The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-27
Career of the Famous
Challamel LacOur.
A Noted Figure in the History
of Modern France.
Had Crosses to Bear But in Later
Years Secured His Crown.

recently president of the French sem
ate. and at times ambassador from
France in London and minister of for
eign affairs, died yesterday.
strange life has been that OF Paul
Amand Challamal- -Lacour He was born
at Avranches, on May 10. 1927. Educated
In the Lyceum of st. Louis at Paris, he
passed from that establishment to the
Ecole Normale, in which institution he
obtained the bachelors degree in phil
osophy, and some such other diplomas
that enabled him to get a position as
professor. The College OF Pau opened
Ats doors TO him, and subsequently the
College of Limoges In both OF these
places he gave lessons in philosophy.
AL the time NJ. Challamel-L Lacour kept
Ap deep interest in politics. Having
been reared I'm Republican traditions, IL
~as with evaporation that he saw
Louis Napoleon sapping away the foun-
dations Of that republic which sprang
INTO existence on the barricades OF as.
1t was now the period when the coup
d'etat OF December~was made. Challa-
mel-Lacour was at Limoges. When the
blow was struck at Paris. he left the
pulpit of the class hall for the mountain
side. and abandoned his books for the
rifie. He rallied around him some of the
peasantry of the district who rose up
against Louis Napoleons regime. But
the insurrection failed. Challamel-La-
cour's comrades were defeated, and he
himself was brought up TO Paris and
Cung into dungeon. There he was i'm
INJURED for some months. and was after
ward banished from France. Hunted
and prescribed from the land of his
birth. he found himself within the Bel
gian frontier, friendless and alone. Be
thinking himself Of what he was able
70 do, he announced his intention OF
giving conferences i'm literature and phil
osophy at Antwerp. His sufferings In
the cause OF liberty attracted to him, af
ter some time. many ardent admirers
who assisted him in putting his plans
into execution. Challamel- Lacour's =
conferences were. from the very inau-
guration. attended by crowds, who
listened. spellbound by his eloquence
His success was so great that 1t denuded
the. University of Antwerp of the ma
jority Of its students. Even the Univer-
shy of Brussels itself suffered from the
Sxiles prosperity. The two universities
appealed TO the government for protec-
4 lion against this too clever conferencier,
M. Lacour's lectures. He had, accord
ingly. to leave the city.
He left Belgium and crossed the Rhine
60 Germany, where he passed some time
In making himself acquainted with the
language, literature and customs of the
country. He subsequently settled down
IN Italy. and finally in Switzerland.
There he remained till Louis Napoleon
accorded him an amnesty. Returning to
Paris. he commenced series of lectures
or the fine arts. which the emperor
found SO unpleasant that the course was
stopped by the police. He was invited
To write for lie Temps. and became the
literary critic of that periodical Some
years after. the secretaryship OF the
Revue des Deux- Mondes having become
vacant, Challamel- -Lacour was appoint
ed 10 that post. He became at the same
time connected with several other pc
yiodcals. He subsequently started the
Revue Politique. where he propounded
ideas, the candor and liberalism OF which
gathered around him that band of young
Republicans who gave so much trouble
20 the powers that We're" during the
closing years OF the empire.
The empire fell, and the newly-estab-
lished government appointed Challamel-
Lacour prefect of Lyons. When the calm
was restored. and peace finally estab-
lished, he went back TO Paris, and was
elected member OF the assembly M.
Challamel-Lacour was elected senator
after the dissolution of the assembly,
and his lifelong fidelity TO, and suffer
ing for his Republican principles were
at last rewarded, when he was appointed
by the then president, Marshal Nc
Mahon. the ambassador OF France in
Switzerland. This position he held until
he was promoted to the French ambas-
ssdorship In London. This was In June,
lss0 The appointment was not received
with much favor in the conservative OFF,
ciai and social circles OF England, but
he served at London until February. 1882,
when he resigned on account OF the over
throw of the Gametta ministry. In Feb
ruary, 1883, he became minister OF for
eign affairs in NJ. Ferry's cabinet. but
resigned in November following, on ac-
count Of ill-health. On March 49, 1893.
he was elected TO the French academy.
and later was chosen president OF the
French senate.
Chailamei- Lacour was one Of the
most intrepid as well as one Of the most
brilliant Radicals In France. The reader
might expect Challamel-Lacour 10 have
been rather wild i'm appearance, 10 have
untempt hair. and TO be the slave OF
stormy rhetoric. But he might have
been mistaken for an elderly English
gentleman, rather than for a French
man OF any type. His broad and power
ful brow. his finely cut nose, his firm lips,
his refined. dignined and proud face. his
neatly trimmed gray hair, did not make
up the picture OF a reVolutionist. They
suggested habitual self-respect and self
restraint. When he began TO speak, the
usually uproarious assembly hushed 1T
self. az u does only 90 the very ablest OF
Its orators and he had not uttered many
sentences before the attention was
riveted There was never a break In the
words that flowed on with somewhat OF
classical stateliness. except when his
friends greeted some peculiarly power
ful passage with shouts OF applause, or
when the ROyalists roared out protests
against some incisive epithet No one
for a long time has been elected 20 mem