The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-03
GAMBETTA AND WASHBURNE.
An Americans RecoIlections and Esti-
mate of Gambetta.


An Interesting Sketch Telegraphed to the
Chicago Tribune.
The following tribute to the memory of the
great Frenchman, Gambetta, was telegraphed
by Mr.. E. B. Washburn, now sojourning in our
city, to the Chicago Tribune:
The news of the death of Leon Gambetta,
which is announced this morning through the
press dispatches, comes to us almost as per-
sOnal grief. great light has gone out in
France, and the world loses one of the most
gifted, the most brilliant and most eloquent
men OF the age. 1t is not my present purpose
10 give an appreciation of this remarkable man
whose sad and early death must create such
heartfelt impression in all parts of the world
where Intelligence and civilization have made
his name known. | will simply give some of
my impressions and "reminiscences of the great
tribune now, alas, no more.
When L went to France in the spring of 1869,
Gambetta was young member of the chamber
of deputies from the department of the Seine.
Already distinguished for the reputation he had
acquired for elOqucnce and ability in pOliti-
cal time before one of the tribunals of Paris,
ne took "a position in the chamber in the front
rank of that little band of able and courageous
men who made face against the empire, then i'm
was a prominent actor in all those turbulent
and exciting scenes which took place in the
and up to the fall of the empire. ]
saw him in the hall of the chamber on
the historic fourth of September 1870 when
the people of Paris entered it and drove out
The deputies. Though naturally impetuous
and vehement, in that supreme crisis he was
cool and collected. After the people had en-
tered the hall and most of the members had
left it, President Schneider, still occupying his
chair, Gambetta nominated the tribune to adj
dress them. The president made an appeal for
him to be heard, cOmplimenting him i'm deli
cate terms, saying he was deputy whose char
acter and position entitled him to confidence
But it was too late the watch-wOrd had been
given, ito the Hotel de Vile, where the de-
thronement of the emperor was TO be pro-
bounced and the republic proclaimed. Then
towards that grand and historical old palace
lid the opposition deputies take their way and
fhither swiftly flowed under the empire of the
most profound emotion the people of Paris.
followed the suTging masses of men, women
ind children to find sixty thousand people in
the Place de Grebe in front of the palace. Ii
was one of those extraordinary scenes of which
history can give but few examples. The day
was bright and beautiful. All was quiet and
orderly and there were no unseemy demon
STATIONS. While there was anxiety, some
times tinged with sadness yet hope filled all
hearts that the day had come when the hour of
The hated reign of Napoleon was. finally
10 strike. The opposition deputies had
been admitted to the palace-Gambetta, jules
Fayre, Cremieux, GARNER Pages, Jules Simon,
Jules Ferry and others. The crowd awaited
silently and respectfully until the appearance
Of RGchefOrte and Rasfail-these men had been
imprisoned, under the empire for political of
lenses, but f6ieased immediately at the very
lrSt moment OF UlG OtlIRreBk OF the lnSurrec-
ton. They were brought from the prison Of
the Pelagie to the Hotel de Vile, in an open,
One-hOrse cab, and covered all over with tri-
colored flags. Reaching the Palace de Grebc
they were received with transports of enthus-
iasIn. The crowd gave way and they ap-
preached the palace, whose heavy door swung
back on It's hinges 20 give them entrance. Soon
they appeared AT window 20 be sgail vQcifer-
Dusly acclaimed. But all of this was only
prelude to what was to come. Soon Gambetta
appeared at one of the windows of the palace
th.aks
threw out to the crowd below him the little
lists containing the names of the deputies of
Paris, who yeEeto constitute the provisional
government OF tf ~ naeri the name OF the
from the vast multitude there went up Qi,h
shout OF deVerance us was rarely ever heard
in the worlds history. dynasty had fallen
and republic had been proclaimed. 4 stu
pendOuS revolution had been accomplished and
WITHOUT the shedding of one single drop OF
blood, Gambetta was delegated to the ministry
of the interior, jules Favre to the ministry
brew advocate and life tong republican, Gre
mieuX, 20 the ministry Of jnstiee.. They all
spectiQe ministries IN the hurry of the depar-
tiIre and the excitement Vi tbe moment the
venerable CrcmieuK forgot MS hat and taking
an open vehicle he rode baFe-h6aded firla the
Hotel de Vile to the ministry of justice in the
palace VendOme. When the empire went down
all the ministers fell with il and when the new
ministers, delegated by the government of the
ministries, they were atl accepted us the proven
representatives Of the HEW government, and
they al once took the reips Of then Depart
mentS.
Two days after | first made the acquaintance
of Gambetta at the ministry OF the interior,
place BeauvOir. Having been charged with
the protection of the Germans in France had
mad a great deal Of trouble with the govern
ment 9f the empire in respect To the German
subjects leaving France, The action of the
ministry of the empire touching that matter
was not only utterly inconsistent, but in derO-
cation of the well known principles Of interna-
tiOnal law, which allows the subject of bellig-
erent power reasonable time TO depart with
his effects. The ground first taken was that no
German capable of bearing arms should be
allowed to leave France. The excuse for that
arbitrary disregard OF international law was
that PARIS gas full of young German subjects
join the German army 20 fight against France.
The discussion of this question involved long
correspondence with the foreign office, which
resulted in the abandonment of the ground
taken, To be followed by an inhuman order
expellmg instantly from French territory every
German in it, This cruel determination to
drive out from Paris some 5000 Germans,
men, women aud children, could in any event
bring ruin and desOlatiOn 10 thousands of fam
lies In the presence of the hostility of the
French government and people of Paris the
difficulties and distress were greatly aggrava-
ted. IL was therefore, With the advent of the
government of the republic that determined
to appeal to Gambetta, minister of the interior,
in whose department all this matter rested.
without experience in executive affairs, il was
question how he could meet the immense
responsibilities newly thrust upon him. In
calling upon him officially for the first time, |
found young man of ordinary height and
size. (H6 Rfterward became very heaVy.) He
had fine man4eFs and a most agreeable address,
handsome face, long, black, glossy hair and a
full beard. / went over the W6oe question of
the pKDUlSiOn of the Eprnans With hmm nd