The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-02
Speakers OF the French Assembly.

long and last adieu.
10ern Point, july, 1878.
Speakers OF the French Assembly.
correspondent of the Pail Mall Gazette
furnishes some entertaining gossip about
tho different Speakers of the French
Chamber. He assumes that of the twenty
two gentlemen who have held the Speak
ership since 1889, three only have left their
mark-M, Boissy d. Anglas, NJ. Dupin, and
the Duke dc Morny. NJ. Boissy d'Anglas
"was feeble man, who wore blue striped
stockings, and carried an unloaded pistol
in his pocket. He was President of the
Convention; and whom the debates grew
stormy-which happened every day-he
would scream distractedly, What am to
do? l cntreat you to respect your Presi
dent Pray consider, citizens, that modera-
ton is the charm of language" One
single act of firmness has immortalzed
| him. The Assembly having boon invaded
by mob, the representative Feraud was
killed, and his bleeding head, stuck on a
pike, was thrust under the Presidents
| face. Boissy d'Anglas naively avewed
| afterwards that had he been aware that
the door behind his chair was ajar he
should have bolted through it; but this
door was generally locked, SO, fancying
escape was impossible, he rose and uncov-
cred himself before the head. The act
was so gravely and decorously performed
that it overawed the populace; and Boissy
d Anglas, treated from that day forth with
a respect to which he was unaccustomed,
waxed frequently bold and even personal.
One day, seeing Barrere scale the tribune
in front of the old and imfirm representa-
| tive Durrieu, whose turn it was to speak,
he shouted to him to stand down. And
what if don't?' yelled Barrerc. You
have given so few proofs of personal cour-
| age in the course Of your career that such
refusal would surprise me, answered
Boissy dAnglas coolly; and Barrere, who
was no lion, skunk away amid general
laughter"
Lucien Bonaparte occupied the chair at
| the time Of the First Napeleon's coup
d etat when the Assembly was expelled by
bayonets. Not feeling sure at first
whether the coup d'etat would succeed, he
buried his face in his hands and appeared
to be weeping over the outrage offered to
gan to get the best of it, he stood up and
cried, 'Vive Bonaparte! adding with
great presence of mind, l shed tears of
joy to think that our vain debates are now
at an end -
| NJ. Dupin, the second Of the three prom
inent Speakers, came in with the Revolu-
ton of 1880. IIo wore pair dumped
highlows, delight of the comic papers, and
he would stamp these with great determin-
alton on the floor when the appeals Of his
bell proved unavailing.
"President Dupin was famous for many
qualities. lie was impartial, keen law
yer, an eloquent debater, and ready wit.
| lie treated the House like parcel of school
boys, and piled his tongue like a rattan
about their heads; but he made no differ
ence between one side of the Assembly and
the other. His greatest friend was Berger,
from whom no differed totally in politics,
but whose vigorous tits against some of
the Ministers whom he, Dupin, disliked
often pleased him immensely. One day
Berger went little too far in his attacks
on a member of the Government, and Du-
| i'm foil 1ol 70 CT.
or, if you go on in that style, l shall be
obliged to call you to ORDER but, leaning
over, he whispered in the speakers ear
pitch into him (sTape dossus'.) On an
other occasion a NJ. Abraham, ono Of the
colonial members and Mulatto, had as
csnded the tribune with formidable
written speech, which Immediately thinned
the House. The remaining members
showing frequent signs of impatience, Du.
pin stopped and whispered, Cant you
skip but this doing little good, Dupin re-
turned to the charge again, saying, Come
Abraham, be true to your name, and
make one more sacraiice.' NJ. Dupin was
so much respected that in 1S49 he was re-
|
bly,, which was violently dissolved in 1851
His words at the coup d'etat were charac-
teristic: l don't advise any of you to op
pose force, he said to the members who
clustered round HIM for advice; and thu
members went their way, convinced once
more that their President was the soul O
prudence
NJ. Grevy, the late Speaker, was mar
of marked courtesy, and would probably
have maintained a high reputation fo
sound Judgment, but for his sudden resg
nation under circumstances of great pro.
o vocation.
NJ. Louis Buffet, the late President,
described as ga stern sort of man, VIII
n has made himself name rather by the aus
j terity of his gait and tho indomitable oh
stinacy of his temper; than by displa
= of the blander qualities which usually re
" commended President"
THE FIRST PURCHAsE.-There is now
d young man doing ilourishing business i
= Massachusetts,, whose boyhood was adorr
: cd by the following act: He was reared i
= poverty, and was early instructed to say
Z his money. This he did with extrem
4 care until ho had enough to pay for a Bibl'
when he laid it out for this Book of book
p As fast as he acquired the means he pu
. chased other Volumes and read them ovI
- with the deepest interest. He grew up
model young man, and has been pursuir
q a successful business for some years. A
though young man now, he il yet IL
possossor of much property. If he Ia
spent tho first twenty-five cents he pc
sessed for visit to the theatre, Or son
other pleasure, he might have been a mi