The Washington herald., 1907-11-03
Henri ROchefOrt Has Not
Changed His Opinions.
WHY HE WRITES FOR PATRIE
Aged Dueiist and Anti-CIeFicaI
Leader interviewed Concerning His
Reported Return to the Religious
FOId-He shows Ravages of the
Years Physically.

/ OF CONSIDERABLE IreplGiL0n Indt l knocked
at the door Of Henri Marquis de Roche
/ fort-Lucay, better known as NJ Henri
ROchefort at once the most redoubtable
fire eater and the most f0rceful writer OF
all France. II has been said thar no man
ever had more enemies than NJ Roche
fort; and to this might be added no man
can count as many friends. 1 had come
10 ask this human paradox a delicate
question for he-the bitter, fierce, hating
anticleric. and avowed enemy Of all re-
ligion-had transferred his pen TO the
columns Of the Catholic and National
Patrie. What did this signify7
For twenty-seven years, without miss
ing day, N. Rochefort had contributed
leaders to the Intransigeant- This sever
ing Of his long connection with journal
In which ne spared no one and sOundly
thrashed all with goo6 printers Ink, had
set boulevardiers talking. "Ah, yes" said
the man In the street" ''it has come at
last. All these atheists die in the bosom
Of the church. Have you not heard Of
RochefoTts conversion and his return 70
grace And here was J. then. waiting
hesitatingly On mis- doorstep, debating
whether TO pull the bell or run away. But
at last the deed was done; I had resolved
to face the worst. Would he receive ne
with a sword or a pistol? For it must be
/ remembered that. like Cyrano de Berge-
rae, Henri Rochefort has his tender spot,
too. 1t is not his nose. as is the case
with Rostand's hero, but 1t IS his religious
convictions. OF. perhaps, one should say,
the absence OF them.
Given Genial Reception.
Come in. mon ami, Come i'm sounded
a kindly voice that at once put me at ny
ease. 7 was ushered in and led toward q
spacious armchair at the side table on
which NJ Rochefort had dissected so
many of his victims. The implements OF
his trade were there; a pen, a big ink
stand and unlimited paper 7 looked at
the table and shuddered. II. Rochefort,
wrapped in a huge monkey jacket with
the collar turned Up round his ears, re-
sembling in this strange garb some North
sea pilot. sat opposite.
II was years since had seen and
spoken 10 II. Rochefort. Time has dealt
spariagly with him. The mop Of hair
which stands bolt upright is perhaps
whittier and the check is a trihe paler, but
the eyes have lost none OF their fire and
the bosy little Of its erstwhile vIgor, while
the man himself still possesses that sill
very speech. that vivaCiousness. and
charm Of manner which combine to make
him the most dreaded, albeit the most ad-
miTed, man il France.
so they say I have taken the road 70
/ Canossa-' he began. WHO is responsible
for this2 Is II the robber band which Is
miscaIled government? No, mon ami.
Ny convictions. religious or anuclericaI,
whichever YOU wish-have undergone no
change. neither have my political views.
I am still as anticlerical as ever: ny.
enemies say this is my one consistent at
titude
Perhaps they are right" he added,
with smile. Now you mention Il. 1
don't see why I should be called anti
religious. I am a free thinker, a consist
ent free thinker. ] have not set loot n
church for forty-five years, and have no
intention of going there now. When I.
| ceased attending church did not become
antiTeligiOus; il was that my way Of
Z = A-
| That is all. II is quite a mistake 70 sup
| pose 1 am thirsting 10 Kill of ali the
priests IN France. Quite 10 the contrary.
When I meet a good fellow in the shape
Of a cure I have not the slightest OBJ
| lection 10 cracking bottle Of champagne
with him.
NO, let Us be clear about this. I am
not Of the type Of Jaures and other po-
litical rapscalIOns. who. on the one hand
denOUnce religion and clericalisTn while
on the other they send for Jordan water
in order TO baptize their children. FaughI
Such humbug disgusts me much more
than the worst form of cleTlCahsm. I am
a free thinker now. as heretofore. None
Of my children has been baptized. and
my granddaughter died without the
blessing Of the church and contented
herself with a civil marriage
Why He Changed Papers.
And your separation from LInransl-
geant?T I asked
THAT is not due 10 any religious or po-
Htical differences. it arose solely upon a
financial question. A sum OF money had
been collected for a certain object-in
other words, the erection Of d statue.
Now, it had been proposed temporarily to
divert this TO another purpose, and VOLTA.
There is the whole thing. I objected
strongly. Ny counsel was not accepted,
so I walked out Of the Office Of LIN
transigeant. I have changed my paper,
not my convictions. That is a difference
which some people are not able fully TO
appreciate"
And you viii fight as heretofore?'
''Of course. I viii fight" said he. jump
ing up, and in his excitement making
lunge over my head AT an imaginary en-
emy. L tell you. I have full liberty on
the Patrie to express my opinions I am
not hampered in any way I bow TO no
party, religious or political You ask my
opinion of the government Wen, it Is a
band of robbers and ruffians. Do you
think I spare them? Mais nOn!" added
he with a blow of mis- fist on the table
that made it tremble. And yet. went
on the veteran duelist and journalist IN a
subdued tone. as If cOmmuuing with the
ghosts Of the past. this rascal Clemen-
ceau was one of my witnesses when
fought near Geneva, KOcchlin. brother
in-law of Andrieux. prefect OF police.
Then there was that GOtard. Camille Pelle-
tan. He was one OF my witnesses when
wounded Fourier, who is now an ad-
miraL' There was a trace Of moisture in
the fire eaters eye as ne recalled these
incidents Of Ions ago. for Henri Roche
fort, with all his vindictiveness and his
hatreds. has big heart
No Int cntiOn TO Return.
And do YOU not contemplate retiring
from active daily journalism"
why should r. he asked fercely. I
am strong and well. I have yet many
funerals to attend before 90 TO my own.
lived to attend the funerals OF many
members Of the government of national
defense, who sought to nave me shot. and
he % ~v-geE