The sun., 1897-09-12


Barere knew Jefferson when the latter VA,
| United States Minister to France, and ao,s ten
| pages to q sketch OF him. We extract what In
| said concerning Jeffersons view OF tho French
| revolution: "A farseeing and sagacous poll
| tician, Jefferson feared that our movemen,
for national freedom could not come ou,
victorious from a very prolonged struggle, Of
| which he perceived symptoms In the obstinate
resistance Of the court and privileged classe.
He advised VI. de La Fayette. his friend. and
other influential patriots to profit by Few sd.
yances OF the court He was not acquainted
with the perfidy and articles OF power In Franco
and was mistaken as 10 the character OF the
Minister for Foreign Affairs, VI. de Montnortn
who was but an aristocrat and an intriguer,
Jefferson also believed too much IN the admin.
istrative talent and credit Of the bankerM!n-
lister Secker. when he went 60 far 10 propose
to his compatriots accommodation with The
monarchy of Versailles. However, Jefferson
was capable Of studying Franco better than
other foreign travellers He did not con;en,
himself with q delusive soiourn in he
great towns In order to Judge the nation; 10
travelled in Burgundy and the southern
provinces; he traversed villages, visited The
cottages Of the poor. ate their bread and asked
their wants. Having acquired Just ideas on
this great and good people of an e. he .ol.
lowed its movements and vicissitudes when ho
returned TO America as he had done In Europe;
and. during the eight years OF his Presidency Of
the United States he made uneXampled eGo-1
90 as not to break the alliance with France"
Barere was q man Of letters. and saw q good
deal OF all the distinguished French writers Of
his epoch Let hear what he thought OF
Chateaubriand. with whose political opinions
he. naturally. did not sympathize: " II cannot b
gainsaid that n. de Cbateaubriand is the noble
m nj the old atvle " mn g, tr.Al
lect, religion. feudalism. hilosophy. despott.n.
instruction, folly. literature. pretensioa,
style and political ambition His repu.
tation is composed OF these various elenenA
as incoherent and extraordinary in their
union as In their results. This great writer has
proved In the nineteenth century, in the Genius
Of Christianity, that novel can be made on, Of
religion Do not governments turn It Into .
political agent and worldly poweri In his
Martyrs he has shown that among French
men. the sacred and tho profane. psthos and
jocularity can be successfully mingled and the
lie cleverly blended with the truth In his Ittne-
rary Of Jerusalem he has shown that We can b
Christians without faith pilgrims without p.osy.
fanatics without religion, hypocrites in morals,
philosophers without q system and make holy
crusade quito alone, and q journey In Jueea
without going out Of Constantinople. This
emigrant historian had already proved as the
Essay Revolutions published At London IN
1897 that he was. at one and the same time
democrat and a monarchist, Bourbon and
reSicide in opinion an atheist and Q Catholic.
asavase by his writings and q nobleman BY his
manners, and. by his intellect, historian and
a novelist This politician has proved IN these
latter days that there is no safety for nations
except in despoIism and feudalism. that grasi.
tude ought not to hinder Q great writer from
yilt "a, (~n ,h.. e
extraordinary cases he should subvert AL ideaa.
punish opinions. accuse the past, stiguatiIs
the present. destroy the future and set his ooun.
try on are to make her happy
On Condorcet nAttering Judgment 10 pro
nounced: =" Since the time Of Socrates there has
been no moro kindly and tolerant philosopher
than Coneorcet. nor greater friend Of humanity
and protector OF its rights. The author OF Q con.
stitutional scheme, perhaps too exalted IN its
views and severe in its disposition for nation
that was commencing Its revolution. which
stopped the cruel war Of the 10th OF August
1892. TO enter on that OF La vendee in 1898 and
which had only time to think OF the defence Of
its territory and its safety, Condoroet WAS
not understood BY the men Of his time TheSs-
tionA Convention. however. commenced . diH
cussion on his fine constitutional plan. but the
sttings were interrupted by the increasing
divisions into parties, and finally the events OF
tne Slst OF May caused constitutional Ideas ana
principles to be lost sight Of. Later on however.
In tie month OF August. the Committee OF Pub
lie Safety thought 1t advisable to reuaite the
departments, which were divided by federalism.
and TO give them . republican constitution As
their sole bond. There appeared at this time an
anonymous criticism. but discreet and moder-
ate In tone, OF the democratic constitution pre-
sented for the approval OF the primary meetings
on the 18th of August. 1898. To discuss and
criticise laws. to want better or less bad ones 10
the right OF every free man. Malevolrnoe sctu-
ated the Committee Of Public Safety. who By
means OF Chabot. denounced this criticism. Al
tributinR 1t to Condoroet A writ was Issued
against tho presumed author, who escaped the
pursuit OF his enemies, and went 10 die In the
retreat OF Fontenay-aux-Roses. abandoned By
his former friends"
We have been able to give only faint idea Of
the range and quality Of tho historical and bio
graphical material contained In these four large
volumes. which will be found indispensable By
every student of the French revolution.