New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-05
POLITICS IN FRANCE
ON TEE EVE OF THE ELECTIONS

IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or r,ts .v,,,
PARIS. Aug. 12.-Politics although -
are on the eve of general elections .wbrs
may be fraught with great consequences -.
unusually dull. Instead of alIying bims~es
with Clemenceau. Gambetta has made ,'.
coorless and wordy Tours speech in which I,
parte pour ne yien dire unless to avow himself a.
partisan of King SUorkism, as opposed 20 ~
Logism Of President Grevy. 1t would not anne.
that he prefers to Clemenceau Jules Ferry. who
lew days ago culrgized the powerful orator AZ .
meeting OF his own constituents I'M the vorges and
proclaimed his willingness to act as bis lieutenap,
MY impression Is that Ferrys humility is an elee-
pioneering tactic and that Gambetta's Toms A.
parture is to be explained by a wish to 90 on with
the men OF the actual Chamber in preference 4, .
new crop Of Radicals whom II would be hs,a :.
discipline and to break into the wavs az 81
Palais BOURBON. The present Chamber il in a.
habit of watching Gambettas mods frowns sbr,,,.
OF ehe shoulders and other gestures and Selling
their meaning. IL takes his balls on the hon
faint mint In the Hobbies is understood and acted
upon Delicate negotiations may be carried on
without clear statements precise explanation.
oelng made. In fact, the temper Of the majority ia
to the liking of Ferry and of Grevy; and Gambett.
is in the habit of manipulating it, With stron,
infusion of fresh blood in the Chamber the dfscul,
ties of both would be multiplied
great military campaign will be undertake,
next winter Ia North Africa. If there was rax
contingent OF Deputies sufficiently numerou, :,
displace maorities, provinces could be overruu
and annexed with desirable amount of celerity.
Very wild cats indeed would be let out % Govern.
mental bags. and Europe would be made coguizant
Of plans which to succeed ought not be unveiled
until they are ripened into fats aooomphs Tbosr
Radicals who have convictions blame the policy az
Gambetta. and suspect that NJ. Ferry hopes it win
detach from him the democracy of the towns in
Ak -
Gambetta's situation must be a cause to him of son,
peiplexity and uneaslness. The sudden apparitlon
at Belleville of two rival candidates patronizeS
by Rochefort gives him trouble aud obliges him 10
bestif himself. Everyone thought when the decree
for the elections was promulgated that lac would be
returned without serious opposition for the to cir
subscriptions INTO which the Twentieth Arrondisse
ment has been divided. 1 then heard ClemeDceau
tell some friends of his that Gambetta would walk
over the course. The great orator before be went
to Tours had arranged to meet the elections of the
two circumscriptions in vast temporary building
at a public meeting. Since the rival canddatures
have been started by RochefoIt, Gambettas friends
have discovered that it would too much to con.
struct wood and canvas edifce in which ten or
eleven thousand men could assemble The idea az
a mass-meeting is accordingly renowned. Heavy
wagers are laid upon NJ. Tony Revellon and sigis-
mond Lacroix. They will not it appears to me.
outstTip Gambetta, he draws nigh to the winning
post.
speech made two nights ago by NJ Reyellon IN
the Belleville Casino has forced praise from the
most Jealous partisans of Gambetta. ReyellOn isa
popular novelist. lie writes for the sou news
papers. 1t did not occur to him that he was a
when TO portray Demos he went to study
him in the workshop. the garnet, the almshouse.
the cottage the factory and the hospital HIS
pictures of the working classes are done with true
in
Revellon's spirit is akin 10 Goldsmith's. The Bar
gundian novelist is not of such exquisite
genius as the author Of The Vicar of WakefeldD
But he has all Goldsmiths secondary qualities aud
is one of the best-hearted men that ever lived He
has been kept out of Bohemianism by Madame
Rstazzi. who for upward of twenty years was init
nately associated with him. Reyellon was Fans De
la maiscn, and had board and lodging whenever he
chose ia her house. He sat her at the banoueis
which she used TO give when she resided in the
Duke dAqua's villa in the Avenue de PImpers-
trice. and was her poet laureate. He never pre-
sumed 10 hamper the liberty of the Princess His
loval face and conversation had a cheering inhu-
ence at her board. There are few men " no have
more profoundly studied the working classes or
who feel more kindly toward them than Revellon.
His assurances of the love he bore them went the
other night TO their hearts. OF eloquence be is not
devoid; but it is purely emotional And yet he has
the rare gift of a speaker and a writer of common
sense. His programme is the one drawn up in 1869
by Gambetta. He pledges himself if he has tho
honor OF representing Beleville in the Chamber 10
Iead II In the Tribune and act upon IT.
Sigismond Lacroix, who Is the Intransig eants
candidate Tor the second circumscriptIon is young
Of Polish birth. conceited, able argumentative but
wanting IN sacred fire. He would like 70 sneak
with the authority Of a natural leader of men, and
assumes dogmatic tone. Lacroix thinks he Is
npon burning Sinai when he a standing upon an
Icy glacier. lie has good clear voice and enun-
ciaies with admirable distlnctneSs and emphasis I
fellow; regard Lacroix as an able and self-seek-
ng politician" Gambetta will sneak AZ tNa
private meetings To avoid being questioned about
Belleville friends 90 receive from them hlank
A NJ MethivIer, the president Of his
electoral committee, has drawn up the address
which, the presentation of the strange dom.
ment ~ aforesaid. is to be read TO Gambetta
The depntation for Paris will not undergo any
very notable change on the twenty-frsf. III as /
expect, Gambetta comes IN at Bellevllle against
Tony Reyellon and LaeroIx A very remarkabe
e y; OF Gamoetta who may become his socHs.
nent. 4 allude 10 Arthur Ranc who is opposed by
pr Dubois an extreme Radical who stood last
une against Nj. Anatole de la Forge for the Ninth
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. The Gambettist candidate is a
snort thick-set man, with a bald bead rudy face,
si,raight nose deep-set and lively black eyes and
physognomy that would go well with a frock or
,owi lie IL called by those who know him, OF only
know OF him. Rane." without the Monsieur. Ranc
ment of France was despotic, and was closely
looked after by the police of Napoleon III The
hrst care OF the Duo de Broglie. when he vic
,orions over Theirs ana preparing to set up again
Royalty, was 10 make France too hot to hold Ranc
VINO LETT the country before the Assembly had time
10 authorize hls prosecution for membership in tho
Commune. In Gamhettas esfosra0e Ranc occupies
place by himself. He is not greedy of money. IS
halnerent to luxury believes in has principles and
- sceptlcal as To the virtues and convictions OF
)ther men. The French are outspoken Ranc Is
singular ia many respects. but most of all 10 his