The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-02

of Whomsoever Dares Face Him on
the Field.
From the Ne,o York san.
PARIS, Jan. 6.-Amid totterin9 cabinets
and crashing regulations, during all the
frantic turmoil OF moral anarchy of the past
few weeks in France the one figure which
all Frenchmen watch with keenest atten-
ton is Eugene Clemenceau. He is the lion
Of French politics at bay. Undaunted and
detiant he is facing what at this moment
seem to be overwhelming odds. The man
before whom no set of rulers in France has
been able to stand since the third republic
was created is at last fighting for his own
political life. The enemies of two decades
are crowding upon him, eager to add to his
wounds the moment they can do so without
danger TO their own skins; and the man
himself, splendid in his courage, needless of
the thrusts which have already wakened
him, fights on. defying and despising all
bis foes.
Until the great scene in the chamber two
weeks ago, no man dared openly to accuse
him. The rash Deroulede was right in say
ing that the great radical held all France in
terror OF his sword, his pistol and his pen.
Rumors and inSinuAtions there had been in
plenty which imputed to the great breaker
OF cabinets immense gains by the corrupr
ton which was being constantly disclosed
But in all the excitement and clamor of the
last two months nothing has matched the
effect produced when the black charge was
publicly flung into the face Of CIemenceau-
1t had been day OF agitation bordering on
frenzy. The chamber had just voted it's
consent to the prosecution of ten leading
members Of parliament, and had
listened to the angry protest of two
of the victims. In mental and physical ex-
hRuStlOn the house was about to adjourn.
The words were on President Floquet's lips
when Deroulede spranR into the tribune
and demanded hearing. Nobody knew his
purpose and few were inclined to listen. He
was intensely excited, and waved his long
arms about in the air as he raised his voice
high above the clamor Of protesting mem
Jers. He had shouted for some minutes be~
fore it was suspected toward what climax
he was aiming. He denounced the govern
ment for not including those most guilty in
it's prosecutions. The blacklist OF all in
the corrupt ring, he declared, was
the man who for years had enjoyed
immunity from criticism because he
held all France in terror Of his sword, his
pistol and his pea. Then the house listened.
Everybody knew the name before it was
coming, but sat unmoved. Deroulede, in
dramatic fury of passion, pointed his finger
at the quiet figure OF the radical leader and
called his name.
Clemenceau waited until his aocuser had
taken his seat. Then he went to the trib-
une. For moment he stood there with
folded arms, amid breathless silence When
he spoke it was quietly, slowly, without
emotion but in words that burned. Ac-
oused practically Of treason, he responded in
terms worthy of a modern Antony. IL
was bit OF eloQuenoe that has not been
surpassed in French oratory during all tine
days of the third republic. Almost ignor-
ing his acouser until the last, he did not
deign even to look at him, when with a
contemptuous gesture, he ended with, GAS
for M. Deroulede, he has lied"
Most Of Clemenceau's hearers believed him
guilty of all that was imputed to him, but
he won the admiration of every one who
saw and heard him. His commensurate
courage, marvellous self-possession and mag
nlfcent resources we're never more splen-
didly demonstrated than when he flung
back Deroulede's terrific accusations. There
was no recrimination, no stopping TO ex-
PLANTATION in what he said. He challenged
his enemies to do their worst, and be did 1t
with an air of eager thirsting for the fray.
IL was splendid defiance from man mag
nificent even in disgrace
IL Is uOG az a pOdLlClau OF az bU6 GATk6E OF
accusations in connection with the Panama
scandal that this unique figure in French
affairs stands most conspicuous. His po-
ltioal career and methods are we'll known,
1t is in connection with 1.-THE code of honor"
that he is perhaps less widely known abroad,
but more feared than any other man in
France. The same qualities which marked
his action in the tribune of the chamber
above described make him deadly antag-
onist on the field duello The modern
French duel is an institution deservedly
held in great contempt by most foreigners.
A meeting in so-called deadly combat no
longer involves either courage or skill.
There are exceptions, however, to this rule,
and everybody expected that the last
meeting which Clemenceau attended
would prove one of them. That it did not
was due to motives which overbalanced his
desire for personal revenge
Nobody save Clemenceau himself knows
the full record Of his experiences in affairs
Of honor, and he will not talk about It..
Acquaintances and friends who know him
best have recalled eleven meetings In which
he has faced the pistol or sword Of an ad-
versary, but that Is probably not half the
actual number. No man In France has
been more relentless political assaIlant or
has given more frequent personal o8ense in
CARRYING out bis political designs. Yet he
has rarely been summoned TO a personal
encounter during recent years. The very
good reason is that the man who chAl-
lenges Clemenceau knows that he places
his life absolutely at the disposal
Of his adversary. He stands no
chance at all against the greatest marks
man in France. He simply invites his OPP
ponent 60 put a bullet into such portion Of
his body as he pleases. He has not even
the satisfaction of chance to return the
compliment for Clemenceau is as quick as
he is sure with the pistol. He has more
than once disabled an opponent before he
has had time TO fire, and that, too, without
an iustant's anticipation of the order to
fire.
The pistol is the weapon which N. Glenn
enceau always selects when he ia the chRl-
leuged party. He is an expert swordsman
as we'll, and for years he was regarded as
the best man with foils in the country. But
the steel entered his shoulder in an en-
counter a few years ago, and while the
thrust did not in any sense disable him, he
has not now quite the same confidence in bis
skill with the weapon.
Stories without number are told of his eX-
ploits with pistols He keeps ia constant
practice and he is a well-known visitor at
TWO or three of the best shooting galleries
in Paris. He has often made ten bulps-eyes
in eleven shots at a man target distance
twenty-five yards. or the same as at the
Deroulede duel, and firing at the word of
command. This, it should be borne in