignty, which is
identical with liberty. What is all that? 1t
is socialism; it is also republicanism. Citizens
socialism is the affirmation of life; republ
canism is the affirmation of right. The one
raises up the man to the dignity of citizen
Is there an accord more perfect? Yes, we al
agree We do not want Caesar. I defend
socialism, which is illuminated. On the day
when the question is put between slavery and
| well-being-p021em ct cGfce0ses on the one
hand and liberty with poverty on the other
no one amongst the Republicans and the
Socialists will hesitate and ALL declare it, af
firm it, answer for it--all will prefer to the
white bread of servitude the black bread o.
liberty. Enthusiastic bravos) Therefore
we must not let antagonism appear and ger
inmate. Therefore, my socialist brethren
my republican brethren, let us stand clos
and serried around Justice and truth; let u
face the enemy. Who is the enemy? Th
enemy is more and less than man. 1t is
compound of hideous facts, which weigh
on the world and which devours it. 1t is
monster with q thousand claws, although wit
but one head. The enemy? 1t is that SIMS
ter incarnation of the old military and me
narchical crime who stiles and spoliates us
who puts his hand on our mouths and in ou
pockets (yes, yes; true, true) who has th
millions, the budgets, the priests, the wallets
the civil lists, the palaces, all the armies an
not a single people. (Applause). The enc
myit is who reigns, governs, and organize
at the present moment. (Thunder
of applause.) Citizens let us be tn
enemies of the enemy; let us be our ow
friends; let us be only one soul to fight him
let us have only one heart to love each Other
Citizens, let us cry Fraternity! (Yes, yes
Bravo) Another word and L have finished
Let us look at the future; let us think of tn
day certain, inevita ole, near at hand, PEI
haps, when the whole of Europe will be Gu
tivated like that noble Swiss country whic
welcomes us at this moment. That itt
people has its grandeur, it has a countr
which is called a republic, it has mountai
which is called the Virgin. Like Switzerland
let us have republic for CITADEL and ma
our immaculate and inviolable liberty be lilS
the Jung frau, a virgin peak in full light.
salute the future revolution (We all gre
it with you Bravo bravo y