The Portland daily press., 1885-05-23
VICTOR HUGO.
The Great French Poet and Nov.
elist Passes Away.
France Mourns the Loss-Brief
Sketch of His Career.

PARIS, May 22.-victor Hugo died at 1.30 this
afternoon.
PARIS, May 22.-Victor Hugo's condition was
so manifestly worse this morning that his death
was regarded as certain to take place within few
hours, and when this fact became known Cardinal
Guibert. archbishop of Paris, sent specially to
Hugo's residence, offering to visit him and admin
lister spiritual aid and the rites of the Catholic
was in attendance at the death.bed when the
cardinals profer came, replied for Hugo, declining
with thanks the archbishops tender and saying for
the dying man, "Victor Hugo is expecting death
but he does not desire the services of PRIEST
Newspapers in Paris appear in mourning this
evening. 1t is believed that the funeral will be
the grandest seen in France for a century. The
poet was sketched as he lay his death-bed by the
great painter Bonnet, who will transfer to canvas
the impression taken.
In the Senate M. Leroyer delivered an eulogy on
Hugo. Prime Minister Brisson delivered
logy in the Chamber of Deputies. He said the ma.
tion mourned the loss of Victor Hugo and moved
that the funeral of the poet be conducted at the
states expense. The motion was greeted with ap-
plause. The Senate and Chamber adjourned In
respect of Hugo. 1t is stated that 81. Hugo passed
through long and terrible agony before his death.
1t is proposed to inter the poets remains in the
Panthenon and that the day of the funeral shall be
declared day OF national mourning on which all
government offices, schools and theatres shall be
closed.
M Hugo passed away peacefully without suffer-
ing. His residence il surrounded by large crowd
M. Floquet. president of the Chamber of Deputies
has requested NJ Allan Targe minister of the in
terror to allow the coffin to lie under the Arc de
Triomphe for "a hours. The death OF NJ Hugo
dwarfs every other sabject political as well as
cial.
Victor Hugo was born in Besancon Feb. 20, 1902,
coming of a family ennobled in 1881. His father
was an officer in the French army, who volunteer
ing under the Republic became general under the
first Empire. From Besancon Victor was carried to
Elba, Paris, Rome and Naples before he was five
years DID, and returning to France in aS09 pursued
classical studies in religious house. He made his
debut in literature at the age of twenty years, pub
fishing the first volume of his 'Odes and Ballads"
in 1922. his tales, Hans of Iceland' and "Bug
Jargal,'' appearing about the same time. The
second volume Of codes and Ballads appeared in
1926, indicating by its character change in po
ltical and literary opmions. His first important
work. the drama of 'Cromwel.' p was published in
1927. Lies orientales,'' work of much brilh-
ancy, appeared the following year, and in 1929 he
published ''The Last Days of Condemned Grimm
al" His next work was "Hernani," drama pro-
duced for the first time at the Theatre Francois on
Feb. &c, $780,
tions, the historical drama of Marion DeioTme,"
dAnfona srd he 5oyei .sNo Psra
the last named being received with enthusiastic IA
vor. fLe Ro S'a muse" another drama, was pro-
duced at the Theatre Francois, Nov. %, 1892 and
was interdicted the next day as being an insult to
royalty. Several other dramatic works followed,
and in 1S41, after much opposition, NJ Hugo was
elected to membership in the Academy, thus COM
pleting the triumph Of the school of literature
which he represented About this time his polti-
cal aspirations began to manifest themselves. In
lS45 Louis Philippe created him peer of France.
The outbreak of the revolution of 1S4S was follow
ed by M. Hugo's entrance into political life as
member of the Constituent Assembly, where he
generally acted with the Conservatives. On his re-
election to the Legislative Assembly, he began to
manifest his democratic and radical tendencies.
He was an earnest opponent of Prince Napoleon,
whose underhand policy he denounced in eloquent
speeches. and whose leaps to the Imperial throne he
foresaw and foretold. In lS49 he chosen Pres
ident of the Peace Congress, in which body he had
been an active member. The coup d'etat of Dec. 2,
1851, drove him from France and he took refuge
on the island of Jersey, whence he issued in 1852
his "NapoleoH the Litte,' and in 1858 those bitter
satires entitled Lies Chatiments.'' On account of
some hostile manifestation towards the French gov
ernment he was obliged to remove to the island Of
Guernsey, where he resided until the fall OF the
Second Empire, refusing in 1893 to accept the am
nesty then offered to political exies While living
on the island Of Guernsey he wrote some of his
grandest works, including "Les Miserables'' and
Lies Trayailleurs de la Mer." On the fall of the
empire he hastened back tclFrance, entered into
the republican movement with great heartiness and
was returned to the national assembly at Bordeaux,
but held his seat only short time esigning March
8, 1871. He returned to Paris in July, 1871, and
pleaded earnestly for the lives of Rosoe Ferre and
the other Communists but to no effect. On Jan. 80,
1876, he was elected to the Senate.