The New York herald., 1878-12-04
GAMBETTA-FOURTOU.
TOO roGGy TO SEE THE MARX REJOICING OF
THE PEOPLE
[From the London Globe.l


plateau of Chaton. where the famous battle was
fought and lost by the French enabling the Prussans
to complete their circle of iron round Paris, has OBJ
tanned quite reputation for the many parliamentary
ducls which have been fought there. We may yet
find omnibnses lcaars-d-bancs) and tapissie,es
advertising that they will start on cer-
tain morning for ia fose Bazin.' when public
rinor announces that two Of our legislators are
about to settle their little differences The ordinary
ducllists compelled to the frontier but
those who clothed in parliamentary nyiolability
choose any place they like. Versailles and the
famous Bois de Bouognc, the scene of SO many ceie
brated encounters have been abandoned The park
of Ia Marchc and that of lie yesinct are too fire.
quented to allow of any dispute being settled with.
out feac of Interruption, and the wood of verreres
with the 'Josse Bazin' the favored places
"Bazin's hole is hollow or valley approached by
steep and slippery path which leads down from tho
hill Chatillon II is kind of land. adapted
by nature for the purpose to which it has been put
more than once. Tie sides OF the hollow
grown in summer with blackberries brambles wild
roses &C., and neither garde-champtre gendarme
have ever been known to interfere with gentlemen
arranging their little affairs in this quiet, secluded
spot whore NJ. de la Rochcte exchanged balls with M.
Laisnnt, and where NJ Gambetta has just given salts
faction to M. de Fourtou. This last duel will be.
included among the famous of parliament
tartan encounters and will serve to show that M.
Gambetta, often tauntcd by his political adver-
sarics with refusing to take up the quarrels many
have attempted to fascn on him, quite willing TO
give satisfaction to an opponent who was sultcd by
word which escaped the republican leader in the
heat of an animated debate. M. Jules Greyy. Presi-
dent Of the Chamber of Deputies has generally been
the peacemaker. He has from time to time. with
consent Of the offending and offended parties. per-
mitted an alteration modification of the minutes
Of the sitting recorded in the Journal Otdcet The
person insulting and the insultcd have been taken
individually on one side, and a reconciliation has
been invariably Effected
TOO FAR APART.
The policy pursued by NJ. Jules Grevy
when M. Gambetta qualified the assertions of NJ dc
Fourtou in most unparlamentary manner. A
Cancellation impossible from the irst. owing to
the hrniiating terms NJ. de Fourtou's friends
sought to impose on NJ Gambetta, whose choice OF
seconds. NJ. Allain-Targe and M. Cle,nanceau:
proved that he meant business The ex-Mnster of
the Cabinet of the 10th of May had the choice of
weapons. and was known to be an excellent swords
man. while his friends argued that his thin. wiry
form would give him tremendous advantage over
his corpulent and inexperienced adversary M. de
Fourou. with all the ch.valry of q Trenchman, and
much to the disgust OF some Of his political col
leagues. waived his privilege of choosing weapons,
and agreed to fight with pistols. All the prcmina-
res were speedily arranged. the twenty PAGES
proposed were extended to fvc-and- thirty by the
friends of NJ dambctta, and both principals
and seconds agreed that the affair should be kept
secret On Wednesday evening some of the papers
limited that the affair had been arranged and that
duel would take place. This version was readily
dc Bort, and NJ. dc Fourtou, with Madame, was
present at the performance at the opera. The Ieft
JdyIsieu OF this morning asserts that five hundred
people assembled yesterday at O'Clock A. NJ. in
the courtyard of the hotel where NJ Gambcta lives,
and where the Rtputtiqas franeaise is printed and
to prevent NJ. Gambetta from leaving his
house. and that he compelled to resort
the crowd. (which had manifested its inten-
ton Of following him and preventing the duel
If possible He Joined his friends at the house OF
~ Robert Mitchell, and the principals, with their
seconds and two doctors, drove of to Pessis pcauet
NJ. Clemcnceau flashed the pistols twice before
NJ. Robert Mitchell. acted for NJ de Fourtou, meas
ured out the ivc-and-thirty PAGES. M. Gambctta's
adyersary had the n choice o Of stations ana N.
their places and had their pistols handed them.
gave. the word Of command thus. Are you ready.
gentlemcn?" attention." "One! two! thres!
