New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-17
TOPICS IN PARIS.
THE NEW FRENCH MINISTRY.

| CLASSIC PHILOSOPHY IN A MAkkEI bAHDtN-
| AN UNPAID sERvANT-M sADI CARNor AND HIS
REALLY BETTER HALF-ENFoRcEMENr or TIKI
| RELIGIOUS DEGREES.
| [FRoM TILE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
| PARIS, Sept. 24-We have traverscd the crisis
which warned you was fast cOmingon, against the
| reiterated and optImst predictions of The
Times and The Telegraph, which backed the
| luck OF NJ. de Freycnet. NJ. jules Ferry
| did not find it easy 90 form a Cab net.
| Negotiations with members of both Hsuses
capable of defending themselves and their colleagues
| in the tribune were very difficult. They did not
like TO risk playing themselves out in a Cabinet
which, though it would presumably enjoy the conf
dence of the Chamber could not be a long-ived one.
inasmuch as that BODY must, mt the end of the
next session, be itself dissolved. NJ. Cbalemel La
cour who was wanted for the Department Of For
eign Affairs, had good excuse. The Queen Of Eng
land did not like to rotation crops OF French Am
bassadors springing M at vety short intervals
around her. He also had been violently
attacked by Mr. O'Donnell and the ultra Catholics
and he wanted to prove that he had been illuminated,
and to make durable friendships with English polit
zeal men of standing. The Marquis de Noailles
shrank from exchanging his Embassy at Rome for
a slippery portfolio. Driven into corner by VI.
jules Ferry he pleaded that he owe debts in Paris
TO the amount of 800. 900 francs, and that his cred
it0rs would be down upon him were he to return
here. At his wits to think of Minister,
the name of Barthelemy st. Hilaire flashed
across NJ Jules Ferry's brain. happy thought
1t was Things had come to the worst, and the
means were found to mend them. Under the cir
cumstances there could not be a better choice
CHARACT OF THE NEW MINISTER.
Barthelemy ST. IIilaire is not susceptible of
ing for a mere tool of Gambetta, or In any measure
as his instrument; he is not susceptible of being
dazzled or intoxicated by office. by the incense
of hatterv which the NunclO. the Catholic diplo-
mats and The Times will swing before HIM; he is
Jealous of his honor and dignity and withal modest
and slave to duty; his experience in the treat
ment of great affairs of State is extensive;
he is a patriot, but no chauoia he looks upon
other States with the eye of a sage a statesman
and one versed in the classic literature Of ancient
and modern peoples; and nobody, in bad faith.
can pretend that his rise to the high post he now
occupies is menace to Germany. Bismarck has
no more sincere admircr than Dartbeemy st. Hi
lare: the Gcrmano-Austran alliance has no warmer
partisan.
The advent of this plain, good man, al
belt lustrious savant and accomplished
scholar, to Office. is the salient event
of the dav. He has been working quietly in
bureaus of the Senate and in his study since he re-
tired with his friend, NJ. Theirs, from the Presi-
dency of Versailles His tastes have nothing in
them of self-seeking egotism. They lead him to
work for the attainment of high ends and of gen.
eral interest. He does not run after glory care
about it particularly but has won universal esteem
and is power, through his Tranquil activity and
perfect truthfuness of the Chamber in which he
sits as perpetual member. There is much in
ternaI value in the man that, how
ever Indifferent to renOwn. he could not fail
to win celebrity. To his modest and persevering
labors Mt Versailles. the factotum of NJ. Theirs
to his probty and the confidence it inspired, the vic
tory of the Republic over her enemies in the Assem-
bly, us TO be, in a great measure, ascrbed. am de-
lighted that NJ Barthelemy st. Hllaire is again to
the forefront of the Government. and that he is in
the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. very ugly |
scramble. by the merest intrguers. was being made !
there under the outgoing Ministry, for dpO- |
matte posts. NJ Barthelemy st. HIlaire holds |
in horror those greedy and corrupt pIacehunte |
who now block up the approaches to every Minis |
try.
AN UNPAID PUBLIC SERVANT.
Although the new ttular for the Foreign Affairs |
Department never before held portfolio is at |
the Qua dOrsay no fresh man. He was habituated |
10 the transaction of State affairs of major impor
lance under NJ. Theirs, of whom he was the unpaid
secretary. Great Unpaid he also in 1913,
when he was the Secretary of the Proyis-
ional Government, and again when he
was the right hand of Victor Cousin.
The palm of NJ. Barthelemy St. Illlaire does not
itch for taxpayers money. expect to hear that he
will devote the salary he draws as Minister to some
work of public utility 1t comes to 10000 francs a
year, not including what known as fyais de rep
expenses of hospitality.
THE HISTORY OF A STATESMAN.
NJ Por IIilaira il a al antinu |
mould. He was to have been, like Marco ST. IIlire
, page of the Empress Maria Louisa. But as the
Empire broke down and he was left at an early
,ge a fortuneless orphan, he tried the hard
Dad of poverty instead. His strength of character
,idng, this road enabled him to ascend to sublime
heights of philosophy and wisdom. The climate of
he glacier suited him. and its tonic action placed
lin above the temptations of wealth. TO be n true
,oet one should lead poetic life: 10 attain to the
creme attitudes of philosophy one should live ac-
ording to philosophical precepts.
NJ. Bartheemy st. Hlaire is an EvoutiOnist as
imposed to revOlutOnists. Bnt he set out in his
areer in very Revolutionary sOcety--that of
}orbes and Banqui, IN the aide Toi ct lie Ciel
'Aidera" Society. He was then an unpaid
Jerk IN the Finance Ministry. which he entered
rom lyceum INTO which, by winning q scholarship,
re effected entrance. SchOecher, the abolition
st. was another member of this club. which was an
ccut one. There were common trans of character
the four men, All of them had the stuff OF heroes
mi Barthelemy ST. Hilare was the most judcious,
md owed literature and philosophy the best. lie
lad fortltude enough to bear two years
# imprisonment. like Blanqui; but he
rad the good to that he |
ould be of moro use at liberty than
n captivity. A sacrifice he made to his principles
vas voluntary retirement from the College of France
o dire poverty rather than swear allegiance to
Napoleon Ill. From his professors chair he de-
cended to little market garden-hls whole estate
tbara tod a a lut Wit fha |
,bor of his hands until he was able TO obtain
literary employment. He is now i'll relative opu-
,pce Victor Cousin bequeathed him lump of
honey and his library and as a life Senator he
raws % francs a day from the Treasury.
ARISTOTLE AND ASPARAGUS.
One of the most delicious pages Lamartine ever
rote was an account Of VISIT paid to the translator
G Az.totIo no ~ chiaf 1T the Enrei Qfcn |