Milford chronicle., 1883-01-12
4 NOTABLE FRENcHMAN.
The Late VI. Gambetta. the French Eai'oF
aud Politician.


Leon Gambetta was born Oct. ~,
1898 in Cabors. the capital city Of the 4
Dan3rfnent Of Lot. in Southern France. /
Ha entered mon the study Of the law, !
and in 1859 was admitted 70 tne futis
bar. It has been related Of him' - ~
Illustrative Of the intriguing disposition
which was united to his wonderful exec
utive mind: that he several times p9I-
loined briefs of important trials from the
Office Of the old lawyer with whom ne
studied mastered their contents, ana /
when the time for the argument was az |
hand called his employers attention 70
them. Despairing Of mastering the case
inso brief a time. the old lawyer would
Dlacs the brief IN Gambettas hand, VINO
used the opportunity with signal eiiect
10 forward his own interests by making
a nowerful argument. He soon became
I sye sszzyes. spd appeared IN
famous as a law 49,. - y fal
several important political c56ist SSs
in Paris and the provinces. Himself a
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
licly denounced the arbitrary measures
Of Louis Napoleon. and IN 1869 defended
the characterization newspaper IN lou
louise. and was given an enthusiastic re-
eeption through the south of France. In
the same year he was elected Deputy by
the ''irreconcilables" for both Paris and
AIarseilles. 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 a
republic should exist in France. He was
one Of the first to proclaim thesrepublic
after Louis Napoleon's surrender in Sc
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-
templated election Of Deputies.
He left Paris on Oct Z in the balloon
Sc Armand-Barbes, accompanied by a
secretary and an aeronaut, passed the
I Prussian lines and reached Rouen in the
evening. Thence he proceeded to Tours,
organized a Government in the provinces
which were uninvaded by the Germans,
and raised an army. He advocated re-
sistance 10 the bitter end, but ~ his
soldiers were defeated and articles ofpeace
were signed the members Of the Paris
Government reversed his DEGREES, and
eensured him. He resigned, and passed
several months in seclusion in Spain.
Suddenly he reappeared as a delegate in
the Assembly. and was soon the acznowl-
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 a conference at Rome with the
/ leading statesmen of Italy. Afew weeks
/ later the eleventh Correctional Tribunal
/ of Paris sentenced him to three months
( Imprisonment and fine Of 1000 francs.
/ This was due to his remark at a private
meeting that after the next elections
/ President MacMahon must submit or re-
SIGN. In November, 1873, he fought q
/ duel with Plessis Piquet, whom he had
I called liar during discussion IN the
/ Chamber. The encounter was harmless,
/ aud it was claimed that the seconds loaded
the pistols with blank cartridges.
IN 1879, when Grevy became President
Of the republic, Gambetta 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 a defeat would have
ben. On Nov. IA he became the head
Of Crews Cabiaet, 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 scrutin dc Hste. On
Jan. 26 his measure was Overwhelmingly
defeated, by 3O5 to liz, and he resigned
his portfolio