The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-29
A TRIUMPH OF ORATORY.
An Incident in The Life Of Jules Simon, The
French Statesman.

There are lew men, writes Jules Simon,
who can speak with unalloyed satisfaction
of attentive and appreciative audiences in
their political experience. l had the good
fortune 10 encounter one.
| was a candidate at Lannion in 1916.
1t was large electoral district, with many
electors. 1t was necessary to interview
them at their dwellings, and to give to them
public entertainments and electoral ban
quets. But my competitors understood how
to manage these things better than myself
in making their canvass, but | completely
got the better of them at public reunions
in the electioneering | pursued.
My friends had an idea which they carried
into effect of organizing formidable re-
union at Plesten, some miles from Lannion.
1t was on a Sunday They brought to-
gether through efficient arrangements all
the people oil the district. l set out and ar
rived from LannIon on horseback with five
or six friends. The crowd was enormous.
1t filled the street and those bordering on
it. In the midst of GREATNESS silence L
spoke from the window of the town hail.
opening out the first story of the building
| was advised 10 speak with loud voice.
with all my force, and not to continue more
than twenty minutes. l have a capriciOus
voice. At times it was quite weak, at
others il was strong. But on that day it
was strong. l found myself in good cOndi-
ton and made an energetic address that
merited to be listened to and reported.
Scarcely had | ceased speaking when |
found myself seized BY vigorous arms 1t
was my auditory extending from below
where it was lost to view, mounting to the
first story and filling the town hall, the
stairs, and every space approaching to
where l stood. There were thousands of
country people, and there was not one
among them who had not seriously resolved
to embrace me.
passed from hand to hand, in the midst OF
cries the most stunning and found myself in
the street without my feet having touched
the ground. l commenced To be afraid oil my
glory and to ask myself if | could possibly
escape alive IRON the pressure OF so many
embraces from deEsely packed crowd.
My friends, who had the same fear on my
behalf, caused our horses to be led into
the middle of tho crowd. where we made
out to hoist ourselves into the saddle,
and Savldan, who has been since and
during many years Judge of the Peace at
LanniOn, began with others to touch up
our horses, that is to say to strike them
with switch, endeavoring to urge them to
set off on gallop in the midst of the crowd.
I'VE will crush the people !" L cried out.
"Go on, on!' cried my friends, anxious to
depart, and the strokes of the switches were
redCubled.
My auditory approved of this maneuver,
but they did not intend to leave me, and tax
Ing Lutlt WOOucu ouOtS Ill iutlI HuHuS tUey
ran with us along the course, calling out
Jules Simon" in vociferous manner. 1t
was like race of demons. l have never
seen an exhibition like it-such enthusiasm
and vigor.
While L began to ask myself would it be
necessary to gallop in such rapid way to
Lannion and if my running attendants
could possibly sustain themselves in the
same way for three leagues. we arrived at
the foot of a mountain, the ascent of which
cut short respiration, and obliged my fol-
lowers to give up the race and their attend
aDce.
Soon the road turned and we lost sight of
them. After short time we ourselves
stopped TO draw breath and to rest after
such fierce riding. We were all in good
humor, myself especially. Now" said
Depasse to me-Depasse, whom you have
since seen deputy and legislative member
and who was then President of my com nit
tee-"it is impossible that you have ever
seen anything like that. 1t was a truly de-
lirious enthusiasm of three thousand per-
sons. And now, behold what have to tell
you, and it is this, tue straDgest thing of all,
that with the exception of the gentlemen
here now (there were siX), there was not a
man there to-day, not one, who understood
you, who knew word Of French. All
who applauded you did so on trust, belief
torical success of my life. = Translated
by b. l..