The New York herald., 1875-02-23
THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.
Elections for Seats in the Legislative
Assembly of the Nation.
ONE OF GAMBETTNS PREFECTs RETURNED.
The MacMahonist Candidate Ut
terly Defeated.
M. Dumas the Younger, as Member Of
the Academy.

the Academy.
PARIS, Feb. 9, 1875.
Yesterday Sunday two elections OF members
to the National Assembly took place. In the
Seine-et-Oise NJ. valentn, whom his enemies
would stgmatize as a ''Red" and who is really a
liberal republican, was victorious by a consider
able majority over the Duke de Padoue, Bona
partlst, while tney both utterly distanced NJ. DC
Kerarry, Breton count OF hybrid or septennallst
repubcanism. AS have pointed out before now,
the French In their present mood Ike men VINO
profess distinct and unmistakable principles.
Those who neither hot nor cold experience
the fate once threatened to the angel OF the
Church Of Lao dicea.
NJ vALENTIN
Is no ordinary parsonage. The revolution OF 1S4S
ound him suo-eutenant OF infantry, but soon
lifted him out OF that humble sphere. Elected
Deputy by the Department OF the Lower Rhine he
distinguished himself as an opponent OF the Prince
Presidents policy, and in December, 1851, had the
honor to 1aure at the head OF list Of banished
representatives OF the people. He took refuge in
England and became q professor In the Royal
Military Academy OF Woowich, where no gave
such satisfaction 10 his superiors as to be awarded
on his resignation double retiring pen sion. lie
returned to Franco Just In time to see war de-
clared, Alsace overrun and his native
strasbourg besieged. Gambetta was no
sooner in office than he made valentin
Project OF the Lower Rhine. Tradition
asserts the new Prefect to have swan, holding
his commission between mis- teeth, across the river
Ill under heavy fire from the German and also
the French batteries. Certain 1t Is that ne mad to
pass the beseglng lines to get into Strasbourg.
When that city Iell the Bavarian General paid
him the
COMPLIMENT
vi ordering his arrest, in violation Of the articles
sf capitulation On the conclusion OF peace ne
vas set at liberty and nameu Project Of Lyons by
NJ. Theirs. There he did excellent service by
vigorous repression OF the Communists, who were
seeking to reduce Lyons to the condition Of Paris.
But he had the common sense to see that all ad-
vanced liberals were not 1ncendiarles and the
monarchsts would allow M. Theirs no peace till
be had dismissed this excellent official, whom they
absurdly accused OF sympathzing with socialism.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY VASTLY STRENGTHENED.
The election OF NJ vaentin will necessarily
strengthen the republican party In the Assembly,
while the polling IN the Cores-du Nord has not been
such as to discourage 1t. NJ. Foucher de Careil
Qiberal republican, mas. according to the latest
returns, obtained the largest NUMBER Of votes,
though hard pressed by Admiral de Kerjegu q
legitlmist The Bonapartist Duke de Feltre is
good third. AS no one OF the candidates has
ceived an absolute majority OF the votes polled,
second election or 'ballotage, will be held on
Sunday, the 2lsr inst.
THE WHITE FLAG.
With respect to the comparative euccess
achieved by the candidate Of the white nag, 1t 10
probable that 1t was the distinguished naval ON.
Ger, not the partisan of antlquated royalty. who
recommended himself to the electors. There Is no
revIving the political corpse Of the Count OF
CbambOrd. He cut his throat too deliberately to
leave any hope to his followers.
A foreigner would be slow TO discover from the
ordinary conversation even OF intelligent French.
men that the country was passing through grave
political crisis.
NJ DUMAS RECEPTION AT THE ACADEMY.
There are other and pleasanter subjects to talk
about, think the Parsians. Among them Is the
approaching reception OF Dumas, the younger, at
the Academy. one or two details OF his LIE may
not be without interest to Americans
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
The author OF the 'Dame aux Camelias" Is an
early riser. He is always up before his servants,
and relieves Them of the trouble OF lighting the
fires He even lights the kitchen stove; so that
when It Is the cooks good pleasure to get up he
has only TO warm some soup for his mas
ter and the p operations for breakfast are
complete. Dumas invariably fortihes him.
sell for his mornings work by basin
oil SOUP in preference to tea, cO1ee or chocolate.
as being more wholesome and giving better ap-
petite for luncn. His soup and his letters de-
spatched, he works at the plays and novels which
are the special business of his life. giving them
about tour hours day-often less. He sits In a
chair without any back to 1t, but only for the
manual task OF putting hts thoughts On paper. The
thoughts themselves come to him as he PAGES up
and down his room. He writes with quill pen
on blue satin paper and never employs sec
retary amanuensis. Though teased by a great
many correspondents-chieny female and
known to himsell-and answering nearly oil let.
ters he cannot bear the idea OF having near him
man who, as he puts It, would be prytng into all
his secrets and Fastening to publish them the day
alter his death. mans own SELF says Dumas,
is his best secretary, ana dies with him. The
brilliant dramatist is
A PAISsTAKINa WRITER.
polishing and repolishing whatever he touches.
One OF his tales, 'L'Anatre Clemenceau," he copied
out no less than ionr times, ana said he only re.
gretted when 1t was in the publishers hands, that
he could not recopy 1t a fifth time Dumas has q
One collection of pictures. and also OF arms. A
visitor, remarEing n rifle OF curious construction,
asked him II he was sportsman. "No,r replied
Dumas; II admit tnat you may kill o man or
woman caught in adultery; don't allow that you
may lawfully shoot a rabbit. And yet,n he
added without smile, granted that rabbits
have morals, few must be shot who nave not
violated conJugal faith"
A CURIOUS COLLECTION
Of hands. modelled in wax, or bronze. or marble,
is another treasure which may be seen in M.
Dumas house. Its owner Is almost believer In
ch!rOmancy. "I love hands," he observed to q
friend; "lhey tel me lar more than faces. have
seen some which have revealed to me infamous
thoughts others which have plainly told me Of
lofty deeds" NJ. Dumas is friend to artists and
sparrows The former seldom apply 10 him In
vain lor assistance or encouragement while for
the latter servant regularly brings In at luncheon
time huge platter OF bread crumbs which Dumas
takes TO The window and distributes among the
birds VINO mock before the well known and hos
pit able house.