Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-03

F-om the Courier des a:sUnis, January q
The popularity of Gambetta was not the re-
suit of sudden elevation. favored by chance.
or even Of a succession of happy chances. He
arrived at the summit of public life by the inces-
SAINT cultivation of a superior intelligence. by
the effort OF a resOute will. by the cOnstancy of
character which rose superior to vulgar temp
tations. Born poor and of an impetuous tenn
permanent. he combined in his youth two quail
ties of Incompatible value. the thirst for knOwl-
ed"eand Il combative nature sustained by sound
Judgment. always ready to appropriate that
which he found true ana useful in tine company
of men and in the lesson Of events. Hcwas. be-
sides. endowed with an innate faculty of impul-
sion and of expansion. A student he sought
during his hours of leisure from study the resorts
where he might Ventiate his ideas His even
ings in these public haunts for which he
has been reproached as souvenirs of dis
sipatiOn. were Tree conferences where were dis
cnssed all political opinions all religious ideas
all social theories: where he was prepared by
daily controversy for the strife OF the senate aud
where his fervent elOquence gave expression to
the passionate sentiments which already boiled
within him. man of war; he early learned to
control his enthusiasm and guarded himself by
strict discipline of his spirit. against the con-
tagiOn of paradox. from which course he never
after deyiated. In the midst of the aurements
OF active life he never left ANYTHING to chance
His most ardent ideas have ALWAYS been tenn
pered by reflection: he has never taken a pOliti-
cal step without knowing exactly what he was
doing and where he was going. and he has never
Overestimated his influence upon others or his
ability to lead them. To him progress stopped
only at Utopia: his expectations We're limited TO
the possible. Like great captains. like Grant
during the american war. he would not march
forward until he had fortified the positions he
had already conquered. and from this arose that
reputation for readiness to meet emergencies
which has been giVen-by some in seriousness,
by others in irOny-tO his political tact.
We will not here follow Gambetta through all
the phases OF his life after the foundation of the
republic which he. more than any one else
helped to establishment than any one else that
1s TO say. with the exception OF NJ. Theirs who
mas separate place in the history of this terri
Die crisis i'll which the fortune, the independ-
ence, the existence even of the French father
land We're almost overwhelmed. 1t is rather
the Character of the man of which we desire to
speak than the facts i'm the development OF
which il is revealed
1T now remains for US to say word OF the
position OF Gambetta during his latter DAYS
We know all the oscillations and the hesitati0ns
OF parties in the heart of the chamber and the
political instability which resulted therefrom
This instability, which has already far advanced
and which has ever been the evil of the re-
public since Its origin, has engendered
many weaknesses and has created many dan
gers. internal and external. Well if there be a
truth which is Incontestahle to whoever has fol-
lOWeu WIN attention and intelligence the pro-
gress OF public affairs in France it is that Gam
BETA was the man best fitted to rally parties
and TO discipline them into forming a majority
Tor the government ard at the same time the
man best fitted TO give to the national politics of
France the force and dignity which they wanted
In this Europe was no t deceived. She knew
that from the comparatively obscure post
which Ganbetta held from the time of the fall
of his ministry he did not cease to exercise
upon the majority i'm the chambers and still
more upon the majority of the country control
which was energetic enough to assure the
timid apd To give to the birth of the govern
ment itself an imp Use which it would have
lacked had it not been sustained by his power
fui influence Gambetta removed from power
was more than an authority; he was an animal
Ing spirit. vital breath-the expression of the
true will of the people speaking with the voice
OF the most eloquent man in the land Now
that this spirit has taken its flight this breath
Is extinct and this voice hushed, the French
fatherland will not be less dear to its children
nor its flag less sacred; but there is a great
heart less 10 love it and an energetic hand the
less TO hold the flag. We look around us and
We look Tor raying point 1t exists without
doubt. and the people of France will know
now 10 IND II. we are convinced in a virtue
which has never failed in the day Of great trial
the love of the country and of liberty