Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-11-11

Why He PrOnOunces America a
Giant Which had Neither
Bones Nor Nerves. I'll VI
Paris American Register.

In your last issue Dut one, you quote
an extract from an article in the Mag
azine of American History, entitled
"Boneless America" in which is the
bon mot OF Talleyrand to the effect
that the United States was "A giant
which had neither bones nor nerves"
This was particularly true when Tai
leyrand was in America, for we must
remember that this famous Bishop,
statesman and diplomast knew our
o luntry when its independence had
only been achieved a little more than
ten years before. He spent two years
in America, and returned to France
in 1796,never again TO place foot on the
soil of the new world. He did have
certain land and other speculations in
the United States, and among them an
interest in a tannery in New York.
The late DR.. Bethune told me several
things in regard to Talleyrand, which
he CDR. Bethune) received from his
father, for the genial and eloquent
divine and author was not born until
nine years after Telleyrand left Amer.
lea. DR.. Bethune's father bec-ne
intimate with Talloyrand, because
both were interested in tanneries.
On one occasion Mr.. Bethune wit.
messed an amusing incident connected
with Talleyraud and leather, but not
with tanning.
1T WAS THE FASHION
eighty-seven years ago, when Talley.
rand vas in America, to wear buck
skin breeches. And so it happened
one day in winter time that Talleyrand
was visiting the house of a mutual
friend whose large d~rawingroom was
furnished, aside from other comforts,
with a wide. open mouthed fire place,
where the blazing hickory logs sent
out a most genial heat, producing g
summer atmosphere on a cold Decem
Der day. Talleyrand placed himself
with his back to the FIRE place, and
stood conyersing with the numerous
persons who had come 10 do him hon.
or. For be it known that be was
already a nan of mark. He was Gre
ated a Bishop of Autun at the early
age Of twenty five, but having adopted
the principles Of the French revolu-
ton, he soon threw religion gracefully
into the background, uoless it was on
some great State occasion where he
could come to the front with great
eclat as oa the 18th Of July, 1890, (the
day Of the Federation), when be cele
brated mass with great formality and
state on the Camp de Mars, and at
the same time blessed the regimentsl
banners Of the vast throng Of soldiery
present on that occasion. He also
accepted the new state Of things for
the clergy decreed by the constitu-
ton, and it was he who received and
swore in the Bishops who adhered to
the new regime, and for this be was ex.
communicated by the Pope Previous
to this he was a member of the famous
Constitutional Assembly, and was
hand in glove with Mirabeau. He also
filed a diplomatic position in London.
No wonder, then, that his very name
was an attraction in the first circles
Of New York in 1895 and 1895.
BESIDES HIS WEALTH,
which had no mean magnetism for
many of the upper ten" Of that day,
his brilliant conversational powers and
his ready wit made him the observed
of all observers. His French witt
cisms were not lost on society, for
more people. in proportion TO the
population, spoke French at that time
in New York than at the present
day.
Well, TO return to the subject con.
nected with leather. Talleyrand, the
center OF the admiriDg group, stood
with his back to the glowing FIRE
place. As he talked in bis wondrous
way, exciting the risibles of all he was
not aware that the winters blast
without made a splendid current, and
The merrier up its roaring daft,
The greater throat Of the chimney laughed
Talleyrapd was light and spindle.
shanked, and garments we're made
looser upon his legs than fashion re
quired, hence there was a certain
space between hi sleather breaches and
the human hide. Hickory wood il
the very best engenderer Of he It. The
buekskin breeches, under the inhu.
ence OF that generous FIRE, FIRST con
ltracted a great deal of warmth, and
then began to contract themselves,
They would soon have burned the
living skin. Suddenly, Talleyrand. in
one Of his most telling points ola Joke,
stopped and clapped his hands behind
him on that part Of the human body
which, in my hoyhood, was considered
the channel to knowledge by the old
padding and feruling school teachers.
In al instant more he spraug into the
air with the yell Of a royal Bengal
tiger. No ballet dancer ever surpassed
that leap, and, for the moment, those
who had been charmed with the truly
brilliant Frenchman thought he had
become suddenly insane. When the
matter was understood, all burst into
laughter, and TalIeyrand himself
though Smarting sOrely, set the ex,
ample by being the merriest Of all.