Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-11-18
GAMBETTA.
A Description of Madame Adams Salon
a Coterie of French Celebrities.


A Coterie of French Celebrities.
As we were in the habit of passing
some of fhe winter months in the south
of France. we used to receive before our
departure, and our salon was the first
to open. We ceased our receptions Just
at the moment when everybody is over
whelmed with invitations, and running
from salon to salon without having time
to stop in any one; and then, or our re-
turn, we re-opened our salon just when
other people were closing theirs. Adam
had often spoken TO HE Of Laurent
Pichat's evenings, at which he was a
regular attendant. He talked to me es-
pecially about young man whose name
began TO bo mentioned Il good deal in
our circle, GambGita. who told the men
of 1913 what he thought Of them, with
out mincing his words. saving again
and again that their traditions must be
broken; THAT it was 10 good troubling
about the dognIas OF the party, which
hampcrcd its action. like swaddling
clothes kept 100 long around the body
of child, and that this naive policy
must be replaced by march. step for
step, in the path traced by the enemy
'.To try TO conquer with proiectiles
flung from too great 4 height is mere
Stiffness. said H. Leon Gambetta; Eve
are under the Empire. let rs combat the
Empire with the methods OF the En-
pirc. II is useless 10 put on dancing
shoes IN order TO walk in 4 sewer: let
us put on seWcrmcn's boots. NJ. Louis
Blame. if he returned, would vote again,
from principle, lot the return of Prince
Napoleon Facts never touch princi-
pies, however much they give them the
lie, Very good; let US wipe out the
principle, and let us take account of the
fact only. If we shut ourselves up in
Our doctrines wc sbail never triumph.
We must drive Napoleon III. back
upon his own men, and overthrow
Rouhcr with the enemies Of houher.
Principles! We have had enough Of
principles
Adam admired All this completely.
made reserves.
"A good doctrine for combat, | said,
"but very demoralizing the day of the
victory For what win be the prize and
object Of tho victory? Mere victory?
That is not enough.
1.-The proof that we are wrong, and
that this Young man is right. replied
Adam. land that the ideal doctrine is
false. is that not only have we been
crushed, but we have been stupid. This
Gambeta says dozcns cf things that |
thought in 1913, and which | nave not
dared 10 formulate since. lie is right.
None of those who have been directing
us ever took advantage of events. If
We had only had a man with the char
acter of Cayaignac, the cloquence of
Lomartinc, the democratic passion of
Ledru-Roliin, ihcn we should have
triumphcd VIII yoa believe it? d.
Leon Gambetta makes ne think Of this
trinity united in one single man.
"AIl. if chat DO the case, want TO
know him. You must bring him to see
me
The fact is that his ways arc very
how shall ! say?-very Latin Quarter
student-likc. Iic is rs free and careless
in his language rs he is in his dress.
lie speaks with terrible accent; lie dis
cuSses with insolence; and | should be
sorry for you 10 hear the way he treats
me because am one 81 the 1878 SET. =
But is nc extraordinary, or is he
not?"
He is extraordinary, but thorough
Bohemian; vulgar, living as nobody else
lives. brutal, audacious. He is man
for the pupulace. kind Of Danton, only
more shrewd He speaks with great
authority"
Il want to know him" / replied.
On November Il. 1868, Gambelta,
who in the morning was only known to
4 small circle of friends. became fam
Gus in the evening. thanks to his de-
fence of Delescluzc, the editor OF lie
ReUeh His pleadlngs flew like signal
all over France.
The great force Of Gambetta lay in
his faculty Of translating currents of
opinion into words, which had DO rear
value in themselves, or, at anv rate, a
value which they soon lost, but which
at the moment Gained each one's
spirit Of inquiry, and were the exact
expression OF the opinions Of all This
speech in defence Of Delescluze, which
caused so much emotion. and rendered
SO admirably and so completely the ex-
plosion OF tho general conscience OF
France, seems nothing exceptional if VIC
read it over now, but you can feel in il
the vibration of a soul which others
made to yibrate. Between Gambetta
and public opinion, so far as he aban-
doued himself to opinion and did not
try to Cypress it, there was an extra
ordinary sympathetic communication.
He gave back one hundrcd-fold what
he received from it; satisfying it just in
the degree to which it wished to be
satisfied. He was the model OF demo-
cratic orator. Often have | seen him at
the time when we were intimate, hesi-
tate in his reflections. question, grow
excited in order to provoke contradict
ton, exercise his oratofy in our little
circle as If be were trying to feel the
pulse Of opinion, just as formerly he
used to exercise himself IN the midst OF
his comrades 50 that he might iadgo the