The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-10-26
THE WOMAN'S CLUB.
Mrs. G. A. YuIe Entertains the CLUB
With an Interesting Study
in French History.
THE CHARACTER OF RIoHELIEU


Facts and Phases in the Character of the
Great French statesman-The Discussion
is Led by Mrs. Peter Fisher and Brought
Ont Many Points in Connection With
Contemporary French History.
The second meeting of the Woman's
Club was held at Mrs. Fairs Wednes-
day afternoon. The subject of the
meeting for Nov. 1st was announced,
"Consecration of Force" the essayist,
Mrs. Emily Kimba11; after which the
essay of the day on Richelieu was read
by Mrs. Harriet Yule.
Taking up our work where we left it
last year, with the death of Henry Nv,
we allow ourselves to conjecture what
might have happened to France II this
man with his "high hopes for France,
for Christendom and for his people"
had lived. It was a crisis such as some
among us remember, when beloved
leader was cut down. 1t was tor
our land a ground1ess fear. Not for
moment did the great machinery OF the
government pause in its prescribed
path, and men awoke on the morrow to
realize the grandeur of the laws which
ruled them. But for France in the 18th
century there was no such consolation.
Though Henry's life was far from
b1ame1ess, he led the way for the rec
ognition of principles of religious lib
erty, ''the Edict of Nantes being a
formal admission of a mans right to
worship God in his own way"
Henry rescued the nation from bank
ruptcy, and he it was who first per
ceived the true place of France among
nations Riche1ieu was but fulfilling
the design of Henry " in his 1ife's
work.
"It was an idea which conceived by
genius, matured by experience and
planted in a kindly soil can never
cease to affect the conditions and
prospects of mankind"
Henry's reign was the end of medi-
eva1ism and the beginning of modern
government. Louis XIII was child
of 9 years and the regent Mary de
MediCi was an ambitious, unprinCipled
woman, "care1ess how power was won
or sustained" The Concini ruled for
a time, but their rule ended in disaster
and death.
In 1914 the states general assembled
and the finances of the nation, which
had been put on a solid basis by Su11y,
had been depleted in the four years.
The states general were not assem-
b1ed again for IT'S years. 'The men of
1914 retired to brood on their wrongs.
Those of 1889 did far otherwise and
the end of what they did is not yet"
It is here that we meet the man who
was to sway the destiny of France as
no other man could have done, Rich
ellen, then known as the Bishop of
Lucon. Here he attracted the atten-
ton of the regent and for the next ten
years we see him involved in many
parties and many state intrigues. On
April "a. 1924, Riche1ieu took his place
on the council of state, never to be
displaced until his death eighteen
years later. Riche1ieu, who put down
the mobiles of France, dictated her laws
and inspired her conquests, man to
be obeyed rather than consulted, to be
feared rather than loved, stood alone
as great men usually do. He seemed
"created to supplement the king
Before his death Riche1ieu had tri-
umphed over all his enemies and had
elevated the house of Bourbon upon
their ruin.
The Hugenots were at this time
claiming privileges which Richelieu
felt to be inconsistent with the welfare
of the state. There were no compro-
misses in his policy, and when the HUI
genots resisted their towns were taken
and it is in this connection that the
famous siege of Rochelle took place.
To defeat Austria was the one object
of much of his Legislation.
His internal policy was much the
same as his external ruling. To stop
due11ing among the mobiles was one of
his first efforts. ''It was the begin
ming of a course which hesitated not to
strike when necessary" The govern
ment was changed to true despotism,
"but one restricted in the mind of it's
originators by religion, by learning
and by public spirit 1t has been
said, ''Riche1ieu was heir to the de-
signs of Henry " and ancestor to
those of Louis XIV. Though he
waded to dominion through slaughter,
severity and wrong" he died amidst
the applause of the people, the bene-
diction of the church and apparently in
peace and tranquility.
He cultivated the attachment of men
of letters, he favored the common peo-
pie, and retained the sympathy of all
lovers Of national glory.
His agents and spies were every
where and he knew what was going on
from one end to the other of the ma
ton. Almost his last act was the exc
cution of De Thou and Gang Mars for
taking part in plot against him.
Some enduring monuments of the
great Cardinal are still in existence