"Ayant foi dans la République et dans l'avenir, la République vivra, enfantée dans la douleur."

Autograph letter signed by Jules Ferry, 18 lines in black ink, to a friend, on Paris City Hall letterhead.
Fold marks inherent to mailing.
Jules Ferry wishes to console his friend who has just lost a loved one: "Je prends une part profonde à vos douleurs, vous savez combien j'aime votre caractère... mais les hommes de coeur ont des fibres pour toutes les souffrances..." ("I share deeply in your grief, you know how much I love your character... but men of heart have feelings for all sufferings...") and also comforts him in his faith in the Republic during these hours of the Franco-Prussian conflict: "Ayant foi dans la République et dans l'avenir, la République vivra, enfantée dans la douleur." ("Having faith in the Republic and in the future, the Republic will live, born in pain.").