GENERAL DE GALLIFET.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11320, 2 September 1899, Page 6

GENERAL DE GALLIFET.

THE FOREMOST SOLDIER IN FRANCE. HE SAVES THE KBPDBLIC. By CAULYLE SMYTHE. Eeoontly, a writor iv Blackwoud ujitlj described Dreyfus an ' the iii'Kaiivorulei of Franco ; ' but the positive ruler ol the Republic at the present moment ie the tnoet distinguished genera' in the French army. The Marquis deGallifel if, however, something more tban a pre. eminent military hero ; he ia also a very mirror of patriotism, although his superior officer for some time did happen to be Marshal Baz vine. Farther, the life of General de Gallifet has in it jast that touch of romance which endears him to the heart of a people so sosceptlble to sentiment aa the French. Thia, briefly, is his story. In order to oure him of a dangerous infatuation, so runs the legend, M. de Gallifet was sent out to the Crimea, whether lie wbb speedily followed by the ' veiled lady,' who established herself at Balaolava. Warned of her preßenoe the authorities stopped tho leave of the enamoured young officer, who, however, repeatedly contrived to pick his way, on a odyesey of lovo, through the enemy's outposts. Bat hie passion did not deflect him from the course of doty ; and more than once M. de Gallifet was mentioned in despatches for conspicuous braver? under fire. - It was daring the same terrible campaign that a little incident happened which the present Minister of War has himself narrated. Jast when the bitter winter and Incessant fighting bad reduced the clothes of officers and soldiers to rags, young de GalUfet received, from a relative in Paris, a handsome fur-lined cloak. The arrival of this coveted garment among men In soch straits caused a sensation in the camp, -and several of the fortunate owner's comrades visited his quarters to see the exhibit. Daring this envious examination a piece of paper was found sewn into one of the. pockets ; and on it in a feminine hand, were these words : — ' This coat has been ordered for one of the officers of our brave army in the Bast. May it bring him good luck. Two young seamstresses have worked at it daring the day and night of ; and they send with it their moßt earnest prayers.' There was no signature. Nor, when, mouths later, M. de Gallifet, covered with honors and fame, called at the tailors to thank his two young masoottea, could he pierce their anonymity. Nevertheless, their spell of good luok has never been removed. At Magenta and, three wet ks later, at Solferino, M. de Gallifet excited the admiration of Napoleon 111. by a series of fearless oharges into the Austrian ranks, and daring the. memorable Mexican war Bazaiue is reported to hare declared that De Gallifet advanced under a murderous fire to the assault of Puebla as if he intended to take the town single-handed. His daring on that occasion nearly cost him his life. Tho explosion of a shell ripped him almost to pieoeß, and no hope of his recovery was entertained by the surgeons. The two little mascottef, however, were still working, and to the stupofection of the experts, De Gallifet not only survived bnt returned to active service, and led the final cavalry charge on the fateful day of Sedan. Released from a German prison, he returned to P-iria on the eve of the Commune, aDd was chosen by the Government of the hour to deal with that rebellion. 'The rigour which he displayed in suppressing the movement earned for him the sleepless hatted of Henri de E ichefort ar>d the Socialists. Like the Duo d'Aumale, although, by tradition and training a monarchist, General de Gallifet placed hia sword at the disposition of the Bepublio, and added still further to hia fane as a soldier and a patriot by his military performances in Algeria and French Sad*n. His last offioial visit Wis wien, aa the foremost soldier in the Frenoh army, he was chosen to . represent the Republic at the marriage of the D ke of York. Full of yasrs, possessed of a oonnderble fortune, and endowed with the highest honors that the profession of arms oould supply, General de Gallifet some years ago retired alike from active military service and all participation In party politics. His readiness to acoept the most arduous portfolio in the Cabinet at the present critical conjuncture of affairs is at once an instance of the man's obivalrous patriotism and a refutation of the rumours that a monarchical restoration is at hand. If his brilliant record has made General de Gallifet the idol of the troop?, his unflinching determination to serve the State before bis party has oiused blin to be a thorn la the fieah of the general staff. His ooDfidential revelations to Gambetta check-mated the schemes of certain army chiefr, and earned for the hero of Paebla the analloyed hostility of the military malcontents. To these M. de Galllfet became an insorutable and infatuated patriot. Hia attitude of strict impartiality throughout the Dreyfns scandal worried them because of the great soldier's prestige..' Only twice during the long agony did he emerge from his retirement; he vigorously espoused the cause of his former aid de-oamp, Colonel Pic quart ; and he finally professed publicly bis belief in the i&nooence of Dreyfus. It might be imagined that the selection of a Minister of War so obnoxious to the general Btaff would act as a dangerous aggravation of the present discontent. But there is a common I belief that in France the troops will I always follow a soldier at the bead of ■ the War Office, and that regulars will never fire upon regulars. - When, in addition the leader is, like General de Gallifet, the personification of military glory, the loyalty of Mes onlottes rouges ' does not admit of any doubt. Moreover, he has not been slow to prove his honorable aloofness from anything savouring of p&rty revengp. The indiscreet General Negrier has been disgraced, but the perjured Colonel dv Paty has been reprieved, apparently as an irresponsible subordinate. Doubtless, also the latter, along with his confederate Esterhszy, will be used as witnesses for the State. General de Gallifet has, further, advocated the polioy of restoring and rooompenslDg Dreyfus, and of then passing the sponge over the slate. To outsiders, I not cognisant of the inner history and I the imminent dangrra of Franop, this I must seem an entirely immoral proceeding. but it may be, in the olrcamsUnces, tbe wisest course to puraus. At any rate, such a decision will infuriate the Socialists and Radicals, who, to a m»n, have adopted the suggestion made in a fiery article by M. P»ul de C-ssagDPo 12 months ago, that if Alfrfd Dreyfus Is innocent, G nerala Bondeffrp, Be?]l r t, Mercier, and Pellieux should beotth'. lla j dv Diable. But no suoh opposition is likely to terrorise M. de Gallifet If he has persuaded himself that a general i ainoesty is the course demanded by the interests of his beloved France. When he entered the Chamber as Minister — he was not a deputy— tho j veteran was greeted with the most opprobrious epithets by those who could neither forget nor forgive the ' red week ' of the Commune, But yielding to extreme pressure, and what he conceived to be tbe call of duty, General de Gallifet had joined what was confessedly a Ministry of Affairs, to overcome an alarming crisis ; and the menaces of declared enemies did not disturbo him in the least, 'il en avait vu bien d'autree.' As soon aa the trial, which begins next week, and the events arising from it, are definitely settled one way or tbe other, the old soldier, who is now rising 70, will, no doubt, be only too happy to (|uit the bauble shop of politics for the leisured retreat that be has so honorably deserved. Meanwhile every lover of France will hopn that hia j < serviette ' of office, like the pelisse of the two little seamstresses, may be a ' mascotte.'