The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-30
HISTORY IN AUTOGRAPHS.
The Last Hundred Years OF France-A Re-
marknble Collection.

The Last Hundred Years OF France-A Re-
marknbie Collection.
The interest attaching TO autographs OF
prominent men who have been associated
with great public events is strikingly
shown by fac Smiles OF some OF these
treasures in a late No. of the Paris Figaro.
These curiositIes, all OF which are con-
nccted with the last hundred wears OF
French history, and many OF which relate
TO comparatively recent occurrences, are a
rart OF the collection OF NJ. Alfred Doyet.
Here is a curious letter from jules Greyy,
the present President OF the republic,
to Jules Favre. dated February 3, 1861,
which refers to a profound separation
between these two statesmen to which
contemporary journalism gives no clue,
and which remains one OF the eng
mas OF history. Hardly less curious
are the oaths, in their own handwriting
and over their own signatures, which
Theirs, Jules Fayre, Jules Simon, Jules
Ferro, aud Henri ROcheiOrt took to sup
port the Emperor Napoleon III. and his
Government. These OathS were taken in
1869. and all the signers, rs the Figaro re-
marks, sought the overthrow OF the En-
pire: none OF them intended to keep their
sworn promises. Thiers inscribed his oath
OH an expensive sheet Of paper, while Ro-
cbefort, with characteristic raiilery, wrote
in his organ, the Lantern. during the
lest fifteen DAYS TO take an oath is as simple
a. to lend a hundred sous to a friend;
much simpler sometimes The handWri-
ting Of these oaths Is extremely character
istic, and from Theirs TO ROchefort what
gulf there is in character and experience.
Even deeper in interest are the series OF
autographs connected with the great French
revolution. Here is the permission gwen
bv Richard Cbanslay to Citizen Ballicr,
81 Rue du Pot de Fer" on behalf OF the
Paris commune, 10 supply poor Louis
xvi with the two pairs OF stockings
which he had asked Tor TO protect him
from the bitter cold in his dungeon
There is 4 world OF pathOS and suffer-
ing suggested by this missiye OF the
time OF terror; for ten days afterward
the unfortunate King was condemned
to death. A kindred interest is the
card of admission. % rOSe-cOlored paper,
good for one person." to the tribune OF
the National Assembly, dated June II,
1890. 1t is signed by 4 man whose very
name inspires dread, even at the distance
OF almost century. This IS Robespierre,
who affixed his signature as secretary OF
the Assembly, and as titles OF nobility
were not then abolished, the ode" was
left before his name. TO add to the sug-
gestive contradictions OF this ticket. the
seal bears the Bourbon lilies and the de-
vice, God and the King The King
still reigned. though he had ceased to
govern. There IS pathoS beyond words
I IL, NH N This eollap-
ton. II is the copy set by the writing
master OF the unfortunate Louis XVII,
and is in the boyIsh hand OF the dGuphln.
The first sentiment, Generosity Is uncOm-
mon," suggests the answer ne made 10 4
poor person. who, in begging for aims
within the courtyard OF the TuleIies, said
ii would make him happy rs queen. "Oh,
do not say that" said the son OF the heart
broken Marie AhtOinette, for know one
who is always weeping" Another senti-
ment in the same handwriting, Good Use
OF time is one OF the hest AIDS to happi-
ness" recalls the fact that the young
Princes philosophy was put to a terrible
test by the cruel treatment Of his iailers,
who fastened his death.
Character As expressed IN handwriting Is
shown IN the contrast between the modest
signature OF DesaiX, whose charge at
Marengo gave signal victory 10 Napoleon.
and the pOmpOus ilourlShes OF Augereau.
who did such effective work at obi and
Arcola. and, after declaring allegiance TO
LOUIS XVIII, deserted 10 the Emperor
during the hundred days. Napoleon, how
ever, thought best OF the hero whose life
was sacrificed at Marengo. The tomb OF De-
saix. he declared. shall have the Alps for its
pedestal and the monks OF st. Bernard
| for its guardians. The autographs OF the
two generals, Chanzy and Gallillet, recall
the later struggles and trials OF France.
| They also exhibit what may be called the
personality OF handwriting. As Figaro
saws THE writing OF Chanzy is that cf a
diplOmatist who Yields only what he Is
obliged to; that Of Galillet describes the
curve Of parade. The first and last letters
resemble two swords unsheathed from
their scabbards." There is an equally stri-
king contrast in the autographs OF those two
representative men Of tO-day-BiSmarck
and the Duke d'Aumale. The signature
Of the German statesman Is said to be won
derfully like that OF Louis XIV, and the
autocracy OF their sway makes the re-
semblance appropriate. The cramped eX-
preston in the rugged autograph Of the
creator Of united Germany IS wholly
unlike the dashing freedom OF the heir Of
Condo. No Frenchman OF our time repre-
sents better the patriotic Royalists OF the
country than the son OF the citizen King
Louis Philippe, the conqueror OF Abd-el-
Kader, the Judge OF Bazaine, who always
signs himself Henri d'OrleanS, but whom
the world knows as the Duke d'Aumale.