Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-07-22

LANCASTER, PA, July 22, 1889.
ncuIangcr,s Manifesto.

Boulsnger has at last answered the
terrible charges of treachery and dishon-
esty that have been so rapidly piled up
against him I'm his absence. In man
ifeeto signed by the general, Count Dill
Ion and Rochefort, the counter charge
n made with vehemencc and due VI
tuperation that the government has
used money and power to suborn wit
nesses against him among the jail
birds in their very cells" 1t appears to
be true that much Of the evidence against
Boulanger has been furnished by con-
victed forgers, and he makes the most oi
this, calling his enemies thieves, ban
dts suborners of perjury, and ending
with the slogan "Long live regenerated
France Long live the honest republicV'
Just before issuing this fiery manifesto,
he announced that he would be a candi-
date in eighty cantons, in spite of the
recently enacted law against plural can
dlidacy. He defied the government and
the law, aud now he proclaims bitter
war of the ballot, and bullets may fly
before II is ended
This defiant reply of General Boulan-
ger to the recent damaging attacks upon
his character is not at all surprising. As
he refused TO go back To France and
stand the fair trial offered to him on less
heinous charges, ii could hardly be ex-
pected that he would adopt any other
line of defense than counter attack,
when charged with stealing. That
public man of Boulanger's importance,
should have to meet such charges would
be almost bevond belief, If we had not
learned by sad experience that many
lenders, or men who passed for great
men, have been found guilty of equal
dishonesty. Boulanger's ambitions are
of kind that require the lavish expen-
y diture Of money, and he may he all that
his enemies assert, but 1t is question
whether he will bc at all damaged
by their accusations. He need
not meet them save by coun-
ter charges and his friends VIII
firmly believe all that he may say Of
the enemy, while the large element that
In every land is always found searching
for u just mean between extremists will
be inclined to think that Boulanger Is
too much abused. He is the under dog
& in the fight, and If he is jumped on too
heavily popular sympathy will go with
him. He has very wisely added to his
manifesto the names Of Henri Roche
fort and Count Dillon. The first named
carries more weight in France than
might be thought possible for so violent
radical. No one doubts his bravery
and sincerity, though all admit him to
be hot-headed, reckless, and a dangerous
man to gain the lead Of party or
people. But he has fought many des.
perate duels in land where duels are
usually very trifllng affairs, and he
never hesitates to use the most violent
and cutting language against his enc
mics in power. People like pluck aud
honesty, and the fiery radical has added
these 10 Boulangers side of the scale,
while Count Dillon acts as a balance to
~-his, extreme radicalism. Ii is little
curious to hear man accused of cor
Yuption as minister of war, closing Il
counter charge by the cry of " long live
the honest republic but whether mno-
cent or guilty there was nothing else for
him to do. If innocent the mere fact of
the charge is proof enough that he
would not have either "A fair or safe
trial Mt the hands of government that
could stoop to such methods. From
Z what has been written of his character
the general looks guilty, but his reply
4 shows that he is not yet out of French
history.