Boulanger’s Gratitude.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4983, 16 April 1889, Page 3

Boulanger’s Gratitude.

The rumour during the Paris election that the Government contemplated revoking the decree of exile against the Due d’Aumale, by way'.of attracting monarchical votes from General Boulanger, reminds us of a story told of the relations between the Due and Boulanger ■when he was a subaltern. A decade ago, Boulanger rose in his profession by fawning upon the powerful and high placed, and on one occasion assured the Duo of his “ unchangeable devotedness.” To the Due d’Aumale he owed his promotion to the rank of general, afid. Boulanger, who had. previously served under him, wrote in hia gratitude: “ Blessed would bo the day which would recall me under your command.” But when it became evident that no member of the House of Orleans was likely to become an immediate controller of the destinies of France in ’ general, and French soldier? in particular, Boulanger joined the. Bod -Republican party, and, through M. Clemonceau, in time secured the portfolio of Minister for Wav. ■' One of Boulanger’s first acts on taking office,” says a writer in an old Murray, “ was to send for the army reports of the Due d’Aumalo to see what had bepn said of his own important self. The Due d’Aumalo’s note against his name was simply ‘ A good officer, active, very intelligent, but ill-bred (mal clevc).”' It did not take long after this discovery to draw up a decree of expulsion, and the man whom the Due d’Aumalo had promoted to commanding positions was the man to whom ho owed his os* pulsion,