Connecticut western news., 1883-01-10
A NOTABLE FRENCHMAN.
The Late M. Gambettn. the Fr ench Editor
 and Politician.

Leon Gambetta was born Oct. 30, 1888, in Cahors, the capital city of the Department of Lot, in Southern France. He entered upon the study of the law, and in 1859 was admitted to the Paris bar. It has been related of him, as it. illustrative of the intriguing disposition which was united to his wonderful exec utive mind; that he several times pur- Joined briefs of important trials from the office of the old lawyer with whom he studied, mastered their contents, and when the time for the argument was at hand called his employers attention to them. Despairing of mastering the case in so brief time, the old lawyer would place the brief in Gambetta's hand, who used the opportunity with signal effect to forward his own interests by making powerful argument. He soon became famous as 8 lawyer, and appeared in several important political causes, both in Paris and the provinces. Himself man of the people, he was bold in ex- pressing opinions of the most ultra re- publican order, and became popular with the Parisian masses. In 1868 he pub icly denounced the arbitrary measures of Louis Napoleon, and in 1869 defended the Emancipation newspaper in Tou- louse, and was given an enthusiastic re- ception through the south of France. In the same year he was elected Deputy by the ''irreconcilables" for both Paris and Marseilles, but decided to take his seat for Marseilles. In 1870 he made an at- tack on the Olivier Ministry, and de- clared that the day would come when republic should exist in France. He was one of the first to proclaim the republic after Louis Napoleon's surrender in Se- dan on Sept. 4 of the same year, was foremost in the organization of the pro- visional government, and became Minis ter of the Interior. A misunderstanding arose between the Delegate Government at Tours and the National Defense Com mittee in Paris with regard to the con- te1nplated election of Deputies.
 He left Paris on Oct. in the balloon Armand -Barbes," accompanied by secretary and an aeronaut, passed the Prussian lines and reached Rouen in the evening Thence he proceeded to Tours, organized Government in the provinces which were uninvaded by the Germans, and raised an army. He advocated re- sistapce to the bitter end, but when his soldiers were defeated and articles of peace were signed the members of the Paris Government reversed his decrees, and censured him. He resigned, and passed several months in seclusion in Spain. Suddenly he reappeared as delegate in the Assembly, and was soon the acknowl- edged leader of the Radical wing of the Republican party. During the exciting period which followed he was alternately worshiped and maligned by his country men. But, right or wrong, in one thing he was consistent he was always for the defnitive establishment of the republic. In 1872 he made a progress" through the south of France, and was treated with the honors due to royalty. In 1877 he had conference at Rome with the leading statesmen of Italy. A few weeks later the eleventh Correctional Tribunal of Paris sentenced him to three months imprisonment and fine of 2,000 francs This was due to his remark at private meeting that after the next elections President MacMahon must submit or re- sign. In November, 1878, he fought a duel with Plessis Piquet, whom he had called liar during a discussion in the Chamber. The encounter was harmless, and it was claimed that the seconds loaded the pistols with blank cartridges.
 In lof9, when OreVy became HreSldenG of the republic, Gannbetta was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies. The two foremost Republicans held the two foremost positions. Gambetta was reelected in 1880 and 1881. He has been much criticised for the war in Tunis in 1881, whose success was generally con- sidered as bad as defeat would have been. On Nov. IA he became the head of Grevy's Cabinet, himself taking the portfolio of Minister of Foreign Affairs. On Jan. IA, 1882, he made his speech on proposed changes in the French Consti- tuition, including the scratti,s de Hste. On Jan. 26 his measure was overwhelmingly defeated, by 305 to 117, and he resigned his portfolio.