New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-20
VICTOR HUGO AND DOM PEDRO

OF BRAZIL.
IrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT or THE TRrBUSE.l
PARIS, Sept. 20.-LIke most of the other Republican
leaders, NJ Louis Blanc has remained in Paris since
the dissolution Of the Chamber of Deputies His in
clinatIon and tho state of his health would alike
have led him to seek different climate, and a de-
gree of rest which in Paris is impossible lam sorry
to have to say that he is not WELL Lightly he
bears the burden of his sixty-two or three years he
shows some trace of the specific malady from which
he has lately suffered. He was far too
i'll to have been present at NJ. Thiers's
funeral. and to march foot, as he did, with
other exDeputes but he would 60, lest it should be
thought his absence might indicate a want of per-
sonal respect on his part toward man whose poll
teal adversary he had often been. In fact, there
was no enmity between them. They used to meet
cordially. Nor do l remember ever to have heard
anybody who knew NJ. Louis Blanc personally
speak of him without good WILL l have known
NJ. Paul Cassagnac himself. who habitually rcves
Republicans Of all shades banditt and black
guards, seek out NJ. Louis Blanc in the Hobbies of
the Chamber at Versailles, solicit introduce
ton to him. and lavish upon him professions of re-
spect and esteem which NJ. Louis Blanc bore
with his usual good nature. But for the malady
/ have mentioned, there would be little in his APP
pearance to indicate to the stranger that here
man who for fyeand-forty years has lived life of
consuming intellectual activity. who fye-andthirty
years ago had won great reputation as historian
and who was one Of the foremost figures in the
Revolution Of 1913 But for that and for the grief
which domestic calamity brought him, those who
knew him in London during the latter years of his
exile would scarcely discover that he had grown
day older. Neither his incessant literary toll nor
the wear and tear of political life with heavy poll
teal responsibilities have much aged him.
| never knew a man who took life with
more even and simple herosm The bent
of his mind is, perhaps, toward seeing
the dark side of things, which only brings out
strongly the manly cheerfuness with winch he
looks in the face what is to him gloomy prospect
He talks as we'll "a ever, using his immense knowl
edge OF men and things with an easy conversational
power as admirable in its kind his written style
He meets You with that unlaing good humor and
kindness, which have made him loved as well AZ
looked up to by the workingmen, whose idol he is
If YOU tell HIM he ought to have quilted Paris and
taken two months vacation, he will answer you that
il was impossiblc-he could not leave his clients
His clients his constituents, for whom he works
hard without fee, and for whom-for the needy
among them-his purse Is much too constantly and
too wide open in proportion to his means. His
apartment on the third floor Of house IN TIE Rue
Royale. is the headquarters of the Extreme Lett Of
which he is President, and the political crisis inn
poses OF him the duty Of constant consultations and
committee meetings and know not what else.
NJ Louis Blame Is. Of course, a much more radical
Republican than NJ Gambetta, but the veteran Of
1878 and the Dictator Of 1870 are always good
terms personally, and their political programmes and
aims are for the moment absolutely identical.
20, may add, are their views of the situation as
affected by NJ Thiers's DEATH They agree in think
6 vfe mn
ished by that lamentable event. must keep out Of
politics in this letter, but may stop to remark that
no French Republican whom have met has shared
the opinion so freely expressed in English and Amer
lean journals, that the death of VI. lhiers would
bring disaster to the Republic. He is most sincerely
regretted, the value of his name and services
fully and gratefully acbnOwledged-by no one
more heartily than by NJ. Gambetta but the
conviction of everybody on that side, IN
postion to Judge is the same that the organization
of the party too perfect to be affected by the loss OF
lis leader. They consider that the Marshal ana MS
Ministers have completely alienaed, by their lrrtat-
ing and foolish policy. the great majority OF the
neosautry. and of the middle and commercial
classes that the belief in the Republic as the only
possible and stable form Of Government has settled
into the minds of the people; That NJ. Theirs had
already gained over to the Republic all the timd and
Insulating whose votes might be in doubt; that the
l,nowledge of his confidence in il survived him
and that i'm a word, great as the shock was for the
moment the loss of this great statesman did not
come til the Republic he had helped To found was
too secure to be shaken. Within week or less
after his death, reports came in from all quarters
and all Of one tenor; that the elections were
os safe as ever There might be, at most,
twelve or fifteen districts in which the seat OF
Republican deputy, heretofore thought sure,
was rendered doubtful. This opinion, therefore, IS
nat speculative nor conjectural 1t Is based upon
curate kn0wlcdge the fruit of political organiza-
tion carried to the utmost detail. Seldom has po-
litica chief been so well served as NJ. Gambetta Is
served in this respect. His information Is at once
Commemorative and minute; and lncomparably more
tr,,stwortbv than the official Intelligence which
official suborlnates attempt to make palatable to
official superiors | found NJ. Louis Blanc again,
who to say the least, has always a singuarly clear
nercepion of the unlavorabe side of things radiant
with hone, and mistaken in his faith in an over
vhelminq Republican triumph III October
II was from NJ Louis Blanc that heard nara
tive of the acquaintance between NJ. victor hugo
and the Emperor Of Brazil, at the time when that
potentate was last in Paris, some four months ago.
| had taken to NJ Louis Blanc a friend who wished
70 meet NJ Victor Hugo between whom and NJ.
Iouis Blanc close intimacy has long existed and
il was apropos of this that the story was told us;
which Thought so characteristic of both the Empe-
ror and the poet and SO credtabe to both, that l
asked and obtained permission to repeat IT,
One morning IN May last an aide-de-camp pre-
sented himself at VI. Victor IIugo's door, bearing
message from the Emperor of Brazil. The Emperor
wished NJ. Victor Hugo to know that 1t
would give him much pleasure if NJ. victor
u,o vould call on him. An imperial