Before The word three fairly ont of his mouth
both gentlemen had fired. Some say NJ. de Feurtou's
ball passed close to " 9arnbctas face others that
NJ de Foirtou ired w.de and that NJ. Gasnbctta's
bullet within foot of his adversary: but the
real fact is that at thirty PAGES. in hollow on
fogry morning, the two opponents could hardly uis-
tingush each other. end were compelled to fire ut
hazard.
PREPARED ron ACCIDENTS.
Very little was known in Paris about the duel until
the first kilograms from versailles announcing
that the encounter had really taken place. The offices
of the Ri,tbique frnnsaise were bcse2td with people
anxious - know the result az al! kinds of rumors
in circulation. and it said the ouleyards
that conservative paper had actually put into type
tally wounded Groups stood ronnd the the
rss Of the ] svsnns papers sra in the ,,s hms
TO come out, and immense satisfaction was expert
enced on all sides wncn II Inade known that M.
Gambctta had escaped unhurt. He has become such
a popular favorite that. had anything happened to
him. might have witnessed repetition or that
ecene which took place in August 1870. when the
Due dc Castries fought and wounded Charles La
meth, a prominent representative or the peoples
party. The Marshal-Ducs house In the rae de
yarcnncs sacked by the populecc Camille
DcsIn onlins in his 'Rsvoiutions lie France ct Dc Bra
bant." tt1s how the dowager Marechse de Mirepoix
was disturbed in the midst Of her scfa By her SER
yag xybn fpid bpr bcrn neUubor'S
being sacked by the tribunal" She looked out of
window and was surprised TO find men, equipped
throwing the Due de Csstrics' furniture out of
window into the courtyard below. The crowd,
anxious 20 avenge Lameth wound, had visited the
Marshuls wardrobe. aud clothing themselves in the
inery they found. remembered the purpose which
had caused their presence ana Mt once commenced 70
clear the house This souvenir of the past has been
loudly invoked by the republican papers and from
the many conversations overheard last evening the
boulcyart.s may conclude that Paris would have
hardly been place refuge Tor NJ or Mmc. dc Four
tou had any accident occurred to H. Ganbcta yester
day.
Tho debates in the Chamber of Deputies have Of
late assumed very bcllicose tonc aud NJ Gambetta,
whose friends invariably prevented him from risking
his life 10y accepting any challenge, might have said
with Camille Dcsmoulins:-"I should have to
spend all my time in the Bos de Boulogne were
| compelled ~ give satisfaction to all whom
my freedom vf speech dsplcasod" He has
been cut, and the republicans say--What
il done s done, but must not be repeated"
A man of NJ Gambetta's influence aud position must
consult the interests Of his party and guard against
those moments OF irritation and Indignation which
certain to be utilized by his political opponents.
There are plenty OF fighting deputies both sides of
the House, and such gentlemen Us NM. Clemenccar.
Perrin Thomson and large strong enough to defend
the opinions they share with their colleagues against
all colncrs. III 1890 whom the royalis party in
open warfare With the nnovaors republicans, the
Saintt Marguerite battalion of chasseurs assembled
round its officers and adjured them to follow the sit
nes Of the National Assembly acting as champions
for the pa riotic deputies, whom they undertook to
defend and avcngo to the bitter end. In those days
Citizen Boyer. inspired with the aror OF patriotism,
issued q manifesto roitched in the following
tcrms;-"1 swear that the earth may enlarge
In vain to conceal from me any man who
may have wounded deputy. l hnve arms which
the hand Of patriotism has forged for me. am ia
miiiar with every weapon but have no preference.
am always facs To- nght provided that the duel be
mortal combat IN which other mast br killed.
Boyer opened an Office in the lanbourg Saint Denis.
Cartls poured in on him until he WAS compelled to
form regular battalion around him. He escaped
the first time he went out; the second occasion he
was left for dead tho field and his followers then
declined to let him fight agein They placarded their