, 1888-04-18

resumed his seat, an his place was prompt
Iy taken by M. Tirard, who began by
saying that he would not reply directly to
the author of the inter pellatiOn. M. Paul
de Cassagnac here calculated a sneering
"allusion to M. Tirard's business as a watch
and clock maker. ~ have no reason to
blush at what | ann cried the President
Of the Council. The republicans applaud
ed to the echo, while the speaker went on
to explain General BOulangec's case. He
had infringed discipline, his name had been
put forward at the elections, 9 new organ
had been founded; and what had he doneF
He had not stirred. Thrice he asked for
leave to come to Paris, and thrice 1t was retu-
sed. He came all the same. The Govern
ment saw that an example must be made. If
all the commanders Of army corps were so
INDEPENDENT, where would they beP What
would happen if other Generals had so
noisy a following? Yet, when Minister OF
War, who had been so severe as Boulan-
gpr3 General BOulangcr was to be brought
before a Council OF Inquiry and he would
ask the House merely to vote the order OF
the day, so that it's decisions might not be
biased by any demonstration OF the Cham
Der. The MOdeTates chptred VI. Tlrard,
aud then it was the turn OF NJ. Laguerre,
the champion Of General BOulanger. He
maintained that B0ulanger was as innocent
as a babe. He had only come twice to
Paris, and then on strictly private bust.
ness. General Boulanger had been pun
ished On the strength of a police report,
which had disgraced the first page Of the
Journal C.ftcad. All the other Generals
were in the habit of coming to Paris with.
out permission, and why should not Gene
raj BOulanger This was the only real
charge that could be laid at his door. His
conduct had been irreprOachabIe. lie had
never WOrH any disguise. Yet ever since
he left the War Office he had been the
victim of an OdiOus surveillance. Here Nj.
Sarrien stood up and denied that the Gene
raj had ever been watched until he was
brought forward as a candidat at the re-
cent elections. NJ. Laguerre then defed
NJ. Fallieres, the Minister of the Interior,
to confirm his colleagues statement. But
nj. FallieUes did so forthwith, and so
did M. Rouvier. M. Laguerre, however,
amid great excitement, fatty COntTadlcted
M. Rouvier, and said that when he was
at ClermOnt- Ferrand he noticed half-a.
dozen detectives in a small cafe near the
Generals quarters. A laugh was raised
when another member, standing up, de
clared that one day in last October he was
followed by a detective. NJ. Laguerre
went on to say that BOulanger had com
planned of this to General LogerOt, who,
Justly incenSed, had put a stop to the
espionage. Yet the police had tried to
circumvent Boulanger's servants. The Ge'
neral had denied all participation in the
electoral demonstration. ''JrSt as he disa-
vowed his letter to the Due dAumale,"
shouted a Republican member, amid tire
mendous applause. "The first letter pub.
lished was false and inexact,' retOrted Nj.
Laguerre, who went on to say that BOu-
LANCER had touched the patriotic key, had
raised the morale OF the army, that his
portrait "a in every cottage III AlSace
and Lorraine, and that his sword had been
~uniustly broken. If BOulanger were plac-
ed on the retired list Berlin would illumi-
nate, but Metz and Strasburg would put
on mourning. The speaker got himself
called to order by describing General Fer
ron as a maniac Minister, and NJ. Floquet
again i%nterpOSed when he declared 1t to
be the duty of BOulanger's friends to get
up all electoral demonstrations. 1t was
now the turn of NJ. Clemenceau, who,
after declaring that discipline must be
maintained. proceeded to point the moral.
The. Chamber was unpopular, anu Wbyf
The. Government was weak aud opposed
to reform. If it were only a question of
discipline, he would vote the order OF the
day pure and simple, but, as. he was cop-
WINGED that there was a political side to
- - o-I-os thu FolIn"