The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-27
EDUCATION FOR THE PEOPLE.
France To Be Revenged Upon Germany
by Peace, Prosperity and Greatness.
RECOVERY OF THE PROVINCES.
Wait TIL Germany is at War---Then viii
Trarce RecOnquer Alsace and Lorraine.

PARIS, Sept. II, 1872
found Gambetta still living IN the modest apart
ments In the Rue de MOntagne 1t is on the first floor
above the ensesol and consists OF probably a suit
of half dozen small but comfortable rooms open
ing a court one side, on the quiet little Rue
de Montague on the other Upon entering you
pass first through the library or rather store
OF books for 1t is too small and illlghted to serve
all the purposes of library; thence into small
dining rOom or what seems to be such, on the left
OF which is a small room serving waiting room
and study usually occupied by his secretary,
young Partisan lawyer and journalist. After q few
minutes waiting was shown by the latter into
neatly furnished parlor, whose principal ornament
was small group OF statuary In bronze repre-
Benting dying man, a wild-laced woman trying to
shield him and frightened child crouching and
hiding in her robes upon the base Of which was in
scribed In French
TO Leon Gambetta, by the grateful inhabitants
OF Alsace and Lorraine.
1t would seem that the people of those provinces,
ut least did not look upon Gambetta as fOu
f,trieur for wishing to continue the unequal strug
gle, but that on the contrary they regarded him
the only real friend they had; almost the only man
In France who did not act the cOwardly part of
abandoning them to their fate. after having made
p very well to talk about the imposslbility of
tinulng the contest but had the of the French
people been willing to undergo the prvations and
horrors they condemned the people OF these two
provinces to suffer, the result of the struggle
would have been very different. Like Artemus Ward,
they were willing to sacrifice their poor relations
Of Asace and Lorraine as long as the war ragged
around Metz and Strasbourg, but when the scourge
approached their own homes their patriotism
changed Its character and the same men
who had been most clamorous for war, whose
cries of "a Berlin ~ had been the loudest were
now the very men to turn upon Gambetta and de-
nounce him as 50u ttrieatr" for refusing to
abandon these provinces to their fate The AL
satians have apparently not forgotten this If one
Is to judge by the group In question.
l had just entered on train OF thought some.
thing like this when Mr.. Gambetta came in and
cordially extended me his hand.
'You seem to have friends In Germany, Mr.. Gam
BETA" remarked pointing to the statuary in
question.
Eyes" he replied, regarding 1t rather sadly. IL
have, believe, warm friends there in France,
and know have fewer enemies"
CORRESPONDENT should judge however, that
the Republic, and consequently you, whose name Is
so intimately connected with 1t, have fewer enemies
than you had this time last year.
NJ. GAMBETTA-That Is very true; the situation
within the last year has greatly changed for
the better This time year ago, we had not en-
tirely recovered from the astonishment In which
we had been thrown by the fearful catastrophe of
the Commune, which many confounded with the
Republic; everything was in confusion and dis
order no one knew what day might bring forth,
and II at that time the monarchsts had found
among them man bold enough to risk his head,
and strike the blow, 1t would have been all over
w thn 1ia hon tva hoy haon rain
ing strength, however, slowly but surely, and the
monarchists, who at last beginning to perceive
this fact, are In despair. At present we have only
to work steadily and quietly for the consolidation
OF the Republic in order to establish 1t upon solid
foundation. Our watchword now, is "work and
wait"
WEAKNESS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
CoRREsPoNDENT-so you think the present stua
ton can last long2
M. GAMBETTA-I do not. The National Assembly
is fast losing all the consideration 1t ever had In
the country. Beaten, bulied and Inundated by NJ
TIMERS, ~ has allowed itself to become simple
register OF his WILL and 1t no more serves the pur-
poses OF real legislation than did the old Corps
Legislatif OF NJ Rouher. Instead OF compelling NJ
Theirs to do its will, II is tyraniled over by him and
made to 10 his bidding, for the simple reason that
ills composed of such ncongruous elements that it
cannot be united on any important matter except
tiiousH IHe very pTeSSuTc eAclClScu ny nllu, Inc
result Is that its members do not even represent
themselves not TO speak OF the country; NJ. TIMERS
does not represent either the country or the As.
sembly, and the consequence is that between them
the country is not represented at all.
TIE DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY.
CoRREsPoNDENT-How will 10 all endS
M. GAMBErTA-The Assembly being now adj
lourned FOR the summer vacation the members re-
turned TO their constituents. See how unpopular
they have become, how little sympathy or real
support they have In the country; that the coun.
try, In short is against them They will come
back TO Versailles discouraged and demorazed
and NJ Theirs will browbeat them more than ever.
When they shall once become convinced OF their
own useessness, ncapacity and the absurdity of
their position as the country already Is, some one
Will propose dissolution OF the Assembly to make
way for a constituent body; they will vote for the
proposition out OF sheer despair, new Assem-
bly, Will be elected which will possess majority