Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-28
GIRARDIN.
SOME ACCOUNT OF TIE DECEASED
FRENCH JOURNALIST.
How an Legitimate Son Forced His
Father to Recognize Elm
Life Sketch
PARIS. Nav 8; 1881.

| n Ll1S Eh6lCu
PARIS, May 8, 1881.
Mr.. Emile de Girardin died last Wednes.
day morning. after rather short illness OF
two days, and Immediately after a favorable
change had taken place in his condition.
Although Mr.. de Girardin was nearly
eighty years of age, if not quite that old,
and it was to be expected that he would
drop off soon, Paris was somewhat startled
to learn that the voice of the ardent po-
len'iste was hushed forever. Mr. de Girar-
din was public character, man belong
ing exclusively to public life, and en-
tirely devoid of those social qualities, of
certain human sympathies which attract
men to US and endear us to them, that on
hearing of his death the world manifested
some little surprise and curiosity, whereas
those more intimately acquainted with the
eminent journalist expressed few regrets
and shed no tears He gave nothing in
the way of affection to the world, ana in
consequence received nothing-not that he
was of a too reserved nature, but because
he had nothing to give, for he has often
been heard to remark, and in a somewhat
boasting manner, that he had never known
what it was to love, and found much diff
Guilty in comprehending this one great pas
sion which has SO influenced the world.
Yet without entertaining for individuals
certain natural affections, and without the
| inf Of hp- fopderaeSQ Mr.
Emile de Girardin was
A DEMOCRAT IN THE TRUE SENSE
OF the word. Less Republican than a
Democrat, yet Democrat during his
whole public career and under all circum-
stances. To him the form of government
was of second consideration provided the
rights of the people were respected and
| their condition improved and ameliorated.
| That which can be said of him is that he
was above all journalists journalist in
! the extended meaning of the word-not
only polemic of the first order, but also
powerful mover of ideas. He had not only
the audacity of the initiative, he possessed
the temerity az well, for there seemed to
be in him both the pioneer and the gambler,
and he was something like the adventurer
of progress, rashly throwing himself into
| uneyplored doctrines and unknown alb
stractions. He was the creator of the cheap
press, and had begun by emi-weekly pub
| LEGATION of the Journal des ConndissQnceS
| Titles at four francs year the Journal des
| Instituteurs Primaries at franc and half
an "Atlas Universal " sold at retail at
one sou the map, besides others. In 1886
he democratized the daily press by placing
the PreSse at half the price of the other
newspapers, and by forcing the others to
come down also. 1t was not altogether
| industrial courage, because the other
newspapers became angry and duel fol-
| lowed, in which he had the double misfor-
tune of being wounded and killing Carrel.
| He was a man who read little, or rather
be read only that which he was immedi-
ately in want of, and the great works
of the times were dead letters to
| him, as well as those Of the
past. He took no interest in celebrated
| persons except on account of their reputa-
| ton, and in that as elsewhere he mani
tested taste for the vanquisher and ac-
complished facts. The man of genius did
| not exist for him only in proportion as his
reputation was sanctioned by public favor,
and he estimated talent less for the intel
| lectual satisfaction which it gives to those
who admire il than for the material profits
which it brings to those who possess it.
| The principal virtue Of a Government in
his eyes was to exist, and he did not look
to see if the existing Government were a
monarchy or a republic, and although
faithful to this principle, he has more than
once been
ACCUSED OF INCONSISTENCY
By his contemporaries, and never until
late years have the Republicans claimed
him as one of them, for after having been
exiled by the coup d'etat when he COM
bated the right of the usurper, he did not
refuse to be made Senator by the Empire,
although the war prevented the fact being
officially announced. He worked with
much energy for the plebiscite in 1870, and
in 1877 he combated the Seize-Mai, the
attempted coup 'etat of Marechal MacMa
hon, with so much ardor so much valoT
and talent that Paris forgot all in the past
and chose him as its representative. Mr..
Emile de Girardin was worshiper in
every sense OF the word, and seemed all
his life to believe that individuals exer-
cised more influence on the times than
circumstances had been able to govern
them It was always to the man he
looked rather than to events, and nc has
been known to say, 'For me men
are trumps | believed Rouher was
one, and L am going to try and
make one of Emile Olivier. In fact,
during his last thirty years this great in
dividualist has always drowned his noisy
personality in the flourish of the man of
the moment; it was thus he was seen sue
cessiyely the eager partisan of the Presi-
dency Of the Prince Louis Napoleon, Plon-
plonist, Ol!ivierist, Thierist, and at last,
Gambettist. This former Philippist ran
the scale of all public opinions, remaining
ever faithful to his idea of being the friend
of the strongest, seeking the wind like the
| arms of the windmill, and following after
his trumps in very different roads. The
biography of the eminent journalist is to be
found in all the encyclopedias of tie pres.
ent day even of an old date, for the man
who meets death il the midst of very &C.
tive life began his public career when he
| was Young man. The incident which has
attracted the most attention is his unfortu-
! nate duel with Carrel, which was but the
| final of numerous other duels he has fought
| with less serious results and it is said
| that he has always experienced much re-
greet at having taken the life of a
man whom be highly esteemed. MIR.
Emile de Girardin was born in
Switzerland according to some accounts,
while others maintain that Paris is his
| birthplace. The date of his birth is not
more certain than his native country, but
according to his birth certificate he must
have come into the world about the 22d Of
June, 1906, and that his mother was Miss
Delsmothe, employed in linen shop. Bat
he himself acknowledged that he must-be
older, when on the 22d of June, lS47, he
answered the President of the Chamber of
Paris, who asked him his age II am
forty one to forty three years old :" and in
fact certain informations have proved him
to have been born in 1902. It was under
the name of Emile Deiamothe that lie en-
tered as clerk in some Government en-