New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-14
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EOULANGER UNUONE.


BOULANGER UNDONE.
General Boulanger has had his duel this
time. but has missed his revenge. A year or
more ago he demanded satisfaction of NJ. Ferry
for what he considered an insult in political
speech There were extended negotiations be-
tween the seconds but there was no duel. The
General found a more accommodating antag-
onist in NJ. FlOquet, whose representatives,
scorned the diplomacy Of the code and would
not split hairs over the etiquette Of the duello,
but promptly arranged a meeting The Cen
eral on the previous occasion had proposed
pistols. and this choice opened the way for
much controversial matter respecting the dis
lance to be marked off, the number of shots to
be exchanged and the method of giving the
command TO fire. NJ. Floquct, as the one in
suited, had the privilege of selecting the
weapons and by insisting upon having the old
fashioned cavalry sabre simplihed the pro-
cedure The Premier and the Dictator seem
to have been equally in earnest, and the usual
CHEAP system of mock heroics and empty
bravado was dispensed with. As soldier
General Bouanger might reasonably have been
expected TO be more than a match for his an
tagonist in sword practice; but he secured no
advantage over the understood but agile law
YER NJ. Floquet escaped with scratch in the
hand, while the doughty General, who has
affected to be the only soldier in France, was
seriously wounded The Premier is now the
hero of Paris while General BOuanger is the
laughing stock of the bouevards as a soldier
who cannot fight even his own battles.
This sensational episode has its bad as well
as its good side. 1t is a misfortune. since 1t
will do much to restore the popularity of duel
ling, owing to the conspicuous positions Of the
antagonists. For over hundred years French
politicians and statesmen have had recourse to
the code, while army officers have been fight
ing dues for several centuries, Almost every
prominent leader in politics since Mrabeau's
day has been a duelliSt. Girardin THEIRS,
GuizOt Lamartine, Cousin, Gambetta, Clemen-
ceau, Locllroy and many other equally repu-
table statesmen fought under the same brutal
code which Paul de Cassagnac and Henri Roche
fort have done so much to render disreputable.
Until the downfall Of the Empire duelling was
an established institution sanctioned under
every form Of government. Military officers
who refused to fight were deprived OF their
epauletteS and dismissed from the service
while politicians sealed their doom in public
life when they neglected the CODE Happily
under the Republic the custom has steadily
declined, the extraordinary pains taken by
PRINCIPALS and seconds to avoid serious results
tending to dscredit it. When a ruilian like
Paul de CasSagnac could boast Of sending
forty challenges and having been twenty times
under fire, it was time for a radical change in
public opinion respecting duelling. Times
- &c hos 40
come fashionable I'm Paris to ridicule the
duelo as vulgar method Of advertising
cheap sort Of bravado without 1sl OF blood
shed or serious results Of any kind. From
such diSrepute into which the code has grad
ualy fallen the meeting between NJ. F!oquet
and General Boulanger tends TO rescue mo-
montarily this senseleSs, immoral and abOm-
Unable practice. Duelling will be likely for a
time to regain something of its lost prestige.
This will be a most deporable consequence Of
the meeting.
The good side Of the transaction is General
BOulangcrs disgrace. He is an ADVENTURE
who has brought reprOach upon the discipline
Of the French army and has played with mo-
mentary success the part Of an irresponsible mil
itary demagOgue, conspiring with monarchical
factions and radical extremists against the in
stitutions Of the Republic. The popularity.
Of this mendaciOus and unprnciped soldier
with diverse classes of the population has been
the most omi10us sign above the French
horizon. Great Departments have voted for
him almost to man, and in spite Of the
emptiness Of his speeches and his arrogant as
sumption Of authority his influence has steadily
increased The prestige of the vainglorious
General will be likely to be permanently i'm
paired by this duel. Paris will now laugh
at the soldier who once displayed himself on
his black charger as often as he could, and
allowed himself to be chcered as "the only
General" The 1.-THE little lawyer has undonc
him. The popuar hero is Knocked by the town.