The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-05
Victor Hugo and the Artisans.

Victor Hugo and the Artisans.
We learn with sincere qualification
That commission consisting OF one
hundred and twenty practical workmen
trom the different trades of France is com.
Ing to inspect our grand Centennial Ex-
position. OF all men those are the men
most to be protited by such an exposition,
and who Will return that profit thous-
and fold to their own country by the new
and enlarged ideas they will take back
TO France derived from this Exposition.
I'VE rejoice, too, to learn that the wealth
ter classes of Paris are contributing a
fund sufficient to defray the expenses OF
these one hundred and twenty working
men, who are quite unable to spare the
kime and money needful for their visit to
philadelphia.
But, with all thu is gratifying In this
aspect OF the matter, we must hold VIC
roR HUGo's speech on the occasion of a
meeting in behalf OF this enterprise to
be in exceedingly bad taste, if not wan
soniy profane. We do not carp at his
false geography in making Europe,
France indeed, the birth place of Christ.
That may be regarded as poetic license
in ting the Old World and the
New. But 1t was needless and exc
cradle violation of all propriety for him
to cite the character and mission of
Christ and OF John Brown as the same.
Victor Hugo may hold what doctrine
he please concerning a God or the Mes
siah. But he has no right to force his
views upon others by injecting upon
them representative characteristics that
large majority, perhaps all, of those
werkingmen would disclaim. Such men
as Hugo are fierce in denunciation of re-
ligion In connection with politics, yet
they forever mingle their own religion,
such as it is, with their politics, such as
they are. They seem seem to think 1t q
necessity to be atheists as to religion if
they be communists as to socialistic
dogmas; and consequently mingle athe-
ism and communism as necessary cor
relatives of each other.
There were other features Of like kind
at the same meeting that bespeak the
tendency Of such teachings and which
bode no good to the future Of France. At
this meeting LOUIS BLANC was also a
speaker. and ventured, in a hesitating
and apologetic manner, to allude to
God. Immediately voice in the audi
ence exclaimed-"Hn'y a plus de Dtea!"
(There is no longer any God.) To
which another voice. responded-"H est
Gbolir'i Gle, God, is abolished.)
These are fearful indications in the
social system of France. They sound
aike the opening prelude to that reign OF
Eerror which once made a Golgotha Of
France. And we regret that Victor
Hugo should have taken such an oc-
casion, when addressing the working
men OF Paris on the subject
of q mission to our Centennial, to
make them apostles OF atheism
TO the grandesb Exposition that the
world has ever seen. 1t was needless
and it was wanton. 1t was little less
than an insult to the country to which
they are to come accredited as the rep
resentatiyes Of the Artisans Of France.
And while we would gladly receive with
all honor those one hundred and twenty
men as the Apostles OF French Educated
Labor, we would be 10th to receive them
as apostles OF that French atheism into
which Victor Hugo would fain baptize
them before leaving the shores Of France.
HoRATIo SEYMOUR has written let
Fer declining Presidential nomination;
but phrasing 1t about as ambiguously as
Grant did his notable pro-and- .third.
serm letter. Horatio writes his letter,