New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-28
NOTES FROM LONDON.
ESTIMATES OF GAMBETTA-BOoKs AND
COPYRIGHT.

- .,h,,sh articles on Gaubstta One in The
Can,emnorory bv a German ,sa melancholy ex-
ample of spiteful hatred The writer mas coiecieo
MI the stale calumnies and stupid mlsrerresepta-
lions current for years past In france au'ohK 'ne
reactiouartes and in Germany among all classes
and shot them all in one heap OF foul rubbish by
the side of q grave just closed. In Inc Nineteen'h
Cen,ury appears q euloey by well-knOwn CAM
h.t,is. whom MI Knowles will persist in denonli
r,tj,o Mons Joseph Renach. The paper. like all
,be articles of French origin in this Review, 10
badly translated and NJ. Reinach though an able
man, writes in style too pretentous and too EN- :
phatic for English tastes-faults which are exag'
cerated by clumsy rendering of French into wnat
is not English. A far better paper may be FOUND In
The Fortunately. The author of it 10 described by
the Editor as one of Ganbettas most intimate
friends and political followers. who wishes his
name withheld. 1t contains plenty OF evidence
that the writer was really behind the scenes Here
Is one passage apropos of the attacks on Gambeita
for accepting the adhesion TO the hepupllc vi COT
tain hated Generals:
MANY Republicans knew not, or would not under.
stand that when NJ de Broglie conspired against
fhc national will in the period known as the CRISIS
of the 10th May Gamhetta, by his personal ascohu-
ancy over those influential officers prevented tnoi
from iuininc the conspirators and therefore saved
the Republic. 1 may tell You now, sa1 10 nc 10
one of those Generals Two days aiser sSonid have
passed over to NJ. de Droglio and monarchy.
Iqaote also most interesting account by Gam
beta himself OF bis own speaking:
ct feel no emotion when ascend the tribune; It
10 only in lHeat debates when catch the Presidents
eve fen minutes lSefOre opening my MOUTH tnaV
am Affected Then am shaken .aine " Which s Is ea
tremeIy painful but does not last more than nail
minute, after which an myself again.
On the question of preparation he said;
aInever prepare my discourses; never think of
the speech itrelf. The speech Is nothing 10 me the
idea want to put forth aud demonstrate ~ AL
think of III advance For the remainder trust 10
myself, to whatever advantages may derive from
opportunity"
Cambetta has himself defined over and over again
In unmstak able terms the grounds OF his hatred 10
clercalism. but his friend has summed up the
matter in a convenient form;
He was tolerant in his intentions toward oil
species Of religious beliefs. but TO nothing was he
more sternly hostile than to the treSphss Oh the
Church into politics He would not allow that
there could be- power claiming to he above tue
State ard bending sS ng 70 he often sSa to
Nuncio Czaek lwbo. curiously enough, was almost
on intimate terms with him. lei u CaInoIc
Chnrch remain in the Church. let the clergy con-
fine themselves to IL cir spiritual avocatlODs and
thew shall nave nothing 60 fear at my hands
And then follows a little later another good de-
fiuition. After reminding his readers that the
French Bishops attack the government from the
nulnit conspire with pretenders. and recognize no
other authority than the Popes and even respect
fully disobey the Pope when he counsels moderation
and observance Of the Concordat, the writer says:
This chronic insurrection of the clergy their hos
tiy to republican institutions .net asnanc c1e "
Realism; and when Gambetta exclaimed 1onr years
ago LIE cleric 1lisn. voa rennemi," he was no!
formulating an accommodation against Roman
Eat ri. I'm
which uses the forms of religion TO sap ana extlh-
gnish free institutions In france
Perhaps the oudest of all the many stories abont
GamLetta Is that told 10 The CornhiH Magazine as
reason for his not visiting England He wanted to
come, Sir Charles Dixie and others hau repeatedly
asked him, and associations had sent him political
invitations:
But his friend and comrads. the actor Coqueiln,
had given him a dispirli ing account OF now the
nerfo1mances of the Theatre Francas company
%.nt o. in London ave have good, polite an
6encesr saia Coonelin, "but not one-t third oil the
neope in the house understand what we say they
applaud with their finger tips at the wrong pages
and most subtle Pleasanttes lali nat stsn toni
nm to be stared at ike fat man in a ia)r ana
should see people wringing their mouths 70 eArael
smiles at the monenvs wheh l was Struggling W
move them.
That does not sound probable story, but let it
uass. When the Prince of Wales asked Gainbetta
4, 90 to ENGLAND tie decliaed SAYS the same writer.
becsuse he was afraid of what French caricatursts
and critics would say.-he who for thirteen years
had been the target for every sort OF attack lam
poop and cartoon alike 1t Is true Gambetta never
came. but fancy Sir Charles Dixie could. If he
.hose give us much better reasons than these for
his staying away.
RoyalIsts In France, and perhaps elsewhere are
forever bemoanng the decay of good manners, due.
AS they say to the nroad OF democratic principles.
Far la IL from us mere Republicans to presume to
have an opinion on such matters. Let us accept
what We are told above all. let us follow an ex-
ample " hen no find it. The latest have seen is
that Of the Comte do ChamboId. He. If anybody.
must ha ,e good manners they are understood by
royalists for he is IN their estimation. by rights
King of France Well. no has been writing letter
To the grandson Of NJ. de Pvnt-de-G ault old
officer of the royal guard who died just before the
public funeral to Gambetta. And the Comte de
Chambord does not scruple to say that the old sol
dieI was happy in being spared sight which was
an outrage upon Christianity and humiliation to
the army That is the kind of tribute which the
aKing" OF France and the Prince of good manners
laws upon the tomb of the greatest Frenchman of
his time Not to do even King the least injustice
Translate the sentence:
God has called unto Himself the old officer OF the
foy al guard, that noble Improvisation vi military
honor, that he might not feel blow more terrible
than every other.-might not see the army taking
part in pagan demonstrations against winch would
have reyolted alike the ind gnation OF The Chris
tau and the humiliation Of the soldier.
A friend asks me whether it might not be said of
President Grevy as we'll as of Gambetta that he
had that supreme degree of common sense which is
80 rare in France. think not. President Grevys
characteristics trait political leader is shrewd-
ness He might be called cunning, If the word
cunning did not hint at u sort Of moral obliquity
from which he is free. Before he was President
and since, NJ. Grevy has shown fine qualities; pa
tencc foresight frmness, uprightness and skill OF
q very high order In political tactics But be Is u
man to whose vision and views there are very
sharply defined limits 1t is his moderation which