The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-08
VICTOR HUGO.
Mis- speech tO the French W0rkme'
Going Ia the Centennial.
Correspondence London Daily Tin


Correspondence London Daily TimesI
Friends and Citifens-The idea which
issues from this meeting Is an idea Of
peace and concord Civilization, it, too,
has its exploits. Philadelphia invites
Paris. Two years hence Paris will reply
to Philadelphia We come here to
celebrate the accord Of two nations.
placed on opposite shores OF the Allan
tic, which the tempest sunders, and
which navigation unites. We bring
hither an idea OF pacification and con
cord. You have in you the conscience
Of the human race. Cries OF " Iire
Republigue") Yes, we come here to
celebrate the festival Of peace and love.
or the Christian Easter we make
the popular Easter. We have no fear at
the bottom Of our conscience. The new
order will found itself without agitation
or anguish. Catastrophes have hap
penej, but they have left you your ma
tional soul The monarchy is dead. but
the country is living Seventeen centu-
ries of monarchy end by forming force
Of things. bnt the force Of things end by
succumbing to the virtuous action OF
people, that great rdincu. Applause.
| 70 the coronation Of one man performed
| by q priest. God. that Sovereign dis
penser of Justice, has substituted the
coronation Of n nation performed by in
dustrv Prolonged applause. What
we desire is peace through industry.
What am going to say to you you know
already. for my idea is in your minds and
my words in your mouth. After having
repelled the invasion of armed nations.
youare about to accomplish the invasion
Of nations byindustry. You have hravely
made war. you are about bravely to
make peace. You are the soldiers of n
new youth lived nineteen years on the
shore OF the ocean to listen to its elo-
uuent and mysterious language, and
after nineteen years returned and com
pretended Paris. That ocean and greet
you. men Of Paris. children of Paris. and
thank God for permitting me to make
n halt between exile and the grave,
in order to greet this noble peo-
pie, SO calumniated and SO good,
which tries it utmost to hate nobody.
Yes. you console those who suffer. and
those who will not forgive you forgive.
Enthusiastic cheers.] Those who style
themselves the masters OF the world,
and who are so little its masters that
they know not where to fix either their
cradle or their tomb they also have
their focundity. which is destruction
They also invent, improve, discover;
they invent cannon, they bring to per
fection mitrailleuses; they discover the
Syllabus laughter and applause
they expend millions in building ships
which resist every proiectile, and when
eHpend Here applause and laugh
ter broke out. and the au
dience finished the sentence them
selves) Yes. they also have their
march, they have the Crimea. Mexico.
China. To Rossbach replies Jena. to
Jena replies Sedan. applause They
seize provinces, extend frontiers; they
put as many walls as possible between
nations Roman walls. Germanic walls,
walls Of all sorts. then, when satisfied
they have divided the nations. two
enormous hands rising. one from tho
East the other from the West. stretch
towards each other above the Atlantic |
1t is America which grass Europe and |
humanity. which says. Let us love ono
another. ! greet you. you who are /
about to set out for Philadelphia. You
will see with your own eyes this /
immense deed which the nineteenth |
century will see Go. workmen Of Paris 4
who know how TO toll 60. workmen of I
Paris who know how to fight tell the |
New World that the Old World is grow
ing young. Goand bear the great news |
of the republic consolidated among you.
You are the ambassadors of fraternity.
you are the ENJOYS OF Noltaire in the /
country Of Washington. YOU set out |
from the Continent where Jesus Christ /
was born TO 90 to the land where John /
Brown was born. This bringing to-
gether Of two republics will not be with
out result. breath Of cIemency will |
extend itself in mems hearts. America |
initiated us by borrowing from us the
idea Of negro emancipation we shall |
initiate America after the civil war by |
borrowing from it the amnesty.