He was your adversary,but he is now conquered,disarmed,and most unhappy.Restore him to his mother,now eighty years old;to his weeping family;and to all his household,who deplore his absence;restore him also to our townsmen,who love and honour him,and bear no hostility towards the President,His recall will be an admirable political act,and will give our country more happiness that the highest act of benevolence.'"This conversation between Jasmin and Texier immediately appeared in the columns of the Siecle,accompanied with a stirring sympathetic article by the editor.It may be mentioned that M.Baze was one of Jasmin's best friends.He had introduced the poet to the public,and written the charming preface to the first volume of the 'Papillotos,'issued in 1835.M.Baze was an advocate of the Royal Court of Agen--a man of fine character,and a true patriot.He was Mayor of Agen,commander of the National Guard,and afterwards member of the Legislative Assembly and the Senate.But he was opposed to Prince Louis Napoleon,and was one of the authors of the motion entitled de Questeurs.
He was arrested on the night of the 2nd December,1851,imprisoned for a month in the Mazas,and then expelled from the territory of France.During his exile he practised at Liege as an advocate.
Jasmin again went to Paris in May 1853,and this time on his mission of mercy.The editor of the Siecle announced his arrival.He was again feted,and the salons rejoiced in his recitations.After a few days he was invited to Saint-Cloud.
Louis Napoleon was now Emperor of France,and the Empress Eugenie sat by his side.The appearance of Jasmin was welcomed,and he was soon made thoroughly at ease by the Emperor's interesting conversation.A company had been assembled,and Jasmin was requested to recite some of his poems.As usual,he evoked smiles and tears by turns.When the audience were in one of their fits of weeping,and Jasmin had finished his declamation,the Emperor exclaimed,"Why;poet,this is a genuine display of handkerchiefs"--(Mais,poete,c'est un veritable scene de mouchoirs).
Jasmin seized this moment for revealing to the Emperor the desire which he had long entertained,for recalling from exile his dear friend M.Baze.He had prepared a charming piece of verse addressed to the Empress Eugenie,requesting his return to France through the grand door of honour."Restore him to us,"he said;"Agen cries aloud.The young Empress,as good as beautiful,beloved of Heaven,will pray with her sympathetic soul,and save two children and an unhappy mother--she,who will be soon blessed as a happy mother herself."[4]Jasmin concluded his poem with the following words in Gascon:Esperi!
Lou angels nou se troumpon jamay.'
The result of this appeal to the Empress was that Jasmin's prayer was immediately granted by the Emperor.M.Baze returned to France at once,without any conditions whatever.The parents of the quondam exile wrote to Jasmin thanking him most cordially for his exertions in their favour.Four days after the soiree at Saint-Cloud,the Prefect of the Indre-et-Loire,head of the Baze family,wrote to Jasmin,saying:"Your muse is accustomed to triumphs;but this one ought to rejoice your heart,and should yield you more honour than all the others.For my part,I feel myself under the necessity of thanking you cordially for your beautiful and noble action;and in saying so,I interpret the sentiments of the whole family."Madame Baze addressed the Emperor in a letter of grateful thanks,which she wrote at the dictation of Jasmin.The Siecle also gave an account of Jasmin's interview with the Emperor and Empress at Saint-Cloud,and the whole proceeding redounded to the honour of the Gascon poet.
Jasmin had been made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour at the same time as Balzac,Frederick Soulie,and Alfred de Musset.
