The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-01-23
Origin of the s.PickMickian SenSe.c

and closely related nations is conspicous-
" shown in the fact that VI. Gambetta in
France recently felt himself constrained
| By public sentiment, like Alexander
Hamilton il this country nearly seventy
five years ago, to fight duel. 1t would
be incredible that General Garfield, or
Senator Bayard, or any political chief in
! this country, should feel that public OPP
inion compelled HIM to take the field.
| Indeed, If any such leader should engage
IN duel, instead of satisfying public
/ opinion, it would undoubtedly prevent
/ his further high promotion. No dIelist
could be elected President, nor fail most
seriously to injure his influence. Yet
/ Gambetta felt that his influence was IN
peril if he did not ''go out NJ. De
Fourtou asserted i'll the Chamber that
| II. Gambetta had made q speech which
declared war on every Frcnchman not of
the old republic. 1t was undoubtedly
very exasperating to hear such a false
/ hood, and Gambetta shouted, "That is n
he!" The words were retracted, but APP
parently he would not apologize, and
when De Fourtou challenged him, he
accepted, and they fought. So that
rather than apologize for words which,
! by retracing, he confessed that he ought
not to have used, Gambetta exposed the
| al, ha haliax-au tr, HI fho+ Of his
country, and infinitely superior in i'm
portance to all personal considerations,
| to the risk of his death and a consequent
immense injury. No doubt Gambetta
thought that De Fourtou did lie, and
although acknowledging that he ought
not to have said SO in the Chamber, he
could not honestly say that he was sorry
to have said what he believed. But in a
sounder condition of opinion he would
not have felt obliged to give De Fourtou
chance of killing him for saying so.
Such scenes in Parliamentary assem-
blies are well known. One OF the most
noted is that between Canning and
Brougham in the House of Commons.
Canning had joined the ministry of Lord
Liverpool, when it was agreed that the
| question of the Roman Catholic claims
should be left open, because it was prac-
tically impossible to form ministry
which should be unanimous upon that
subject. During a debate upon the
| question, which had become very warm,
| Lord Brougham indecently said that Can
ning's conduct III joining q divided cabi-
net was ''the most Incredible specimen
of monstrous trucking for the purpose
of obtaining service that the whole his
tory of political regeneration could fur
nish." Canning rose in the midst OF
Brougham's sentance and said, en-
phatically, "That is false"
There was profound silence for a few
moments. The Speaker then said that
he hoped Mr.. Canning would withdraw
the words. Canning replied that moth
ing on earth should persuade him to do
50. There was more silence. Then a
motion that both of the offenders--the
| most eminent minister and the leader Of
the opposition-should be committed to
the custody of the sergeant-at arms. But
a dexterous gentleman, Sir Robert VIII
! son, evidently yersed III the etiquette OF
"honor, relieved Canning, Brougham,
the Speaker, the sergeant at arms, the
House, and England, of the dilemma.
He suggested that what Brougham had
said referred to Canning's official cbarac-
ter, while Canning had enormously sup
posed that the imputation was meant to
be personal! 4 statement to this effect
from each OF the honorable members be
was very sure would be mutually satisfac-
tory. Canning and Brougham assented,
ana the matter ended. The latest mar
rator of this story, Mr.. Spencer WalpoIe,
says that this was the event which Dick
ems afterward heard from his felIow-re-
porters when he went into the gallery,
and which he reproduced with all the
richness Of his humor in the celebrated
quarrel which was composed because of
timely agreement that offensive words
had been used only in ''Pickwickian
sense" Had some friendly Sir Robert
Wilson been present in the French Cham
| Der he might have saved Gambetta the
necessity of lighting duel, which, as the
distance was thirty-fve PAGES and the ex-
change of shots harmless, cost him more
in ridicule than his refusal to fight could
have cost him III influence.