DUEL BETWEEN M. GAMBETTA AND M. DE FOURTOU.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 76, 19 April 1879, Page 2

DUEL BETWEEN M. GAMBETTA AND M. DE FOURTOU.

On November 21 there was a duel at I'lessis Piquet, a few miles outside Paris, between 21. de Fourtou and M. Gambetta. Subjoined is the official version of the affair: —" In the sitting of the 18th of November, 1878, M. de Fourtou having addressed to M, Gambetta the following phrase, ' Quand on declare la guerre a tons les Francais que n'aniine pas une vielle foi Republicaine,' M. Gambetta replied, 'C'cst un mensonge Monsieur.' On the.observatioii of the President of the chamber, M. Gambetta some moments aftewards pronounced these words, ' Pour le reglement je retire ce met.' M. do Fourtou, judging that the offensive expression was not withdrawn as regards iiiin, directed MM. Blin de Bourdon and Robert Mitchell, deputies to call on M. Gambetta for a retraction or reparation by anus. M. Gambetta, on his side, bogged MM. Allain Targe and Clemencaau, deputies to put themselves in communication with MM. Blin de Bourdon and Robert Mitchell. The four seconds mot. On the demand for retraction, MM. Allain Targo and Clemenceau asked MM. Blin de Beurdon and R. Mitchell whether they did no consider that the two parties might honourably abide by tho text of the Journal Officiel. MM. Blin de Bourdon and Robert Mitchell declared that the text of the Journal Officiel, in their opinion, gave satisfaction to tho President of the Chamber, but maintained the insult respecting M. de Fourtou. They consequently demanded that M. Gambetta should withdraw tho words

" pour le reglenient." MM. Allain Targe and Clemeuceau then declared, on M. (Jambetta's behalf, th £ M. Gambetta had, in fact, withdrawn the word " mensongo" out of deference to the Chamber, but that in presence of M. do Fourtou's demand for explanation he resumed the word, and that he was at M. do Fourtou's disposal. MM. Blin do Bourdon and Robert Mitchell, on their 6ide, declared, on M. de Fourtou's behalf that tic d s n tion d ~w i by M. Gambftta aggnivW the insult instead of lessoning t T,ef ur Kconds,considered that in these circumstances au encounter was unavoidable. It was acknowledge by common consent the choice of arms rested withM. de Fourtou. Theconditions of the encounter wore settled as follows : —'|rhe dm 1 shall lie fought w't'i rifled pistols nt a distance of 35 paces, and, on the signal being given, a single ball shall be exchanged. In witness thereof wo have signed the present minute. For M. Gambctta—Allain Targe, 'Clemenceau; for M. do Fourtou—Blin de Bourdon, R. Mitchell, lc 20 November, 1878.' The encounter took place to-day, the 21st November, at Plessis Piquet conformably with the conditions above stipulated. Neither of the two adversories was hit. For M. Gambctta—Allain Targe, Clemeneeau ; for M. de Fortu—Blin do Bourdon, R. Mitchell."

Two surgeons—MM. Lannelonguc and Thevenet—wore in attendance. The dud came off at 9 a.m., and at its conclusion the seconds on both sides shook hands, while the principals lifted thoir hata to each other, whereupon all left the ground. On making his appearauco in the Chamber shoitly after the opening of the sitting, M. Gambctta was warmly congratulated by the Republican deputies. This episode will excite both laughter and surprise, and will add nothing to tho reputation of its heroes. The conditions' of the duel wore reassuring to tho principals' friends and remind one of the Vaudeville burlosquo in which there is an oncountor with ordinary swords at 10 paces distance As a matter of oourso, neither party was hurt, and, indeed, tho real dangor would have been for tho seconds, had thoy boon imprudent enough not to bo under itholter, for at 35 paces the doviation of balls prosonts tho greatest risk. M. do Fourtou had tho

choice of weapons, and hi* second* must laid down the.ooixlitiojis, 90 that a duel in such circumstances does not prove that a man has wiped out an insult. On i his part it was pure formality, and it | was very wrong of 11. Ganibettato eoun- | tenance the wtiini. After committing i the mistake of publicly giving M. de Fourtou the lie, he has committed tl.e I greater mistake of submitting to a tyraunical cu.>>tom which proves nothing when the duel is serious and makes two men ridiculous when it is not so. If if. de . Fourtou is a liar, M. Gambetta's self-res-peat should have forbade an encounter with hiiu; if he is not, M. Gaiubetta. should not have forced him to demand | in a comedy duel the reparation due to , him.