M. de Witt, though the sentence of the tribunal at
Marmande was not sustained, had eventually to pay a fine of 500 francs
on the ground that he had been guilty of 'excessive charity' to an old
man of 80, named Sauvean, who had long been a pensioner of his family!
The wonder is that his commission as Mayor by the choice of his
fellow-citizens was not revoked by the Ministry at Paris. Under the
Third Republic this is no uncommon thing.

Early in the year 1889, M. Duboscq, Mayor of the commune of Labrit in
the Landes, one of the many out-of-the way and charming places which in
that part of France are associated with the memory of Henri IV., gave a
dinner to M. Lambert de Ste.-Croix, the distinguished Monarchist leader,
who died not long ago. For this offence--M. Lambert de Ste.-Croix having
just then exasperated the Republicans beyond measure by a vigorous
speech made at Dax on the Adour--M. Duboscq was actually suspended from
his office by order of M. Floquet, now the President of the Chamber of
Deputies! In reply to a question on the subject put by a deputy, M.
Lamarzelle, M. Floquet calmly replied that lie had suspended M. Duboscq
because, 'being a functionary of the Government, he had departed from
the reserve proper in his position by inviting an opponent of the
Government to dinner!' The Mayors of these communes, be it observed, are
elected by the people, not appointed by the Government! So that under
the practice of the French Republic, as represented by the present
President of the Chamber, a Radical Mayor of Newcastle who should ask
Mr. Gladstone to dinner ought to be 'suspended' at once by Lord
Salisbury! This is municipal liberty in France under the Third Republic.

As the Legislative elections are conducted under the supervision of the
Mayors, the object of such performances as these is obvious enough. At
the same time with M. Duboscq, M. Davezac de Moran, Mayor of Siest near
Dax, was also suspended by M. Floquet for the offence of allowing the
meeting of the Monarchical Committees, at which M. Lambert de Ste.-Croix
made his speech, to be held in his own house at Dax! 'If you think,'
said M. Lamarzelle to the Minister, 'to frighten us with all this, you
are mistaken. At your age Robespierre had got himself guillotined!'
During the Legislative elections of 1889 'the school-teachers, the
postmen, the gendarmes, the highway supervisors and the labourers, were
ordered to vote against the Monarchist candidates.' M.