The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-15

crowded with authentic records of actual
occurrences SO far eclipsing the highest
imaginations of the most fertile authors of the
most sensational romance?
In no other land or history shall we find
more continuous professions of the most
remarkable political, civil or military events
nor more constant and opportune appear
ance OF those distinguished. masterful chsrac-
ters who create human destiny and control
human history. In no other land will it more
plainly appear that the lives of these few great
ones form-n We may so phrase 1.-THE warp
OF history whose woof-threads are the myriad
lives OF the vast unnoticed masses-the great
third estate"
More than twenty centuries ago the ances-
tors OF France march in upon the field of
OF the times grows all the brighter for their
presence. In those far-off days they were
hardly more than pagan Gauls, under Druid
priests. Yet even then they displayed the
same ready excitability, prevalent impatience.
predominant tmpulsiveness, irrepressible en-
thuslasm, unconquerable cheerfulnes habit
ual courtesy and dauntless bravery which
still characterize their remote descendants
Their volatile restlessness made them in
st1ncdvely and most naturally the pioneer
emigrants of their age. While they NAV not
have colonized as extensivelynor as remotely
as the woodworking Romans, they did so
much more happily for themselves and the
people among whom they went Along the
sunny slopes of the Mediterranean they thickly
coloniZed, then swarmed over the Pyrenees
Their sunny ways and kindly manners gained
the hearts OF the natives, with whom thew
mingled and intermarried. When too greatly
troubled by warlike neigh bors they called II,
the help OF the Romans. Like the greatest
Roman, they "came, they saw, they con-
quered." But, unlike him, they won by
genial, hearty ways. stayed where they mad
conquered and ruled for fully half a thousand
years.
Time forbids to tell how their cities-such
Marseilles, Lyons and, notably, Paris
became centers not only of trade and govern
ment but OF learning and general culture. 1t
is pleasant TO note that in the fine art of
rhetoric Gaul furnished teachers even to
classic Rome herself.
And one must also forego the pleasure of
speaking at any length of such heroes as
who pounded the invading saracens into
hopeless defeat, then merciessly hammered
them quite beyond the borders of his country
and saved not only France but Europe for
civilization and Christianity.
And what military hero has ever surpassed
his worthy aud even greater grandson, Charlie
magne, conducting more than fifty military
expeditions against twelve neighboring na-
tions, winning every battle, vanquishing every
nation and deservedly receiving the title "Suc-
''Surpasser of the Csesars"-the never-surren-
dering-history would have fully justified the
honor.
The closing moments admonsh us TO brew
ity. This audience needs no reminding OF the
honesty, the courage and the eloquence OF
Gambetta; the calmness wisdom ana change
less -mness of the venerable Theirs; the en-
ergy. bravery and impetuosity OF the soldierly
MacMahon; the diligence, dignity and moder-
alton OF the impertur bic Grevv the enter
prise, executive ability. hut unfortunate
expensiveness of Ferry; the hereditary popu-
larity, personal integrity end characteristic
courtesy OF Sadi-Carnot-and how may one fitly
speak OF Boulanger, whom the people idolized
but whom the Sounder sense OF his nation
dared not trust with the highest Office, and